Man you derserve it...all you and all the MODS do for us.
And what the heck...your mother-in-law reads IE? Wow i need to clean up my posts/thoughts!!! =P
Yup, she's lived in SB most of her adult life and is a huge Irish fan. But she's been around me when I've watched ND play or the Lakers play, and if she can handle me and my mouth during those games she can handle this forum. (Damn...this is a lonnnng read. Sorry!
So some interesting things about today:
1. One of my student's mother works directly under Pat Haden, so i texted her when we were getting our tour of the campus and we were about to get to Heritage Hall (their version of the Gug). Pat Haden had just finished a meeting with the football staff (we
just missed Kiffy and the gang), and he wanted to talk to the kids. So he came down and talked to my students for a few minutes and talked about setting goals and reaching them and going to college and everything. My students didn't even realize what a great human being they were talking to, so I reminded them in the middle of his speech, and it started to sink in. Say what you will, but he is a GREAT guy and a great human being. I mean, the best. (Imagine my student's mom, going from Mike Garrett to Pat Haden...Rhodes Scholar??? She's in heaven and calls him a walking saint.)
Pat told them that while he wanted them to go to USC, he said there were great colleges in CA and he specifically mentioned UCLA. When my students asked him about ND (they are well-trained!), he told them that he went to a Catholic high school and almost went to ND, which was cool. I still don't think my students understood what a powerful man they were talking to...imagine Jack Swarbrick talking to your kids...but they got the message and were very appreciative.
2. Heritage Hall is pretty much a dump in comparison to the Gug and most other big-time athleitc facilities. That's pretty much well-known, but seeing it in person sent the point home. The sad thing is that their new facilities are being built as we speak and they are going to be niiiiiiiice. It was cool though to see the Heisman trophies and the BCS championship trophy in person, even for the enemy. Not things you see every day, and my students were pumped to see it. One of my students was shocked to see OJ's jersey still up there (I made sure my students knew that he killed 2 people).
3. Saw some football players walking around but I couldn't recognize the faces and they didn't look to friendly. Then on the way out we saw 2 players, so I grabbed my best athlete and I approached the guys and asked them what position they played. One of the dudes was an absolute MONSTER - seriously yoked. He said DE, and said his name was George. I said, "George Uko?" and he was impressed that I knew his name and signed an autograph for my student. Uko is a true freshman that didn't play last year but is supposed to be a stud. He definitely passed the eyeball test. The other player was a DB by the name of Anthony Brown. He was actually real cool and was really impressed that I knew his name, because he also redshirted last year and is lesser-known. The uSC students that were chaperoning us were embarrassed that I knew more of the players than they did. I was more embarrassed by that same fact and quickly realized I needed to get a damn life!
4. And finally, for the fellas, like I said, it was 85 degress today. LOTS of short shorts and halter tops. But man, at about noon time, all of a sudden the ladies started coming out in their bikinis right near where we were eating and started laying out, getting tans! I sh!t you not. At least 15-20 of them sprinkled throughout the 'quad where we were hanging out, eating and playing games. Now, I'm HAPPILY married and I hit a grand slam with my wife, and would never even think about looking at another girl. But I did take a quick glance just in case I meet any of you guys and you need details. I'm not saying they were 10's, but there definitely no 2's out there. And apparently this happens all the time (one of the girls told me she'd be laying out herself if she weren't with the kids).
5. OK, one more thing. The campus doesn't even come close to the beauty of ND. Not even close. In fact, UCLA's is way better (although way too spread out). I mean, the buildings are built by the same architect, and they just aren't very attractive. NOTHING like ND's gorgeous catherdral style buildings. The only building that sticks out is the film school's building that was donated by George Lucas (and word is he had HIS guys do the building...and it is nice - the only one comparable to ND).
6. And finally (for reals), I had the USC students point me to the building where the frat boy was, ummm, having a good time with the sorority girl. It's the tallest building on campus, way taller than the other ones and it must have been quite a view from up there. I'll leave it at that.
