Super Bowl Memories: Life and Super Bowl 42

Feb 5, 2012

Why football is so important to America: Memories of Good Times

My dad and I shared a great love for the entire post season as a whole, regardless of if the Broncos made it or not. Watching every game every weekend when I did not have to work. Plotting and figuring out how well team x was going to fair against team z, and if the underdog was going to lose badly or put up a decent fight and stay in it one more week.

All of this preparation for that one Sunday in January, or later on, in February. When the two best/luckiest teams meet on neutral ground to battle it out to for the Lombardi trophy and the rights to have that Queen song played in their honor. Every year was full of struggle and hope. Blood and tears. Wings and beer. All as we spent a few hours on the Sunday glued to the TV without any distractions and even actually enjoying those infamous commercials. We held an annual drinking game for it. Taking shots of bourbon for a touchdown, and drinking half a beer for every field goal, extra point or safety. The honorary shot at the beginning and end of every quarter. It’s a wonder I can still remember them all.

In 2008 I was able to witness what I deem, as the greatest Super Bowl ever. Even better than my Denver Broncos back to back wins in ‘98 & ‘99. The underdog Eli Manning coming in and facing the giant that is Tom Brady, pun intended. Dealing with droves of people telling me there was no chance for Eli and the Giants and that Brady and the Patriots were just too good to lose. Holding out hope that there would be something that would prove them all wrong, and then the loss of some heartbeats as Eli dropped back to pass a long bomb up the left side of the field to connect for the game winning TD. Allowing me, and one other standout at this party of 20 or so people, to be able to finally shoot back at all of the haters that had plagued us all game long.

This one turned out to be the greatest and most unforgettable Super Bowls ever for more than just the game. But also because it was the last one I would ever be able to share with my father and his friends. For later that same year, he went to the hospital on mother’s day, May 11^th, and one day later he suffered his first of two heart attacks while in the hospital. He transferred to a better cardiac hospital further away from where I lived a few days later where the news only got worse and in late June had another heart attack which pushed him into a coma that he was not able to recover from. Finally in the early morning hours of July 5^th, 2008, around 2 am or so, they doctor’s called and said it got worse. I got there as fast as I could and sometime after 7am I lost him.

This year as I rooted desperately for the Giants to pull out that win against the 49ers, a team who worked hard to get themselves into that championship game, and look anxiously forward to February 5^tand the excitement around it. I couldn’t help but have tears well up as I thought about Super Bowl 42 and all other Super Bowls. And I remember how important, fun and comfortable watching them has always been for me, and how I hope to share it with my kids – minus the drinking. It is a part of my DNA and will be till I pass on. I can hear my dad still telling me I am full of crap in thinking that the little Manning has what it takes to push his team ahead of the mighty Brady. Well dad, come Sunday I will raise my beer and say, “This Bud’s for you.” Take a shot and watch Eli Manning pass for over 300 yards in a come from behind 4^th quarter Super Bowl victory again, hopefully.