Can you blame Jeremiah Masoli for a moment of exultation?
The kid from Daly City, once kicked out of a local high school, is now playing for Oregon against Ohio state in today's Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
"Look where I am now," Masoli said to the San Francisco Chronicle.
It's not the first taste of fame for Masoli, who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated's college football preview issue in August.
Masoli played for Serra High School until he was pulled over in a car with someone who had stolen another student's wallet. All the students in the car were expelled, and Masoli moved to Hawaii with his father to finish his education.
He bounced back from that episode, playing for City College, where his coach sent game tapes to several schools, including Oregon. Masoli chose the school and started playing for the Ducks.
His family will be rooting for him from the stands in Pasadena.
