My First Road Trip

It was a tough weekend for Cougar Nation, but I had a fun time.

This was my first time going on the road as a sports writer, and really my first time going on the road to follow a sports team at all (unless you count my trips to Pilot Rock and Stanfield as a high school athlete). The Daily Universe got a lot of extra advertising money this semester (thank you, Macey's!) and so we've planned trips to all of BYU football's away games.

This weekend was my turn. I got to go with one of our 321 football writers, a photographer and my boss Rich to the game against Air Force. I had the assignment of writing a story apart from the game, and write about all of the activities going on to commemorate 9/11.

Being at the Air Force Academy for a football game on a 9/11 anniversary is pretty special. I got to talk to Kenny Haskell of the FDNY and Steve Hayden of the NYPD, who came to the game as honorary captains for the Falcons. I also talked to one of the volunteers passing out copies of the U.S. Constitution at a stadium gate, and he so happened to be the founder of the organization who had the constitutions.

Here's my story:

Air Force honoring the heroes of 9/11

It was a unique opportunity and I'm grateful to have had it.

Here's a photo gallery of more 9/11 celebration:

Photo Gallery: BYU football at Air Force

If you want to read the Universe's coverage of the game, go here:

BYU embarrassed by disciplined Falcons

Turnovers a big key in Cougar defeat*

*(Go to page 6, to the lower left corner.)