Let's Go Blue!!

Do you all know what starts this weekend? I'll give you all one guess...it has pretty much been my life for the last seven years. Did you guess College Football? Well, if you did you guessed right. This weekend starts the 2009 college football season!!

Many of you know Shawn's all time favorite football team was UofM. When we first started dating I hated football and I knew nothing about the game. Before Shawn started coaching I would watch the games with him on Saturday. I would putz around the house but still be there with him 'watching' the games. Then when he started coaching I became way more involved in college football. I started to love college football. Mainly because Shawn loved it so much, and for the first time in his life he was doing something that excited him, and that was so awesome to see. College Football became our life, we ate, breathed, and slept college football. Soon Shawn's love for UofM became my love. When he was coaching his own games I would record the UofM game so he could watch it when we got home from his game. Many times I found myself watching the game if Shawn's game was away. I quickly learned a lot about football. I hate to admit it but I may even know more than a few guys. These two UofM items were always on Shawn's side of the bed. Now I keep them on a shelf in my room.

College football has come to mean a great deal to me. It is part of who I was, and it is still a part of who I am, and probably always will be. I'm sure Saturday will have some hard moments. I have three different football games that I will be watching on TV and listing to on the radio. All three of these games would be huge for Shawn. I of course will be watching the UofM game. I'm sure when I hear Hail to the Victor's I may end up with a lump in my throat. The first time Shawn heard that fight song every season he instantly became as giddy as a little boy. He would jump up and down in front of the TV and everything, of course all decked out in his UoM gear. Once again, it will be difficult, but I will be watching the game. Hopefully UofM's season will be greatly improved from last year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Bo is ready for game day. His sweater from last year still fits. He does need a new jersey though, maybe I will pick one up this weekend.

The other two games I will be listening to on the radio. They are YSU's home opener and the opener of Miami of Ohio. One of the Coach's that worked at YSU with Shawn and was a great friend to Shawn, and remains huge for me is now coaching there instead of YSU. So I will be listing to that game in support of him. I'm sure Shawn will be cheering his friend on coaching in his first 'big time' college football game.

Just like last season I will listen to every one of YSU's games. In October I will even be attending two home games and I can't wait to be there, watching my guys in the stadium. It will be like old times. The entire staff is still there supporting and believing in me. Each Coach means a great deal to me, so I will be cheering them on from Michigan. It takes me back to last year's first game. YSU's first game was just five days after Shawn's funeral. The team dedicated the entire season to Shawn. Each player had Shawn's initials on their helmets. The very first play that they ran in that game was a play that Shawn had designed. Last year YSU played OSU for thier first game. Since it was such a huge game it was broad casted on TV. During the third quarter they talked about Shawn's death and showed a few pictures of him. They talked about how he impacted the team, they talked about what kind of Coach Shawn was and what type of person he was. They also talked about me and the baby. I will never forget that one of the announcers said, "Shawn and his wife Jenny tried for 15 months to get pregnant. They found out just eight days before Shawn's death that Jenny was expecting their first child. Well, Jenny your baby will never have to worry about being loved because it will have an entire coaching staff of uncles taking care of you and your baby." I remember sitting at my friend Lora's house and laughing, making the comment of, "Well nothing like the entire world knowing it took us that long to get pregnant." What a difference a year makes...there is no baby, but I still have an entire coaching staff taking care and loving me. Three of the guys I talk to all the time. I'm so grateful to have each and every one of them.

So yes, Saturday maybe hard. I will be starting my second football season without Shawn. I will watch the UofM players run out onto the field with the fight song playing. I will also be listing to the YSU penguins as they play Pitt. I'm going to keep watching college football, because college football was a part of me, college football is still a part of me. I'm going to be watching because I know Shawn would still want me to watch. Shawn however has the best seat in the house, and I'm 100% sure he will be there at both games.

This is the t-shirt I got on the anniversary of Shawn's death. We always wore UofM clothes on game day. I will be wearing the shirt on Saturday.

And Shawn, this is just for you...your favorite UofM shirt! I know you have your jersey and hat with you, but I knew this was your favorite t-shirt!

LET'S GO BLUE!!!!

GO PENGUINS!!!!!