Y Fan, U Student

When I was growing up, every November meant Thanksgiving and BYU/Utah football. My dad was a graduate of the Y so we were all naturally die-hard Cougar fans. I never thought I would attend the U, let alone get two degrees from them.

But life has a way of turning out not as we expect, and in November 2006 I was a senior at the University of Utah. I decided to take advantage of my student status and get tickets to the BYU/Utah football game. I knew that if I was going to be sitting in the student section with my Y sweatshirt I would need backup, so I got a ticket for me and a ticket for my brother.

I had had this gut feeling that my brother for some reason wouldn't be able to make it the days leading up to the game. So when I got a phone call from him early on the morning of the game, I wasn't too surprised. I was, however, a little panicked as I needed someone to go with me, preferably male who could protect me from those crazy Ute fans. I called my cousin Rick. He turned me down because he had some date with a girl that day. I was annoyed--I mean this was the BYU/Utah game!--but since he ended up marrying her it was probably a good choice :).

At this point I was desperate to find someone to go with me. I called my stepsister, as she was a student at the U, to see if she knew of anyone. She miraculously came through not only with a dude to take the ticket, but he was also a Y fan! (If we ended up dating this would be the coolest story ever, but he was married)

When I walked into the student section and proceeded up the stairs with my blue Y sweatshirt I got a few dirty looks and calls. But at least my companion was also a Y fan. The game was difficult at times, and at one point my companion and I thought about leaving early because we didn't want to be in the stand with those crazy Utes when the game ended. Man are we glad we stayed.

John Beck threw a touchdown to Jonny Harline with no time left. And we won the game! I started jumping up and down, high-fiving the few Y fans around me. The dude and I, who had only met just hours before, hugged and celebrated in the middle of the Utah student section. It was so completely awesome. AWE-SOME.