For those of you who don't give a fig about sports, just look at the pictures of our son.He was just one week removed from graduating from Airborne training (note the shirt) and had completed his first week of class.
This "Road Trip" from Boone to Ann Arbor Michigan included Taylor, his oldest friend from HS (best buds since age 9, including JV and Varsity football, golf, and a championship Little League team), Sarah, fellow WCA grad also a student at App State, and newcomer Brittany, another App Student who ironically lives about a mile from us right up the same street.
They met Taylor in VA (he is a ministerial student at Liberty Univ) and drove straight through on Friday night, arriving in Ann Arbor 7:30 Saturday morning.
After grabbing a fast food breakfast, they walked through the Michigan tail gate parties and found the handful of ASU fans tailgating before the noon kick off.
He made a most insightful observation about the differences between Southern and Mid-Western football fans.
"Their fans just quietly chatted and ate, whilst the App fans were loud and partying hearty, even at 11:00am."
Two buddies for life, a moment they will never forget.
To set the stage, their football team at App is a slight tick below the big name schools like Michigan in what until last season was called Division 1AA.
The Mountaneers (yes, same nick name as WVU) are twice defending National Champions in that division, and actually hold college footballs longest current winning streak at 14 games.
Michigan is the winningest program in college history, and their Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House" one of the most storied venues in all of sports. It seats over 109,000 fans, and was at capacity last Saturday. Only two or three thousand of that number made the trip from North Carolina, and they were the only four wearing the black and gold in their part of that massive stadium.
No 1AA team had ever beaten a ranked (UM was number five nationally in the polls) in the history of college football.
Absolutely no one in the sports media gave them a chance, and Michigan's fans and local press wrote them off as "App Who? Where in the world is Boone?"
"The Big House", Michigan Stadium.
The happy crew, along with the official camera man from App's athletic department who was set up right above them.
The game was not televised locally, so I was forced to call him for updates.
When he told me they were ahead 28-17 at the half, I harbored hopes that they might just pull this thing off.
The Mountaineers actually dropped a sure touchdown and had a field goal attempt bounce off the upright or they would have salted the game away in the third quarter.
As it was, Michigan stormed back in the fourth quarter, and with under two minutes left led 32-31.
It looked bleak indeed for the boys from Boone!
I was privileged to listen to the last minute via his cell phone.
19 year old quarterback Armante Edwards led App to the go ahead field goal with a brilliant drive that left just 26 seconds or so on the clock.
34-32 App!
The kids were ecstatic, and old dad and young mom were jumping around like loonies here.
Then Michigan hit a big pass play, and was in position to hit a virtual chip shot field goal to break our hearts and win.
Then the Roller Coaster ran back our way!
All American Safety Corey Lynch broke through the line unhindered to block his second field goal of the day, scooped up the ball and ran down field, running the clock to triple zeros!
"App wins, App wins, oh my gosh we won!" was screamed over the phone!
When I was able to see the game tape Weds night, the silence in the Big House was stunning!
The sports media is now calling this the "Upset for the Ages" and little old ASU is the talk of the sporting world.
Sly old (and excellent!) Coach Moore has been interviewed over 100 times since then.
The practice field last Tuesday looked like a circus, and applications will no doubt be up for next years academic freshman class.
Just this year as a result of their football success there were over 13,000 applicants for this years freshman class of 3,000.
As their energetic and personable Chancellor Kenneth Peacock put it,
"College Sports should be your front porch. If people like it, they will want to come in."
But our intrepid Road Warriors could care less about all of that.
"Our David killed their Goliath!" once again proving that great coaching, desire and the heart of a champion can win out when the entire world seems to be against you.
Taylor shot three videos that can be seen on youtube,
youtube.com/watch?v=vciehtQ-29k
=xvis2D36q48
=VPLdgTXP8
Sarah and Brittany celebrate the "Win for the Ages" while the Airborne soldier/scholar relays the action to his old man back in NC
A Michigan fan left this note on his Blazer,
"Merry Christmas from Santa Carr!"
Coach Carr is their head coach.
We are going to frame it and place it on our wall of champions here in the den.
The icing on the cake was a wonderful overnight visit with his Uncle Dave and Aunt Kathy in Dayton on the way home.
Thanks for your hospitality!
Post Script, Brittany knew someone with our local paper, and an account of their trip was posted on the News and Observer web site.
