Great Start to '08

The 2008 year couldn't start any better for myself. First things first, this past Sunday the Washington Redskins clinched a playoff birth and will play a rematch game this Saturday verses the Seattle Seahawks. It was a great emotional win for the Redskins finishing a tough season which found 7 starters be placed on IR to end their seasons and a Pro-Bowler in Sean Taylor murdered after week 13. For the 'skins to beat their rivals in the Dallas Cowboys by Taylor's number, 21, it was an extremely emotional win and their off to Seattle for a Wild Card game.

Now let's get to the main course! On New Years Day I found myself 11 rows from the field at the Citrus Bowl for the Capital One Bowl with my boys from Michigan facing off 10.5 point favorite Florida Gators. In what ultimately ended up being the greatest sporting event of my life, I got to see Michigan beat Florida in a sell-out crowd stadium which had more than three quarters of them being Gator fans at a Bowl game on New Years Day. I probably could have sold these tickets for $800 dollars a piece from where I was seated. I had parents of the Michigan players in front of me. Junior and Senior recruits near me, alumni all around us, and got to shake hands with former Wolverine, Jay Feeley. It was a day I will never forget on top of getting to share it with my bro. Words really can't express my feeling after the game, with so much at stake, the game being in Florida, seated right there for the action, and the after game ceremony with the rest of the Michigan faithful. Here's just a sample of the great pics I got, yeah I took over 70 pictures!!!

Star running back, who had a tough last game, Mike Hart's mom was literally 7 rows in front of me.

Junior wide receiver Mario Manningham during warmups. This kid is crazy fast!

The pre-game trash talking, later I saw that ESPN ended up showing this. The Gators definitely started the altercation, and Michigan finished it.

Lloyd Carr taking his team out on the field for the final time. It was nice to see him leave Michigan with a great Bowl win upset. If he won a few more of these the past 5 years, I probably wouldn't be writing about his last game.

Mario Mannigham and former Michigan standout Braylon Edwards celebrate on the field after the Wolverine upset.

Michigan Captain and probable top 3 NFL Draft pick this April, Jake Long holds up the Capital One Bowl Trophy after the game. It was a tough year to come back to for Long, but I am sure great ending for an All-American career. Much more success to come for this All-American.

Final score was great but to get this photo with the jumbo-tron having the 4 great seniors on it (from right to left, Chad Henne, Shawn Crable, Jake Long, and Mike Hart) was icing on the cake.