USC Trip Review-- Currently Stuck at SNA for 12+ hours, otherwise...GREAT!

[R1766U]

1. Flew into SNA (John Wayne) Thursday from Newark with a bunch of RU fans on the flight.
2. Hung out near Newport Beach and Laguna Beach Thursday. Really enjoyed walking around the beaches and the view from "Top of the World" park.
3. Took a quick stop in Hollywood then up to Griffiths Observatory Friday before the game. Hollywood was very much like Times Square as expected. The observatory was awesome.
4. Went to the "Lab" on USC campus pre-game. Really had a great time. Campus is beautiful and the fans we encountered were very very friendly.
5. Walked around outside the Coliseum, the Modelo tailgating area, was fun.
6. The Coliseum was awesome. Big, plenty of bathrooms, variety of concessions, a ton of history.
7. USC fans reminded me a lot of Rutgers fans. Seems like once a few losses are in the books, they don't show up.
8. Loved the atmosphere in the Coliseum with the real time band playing instead of the blasting loud music.
9. TONS of Rutgers fans around. We traveled well.

Currently stuck at SNA trying to leave.
1. Flight was delayed a few hours because of damage to a tire that had to be changed.
2. Boarded the plane, sat on runway and had to return to gate because of a gas/oil smell.
3. Plane was repaired (took another 2 hours). Got back on the plane, had to deplane because flight crew hours.
4. New flight crew showed up, got on the plane. Sat on the runway again because of returning gas/oil smell. Returned to gate

In short--boarded and deboarded FOUR TIMES.

Sitting here almost 12 hours later waiting for my "Ferry flight" to arrive. Won't be back east until early tomorrow morning. Anyone have experience with getting compensation for such craziness?

All in all this was a very very fun trip and away game. Great college atmosphere and wonderful stadium. Highly recommended.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

 

[MrsScrew]

You are owed a refund. Get it

US airlines required to automatically refund you for canceled flight

The new rule mandates that refunds are automatically processed by an airline if a passenger's flight is "canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept the significantly changed flight, rebooking on an alternative flight, or alternative compensation."

abc7ny.com

 

[bigmatt718]

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly USC fans were for the most part while out there. I felt like USC fans are basically a mirror image of our fans but on the West Coast. Very solid tailgate scene that normally is even stronger on Saturday games. Hopefully next time we play out there it'll be a Saturday game so we can get to experience the full tailgate set up. I hope we get the B1G schedule for 2025 soon so I can plan the trip to Seattle to experience Washington and sailgating at Husky Stadium next year.

 

[Knight Shift]

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly USC fans were for the most part while out there. I felt like USC fans are basically a mirror image of our fans but on the West Coast. Very solid tailgate scene that normally is even stronger on Saturday games. Hopefully next time we play out there it'll be a Saturday game so we can get to experience the full tailgate set up. I hope we get the B1G schedule for 2025 soon so I can plan the trip to Seattle to experience Washington and sailgating at Husky Stadium next year.

Have said it multiple times to a friend who is a Cal alum. Cal and Rutgers are bookends on the West and East coasts. Similar results over the last 20 years too, though Cal has a storied history going back.

 

[ru-baby]

Yep re Cal and Cal and Stanford would be perfect--and excellent-additions to the conference and all major west coast universities in the B10.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Yep re Cal and Cal and Stanford would be perfect--and excellent-additions to the conference and all major west coast universities in the B10.

I was wondering about that.. and my best guess was that Had B10 offered Cal and Stanford then Oregon and Washington might have gotten a lot of political pressure about their in-state counterparts. I think of how the ACC was going to expand way back when and Virginia wouldn't vote for it unless Tech was part of the deal. UVA didn't care.. but Virginia politicians did.

 

[bigmatt718]

Yep re Cal and Cal and Stanford would be perfect--and excellent-additions to the conference and all major west coast universities in the B10.

I'd gladly take Cal and Stanford in the B1G circa 2030 when the next media deal goes up. 20 is the absolute sweet spot and it would make the B1G the undisputed 2nd best academic conference after the Ivy League, with elite sports all around, and locks up the Bay Area media market. I'd be interested to see what landmarks they'd use for the B1G Map Commercial for Cal/Stanford (Cal Stadium, Cheapskate Hill, Golden Gate Bridge for San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, Silicon Valley, etc).

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

If one is going to get stuck at an airport, John Wayne is not a bad place to be.

 

[50 yd line RR]

any of you pregame in bar 901? About a mile from the coliseum?

 

[RUGuitarMan]

I'd gladly take Cal and Stanford in the B1G circa 2030 when the next media deal goes up. 20 is the absolute sweet spot and it would make the B1G the undisputed 2nd best academic conference after the Ivy League, with elite sports all around, and locks up the Bay Area media market. I'd be interested to see what landmarks they'd use for the B1G Map Commercial for Cal/Stanford (Cal Stadium, Cheapskate Hill, Golden Gate Bridge for San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, Silicon Valley, etc).

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I agree and there was some speculation that they would be added when the 4 PAC 12 schools were added. I think there seemed to be thought of limited television advantage of adding Cal and Stanford then. If there is further expansion, they would be an excellent fit in my opinion.