If anything defined my early adolescence, it was BYU football and Ty Detmer. I don't remember why I started liking football, but sometime around 4th or 5th grade, I became a fan. I remember watching Ty Detmer play during his sophomore season when I was in 5th grade. When my dad somehow scored tickets to the BYU-Miami football game at the start of his junior season (September 8, 1990 - forever etched in my mind) and together we watch BYU take down might #1 ranked Miami, I became a crazy superfan. Kudos to my parents for supporting this obsession. My room became a shrine eerily resembling a BYU bookstore display. I had posters and pom-poms and programs and media guides and all kinds of obscure knick-knacks. My Aunt Cindy became aunt of the century when she obtained a personalized, autographed picture of Ty Detmer and sent it to me, along with many Daily Herald newspaper clippings.
I was sick to my stomach waiting for the Heisman Trophy winner announcement that year, and when his name was announced, I jumped so high I almost knocked over the Christmas tree. My best friend, Brooke, was similarly obsessed and somehow our primary teacher obtained one of his wedding announcements. She made color copies for both of us (which was pretty impressive back in 1991). In an impressive display of parental loyalty, my parents surprised our family with tickets to the 1991 Holiday Bowl, his last collegiate game. On Christmas afternoon, our family packed up and headed south to San Diego to watch him play. I was over-the-moon excited about it at the time. Looking back, I'm a little humbled to see the lengths my parents went to for me. They liked football fine, but they weren't crazy BYU fans obsessed with seeing Ty's last game. They just loved their kids and knew something that would make them happy. What a memory.
1 comment:
I've been catching up on your memories posts! Such good memories...and so funny to read. I like primary pianist too...miss that calling:)
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