Super Bowl Fever: Is That What’s Got Me Up at This Hour?!

7th February, 2010 - Posted by Jason Cercone - No Comments

It’s 3:38am and I’m wide awake.

You may be under the impression I’m all fired because it’s Super Bowl Sunday and the Colts and Saints are mere hours away from what could possibly be the most offensive-packed game of all time.

And while I am indeed excited, it’s not why I’m up.

It’s because I’ve got a newborn daughter, and she’s calling the shots.

Tonight, Mackenna has decided that whenever daddy is JUST about to fall asleep, she’s going to fuss. After getting up three times to re-apply her pacifier, I decided it was time for some rocking. When I picked her up, she didn’t make a peep and quietly went back to sleep.

Mackenna: 1 Dad: 0

Coincidentally, this Super Bowl Sunday also marks Mackenna’s one-month birthday and obviously she’s in a partying mood. I remember the times when I was in a partying mood at 3:30 in the morning too, but those days are ancient history.

So, with my daughter’s one-month anniversary of becoming part of our lives marks yet another event that’s been a part of me for as long as I can remember: the Super Bowl. The biggest unofficial holiday known to man. A chance for friends and family to come together and not only enjoy the last football game until August (yes, bittersweet), but also enjoy the company of one another.

And, if the game is good, it’s a bonus.

As a Steelers fan, I’ve been lucky enough to see two more Lombardi Trophies added to the shelf…nearly three. And if you want to get technical, I was a month old when the Steelers beat the Rams for their 4th title in the 1979 season.

But a devotion to my team not withstanding, it’s about being a fan of the sport, and getting a high from watching competition unfold on a grand stage. The Super Bowl has created a lifetime of memories that always come flooding back when it’s time for “the big game.”

I can vividly remember watching Joe Montana orchestrate “The Drive” against the Bengals while downing a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and having to stay home sick from school the next day. Just as vividly, I remember growing angry as Montana shredded the Broncos and cost me an over/under pool my folks were running at their party. That was $5 in change I have no idea how I accumulated…but would never see again.

The 90’s were a little rough, growing up in a Bills household. Like it’s happening right now, I can remember my father standing in front of the TV and waving his red-and-blue Bills blanket as Scott Norwood’s last-second field goal sailed wide right. I also remember that blanket getting thrown into a closet, never to see the light of day again until we moved several years later.

And, if my Grandpa was still with us, he’d be the first to tell you I shed a tear when that field goal came so close, yet so far away. This, of course, led to a downward spiral of Super Bowl appearances for Buffalo, resulting in four straight appearances…four straight losses. I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Bills and know how much it would mean to so many people close to me to see them bring home a championship. But damn…talk about cursed!

I still remember watching Brett Favre run across the field after the Packers beat the Patriots, and I remember John Elway spinning through the air, leading the Broncos to a win over Favre’s Packers.

I remember winning a Madden tournament the day the Ravens destroyed the Giants, and I remember my wife-then-girlfriend winning an over/under pool at our party as the Bucs dismantled the Raiders. I also remember Jen’s 4th Quarter numbers of ‘zero’ for the Giants and ‘four’ for the Patriots becoming a distant memory as Eli Manning led the Giants to one of the most improbable victories of all time…costing Jen $2K in a square pool in the process.

There were last-second clutch kicks from Adam Vinitiari. Wardrobe malfunctions at halftime. The Rolling Stones making an attempt. The Patriots cementing a legacy. And, the coup de grace, finally watching, with my own eyes, the Steelers bring home a title. And then another one.

It’s been a lifetime of memories, and I’m sure this Sunday’s game will bring more of the same. As the little bambina celebrates one month on earth, perhaps it’s the Saints’ time to celebrate a championship after years of underachievement. I can’t think of anything better for the city of New Orleans, after all they’ve been through, to see the Saints bring Lombardi home.

As if they need an excuse to party in N’Orleans!

Or is it Peyton Manning’s time to continue to add fuel to the argument that he’s the best QB of all-time and capture another crown for Indy?

There’s no telling which direction it’s going to go, but an epic contest and another great party awaits us all.

Mackenna’s up again. It must be time to blow out the candles.