At hotel waiting for Michigan to arrive ...
Don't ask what a room with a sun deck costs.
MORE UPDATES: I interviewed Steve Breaston, whose picture is on this site under my bowl pool thread. Good interview. The team finally showed up ... they were delayed three hours by a storm. Also, I don't quite know why, but there was some dude in a St. Paul hat and shirt hanging around the lobby. Again, I have no clue why. He didn't talk to anyone. He looked like a coach, honestly. I caught him nodding off to the sleep a couple of times. I don't get it. Chavez and I thought he might be an autograph seeker, but he never made a move. Strange.
UPDATE: Jim Mora just sat down 10 yards away from us and talked on his cell phone for 15 minutes. I hope he wasn't close enough to hear me say "Playoffs?" to Keven. Welcome to the media, Coach. You have to kill time with the rest of us.
I'm at the Park Hyatt hotel in L.A. waiting ... in the lobby sitting on a couch typing this. I'm here with SGVN columnist Keven Chavez, waiting for Michigan to arrive in L.A. for the Rose Bowl. Uh, they were supposed to be here at 4:30 ... the rumor swirling is that it actually won't be until 7 maybe 8.
A few of the players have already arrived, but it's hard to ID them without jerseys. It's funny, they walk around like the greatest thing since the Eggo waffle was invented ... women love them, their schools put them up in amazing hotels, the attention is endless. And in two years, you'll be asking Aram if you can string the Charter Oak vs. Bonita game. I digress.
Anyway, there are two weird looking dudes sitting in the hotel bar. One of them is a white dude with dreadlocks. The other is a poor man's Tommy Lee. And of course, some chick is with them. I'm not very good with Westside style. In the SGV, these guys get looked at so hard that they feel uncomfortable and leave. OK, maybe not in Pasadena, but you get the point. Here, they get chicks.
Chavez and I are trying to guess what band they're from. They're both wearing shades. Uh, he said Korn. I said they're Dino's backups, blowing their last bit of cash since "Summer Girls" album. QCs anyone?
I'm not quite sure why I'm here. Chavez is the one doing the writing. He also got his big break, covering the blue arrival for AP, too. I will actually be covering this game and writing the advance for it. Maybe I'll pull down a quote in a few. For now, we wait ...
Comments
Aram,
Thanks hope you're having fun and got a laugh.
Here's another one:
Next time you see Jim Mora in the lobby...pretend you're talking to your Editor and scream "Deadline?!...Deadline?!...you want to talk about a Dead line?!" and casually see if he breaks a smile! Never know you might get an interview with the famous coach.
Seeing that Iverson is in the news ask if Iverson stole his line when he said, "Practice?!..PRACTICE?! ..you want to talk about practice?!" That would be my last question to him and NOT my first.
Posted by: indie reporter | December 24, 2006 6:10 PM
You haven't heard much about individuals this year when it comes to Michigan. But it hit Chavez and I while we were down there that this team is loaded. Breaston/Manningham at WR, Henne, Hart a great O-line. The defense has Woodley and some good DBs.
To answer the question about autographs ... the stars and the no-names all hang out together. Everybody is pretty accessible.
Indie flick,
That's some hilarious stuff!!! Thanks, and Merry X-Mas to you too.
Posted by: Aram | December 24, 2006 10:17 AM
Aram I don't know what's taking place at the Hotel...but with the introduction of the "man in the St. Paul hat" it's beginning to get creepy and sound like a bad indie film script with characters and no plot line. LOL
Let's see we have a "grambling pool angle". Celebrity cameo by Mike Tyson. A "creepy guy in the lobby". A couple of "wanna be used to be washed up rockers with a single groupie." A "lonely sportwriter" stuck in a high class hotel with "large men in helmets" that eat large amounts of meat for entertainment! "Bounty Hunters" in search of "Massive Wolverines"! An impending invasion and assault by "Trojan Warriors" and ....yup! it's an indie flick! I saw it at Sundance. The book was better...lol!
Hope you have a good X-Mas Aram and wait a minute....what about the love interest! Every movie needs a love interest! Of course the "lovely Ms. Elizabeth" ...I knew there was a reason you were on that balcony you romantic devil "leading man" you!....camera pans to roaring fireplace and crashing waves......fade to black......FIN !
There....... THAT'S your X-Mas present! Enjoy!
Posted by: Indie flick reviewer | December 24, 2006 12:39 AM
are their guys signing autographs? what about the star players?
cause mel kiper says they have 6 possible first round draft picks this year if they all come out.
Posted by: Spanky | December 23, 2006 9:20 PM
The lobby isn't blocked off.
Posted by: Aram | December 23, 2006 1:47 PM
If you hang out in the lobby, you'll inevitably see players. The thing is that they have a schedule for the entire next week and a half, so you have to get them when they're at the hotel. Michigan is practicing at Home Depot Center, but it's closed to the public. The hotel might be your best bet, or be at Disneyland on Tuesday.
Posted by: Aram | December 23, 2006 1:44 PM
Hey guys im a huge michigan guy and my boys are too, they were asking me if you wait in that lobby after thier practice if my 4 and 7 year old sons can get an autograph by a few players what do you guys think? is it blocked off or what?
Posted by: Stevie | December 23, 2006 10:59 AM
I must say that you sound like you wish you were back at Nordstroms shopping for that special someone.
What does a room with a sun deck cost these days?
Some chick might be with those two "dudes" but on a scale of 1-10 does she even register?
Okay so obviously I have all my shopping done and have nothing better to do then answer your post.
Posted by: Betty B | December 23, 2006 9:06 AM
Aram I hope you have a USC jersey or a WEST COVINA shirt on. hahahaha
Posted by: 1fan | December 22, 2006 5:09 PM