The Basketball πŸ€ chase across the United States πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ concluded with a game on ” The Farm ” at Stanford University !!!

Lin with the Opening Jump of Duke University Women’s Basketball game πŸ€ at Stanford University.

The Farm :

Marketing is the Love πŸ’˜ of my Life, especially in my later years and everything that Stanford University did today was designed to enhance the two hours spent inside their Maples 🍁 Pavillion. Wow, did it work !!

The Band was highly entertaining, very colorful and not a single ounce of negativity directed at the visiting fans or players !!!

One of the two giveaway items today was a Stanford University Cardinal rally towel.

The court itself will forever be named in the honor of Coach Tara Vandervere, number two on the All-Time Wins list in Men’s / Women’s College Basketball πŸ€.

The crowd was both knowledgeable and loud which was impressive 10 fold when you factor in the San Francisco 49ers were beating the Philadelphia Eagles at the same time. The 49ers play their home games a stones throw from The Farm 🚜

They had a bonus offer from a local restaurant for a free Cheeseburger πŸ” if Duke missed consecutive free throws in the second half and thankfully the home fans went home hungry….

The Cal- πŸš†train dropped us off two miles from the Gym which created a beautiful hike πŸšΆβ€β™‚οΈ across the gorgeous Campus !

The day was highlighted by spending it with the Love πŸ’˜ of my Life and watchingΒ  πŸ‘€ a well played D1 College Basketball game. The fact that it was Kira Lawson and her Lady Blue Devils just iced the cake πŸŽ‚

The next stop βœ‹ on the picture perfect day was a great dinner 🍽 at the Blue Line Pizza in Burlingame

The Mascot was on fire πŸ”₯

Tomorrow morning πŸŒ„ we will head backΒ  to St.George by way of Los Angeles and will turn our Basketball attention to the young Ladies who play for Howard Mayo as the Lady Cavaliers host Cave Spring High School 🏫 on The Hill…

The Hill, the Fort, the Farm, the Swamp, Death Valley and for the Smoot Family we will add the Horseshoe. Michigan has The Big House and Duke plays in the Bull City. See, Marketing is FUN!!!

Fun in the Sun 🌞 ( Bowl) as Duke University Football 🏈🏈🏈🏈 outscored the Sun Devils in El Paso, 42 – 39 !!!

Great Day !

Duke improved to 6-6 in Bowl πŸ₯£ Games since 1963, digging out of an 0-5 hole πŸ•³.

  Not sure how long the lifetime streak of attending each of their Bowl games can continue but #12 was certainly a fun experience from start to finish !

The near capacity crowd added to the experience and then some…

Back 2 Back 9 win seasons for just the second time ever and the Blue Devils (9-5) finished with four straight victories for the first time since 1954.

After Virginia came to Wallace Wade Stadium 🏟 and put a whooping on the home team, Duke has been a different team. ACC Champions & Sun 🌞 Bowl πŸ₯£ Champs πŸ†

It’s Kickoff time for the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game. If you can’t get to Charlotte, option 2 has to be Buffalo Wild Wings!

Wasn’t sure I would live long enough for a Duke – UVA Championship game in Foosball!!!!

6:16 – Local Time, Duke receives  the kick!

Move the Chains β›“, β›“ again….

Here for the duration so feel free to check βœ” back or ignore…

9:38 minutes of the Clock ⏰ gone and loved the 4th down call ! Duke, 7-0.

  After the way UVA manhandled Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium 🏟 last month, that drive was doubly important.

UVA – picks up two first downs, avoided a turnover because of a defensive penalty and then missed a long Field Goal.

Speaking of turnovers, Hoos have a very short field after an interception.

End of the 1st quarter…..

Cavs finished off 23 yard drive πŸš— for TD, tied at 7-7.

Duke goes 3 & out, will punt on 4th and 2 ????Not our Mad Manny!!

3/3 on 4th Down !!

6:14(2) – Duke TD, after not one but two gutsy 4th down calls !!

2:55 (2) – Holding call leads to a Hoos punt. Duke with one more 1st half possession.

2:00 Warning ⚠️ 2 &7+ for Duke

Hoos force a 3 and out and used all 3 TO’s. UVA ball with 1:45 to play in the first half.

Solid defensive stand by the Blue Devils to create a 4th and 5… Punt into the endzone. 0:53 (2)

Duke will end the half by punting with a tick of two left.  HALF

6:08 pm – 2nd half kickoff

What a conversion on 2 & 22 for Hoos

Goal Line stand limits the long drive to a short field goal. 7:14 (3), drive πŸš— took over half the quarter.

4th and short for Duke in the Red Zone, 3 points or gamble 🎰 a fourth time ???

3:53 (3) – Duke Field Goal, 17-10

8:43 PM – End of 3rd quarter….

14:24 – Hoos turn it over on downs. Fourth Down has been magic for Duke.

Duke reduced the clock ⏰ to 8:47 and pin πŸ“Œ UVA at the 1 yard line.

7:21 (4) – 3rd down interception for Duke!

5:05 – Duke FG 23 yard FG, 10 point lead with 5:02 remaining!!

3:54 – Hoos hit a 42 yard Field Goal, now the question is onside kick or play it straight ???

Clutch 3rd down conversion !!!!

Hoos on their own 4 with 1:44 and two Timeouts

We are going to have a Barn Burner finish !

10 plays, 96 yards, Wow πŸ‘…

OT – 0:22 left

OVERTIME :

Duke scores on 4th and Goal, 27-20

Virginia throws an interception on 1st down.

Party πŸ₯³ like its 1989 !!!!

Duke 27, Virginia 20

Great game between two great Universities !!!

The November to Remember ends with a Bang, as long as the Colts players don’t block our view !

The past 30 Days truly have been an Amazing experience  already and after four Basketball games, its time for the reason we made the trip back from the desert 🏜. Donaldson Capitol is based out of Evansville, Indiana and we couldn’t be happier with our relationship with them over the years.

A conversation with Derek Riddle turned to Sports one day my friend Duke QB became a topic quickly. Fast Forward to today and we are back here at Lucas Oil Stadium 🏟 watching πŸ‘€ one of our own play quarterback in the NFL. Brandon Roop is the Man with the Plan down at Donaldson and he is our host today !

Daniel Jones has gone from a Zero Star 🌟 high School recruit from Charlotte, North Carolina to where he is today. A number of peaks and valleys along the way, for sure.

The location of the seats πŸ’Ί and access to the Club behind us was a last minute perk, very unexpected. It will certainly add a bit to the overall story but the true highlight is getting to show support for someone who you believe in while sitting with people who you believe in !

Jones, playing with a fracture in his leg 🦡might play the game of his today. It’s an equal possibility that he might throw four interceptions. Either way, Lin and I will board our ✈️✈✈️ back to the 🏜 later tonight with a smile on our face !

Final Page of a November to Remember!
Love πŸ’˜ the fact that the Owner on the sidelines with her team !