The University of Arizona is certainly a unique and special place. As soon as you walk on to campus you’re able to understand why. The sun setting behind old main. The playing of our ‘Bear Down’ fight song at high noon every day. Standing on the mall taking in the cool breeze on a 70 degree and sunny February afternoon. The UA is special for many reasons, but for me, there’s one place which truly makes my heart sing. McKale Memorial Center.
Our starting quarterback and star linebacker are injured, we’re facing the #10 team in the nation, it’s the last home game of the year, we’re one win away from a bowl game. This game is huge. We need to win.
Ten-thousand of my closest friends are right alongside me, watching nervously as we get the ball to start the second overtime.
First play, Jerrard Randall drops back in the pocket and fires a rocket to a streaking Nate Phillips.
When I think about my experience at the University of Arizona, my mind is flooded with memories of laughing till I couldn’t breathe, late nights in the library studying, and more sporting events than I ever could have ever dreamt of. But rising above all of these shiny memories is one of the very first ones I made at the UA; it was during my first football game freshman year. Coming from a small town, it was about a four-hour drive to anywhere with a large collegiate or professional athletic program, so I didn’t frequent those too often.
