I take little joy in writing this. One of my favorite memories living in the San Fernando Valley town of Burbank, California in the 1990s was going to Ribs USA Thanksgiving weekend to watch the annual Trojans-Bruins rivalry game. Los Angeles studio towns empty out during the holidays, with transplants heading to all parts of the US to celebrate Turkey Day with family and friends. This made for a surreal experience in Burbank, where those of us that stayed felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. As a long-suffering Rutgers fan, I quickly embraced USC football and UCLA basketball and was even disappointed when my niece chose the surfing enclave of UC Santa Barbara over staying local and attending UCLA.
Breaking: Oregon to join Big Ten in 2024, UW to follow
