Happy holidays my fellow Mountaineers! The football team arrived in Arizona, and they are gearing up to take on the Sooners in the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Our travel group will be leaving from Clarksburg on Sunday, and everyone is excited about the trip. We will arrive in Phoenix on December 30 and return on January 3. WVU alumnus David Alvarez of Bridgeport will once again be equipped with his customary West Virginia pepperoni rolls which serve as a good luck charm for the Mountaineers. (We are 2-0 since Dave started this new tradition.)

For nearly 20 years, the WVU Alumni Association has been sponsoring official trips to bowl games. This year, WVU has come full circle with our participation in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The first official trip occurred with an appearance by Coach Don Nehlen?s fantastic 1988 WVU football team versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The growth of the metropolitan area certainly has changed the landscape of Phoenix since our last visit. Alumni and friends still revel at the WVU Alumni Association pre-game party at Rawhide 19 years ago. The event was attended by 7,500 Mountaineers and consisted of a rodeo, Mountaineer Marching Band concert, and steak fry.

While we not be re-living Rawhide, we do have some new and exciting events planned. You will want to stop by the ?Mountaineer Connection? at the popular Garduno?s restaurant in Scottsdale on Jan. 1st. The event will feature Mountaineer highlight videos, food specials, giveaways and special appearances by the WVU Pep Band, cheerleaders and Mountaineer Brady Campbell. The event will take place from noon to 8 p.m.

Holiday travel and WVU bowl game appearances have been a perfect combination for many alumni and friends over the years. Velma Brinkley of Clarksburg is particularly excited about this bowl game and wants everyone to join her in Arizona. Velma, age 85, is one of the many Mountaineers who will be making the trek across the country to support our WVU team. ?Our boys need some encouragement this year more than ever,? she says. ?I?ve been going to see the Mountaineers in bowl games in more years than I want to admit, and it?s still not too late for Mountaineer fans to cheer on the team at the Fiesta Bowl.?

WVU alumni Jim and Pat Ellis of Sunset Beach, SC, are perennial followers of the Mountaineers. Jim regularly travels to WVU home and away games, often making the long journey from South Carolina to support the team. He and Pat enjoy catching up with fellow alumni and friends while meeting new fans at every bowl game.

Likewise, we have been pleased to have Bob and Carol Ochletree of Parkersburg join us for many of our travel trips. The Pennsboro natives get so excited about the trips that they start a ?countdown to the bowl trip? by checking off the days on the calendar.

In the past week, I have received many calls from alumni and friends eager to support the team. The Kanawha Valley Chapter, with the help of local businesses, will be getting signatures and notes of support for a special banner which will be sent to the football team in Arizona. If you are going to the WVU-Oklahoma basketball game on Saturday, be sure to stop by to sign the banner. This is a great way to show your support, even if you can?t be there in person.

Don?t forget to visit our special Web site ? WV Bowlspace (http://bowlgame.wvu.edu/) ? for more information on WVU events and activities surrounding the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. So, to all Mountaineers, don your best gold and blue and get ready to yell, ?Let?s Go Mountaineers.?