I am not a fan of clichés. But I am a person that values inspiration, which often turns up a lot clichés. And, I am an avid sports fan…and clichés find their “day in the sun” in the sports world I have found. So, fair warning…this blog could contain a few clichés & be a bit cheesy. And I think I use the word fantastic and amazing a lot along with some poor and/or improper punctuation…apologies to my English major friends.

Cliché #1: Life is crazy and amazing. This year was nothing short of that. What is crazy and amazing about life (warning….cliché #2) is that it has a way of working out to be exactly what you need, and if you appreciate it-everything you want and love. Not to be misunderstood, I am not a fate person. I don’t believe in fate at all or that “things happen for a reason”. I believe choices (good and bad) along with hard work get you to where you are supposed to be. And let’s be honest…there are many times when this choice to be a Gopher fan feels like a bad one. But not this year. It has been one of my favorite in my 17 year history for so many reasons. And I am optimistic that all the hard work we have all put in as fans is starting to pay off.

In hindsight…it was quite a year full of many, many things that I needed and absolutely loved. It also included tragic reminders that life is way too flippin short-you have to love it while you are here.

Gophers Beating #1 Indiana.

I was at the 1997 Final Four in Indy with my dad following a Gopher hoops season fans today can only dream about (and talk about because it “never happened”). I was in love with Gopher hoops from the day I stepped on campus in 1996. Every season since then has been filled with optimism, then disappointment, and then renewed rage for Russ Archambault. This season was panning out to be nothing short of another unhealthy, emotional roller coaster with my favorite team since the 97 squad…… until February 26th versus #1 Indiana. I only have one wish about my 1st court storming WIN as a long time Gopher fan-I wish my dad would have been there with me. Hands down-one of my top Gopher memories in my 17 year span of crazy fandom.

My HUSKER niece being born.

So-babies are absolutely fantastic, especially babies in my family. Nothing makes you realize more how absolutely fantastic, goofy, and crazy your family is until an extension of your family comes along. To see the quirks and personalities of your family captured in a little fantastic person is pretty damn cool. It also serves as a reminder of what amazing parents you have when you see them become grandparents and you see your sister emulate them in being one fantastic mom. While I will persist in providing Minnesota sports influence over my little adorable Goddaughter, I may have to concede, because she just looks so darn cute in red. But let’s be honest-she will need a college basketball, hockey, and MLB team to cheer for given she is a Nebraska resident, so Minnesota it is! My niece also had perfect timing…arriving just days before the Gophers played down in Lincoln so that I could make the short trek down to take in all that was the BOB.

The return of my best friends.

Cliché #3-#BLESSED. I really don’t use this cliché in real life very often, because #BLESSED feels overused (thank you Facebook!) and like it just happens by chance. People toss the word around a lot. Am I absolutely blessed with fantastic friends because in definition they bring happiness or pleasure? YES. But it is not by chance. Good, strong, FUN, amazing, loyal, crazy, & FUN people make for amazing friends that you don’t want to EVER be without, so you all work really hard to ensure that is never the case, all while having boatloads of fun along the way. So instead….I will say: #HAPPY, #APPRECIATIVE, and #INCREDIBLE.

Two of my best friends moved back to Minnesota this year after being gone for what seemed like an eternity. People say you don’t miss someone until they are gone (which I did), but I think you realize truly how MUCH you really missed them once they are back. One of the original Goldie’s Oldies, and the other who boycotted our jackets because she didn’t like us calling ourselves old. But now that we really are old, she can be expecting a jacket for her birthday.

Boston.

So-I actually like to run. My friends call me crazy and I don’t deny that fact. My response often is: “but do you know how much crazier I would be if I didn’t run??” I never ran in high school. What started out as a social activity and a way to alleviate some of the crazy turned out to be something I am pretty darn good at. After narrowly missing the qualification time last year at Grandma’s, I made it this year in September in Sioux Falls on the last weekend of qualifying for the 2014 Boston Marathon. While qualifying was cool and an accomplishment and all…I am beyond excited about my first trip to Boston in April with family and friends that will be filled a trip or two to Fenway (and getting to see my dad’s favorite team, the Orioles), acting like tourists, loads of fun, great food, and a little 26.2 mile jaunt.

This pic, compliments of my fantastic aunt. Normally, a picture of my backside would not be published, but I guarantee it is better than the look that was on my face when I passed them at mile 21. And-I ended up beating that girl in front of me.

Tailgating and Tunnel Walks.

So, we decided to take the plunge and support Teague’s push to $190MM in support of our favorite Gopher teams, and purchased a tailgating spot next to the stadium this year. This may have been one of my favorite Gopher football seasons in part because of this (and because of this team, which really warrants its own blog. New Year’s resolution-write more. Mom-can you remind me?). I thought there was nothing I could love more than Gopher football, but I have found a close second-tailgating like professionals (ok…for Minnesota…I know my Nebraska relatives would question use of the word professional for OUR tailgates) with my crazy Gopher fan friends before every Gopher football game. It would be fair to say, before this year, our dedication to tailgating was quite soft. Our team stepped up our game this year and is committed to making it even bigger and better next year (get EXCITED folks!) Yep-one of my favorite Gopher football seasons in 17 years.

We also got to do this. Showing great restraint to NOT butt slap and only high five the team as they ran out to the field. So DAMN cool.

The BIG house.

My friends and I have been traveling to see the Gophers football team almost every year for the last 14 years. Last year marked FINALLY breaking my road losing streak with TWO road wins. As soon as my best friend and her husband moved back, I began spending their money on all sorts of Gopher funness, including a road trip to Ann Arbor. While the trip involved losing (which let’s face it…we know how to do well!) and staying in the #2 most disgusting hotel of my adult life (still hate you Iowa-home of disgusting hotel #1), we had an absolute blast. We made new Gopher friends, lived like college students for 24 hours, & planned our next trip back. I couldn’t help but fall in love with a town that loves, lives and breathes college football.

A sibling rivalry renewed.

Nebraska joining the Big Ten was met with mixed emotions for me. Given my sister and brother in law were Huskers, I dreaded the emergence of “neutral dad” that I long despised. This is traditionally the Wisconsin/Minnesota dad that wears a red hat and maroon jacket who became MY dad with Nebraska/Minnesota (my mom always sports Gopher colors because she feels sorry for us). I dreaded another team that was going to be a lopsided rivalry. I dreaded another team coming into the Big 10 that I was secretly jealous of. On the flip side, the most wonderful outcome of Nebraska entering the Big 10 is a new family tradition of attending the game in either Minneapolis or Lincoln every year.
I will admit it….I fully expected this sibling rivalry to move to 0-3 this year with the 52 year losing streak being extended. That was one darn fun day spent with my family watching my favorite team end 5 decades of ineptitude against one of the winningest college football teams during that same time.

Strommy.

The Gophers lost a HUGE fan this year. One of a few things that stink about life is that life happens and you lose touch with people. I had not seen Strommy for a couple years, but his name came up often in our circle of friends with the hopeful question of “Do you think Strommy is going to be there???” I don’t think he knew how much our circle of friends adored him (or he did and he was quite frightened ) but damn, he was one of the rare good ones. I have to believe he enjoyed watching the Gophers this year as much as I did.