Hospital Trip Provides Perspective

Players are accustomed to ups and down on the football field. It is the nature of sports. But in the week leading up to the Rose Bowl, they are also exposed to the highs and lows of life in general.

Take the last 24 hours.

The Washington Huskies spent Tuesday afternoon at Disneyland, billed as the happiest place on earth; Wednesday morning visiting seriously ill children at the City of Hope Hospital; and then, after practice Wednesday, the players went to Lawry’s restaurant for the annual Beef Bowl, a chance to eat and eat until one’s stomach blows the whistle.

For defensive lineman Larry Tripplett, the lasting memory of the past few days is Brenda, an 8-year-old City of Hope patient with leukemia.

“Meeting her and the other kids was a very moving experience,” Tripplett said. “You know, you go [to the City of Hope] because the coach asks you to and because it’s the right thing to do, but when you meet these kids and hear their stories, it really touches your heart. It really puts everything into perspective. Brenda is filled with so much life and joy. I was so encouraged by those kids.”

So much so that the everyday bruises of a football player didn’t seem like much.

“I had my usual aches and pain on the field [Wednesday],” Tripplett said, “but I set them aside this time.”

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Tailback Paul Arnold is out of Monday’s Rose Bowl game because of a back problem, which has kept him on the sidelines for the Huskies’ last four games.

Two other injured Washington runners, Rich Alexis (dislocated shoulder) and Willie Hurst (broken collarbone), returned to full practice Wednesday and are expected to play Monday.

“Neither of them is still writhing in pain,” Coach Rick Neuheisel said after watching the pair go through drills. “I think they’ll be OK.”

Junior Braxton Cleman will be the starting tailback.

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Junior cornerback Anthony Vontoure was grounded Wednesday for missing the team bus to practice. After being required to do some extra running following practice, Vontoure was allowed to take part in the Lawry’s eat-a-thon, but he was then required to return to his hotel for the night.

Vontoure’s status for the game was not affected.

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Junior receiver Justin Robbins, suffering from a dislocated shoulder, is “probably probable,” for the game, according to Neuheisel.

Robbins was hurt in a freak accident in practice Sunday when he crashed into a goal-post cover at USC’s Howard Jones Field while trying to make a diving catch.

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Plans have been finalized for safety Curtis Williams, who was paralyzed by a helmet-to-helmet collision in an October game, to attend the Rose Bowl.

He will be flown in Monday, sit in the press box and may meet with his teammates in the locker room before being flown back Monday night to the San Jose rehabilitation facility where he is being treated.