Sports can move people in inspiring ways, even when the games “don’t matter.” On Friday, a YouTube user named MooFasa91 posted a video of what was described as a “friend’s dad” and the visuals can’t help but to produce emotion for any sports fan that watches.
The video begins with a man simply opening a present and, in the early stages, he does not immediately process what it means. The gift features a bowl with roses inside of a box, and when the receiver (finally) puts together that his gift is a trip to the Rose Bowl, the tears begin to flow and his overwhelming joy is apparent.
For a bit of additional insight, the YouTube user indicates in the caption that the man is a Penn State fan, and he appears to be wearing a Pittsburgh Penguins t-shirt for another look into his fandom. The Nittany Lions earned a trip to face off against the USC Trojans with a Big Ten title, and while that probably adds more intrigue to his trip, the caption also references that he “has always wanted to go to the Rose Bowl”.
It is hard to push back tears when considering that his first reaction, other than joy, was to question how his wife was able to afford the tickets, and this is yet another instance of the effect that sports can have on people across the country and the world. Skeptics regularly point to the presence of too many bowl games and how they don’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but good luck telling that to this man who will be heading to Pasadena for the first time in early January.
