It’s raining at the Rose Bowl ...

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The Rose Bowl only looks to be half full, and now, 10 minutes before kickoff, the rain has started falling. Pretty hard. So some people are heading for the exits before kickoff.

And I even see a couple of umbrellas.

Mine, a sturdy Burberry version that I bought in London more than 10 years ago, and that has survived gale-force winds along with rain, sleet and snow, was almost confiscated at the Rose Bowl entry where those of us with credentials have our passes scanned and our bags searched. My umbrella is always in my computer bag, just in case.

‘No umbrellas in the stadium,’ the bag searcher said. ‘Leave it at Gate 8.’ Besides the fact that Gate 8 is on the other side of the Rose Bowl, I pointed out that I wouldn’t be technically sitting in the stadium and that at midnight or so when I left the press box I didn’t particularly want to be walking in the rain. ‘No umbrellas.’

I don’t usually defy authority but I put the umbrella back in my bag and said I would be taking it with me. ‘You better not use that as a weapon,’ the security checker shouted.

So I promise. I will not use my umbrella as a weapon.

-- Diane Pucin