The Most Incredible Christmas Present Ever

My brother Mike the Husky fan (he's a graduate) travels the world in his business. He installs large stadium jumbotrons for a multi-national company, does conventions, golf tournaments, World Cup soccer matches, the works. Pretty interesting job. Accumulates more air miles than he could use in two lifetimes. Not the luckiest guy in other areas, though. His Huskies make a bowl, and it turns out they're playing in San Diego, his hometown. On a weekend he's working 4,000 miles away.

The thing is, Mike is a remarkably generous man. A class guy through and through. The Ducks' recent dominance of his beloved Washington has been galling and bitter, but Mike's faithfully paid off every wine bet and sent the congratulation emails and acknowledged the Ducks' accomplishments. He's never made excuses. He's stayed faithful to his alma mater through the Neuheisel and Willingham debacles, and maintained his cautious optimism as Locker and Sarkisian made the first anxious steps toward recovery. You have to respect that, and welcome it. A rivalry is no fun without some genuine competition. You want an opponent to compete, to challenge you and acknowledge your victories.

So when I came home on Saturday night there was a text message from Mike, my brother, who I only get to see once or twice a year. Congratulations, it said. Check your email.

I had one new message. From Southwest Airlines, a round trip ticket confirmation to Glendale, Arizona. The dream keeps getting sweeter. I checked the details twice, just to make sure. Leaving Monday morning, returning Tuesday night..

We're going to Glendale. And I've got the ticket to prove it. Merry Christmas Duck fans, wherever you may be.