This year marked my “sweet sixteen”…..16 years as an obnoxious Gopher fan and multiple sport season ticket holder.  I celebrated this milestone year in “boy band obsessed” teenager fashion with the Gophers being the equivalent of a 16 year old girl’s Bieber.  I think the only thing that was left out this year (besides a few more wins) was my personal goal to make my parents proud by being “that girl” on ESPN Sportscenter straddling the goalposts at Camp Randall after destroying the Badgers.  Hopefully we won’t be saving that one for my 21^st.

My “sweet sixteen” year of Gopher fandom started with the BEST present ever:  My first road win (in 15 attempts) in VEGAS.  Many things made this one of my favorite BAGAS trips ever……90% of Goldie’s Oldies (my absolute besties) in full effect.  Pirates.  Spring Break 98.  Party Bus complete with a pole and speedos.  A pimped out, Montell Jordan rocking, Suburban limo.  FBJ city.   Swiggin the sweet bubbly.  Big Bass Reel.  SO many Gopher fan adorable old men.  A win in Vegas would have been more than enough to make my “sweet sixteen” year epic but the celebration was just beginning…..

After attending the Minnesota/Wisconsin football game for 11 straight years, I skipped the 2010 game and have regretted it to this day (what kind of hard core Gopher fan am I??).  I since then decided this was much too much of an exhilarating rivalry and my absence would no longer be allowed.  7 of us made the trek down, and I was welcomed by the fabulous college town like I had never skipped a beat.  Friday night at State Street Brats playing quarters.   No sleep.  Rude, obnoxious Wisconsin fans.  Lots of beer, sausage, and cheese.  Hopes quickly dashed for a competitive game.  A game day atmosphere that brings out my 21 year old self.  BUT there was no better “sweet sixteen” birthday present than getting to meet my longtime Gopher football poster boy….RJ.  Bling, bling.

The “sweet sixteen” celebration pushed on and I continued to be showered with A.MAZ.ING presents (as if my first road win and meeting RJ wasn’t enough??).  I received the equivalent of a sweet sixteen year olds dream present of a new car….my first BIG TEN road win in 9 attempts over 15 years, with the Gophers becoming bowl eligible in Illinois.  I may have just been so jaded by the hospitality of Iowa and Wisconsin fans over the last 15 years that fans that DON’T shout obscenities at you can be quickly ruled to be my FAVORITE fans in the Big Ten.  Their fans served us two obnoxious Gopher fans food when all we remembered to bring was beer.  They played our Rouser.  They wished us good luck.  YEP-Illinois is officially my favorite place to visit in the Big Ten.  BEST present of the year.

My “sweet sixteen” celebration continued with the second annual battle of the siblings alma maters with a family road trip down to Lincoln for the Gopher/Husker matchup.  While I envision my 2^nd favorite team in the Huskers is quickly going to become a hated “rival”….there is nothing I don’t love about game day in that town.  Football is sacred and game day is honored by the most religious football fans I have encountered.  My hope in the very near future is that this is a game that my sister doesn’t insist on leaving before the 3^rd quarter even begins 🙂

Many days, it is hard to say whether my “boy band obsession” is greater for Gopher football or Gopher basketball.  I figured I had fed the football obsession enough this year with 4 road trips to away games that I needed to show Gopher hoops a little love.  My “sweet sixteen” celebration was complete in getting to see Tubby’s 500^th win at USC.  As my dearest friends all over the country know….while I love to visit them-if I can also take in my favorite sports teams at the same time, it is like I have won the lottery  🙂  I went to visit my best friend in San Diego and convinced her to road trip to LA with me for the day to see one of my favorite Gopher hoops teams in 14 years take on the Trojans.  She “voted” for the Gophers to win, so that is obviously what happened.

Now, I am traditionally not a person who wants or needs real presents.  While this year has been filled with WONDERFUL presents to celebrate my “sweet sixteen” ….I was also generous in giving presents to others also.  I had successfully converted my 2 little cousins into Gopher hoops fans last year.  This year marked successfully converting them into Gopher football fans as well (which had to be complete with lessons from their mom on being loyal fans….not giving up on them when they go through slumps, etc, etc, etc.  These are lessons I hope they don’ t have to use over the DURATION of their lifetime).  I also believe I successfully converted my dear friend’s (and fellow Gopher basketball fanatic) little guy into a Gopher football fan as well.  She had mentioned the threat of him possibly liking the Badgers and I made SURE that that wouldn’t happen.  #WINNING.

While I wish my “sweet sixteen” celebration was concluding with a WIN in Houston on December 28^th, I figured I had better not push my newfound road winning luck.  I will save that for March when road tripping to see my Gopher hoops team makes a DEEP run in the NCAA tourney.