On Thursday evenings while I try to pay attention to my qualitative methods class, I get a bit nostalgic as I listen to the UCLA marching band practice the upcoming field show, pre-game show, fight songs and pop tunes. Instead of being in class discussing ethnographies and researchers’ subjectivity, I’d much rather be on the IM field playing my trombone with all the other band geeks.

It’s been years since I’ve played my trombone and even longer since I’ve been to a UCLA football game. I quit the band mainly because I no longer had the time and because the football games (which take the most time) were no longer fun because the team was losing and embroiled in the infamous disabled placard scandal of 1999.

See, my first year in the band 1998 UCLA football was ranked number 1 in the nation and undefeated until the very end of the season. The quarterback, Cade McNown, was a prime contender for the the Heisman Trophy and UCLA was enjoying an 8 game win streak over our rivals, USC. It was a great time to be in the band, until the end.

Sunday, December 6, 1998

The reason I feel so utterly depressed is because yesterday the UCLA football team lost to Miami. We were previously unbeaten in 20 straight games and were basically 60 minutes away from a trip to Tempe, Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl [for the national championship game]. But the dream season ended in a nightmare as the Bruin defense fell a part in the 4th quarter giving up a lead of 17 points (I think). There were some questionable (or controversial) calls that I think caused us to lose heart and subsequently lose the game. I know that college football isn’t everything in the world, but it feels like it right now.

I was really upset after that game. Our “consolation prize” — normally a great bowl game — was the Rose Bowl. That game sucked too and it was personally tragic. The next season wasn’t much better and the ones after were all quite mediocre. I lost interest and just prayed that basketball season would be better.

Today, I listened on the radio to the last quarter of the UCLA (20) vs. UC Berkeley (10) game. I don’t have a TV right now and the game was only on cable so I was checking online for scores until I found the game on the radio. The Bruins were down 40-35 with only a few minutes to play in the 4th quarter. But then they scored, and when Cal got the ball again they turned it over when the quarterback, Joe Ayoob, threw an interception with 1:19 to play. The Bruins scored another 2-yard touchdown and sealed the upset 47-41.

It’s been 6 years since I’ve been to the Rose Bowl and seriously excited about UCLA football. Hopefully I can take some time out of my busy schedule and head back to the Rose Bowl to relive old times and sing “Rover” (a song we play after every victory) with the band after another exciting win.