Wednesday, December 31, 2003
The teams played tourist at Disney's California Adventure.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart flashed some of his surfing-inspired dance moves with Donald Duck.
At the other side of the stage, Michigan running back Chris Perry boogied with Mickey Mouse.
USC coach Pete Carroll grinned and politely declined Goofy's invitation to rock out.
The top-ranked Trojans and No. 4 Michigan took a break from Rose Bowl practice Friday to play tourist at Disney's California Adventure.
"It's great to be here," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "When we left home, it was 27 degrees and there was 7 or 8 inches of snow.
"I told Chris Perry as we were coming in here, 'How many times in your life are you going to get to ride in a convertible down the main street at Disneyland and have people cheering you? So enjoy it."'
Perry smiled and said that when he heard the Beach Boys music and saw the Disney characters cavorting, "It just got into me. I had to dance."
Getting into it
The coaches and several players took the stage in an amphitheater at the theme park, cheered on by several hundred fans wearing USC sweatshirts and several dozen others sporting Michigan's colors.
Behind the stage were several towering rides, including the California Screamin' roller coaster -- with riders screaming plenty -- and the Sun Wheel, which had gondolas suspended from a vertical wheel with a 168-foot diameter.
Although USC is only about 35 miles up Interstate 5, many of the USC players had never been to the California Adventure park.
Trojans defensive tackle Shaun Cody wasn't in any rush to get on one of the thrill rides.
"If I do ride any of those, I'll shut my eyes and hang onto Kenechi," Cody said, referring to teammate Kenechi Udeze. "I'm a feet-on-the-ground kind of guy."
Unlike Cody, Perry was eager to go swooping up, down and around.
"I'm heading for the rides that you can't get on unless you're taller than the sign," he said. "Those are the good ones."
Leinart, who grew up not far from Anaheim, said, "I've been to Disneyland a ton of times, but this is my first time here. I'm looking forward to getting on some of the rides and having some fun."
Taking advantage
Wolverines offensive lineman Tony Pape said he was "crazy about roller coasters," adding that he was happy the weather had cleared up.
"People are always saying it never rains in Southern California, but it been raining quite a bit since we got here and yesterday it was pouring and the wind was blowing hard. I was beginning to wonder what was going on," he said of the winter storm that swept through the area a day earlier.
The temperature was around 70 degrees, with the sky clear and sunny while the Rose Bowl participants visited the park, and Pape said, "This is more like it."
Carr chuckled and shook his head as a Disney publicity official asked him if he wanted a park guide to escort his "25 friends and family members" around the park.
"They're not with me, aren't my friends or family," Carr said. "I guess it's just somebody trying to get free rides."