Postcards from Pasadena: A 'Seinfeld' situation with the rental car

The last thing you want to hear past midnight, after traveling 10 hours across the country, is your rental car company is OUT OF CARS. What? Out of cars? That's all they do is rent cars!
My experience at the rental car place Friday in L.A. reminded me of the great "Seinfeld" scene where Jerry and Elaine try to rent a car.
Jerry: "I don't understand. I made a reservation. Do you have my reservation?"
Cashier: "Yes, we do. Unfortunately, we ran out of cars."
Jerry: "But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation."
Cashier: "I know why we have reservations."
Jerry: "I don't think you do. If you did, I'd have a car. See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to hold the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation -- the holding. (Then with arms flailing) Anybody can just take 'em."
More than a dozen people were turned away by the rental car company Friday and told to take a cab. Luckily -- very luckily since we had waited an hour and were approaching 2 a.m. California time (5 a.m. EST) -- someone returned a car while my wife and I were waiting, and they gave it to us. Woo hoo!

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USC quotes about Penn State

Head coach Pete Carroll

On the challenges the Penn State offense will bring to the defense:

“We have had great practices. Penn State does a lot of things. Hopefully by the end of the week we will have it down pretty good and it will give us a chance. Their offense is very well balanced. They would just assume run it as throw it. The quarterback runs a lot, so it’s a very difficult attack. They have done a wonderful job with their offense and everyone has had problems with it.”

On the Penn State defense being one of the better defenses they have had to face:

 “This is about as good as you can get. Logically, everyone will think this would be a really low scoring game. We’ll try to do that, that’s the only way I ever think. These are two high-powered offenses as well, so it will be interesting to see come game time.”

On coaching against the legendary Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno:

“It’s a nice aspect of this game. It’s fun to have this opportunity and I look forward to it. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to go against him in such a big setting and big match-up. I have great respect for him, like everyone has and he is well-deserving of all of it.”On Penn State’s defense:

QB Mark Sanchez

On Penn State's defense:

“On the film they are all around the ball. They are always hustling. [Aaron] Maybin’s been harassing quarterbacks all year long. Their secondary is stingy. They play their schemes very well. They are all seniors and have been playing football a long time together, so they feed off each other and are able to feel out the other team. They look really good.”

On Penn State’s offense averaging 40 points per game:

"They bring a lot to the table on offense. I know Derrick Williams is a burner, he can fly. Daryll Clark has been all over the field too. He can throw and run, so that duel threat is always a challenge for the defense.”

RB Stafon Johnson

On playing against a dominating defense like Penn State:

 “We are ready for all aspects. We play against the best defense in the country, so we’re ready.”

On playing in a physical game with Penn State:

“That’s the type of game that you want. Smash mouth football, down hill football on both sides. We just want to make sure we capitalize on third downs and execute in the red zone."

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Lawry's Beef Bowl

Penn State participated in the Lawry's Beef Bowl eat-a-thon Saturday night.

Who eats the most on the team?

"Oh gosh, that's tough," kicker Kevin Kelly said. "One of the linemen. One of the offensive linemen. Not defense. Although, you know what, [Aaron] Maybin could probably eat as much as he wanted and he'd still look the same.
"It's going to be fun just for me watching. I'm going to have like one little piece and be done and just cheer everybody on."