Lawry's Recollections

Past Players Recall Their Lawry’s Beef Bowl Experience

John Sciarra, QB, UCLA, 1976 Rose Bowl Game
NFL 4th Round draft pick by Chicago Bears

“I happened to sit next to Wendell Tyler, our star running back, at the Lawry's Beef Bowl. Wendell had been playing the last few games with a broken hand and his hand was still in a soft cast. He was upset because his cast prevented him from cutting his prime rib. Everyone at our table had a lot fun joking and teasing him about the great meal he was missing. Eventually, I cut his prime rib for him so he could enjoy with the rest of us.”

Brad Budde, OL, USC, 1977, 1979, 1980 Rose Bowl Games
NFL 1st Round draft pick by Kansas City Chiefs

“When I think back on my experiences playing in three Rose Bowl Games, the word that comes to mind is PASSION. There is no better word to describe the people who love this violent sport and yet are civilized enough to appreciate the pageantry of the Rose Bowl Parade and a fine meal at Lawry’s.”

Lloyd Carr, Head Coach, Michigan
1998, 2004, 2005, 2007 Rose Bowl Games

“Outside of the Rose Bowl Game, the most enjoyable event of the Rose Bowl experience is the trip to Lawry's. It's such a great restaurant and the tradition that the Frank family has created surrounding the annual Beef Bowl is unparalleled. I had read about Lawry's and the Rose Bowl since I was a kid and it was a thrill to finally make it there.”

Warren Moon, QB, Washington, 1978 Rose Bowl Game
NFL Hall of Fame, Houston Oilers, (also with Vikings, Seahawks and Chiefs)

“During our Beef Bowl event waiters came around with huge carts and served unbelievable cuts of prime rib right at our table. As a college student who was used to dining on fast food and racing to the dorm before the dining hall closed to feast on scraps, that experience was very new to me.”

Ed Muransky, DL, Michigan, 1978, 1981 Rose Bowl Games
NFL 4th Round draft pick by Oakland Raiders

“Bubba Paris and I were two happy freshmen eating together at the 1978 Lawry’s Beef Bowl. After we had enjoyed our fourth plate of prime rib, mashed potatoes, corn and Yorkshire pudding, Bubba asked what the record was, and they said 7 cuts. Bubba continued for 3 more cuts, and I continued for four, totally under the Bo Schembechler radar screen. When they delivered the 8th cut to me, the media started to gather around my table, Bo walked by and let me know what he was thinking without ever saying a word. Afterward, a Paris-Muransky night out ended with some pizza. The next morning in practice, Bo made an example of Bubba and me. We never ran so much in our lives as we did that day. We were in every play of scrimmage and then we ran sprints.

My junior year, we're flying out to the 1981 Rose Bowl and Bo made it a point to come back and talk to Bubba Paris and me. He wanted to let us know that my record from a couple years earlier would not be in jeopardy because we were going to be sitting with him at the Lawry’s Beef Bowl. He said he was going to limit each of us to two cuts of prime rib.”

Jim Lachey, OL, Ohio State, 1985 Rose Bowl Game
NFL 1st Round draft pick, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins

“My senior year we were outright Big Ten champions and it was a dream come true to go to Pasadena and be a part of that great Rose Bowl tradition and participate in all the events like the Lawry’s Beef Bowl and Disneyland.”

Kris Farris, OL, UCLA, 1999 Rose Bowl Game
NFL 3rd Round draft pick, Pittsburgh Steelers

“One of the perks of a Rose Bowl berth is the highly coveted Beef Bowl dinner. I think I ate my weight in prime rib at Lawry’s that night! I still get chills when I remember taking the field on New Year’s Day. Nothing compares to the pageantry and tradition of the Rose Bowl game.”

Mack Brown, University of Texas Head Coach, 2005 Rose Bowl Game

"Mr. Frank and I had dinner at Lawry's in Dallas last year and he said, 'You ought to come try our Beverly Hills restaurant sometime.' Well, you probably didn't think I'd take your invitation so seriously, but here I am--and I brought the whole team with me!"

Gary Beban, QB, UCLA, 1966 Rose Bowl Game

"The Michigan State Spartans had the likes of Bubba Smith, Harold Lucas, and George Webster that made us feel like dwarfs. I remember thinking, 'UCLA could eat the great Beef Bowl meal every day for a year and we would still come out on the short end of the stats."

Joe Kapp, QB, California, 1959 Rose Bowl Game

"Some of our players were unable to resist and returned to Lawry's for a post-game meal."