The Sugarbowl

To begin, we entered New Orleans to be greeted by this billboard, which we passed multiple times but kept missing it with the camera. We got this shot on our way out of town when we flipped a Uey just to get it.

Here's Tony at the tailgate party wearing an expensive Styrofoam hat. Yes-it's an oxymoron.

I included this pic due to the story it involves during the tailgate. We put our stuff down on this table at the exact same time as another couple sat down at the table. No biggie, there were plenty of seats for them and all the other people for which we had to save seats. The first thing I did was pick up the U, then I decided to steal it. My plan was simple: wait till everyone was distracted and stuff it under my shirt (I already knew it was going to be too big for my purse.) The party went on and at some point the U, which had been resting comfortably near me, ended up back towards the center of the table. The random "I don't know anybody at this table, but I'm going to sit here anyway" lady picked up my U. She eventually put the U back down on the table in front of her. I sighed a sigh of relief and began figuring out a way to get the U back towards me. I think she was an evil mind reader because she then picked it up again and said something to her random "I don't know anybody at this table, but I'm going to sit here anyway" husband and PUT IT IN HER LAP! Can you believe the nerve? I was going to steal it first! If by some chance you are reading this lady, you know what you did. GIVE ME BACK MY U!

Shortly after the evil mind reading thief incident we headed towards the door. It's a good thing we weren't running from the law because I had just stolen a U in my shirt, because due to perfect timing I was in the front row to cheer on the team as they got on the bus. Yes, I saw Louie up close, and not just in my dreams. Too bad my camera was on the wrong setting-this is the best pic I got (except for the back corner of Louie's head.) I only know Matt Asiata and Paul Kruger behind him in the back. It sure was exciting to be there!

Here we are outside the Superdome...surrounded by Bama fans. We actually enjoyed talking with all their fans, in fact one nice Bama couple took this pic for us. It did start to grate on our nerves that anytime Utah started chanting ANYTHING someone would yell "Roll Tide"! If you watched the game you can assume they were silenced pretty quickly.

This was taken during the pregame warm ups from where the majority of the Utah fans had their seats. We were all pretty close to the field.

This was actually taken from our seats. We were five rows up, lower level behind the Utah goalpost. They were great seats except we couldn't see much of the other Utah fans.

Here's my Louie warming up right in front of us. Beautiful.


Here's Matt Asiata taking a direct snap. Man, I love this team! I'm so proud of them. The BCS system is terrible and needs to be modified. As far as we're concerned Utah is the best team in the country. 2 wins agains top 10 opponents. 4 wins against top 25 opponents. No one beat them. That's how BYU won its championship in 1984. The only difference for '08 Utah and '84 BYU is that Utah played a harder schedule and beat a better team in its bowl game. If the only thing Obama does for our country is bring enough heat to have the BCS modified to give smaller conference teams a chance to play and beat the "big boys" his presidency will have been a success - in Tony's humble opinion. The final score...as if you missed the game. I accidentally deleted the ones Tony took with time expired. O0ps. Notice all the empty seats? The 'Bama fans began to bail in mass quantities midway through the fourth quarter. They outnumbered us in this game 6 to 1, but if you watched the game you heard the Utah fans hold their own.

It was such a party after the game. Nobody wanted to leave. I have to say that Tony and I like to travel and are fortunate enough to do it fairly often. Of all the trips we've been on and of all the games we've ever watched THIS was the best and most memorable. I'll never forget how it felt to be there and watch them do what lots of people thought wasn't possible. I don't think the feeling can be beat....until we're given the chance to win a championship! As far as we're concerned, Utah's 2008-09 team is the best in the country. Are we wrong? Prove it.