For the upgrade thing, consider the following options --

(a) Pay lots more money to AA and rebook in J or F.

(b) Go full fare and convince your travel agent or CTO person to give you a Y to J upgrade cert. They do have these.

(c) Fly enough other trips before then to bank the miles necessary for an upgrade from economy class and hope there is C inventory available on the day of the fight

(d) Find a EXP somewhere and steal their VIPOW's from them

Those are all the ideas I can think of...