Glendale, Arizona: Today has been a constant overwhelming onslaught of information. I am too old for this much information being deposited upon my little brain at one time. There is so much hoopla surrounding the National Championship Game and it all seems to end up in my in-box. The entire country is crazy for My Ducks. Can you blame them?
Last night, Jimmy Fallon had a special song created for the Oregon Ducks, which aired on his program well past my bedtime. I present it here for you, Dear Reader, even though the F-bomb (though bleeped) is dropped, and this is normally a F-Bomb-Free Website. In complete honesty, there are only a few words that rhyme with Duck and... as I said, the program airs well after the kidlets are in bed. Enjoy!
And then we have this little informative video, via Captain Jim, about the retractable field where the Ducks will play on Monday:
I had a technology-challenged day myself. We are having a heck of a time receiving an internet satellite signal at this location. So frustrating. It goes on. It goes off. So this morning, I phoned MotoSat and they had me download this and that and still I could not get online. So The Big Guy, Scott, calls me and we go over a few things and he says he will call me back in a bit after he consults another dude. I wait. I put on my running clothes. I wait. I lace up my Nikes. I give up waiting for Scott and am literally out the door with my nano-headset-thing when Scott phones me back and we are on the phone for about twenty minutes and he cannot fix my troubles... so decides he needs to conference-call-me-in with another tech. He will call me back in a few minutes.
Meantime, DT has gone for a run (with his injured hamstring) and is icing his poor hammy outside, chatting with fellow RVers. I am waiting. I want to go for my run, but seriously "the smartest man I know" is completely hopeless to aid in anything remotely technical. So I wait. And I wait. DT showers. I wait. Finally, I give up and take a shower. We get in the Honda and head-out to Scottsdale to see the BCS FanFest and wouldn't you know it - Scott phones as we are entering the freeway. My tech troubles remain unresolved to this moment, but isn't it great that I can still access the interweb with my iPhone? Gotta love back-up technology.
Two hours totally wasted and no exercise.
My day, however, improved.
Here I am at the BCS FanFest in Scottsdale. On the 50-yard-line of a football field created outside a mall just for this occasion. Awesome.
DT and I arrived before the FanFest opened, but we were lucky enough to have an insider connection - SportsOne is in charge of the FanFest and SportsOne was also in charge of the FanFest at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene, so we are well-acquainted with their staff. SportsOne invited us inside the festival grounds and gave us an "insider tour".
The festival is situated at a mall in Scottsdale along a gorgeous canal.
On a huge bridge spanning the canal is the "Two Dollar Tailgate" area. Restaurants and bars have set up booths with food items - and beer - for only $2. Such a deal!
SportsOne has every detail planned. Game Day golf carts are available to transport people around the party.
Jim gave us a great tour of the FanFest just before the gates opened to the public. The temporary football field in Scottsdale has an Oregon end-zone and an Auburn end-zone. Each University will hold their pep rallies on the field Sunday (Auburn at 11a and Oregon at 5p).Beer, as I said earlier, is $2.
Oh, my goodness.
There are several bars inside the FanFest - stocked with brewskis and lovely ASU coeds (seriously, I could not find even one girl who was even remotely unappealing) pouring refreshments.
Hello.
Every RVer will love this photo. This is a bar-on-wheels. Jim is explaining the situation to DT: the roof collapses to form the sides to a "trailer" and the entire bar can be towed behind a truck. Inside the trailer is a bar, bar stools all around and several 3D TVs. Patrons can actually sit on the bar stools, drink Budlight and watch 3D TV - wearing special 3D eye-glasses - at the same time!Is this a great country, or what?
The Fan Fest was ready to open for the first time. Tons of work for a five-day festival.
At exactly 3 o'clock, the gates opened and the fans literally streamed-in to the festival. After that - it was crazy-busy and we left our friends as they had to work. We found a quiet spot and enjoyed delicious chicken tacos for our breakfast/lunch.
We met old friends for dinner in Scottsdale at Mastro's Ocean Club - one of those fancy steak houses where you choose your steak, and then choose your "sides" and you always order too much food.
The boys had oysters and snails and I ordered a salad and then we all ordered fabulous steaks. Too much food, which is now residing in our RV fridge... but a great evening with great friends and great Duck fans.Tomorrow more friends will arrive for the greatest football game The Ducks have ever played. Until my next update, I remain, your Arizona correspondent.