Oregon vs Arizona

If you would have asked me 5 years ago if I was a football fan, I would have said, "No way!" I went to school at Kansas State University and although I enjoyed a few good games, I was no where near the "football fan" status. If you were to have asked me 5 years from now if I was a coffee drinker, I would have said, "No way!"

Upon moving to Oregon when my husband returned home from Iraq and discharged from the US Army, I discovered that not only to be a true Oregonian but also a true *insert last name*, I had to succumb to being one. I am still no longer a coffee drinker (due to lack of interest in taste, not desire. I love the smell of coffee, just can't muster the taste). Out of process of elimination, one must assume I am now an Oregon Ducks football fan. This is true - although treading lightly on the word "fan".

I supported them the last three years, but this year has been different. Mildly paying attention when the season opened, my interest was perked. I decided I'd surprise my husband early on with a pair of home football game tickets. The only two games not sold out were Houston vs Oregon and Arizona State vs Oregon. I picked one. The "one" happened to be the biggest game in PAC 10 history (or one of them). This was proven by ESPN's College GameDay to not only appear at Autzen Stadium once this season, but to return BACK for a 2nd time in one season said alot!
Totally stoked about my great blind pick of a game, we boarded the bus on Saturday to head to Autzen Stadium. Finding clothes that don't make me look freakishly "obese" vs pregnant is a challenge these days, but I decided "what the heck" and settled with an over-sized t-shirt and called it good. When we got to the overwhelmingly-packed stadium (59,345 people to be exact), we asked for help to our seats. We were met with "Oh man!! You guys got GREAT seats!". He was right. One leap and we would have been on the field!! The energy in the stands was electric and I could feel myself get pumped up, almost emotional! There were ASU fans there, too, and watching them be heckled was painful, but I still felt proud to be "A Duck". Below was a tense moment near our seats.

The game was amazing ... Autzen Stadium is noted for being one of the LOUDEST stadiums around and man was it! I covered my ears on more than one occasion! Griffin wasn't too impressed, and nearly made me sick by the end of the game with all the flip-flopping. We overtook the undefeated ASU Sun Devils and are now #1 in the PAC 10.

In other news ... I now have my new camera!!! I haven't had much opportunity to get out and around with it yet, but plan to soon! The above were taken via BlackBerry (which I'm still impressed with!).