A Tale of Two Seasons: Part I of XIII

Shock played across the expressions on Alabama fans’ faces as the Utes scored the first of many touchdowns that won them the Sugar Bowl. Disbelief and pride rang throughout the stadium as Utah stood, the only undefeated team in the country.

And now, months after an incredible and magical year, the Utes return from the best season in school history, ready to prove their abilities once again. That amazing season was the best time of my life. If I were to do it over again, there’s only one thing I would alter: blogging. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and I left a lot of words unsaid. This year, I’m going to change that.

Like a junkie chasing that first high, I will be following the 2009 Utes to try to recapture some of the rush of the previous season. As a Utes fanatic who proudly sports more Utah paraphernalia than the Crazy Lady, the one thing that makes my day as a photographer and photo editor for the Daily Utah Chronicle, is knowing how amazing our team was last year. Snapping that perfect picture of Aiona Key as he blocked New Mexico’s field goal kick—preventing the Lobos from 3 crucial points that could have meant win or lose for the Utes—embodied the pride I felt for our team. So for the next 13 games, I will be writing about the new season and how it compared to last year.

First off, for those of you who don’t read my regular blog at peakphoto.com, I will tell you a little about myself. I am a U student finishing a degree in mass communication. I have lived in Salt Lake City my whole life, and in my family, supporting the Utes has nothing to do with where you go to school. It’s a part of our Saturday afternoons with eyes glued to the TV.

And as a now more-than-ever ardent Utes fan, I remember the opening of last season like it was yesterday. Comparing with the current kick off, both seasons started with a lot of excitement and anticipation. In 2008, the excitement focused on going to Michigan to play in the Big House. This year, it was all about who was going to start at quarterback.

With two sports writers and more camera equipment than I want to think about in tow, I embarked on the flight for Michigan the Friday before the game. We flew with camera equipment that included a 400 mm lens that fits into a case the size of a trumpet but weighs more than a ton of bricks. On that flight, I was the guy fighting with his bag to make it fit into compact overhead compartments.

This being the first time in Michigan for us, we arrived early and I was excited to see a good amount of red on the streets surrounding Michigan’s stadium.

The Utes got off to a great start with Utah taking the lead, and I was in a perfect spot to capture Corbin Louks crossing the goal line.

Through the eyes of a camera lens, I watched the Utes lead through the first half of the game, and then struggle as Michigan fought back. Yet, our team held on to walk away winners with their helmets high in the air, singing Utah Man.

And the Utes won an impressive victory in their first game of the new season, yet their performance left doubt in the minds of some fans. Utes fans expected the team to walk away winners against long-time rivals, the Utah State Aggies, but the margin of victory left much to be desired.

Standing on the field, I expected to watch the Utes score touchdown after touchdown, but instead, the Aggies held their own. One has to wonder, has the Aggies’ new coach, Gary Anderson, the former Utes defensive coordinator, had that much of an impact, or are the Utes showing signs of faltering so early in the season.

It’s been mentioned that the Utes’ game against Michigan also left much to be desired, and so perhaps our team just needs a few practice rounds before showing their true colors. In the months that follow, I will be at every game, analyzing our team’s chances of success and remembering the magic of last year.