Feeling a little college nostalgia today, so let's rewind to Labor Day 2010 for our big spontaneous trip to introduce Hayley to Big Blue.
About two weeks before the first game of the season, Troy and I decided we would take Hayley to her first Michigan football game. Why THIS game of all games? It was the UM vs. Connecticut game, combined with a pregame official stadium rededication on account of the stadium remodel, and finally a special pregame feature on the Mealer family story which would end with Brock Mealer leading the team onto the field. This would be nothing short of the highlight of the season (er, unfortunately we'd find out later that this was in fact the season highlight... but I digress).
So HOW we would get from Arkansas to Ann Arbor, Michigan by Saturday morning would become our biggest challenge; how do we pick up Hayley from school on Friday at 3pm and manage to pull in to Ann Arbor for an 11a.m. Saturday kickoff? Losing an hour to the accelerated Eastern Time Zone and insisting on giving Hayley the full tailgate experience didn't make our mission any easier.
But, thanks to a near collegiate all-nighter and a boost of pre-game adrenaline circa 6a.m., we pulled into A2 with nearly two hours to spare before gametime. This provided sufficient time for golf course parking and pre-game rituals including heckling of opposing fans, 5-minute power naps, refreshments, snacks and a sobering game of Baggo.
A very, very special thank you to Jason for your support in helping us find (um, amazingly excellent) tickets that made Hayley's first Big Blue experience all the more exciting.
Hayley utilizes the tailgate feature of the Ford Flex, setting up camp in the hatch, and takes a 5-minute power nap in preparation for the big game tailgate.
Couldn't have posed this better myself.
And the obligatory wake-up call by Troy: Curling free weights at an estimated Hayley-number-of-pounds.
Following the initial shock, Hayley secures her position and says she doesn't hate this game.
No doubt the product of an Ad family. Coke, we'll take our product placement rewards in cash or cans.
About two weeks before the first game of the season, Troy and I decided we would take Hayley to her first Michigan football game. Why THIS game of all games? It was the UM vs. Connecticut game, combined with a pregame official stadium rededication on account of the stadium remodel, and finally a special pregame feature on the Mealer family story which would end with Brock Mealer leading the team onto the field. This would be nothing short of the highlight of the season (er, unfortunately we'd find out later that this was in fact the season highlight... but I digress).
So HOW we would get from Arkansas to Ann Arbor, Michigan by Saturday morning would become our biggest challenge; how do we pick up Hayley from school on Friday at 3pm and manage to pull in to Ann Arbor for an 11a.m. Saturday kickoff? Losing an hour to the accelerated Eastern Time Zone and insisting on giving Hayley the full tailgate experience didn't make our mission any easier.
But, thanks to a near collegiate all-nighter and a boost of pre-game adrenaline circa 6a.m., we pulled into A2 with nearly two hours to spare before gametime. This provided sufficient time for golf course parking and pre-game rituals including heckling of opposing fans, 5-minute power naps, refreshments, snacks and a sobering game of Baggo.
A very, very special thank you to Jason for your support in helping us find (um, amazingly excellent) tickets that made Hayley's first Big Blue experience all the more exciting.
Hayley utilizes the tailgate feature of the Ford Flex, setting up camp in the hatch, and takes a 5-minute power nap in preparation for the big game tailgate.
Couldn't have posed this better myself.
And the obligatory wake-up call by Troy: Curling free weights at an estimated Hayley-number-of-pounds.
Following the initial shock, Hayley secures her position and says she doesn't hate this game.
No doubt the product of an Ad family. Coke, we'll take our product placement rewards in cash or cans.
Hayley made up a cheer. This was the finale.
Always an opportunity to share her support for world peace.
Here, Hayley assesses what atrocious Baggo players her parents are.
Not sure, but to me, her stride says, "If you must continue to humiliate me in front of these Connecticut fans, I will be obligated to throw the beans myself."
"Dad, You know we're trying to get the bags IN the hole, right?"
Brock Mealer walking across the field to open the game. Doctors gave him a 1% chance of ever walking again after a serious car accident that cost him half of his family. The strength and conditioning coaches at Michigan committed to him that they would work with him until he walked again.
Walking into the stadium. Hayley said, "I don't think there's a single seat left in here." With the largest audience in college football history, she would be correct.
Pre-game military flyover. Time to play ball.
GO BLUE!
Always an opportunity to share her support for world peace.
Here, Hayley assesses what atrocious Baggo players her parents are.
Not sure, but to me, her stride says, "If you must continue to humiliate me in front of these Connecticut fans, I will be obligated to throw the beans myself."
"Dad, You know we're trying to get the bags IN the hole, right?"
Brock Mealer walking across the field to open the game. Doctors gave him a 1% chance of ever walking again after a serious car accident that cost him half of his family. The strength and conditioning coaches at Michigan committed to him that they would work with him until he walked again.
Walking into the stadium. Hayley said, "I don't think there's a single seat left in here." With the largest audience in college football history, she would be correct.
Pre-game military flyover. Time to play ball.
GO BLUE!
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