It was a surprisingly successful season for the Arizona football team. RichRod football is exciting to watch! The 36 point 4th quarter comeback against Cal, capped by the "Hill Mary," is one of my most treasured sports-watching memories. The Casey Skowron heroics to win a weird game against Washington felt like street justice for the infamous "shoe interception" game in 2009. 10 wins, Pac-12 South champions, and keepers of the Territorial Cup! That's a special season in Arizona history.
I attended three football games this year - one in Tucson, one in Pullman, and one on a neutral field. I didn't get to attend the UA vs ASU game, but that's because I was busy cheering on the Men's Basketball team win the Maui Invitational! There are worse places to watch a football game than a sports bar in Hawaii.
The Maui Invitational had been a bucket lister for me since I was like 10. Thankfully the stars aligned this year. Not only did I get to attend with my wife and some of our closest friends, but we got to watch them win the tournament, eat Thanksgiving dinner with the team, and still spend an extra few days on the island afterwards. I had put this trip on a pedestal for 15 years, and it lived up to the hype.
I also got to see the Arizona win on the road in Seattle, the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, and the NCAA Tournament rounds of 64 and 32 in Portland. I got to attend a dozen football and basketball games and see the Cats go 11-1! I was just a Fiesta Bowl victory away from perfection. These teams competed at a high level from August to April, and as a fan I loved almost every minute of it.
I made plenty of great memories aside from sports as well. Just a couple days ago I got back from another bucket lister - rafting down the Deschutes River in Oregon with my extended family. The trip lasted 6 days and 5 nights, with lots of rafting, kayaking, swimming, hiking, fishing, and jumping. I got to sleep under the stars in my hammock every night, and I made some new friends as well. Check out the extended highlights!
All things considered I think I set a high bar for myself with 25. I'm looking forward to raising it with 26 :)
TGIB
