So I am a little bit excited that my wonderful Cougars pulled out a HUGE victory against the Oklahoma Sooners this weekend! I'm even more excited about the fact that I GOT TO BE THERE!!!! Yes, it is true... I was among the loyal and faithful Cougar fans who made the long trek to Dallas, Texas to support the Cougs. Best decision ever. I almost didn't go because the tickets were SO expensive (thank you Jerry Jones). But last Wednesday, they opened up a bunch of standing room only tickets for $25 a piece (plus $10 in processing fees of course). So, after counseling with my trusty classmates, I purchased one despite the fact that I had no way to get down there and no place to stay once I got there. But then I started making calls and it all turned out like magic. My dad had enough frequent flier miles to fly me and a friend down there for free. Then my friend had some connections and was able to get us transportation, lodging, and food FOR FREE!! I never even opened my wallet on the trip, except to show my I.D. at the airport!
So the coolest part was that we got media passes, which gave us access to the whole stadium! We got to the stadium at about 1:00 pm and walked around talking to the tailgaters and OU fans. Then at 2:00 p.m. they let us into the UNBELIEVABLE stadium and I just kinda sat there in awe for 2 hours while they got ready for their pre-game show. Seriously, the main video board was as large as a house -- actually probably more like 2 houses. Plus there were 2 other screens on the sides of it. The views they showed on ESPN didn't do the place justice -- it was quite the stadium. Of course, when something costs 1.15 BILLION dollars, it had better be freaking amazing. They gave us stat sheets on the stadium and it said the video board weighed 1.2 million pounds and cost as much as the entire Texas Stadium was to build. Anyway, at 4:00 p.m. they started letting everybody into the stadium and so I wandered around for about an hour talking with the OU fans and the BYU fans. So lemme say this about OU fans -- they are a classy bunch. I went to the UW game in Seattle last year, and those fans were AWFUL. They literally made me want to cry. But the OU fans were so nice and friendly. Even after the game, they had nice things to say. Then I went back up to the press box and watched the game from there. Talk about a great view -- and the best part was sitting next to 3 guys who know the game of football inside and out and getting an analysis of the game as the game was happening. I was amazed at everything that they noticed in a 15 second play -- so many technical aspects that the majority of fans, even the most diehard, would never pick up because they haven't played at this level. I was in heaven. Of course, the fact that we were totally outplaying OU helped with that euphoric feeling. I won't even try to describe the excitement that I felt as BYU made the last touchdown and as the clock ran out and THEY WON! After the game was over, we hustled down to field level and went into the interview room and I waited in there for Coach Mendenhall with a sound recording do-da while the other guys went into the locker room to get player interviews. Then I got to be there and help record interviews of the players. So any of the interviews or press conferences you saw on TV or the internet -- I was there for that!!!!! Oh, and I was in the room when Jerry Jones popped his head in! Seriously, I was dying of happiness. I totally played it cool though, don't worry. Then we went back up to the press room and were there until 1:30 a.m. doing the post game show. Well, I just sat there and ate cookies while they did it. Oh that reminds me -- they fed us amazing food in the press box. Could life get any better? I submit that it cannot.
I was much more excited than my face shows in this picture.
A not so good picture of me in the interview room waiting for Coach Mendenhall and the players to come for the press conference.
View from the press box, just before the game started.
This is the only video I have with me actually in it.
7 comments:
I am green with envy right now! :) Seriously though, this was one of the greatest games in BYU history and for you to be there in the press box and then with all the post game stuff has got to be unforgettable! I may have secretly doubted your hard-core status as a BYU fan, but now its solidified.
How did you score backstage passes?? that is so cool. I am so envious of you. We totally would have been there had my co-worker picked a different day to get married.
Yeah, so incredibly jealous of you!!! That game was just awesome though!! I wish i could have gone, but hey i know you were cheering loud enough for 3 people so it's all good!! :)
Honestly who gets married during football season? I thought about you and Ferd the whole time I was there -- my thought process was something along the lines of "This is the closest I've been to Diane since she got married! I can practically feel her presence!" :)
Probably best that you went and not me, because you know I start crying every time something goes wrong with our team play and I have to leave the room...I would not have been able to cry in the press room when we fumbled!!!
I decided the best thing to do is tivo the game, get the results and then calmly watch if we win!
CAN'T WAIT FOR SEPT. 19 AND HOME GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At first I was just jealous that you got media passes and got to sit in the press box...I didn't realize that you got to participate in all the post game stuff too! If only I had half the hook-ups you do. I actually have to pay for my tickets and I don't get any post game perks!!!
Of all of the people who SHOULD have been there it was you! Congrats and Go Cougs! This is going to be a great season!
Also - you will be happy to know of the confusion on fb statuses here with people thinking the mormons are in favor of the other kind of Cougars and not just our favorite football team. Only in DC...
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