I Just Flew in From Arizona, and Boy, are My Arms Tired…
But seriously folks, I haven’t posted before and felt I had to weigh in this time. Much will be said and written about Superbowl XLII, from many angles and with the usual headlines:
- ‘Underdogs Become Champions’ - Were they the biggest superbowl underdogs ever? Maybe. Maybe not.
- ‘Cheaters Never Prosper’ - Did the Pats really cheat? If, so, does everyone do it? I’ll wait a few years for the 16,000 page report from Congress before passing final judgement on that one.
- ‘Eli Comes of Age’, ‘Brady Ruins Career’, ’Belichick is a Sack of Crap’ - All true.
I’ve even heard people debate whether this was the greatest Superbowl game ever played. Well, I can tell you that it was. From where I was sitting, on the 30 yard line in Glendale (admittedly, in the upper deck) it was the greatest football game ever played.
I told myself years ago that if my Giants ever made it back to the Superbowl, I’d pony up for 2 tickets to the big game and take my dad, who is a life-long fan of the G-Men and card-carrying member of the Phil Simms fan club. I slightly underestimated how quickly they’d get their next shot at the Lombardi Trophy, and I really underestimated what 2 tickets would go for on the internet. Regardless, last week I secured 2 seats, plane tickets, lodging, and a rental car. $12,000 later, we were on our way to ‘Zona. At the risk of sounding like a credit card commercial, it was easily worth every penny.
We knew the odds were against Big Blue actually winning the game, but figured it would be a great experience regardless of the outcome. In case you haven’t heard, the Giants pummelled Tom what’s-his-name back to the stone age and spoiled the Perfect Season. As Eli took a knee, the final second ticked off the clock, and confetti filled the air, I found myself hugging a random sweaty guy from Secaucus in a tattered Mark Bavaro jersey. Watching my team win a championship in such grand fashion was made even better because my dad was there to share it with me, even if he didn’t hug Tony from Secaucus.
So do yourself a favor. It doesn’t matter if your sport of choice is football, basketball, or (gasp) NASCAR. Next time your favorite team makes it to a meaningful game (sorry, Jets fans) ante up for some tickets, bring your dad (or mom, or brother, or whoever) and you, too, just might see the greatest game ever played.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:40 am
The only home Patriots game my dad and I ever attended together was the famous Tuck Rule game. Now, it was a wild card playoff game between a team that hadn’t done much in a while (Raiders) and a team that hadn’t done much… ever (Patriots) - so no reason to expect what ended up transpiring… but that’s the beauty of sports: Like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, ya never know what yer gonna git.
As noted, to most people, that game will forever be remembered as The Tuck Rule Game. For me, it’s The Lone Pats Game I Went To With My Dad. I like my title better.
But back to SB 42, my boss is a Giants season ticket holder who got picked in the lottery and thus got two tickets at face value (um… it cost him less than $12k). As it happens, his oldest son goes to the University of Arizona - about 90 miles from the SB site - so they went together. Like King and his dad, they got extra delight from having attended *that* game together.
It is well (well… the Pats losing is not well - but the sappy family stories that resulted are… you get what I mean).
February 8th, 2008 at 1:09 am
$12K. Yikes, thats a lotta cash.
Then again, can you really put a price on watching your favorite team win it all??