Day 59: Bowl Week - Live!

Posted by: Cris

I know many of you were wondering when I'd get back to covering sports. Well today is your lucky day.

In a brilliant stroke of genius, I brought up an idea that Ed had mentioned about a week ago...what about driving up to Detroit tonight to see Coral and Ed's alma mater - The University of Toledo play in their bowl game. As you all know, I live for Bowl Week so what could make it better than being able to catch one in person. After the extremely easy task of convincing grandma Stickley and Mammaw Nova to watch Juneau and Nova tonight and a quick ticket purchase online, Coral, Ed, Alex, Lyndsey, Brent, Grandpa and I headed up to Ford Field tonight for the game. Ford field was super cool and somehow we had awesome Club Level seats - I don't think I've ever gotten to sit in those seats where the guy at the bottom of the escalator leading to those seats makes you show your ticket to be able to get on the escalator.
There was lots of junk food to be eaten...
Pizza for the first half...
...and nachos for the second half.
If anyone watched the game, they know it was ridiculously exciting - Toledo scored a touchdown with 1:13 left in the game to pull within 1 then instead of kicking the extra point to tie it, went for 2 and got it to take the lead. FIU then came down the field, converted a 4th and 17 using a hook and lateral play and finally kicked a 34 yard field goal as time expired to win the game.

I still prefer what we've done in past years when we sit out in the 80 degree sunshine on Christmas eve at the Hawaii Bowl, but this one was still pretty awesome.

Since the game didn't kickoff until 8:30, the game didn't end until after midnight and we didn't even get out of the parking lot until almost 1:00 a.m. By the time I got home about 20 minutes ago, the girls had been asleep for hours and hardly stirred despite all the noise made from the tired football crew piling back into the house. Now if only they'd sleep until noon, maybe I wouldn't end up being tired all day tomorrow...but I'm not counting on it.