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So here I sit unexpectedly in a hotel room in San Diego, my trip back to Manchester, N.H. canceled because a snowstorm that nixed the connecting flight in Chicago. I just got back from an hour's walk just to clear my head, but my heart's still broken. My buddy is somewhere downtown drowning his sorrows in alcohol. We return tomorrow morning, early. This sucks. Not the altered travel plans, the hollow hurt in my chest for which there is no remedy.
I was lucky enough to see all but four of the Patriots' games in person this year (missed road games in Dallas, Indy, Cincinnati and Miami). And there was no way I'd miss the Super Bowl, the crowning glory on our undefeated season. I just didn't think there was any chance the Giants could win and when we went up 14-10, I figured it was just one more example of the Patriots' penchant for nail-biting championship performances. Then the bottom fell out and, well ... We all have to deal in our own way.
Just for the record, I wanted to point out that Glendale put on a fabulous Super Bowl. The stadium is wonderful; it would've been fun to see the roof open, but it was a chilly night with threat of rain that never came. The NFL Experience exhibit area was a lot of fun, including items on display from the Hall of Fame. (One item was the football Bledsoe threw to Kevin Turner for the game-winner in his record-setting 45-for-70 day against Minnesota.) There was a mall area close by with live bands and shops and restaurants, a great place to mix and mingle before the game.
Folks, Patriots Nation was represented proudly. Pats fans outnumbered Giants fans at least two to one, maybe more. When the Patriots were introduced the roar gave me goosebumps. We had our cheerleaders there. At least in my section, 406, it looked, sounded and felt like a home-game crowd. We were loud when the Giants had the ball on third down, don't know how it came across on TV. I was hoarse by halftime. The stage was set, our team just didn't deliver.
The pregame and halftime shows seemed toned down a bit from Houston and Jacksonville, but that's fine with me. A couple minor quibbles: Food and drink inside the stadium was outrageously priced; $7 for a hot dog? Five bucks for a bottle of water? Glad I don't drink at games, beers were $10. Also, sports radio in Phoenix sucks horribly, very anti-Patriots.
I might add more later. Being there just proves the "high risk/high reward" phenomenon of attending a Super Bowl. Win, and nothing matches the euphoria of being on top of the football world in person. Lose, especially like we did under those circumstances, and the shock and sadness of it all is literally disorienting. Right now, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with the few Super Bowl XLII keepsakes I'm taking home with me and had planned to treasure as cherished reminders of that "forever" season for the ages.
I was lucky enough to see all but four of the Patriots' games in person this year (missed road games in Dallas, Indy, Cincinnati and Miami). And there was no way I'd miss the Super Bowl, the crowning glory on our undefeated season. I just didn't think there was any chance the Giants could win and when we went up 14-10, I figured it was just one more example of the Patriots' penchant for nail-biting championship performances. Then the bottom fell out and, well ... We all have to deal in our own way.
Just for the record, I wanted to point out that Glendale put on a fabulous Super Bowl. The stadium is wonderful; it would've been fun to see the roof open, but it was a chilly night with threat of rain that never came. The NFL Experience exhibit area was a lot of fun, including items on display from the Hall of Fame. (One item was the football Bledsoe threw to Kevin Turner for the game-winner in his record-setting 45-for-70 day against Minnesota.) There was a mall area close by with live bands and shops and restaurants, a great place to mix and mingle before the game.
Folks, Patriots Nation was represented proudly. Pats fans outnumbered Giants fans at least two to one, maybe more. When the Patriots were introduced the roar gave me goosebumps. We had our cheerleaders there. At least in my section, 406, it looked, sounded and felt like a home-game crowd. We were loud when the Giants had the ball on third down, don't know how it came across on TV. I was hoarse by halftime. The stage was set, our team just didn't deliver.
The pregame and halftime shows seemed toned down a bit from Houston and Jacksonville, but that's fine with me. A couple minor quibbles: Food and drink inside the stadium was outrageously priced; $7 for a hot dog? Five bucks for a bottle of water? Glad I don't drink at games, beers were $10. Also, sports radio in Phoenix sucks horribly, very anti-Patriots.
I might add more later. Being there just proves the "high risk/high reward" phenomenon of attending a Super Bowl. Win, and nothing matches the euphoria of being on top of the football world in person. Lose, especially like we did under those circumstances, and the shock and sadness of it all is literally disorienting. Right now, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with the few Super Bowl XLII keepsakes I'm taking home with me and had planned to treasure as cherished reminders of that "forever" season for the ages.
