Utah Wins!!!

Tonight I set aside the navy blue and white of my previous three schools, Rick’s College, Utah State University and Brigham Young University and donned a more crimson shade. Tonight I became a Utah fan cheering for a Utah team playing football in the Sugar Bowl. After a month and a half of stress helping my company put together a bowl package to send all of the cheering fans it could to New Orleans, the anxiety of making sure every little detail was taken care of, the restless nights prior to departure praying for clear skies so the planes could take off, and the hope that all the pieces of this vast puzzle would fit together, I am finally able to take a deep breath. Here’s how it all began…
Saturday, Nov. 22 - University of Utah vs. Brigham Young University
Utah successfully creamed my team to win 48 – 24 winning their 12th game of the season. They’re going to a bowl game, but which one?


Sunday, Dec. 7 (26 days prior to kickoff) – Bowl Game announcement
After much speculation and anticipation, it is announce that Utah will be playing in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama.

Monday, Dec. 8 (25 days prior to kickoff) – Utah Sugar Bowl Packages
All of the Travel Agencies in the state are selling their bowl packages with a frenzy, my agency included. Airline Charters and hotel space in New Orleans is going fast!

December 18 & 19 (15 & 14 days prior to kickoff) – Document Days
Literally the second (and even before) we stopped selling Bowl packages, I was working on putting the documents together, printing and reprinting letters, fliers, and announcements that went inside. Late nights stuffing documents, trying to get them in the mail as soon as possible to beat the Christmas mail rush.

Wednesday, Dec. 31 (2 days prior to kickoff) – Departure Day
I was up at the crack of dawn and racing to the Salt Lake International Airport where a sea of red was waiting to get through the security gates. The airport was a mass of Utah fans. Excitement was in the very air I breathed. My company had two charter flights to get out, but before I could concentrate on them, I had to get a group on a regular Southwest flight and I had their paper tickets. Luckily I had a great group of support, agents from my office were quickly divided up among the various tasks that needed to be done. We separated out our group from the various other agencies groups. Group one, all showed up, all took off. One down two more to go. Charter number 1 & 2: everyone checked in, seat assignments and boarding cards handed out, and everyone was on their way to their departure gate. Everyone showed up on time, we had clear skies, TSA was super helpful, and the fans were just excited to be there. I could not have asked for a better day. Divide and conquer was our goal and conquer we did! Then I put in a few more hours of work and went home and crashed. I was exhausted and very glad that I didn’t have to go to New Orleans with them. Now it was out of my hands, now it was in the hands of our ground crew to make sure all went well.


Friday, Jan. 2 – Kickoff – Go Utes!
According to Brett Martel, AP, “Utah is the best of the BCS busters. Brian Johnson threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns and the No. 7 Utes upset fourth-ranked Alabama 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl to finish 13-0.” I don’t really know how the BCS rankings work, but I should think that the only team in the country to have a 13-0 season should be #1. They are in my book. At least this year, until BYU football begins again. What a game!


Was it all worth it? I think it was. The victory for Utah was the icing on the cake, that and the commission I’ll be getting for all of my hard work. :o)