Why I flew across the world for a football game

30 minutes until kickoff of the 2024 Rose Bowl. I’m scrambling to find a place to watch the game.

I’m purposely in Auckland (New Zealand’s largest city) to have the best chance at catching the game in a fun atmosphere.

Turns out, not many sports bars open at 10:30 AM on a Tuesday in New Zealand, let alone have the American College Football Playoffs on. I found a spot called the Munster Inn that Google says is open. Nobody answered when I called so I’m hustling down the street to check it out.

I walk up to a banner plastered across the window “VIP Gaming Lounge: Bar and Billiards”. This doesn’t feel right but its my only option so I peak my head inside. Its a dark, empty bar with a bunch of TVs showing cricket and soccer matches. One older gentleman is sitting in the bar alone drinking a draft beer.

Not my vibe.

I had posted in the University of Michigan New Zealand alumni Facebook group the other day seeing if there was anywhere to watch the game. Michigan boasts about its 640k+ alumni in 180 countries around the world. Surely there were some people in Auckland watching our football team play in the biggest game of the year.

No luck.

I stroll back to my Sheraton hotel and execute on the backup plan. The hotel bar is closed for another hour but I convince one of the waiters to let me in early.

I grab a seat at a high top table and find myself sitting alone, watching my Wolverines on a TV with no sound. This will have to do.

…

At that point, I had been traveling in Australia and New Zealand for 5 weeks with 2 more planned.

This was a bucket list trip that has checked all the boxes. I saw jaw dropping mountains in Mount Cook National Park. I visited Bondi and Byron Bay beaches, some of the most famous in the world. I went hang gliding over Queenstown. I saw stars like I’ve never seen in my life while camping on the largest sand island in the world (K’gari Island).

I accomplished so much, yet there was so much more left for me to explore. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. Hike in Abel Tasman National Park. Visit the Hobbiton from Lord of the Rings. Go sailing in the Whitsundays. Explore the epic luxury of Bali.

There’s truly nothing stopping me. I don’t have a job to go back to. No responsibilities that need my attention back in the US. Everyone I have met here has been here for months, some even years.

Why was I limiting myself to only 7 weeks?

…

4:41 left in the 4th quarter. I have now transitioned up to my hotel room. I needed the sound on. Alabama just kicked a field goal to go up 20 - 13.

I’m pacing back and forth. It’s the third year in a row we have made it to the semi-finals and have lost every time. Our offense hasn’t done anything since the 1st quarter of the game. My expectations are low.

However, JJ McCarthy proves me wrong. He leads the team down the field for a 75 yard scoring drive that included a 4th down conversion.

Bama gets the ball back but our defense forces a stop. 44 seconds left - Alabama is punting. Our returner drops the punt then regathers it at our own one yard line.

My heart is racing. Disaster avoided. We are heading to OT.

There is minimal chatter in my friend group chats. But the overall mood is slight optimism. We have a chance.

In OT, we get the ball first and score quickly. Then, on 4th down and goal from the 3 yard line, we sack the Bama quarterback. The game is over. Michigan is going to the National Championship in Houston!

I’m ecstatic. So pumped we won. But there is nobody there to celebrate with.

Several Michigan football memories flood my mind.

…

Nothing beats gameday at the Big House in Ann Arbor. 6 AM wakeups to loud music, champagne, and orange juice. Tailgates at Sigma Chi. The famous walk down Hoover and stopping by the parent tailgates for food to sober up before stepping into a stadium with 110,000+ people.

Even this past year gave me more Michigan football memories. After not going to a game since before Covid in 2019, I found myself at 3:

In Ann Arbor vs Rutgers with my friends from college.

In State College vs Penn State with my mom and sister.

In College Park vs Maryland with some friends and family.

Being back on campus for the first time in a while was nostalgic. Pre-game drinks at Garage Bar and post-game drinks at Charley’s.

I’ll bever forget rocking my Michigan jersey and getting called “cheater” by all the Penn State fans. Credit to my sister for sticking by my side.

…

The game is now over and I get a few texts from some friends and family excited about the win, but nobody was around to FaceTime.

My excitement dies down. It was the first time in 5 weeks that I truly missed home and a sense of connection with the people I care about.

In that moment, I knew I would do whatever it takes to get myself to Houston to be with my friends for the National Championship.

Final Thoughts

My trip was incredible. 10/10. I had balanced being adventurous, trying new things, and meeting new people with getting the alone time and space I needed to contemplate my next life moves.

I plan on continuing to take more trips just like it in the future. But I came to the realization that I can’t live like a nomad forever. I value my connections to friends and family. Phone calls and FaceTimes are great but they don’t compare to in person interaction.

Whether its Michigan football games, Jewish holidays, weekend trips to the lake, or even just a random visit to grab dinner, these experiences with the people I care about are important to me. And no matter how cool the scenery is and how many endless adventure activities there are, I value my relationships above that.

I moved up my flight by one week. Auckland to Houston (18 hour trip) and made it to to the bar 6 hours before kickoff. 48 hours of exhaustion and $1,600 game ticket… Totally worth it.

Thank you for reading! As always please reply and let me know what resonated, what didn’t, or what you question. I love chatting about this stuff!

Cheers,

Andrew