How Can Yesterday Be So Much Different...From Today?

I was up at 4am this morning--the cat wanted in, or wanted out...I can't really remember because you don't remember details at 4am.  You're supposed to be sleeping. And because I was up, I began thinking about the University of Utah game that ended several hours earlier. 

Tough loss.

I didn't watch the game. Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, I recorded the game and would have watched it if Utah had won. They didn't, so I didn't. I know I'm not the best of fans for doing this, but it allows me to remain sane under the circumstances.

So, at 4am this morning, a thought ran through my mind. Why did this morning feel so much different than yesterday morning? It really shouldn't. Nothing about my life--as far as where I live, how much money we have in the bank, pretty much everything--had not changed at all. Sure, I was one day older, but after living over 55 years on this planet, the past twenty-four hours didn't affect me much.

But, it had, and to thousands of other University of Utah fans, today was definitely different. 

Yesterday, man, did things look good! Of course there was the game to play, but think of the opportunities that lie ahead. The chance to play for the national championship playoffs, or at least, to get to play in the Rose Bowl! Just thinking about it made us all giddy.

And I think that was the problem--we forgot about the team on the opposite side of the field. For the past two weeks everyone who followed college football heard Utah-this, and Utah-that. After Oregon lost in Arizona, they fell out of the discussion. I have no idea if the players got caught up in the hype--hopefully not, but I'm pretty sure many fans--including myself--did.

And we paid the price.

So, we woke up to a different world, a foreign world, a world we didn't think existed, didn't think could exist. It's a world that's now reality. When I saw that the team I follow was not dominating, but being dominated, I tried to put a good spin on it. This was one of the funnest years to watch the Utah Utes play in a long time. And even though a lot of dreams and "what ifs" died on the field in California last night, I didn't want one game to ruin an incredible season.

So, there's one more game left--not the blue ribbon, or even the red, but looks like it's white. And when that game is over, I hope I get to watch it. Great job, Utah! You make this fan proud.