The year I went to the Super Bowl

I woke up today, looked at my Super Bowl Champions XLIV New Orleans Saints hat and smiled. It's not that I can't believe "we" won; it's more how lucky I feel. It's beyond adjectives.

I started this post in my Miami hotel room, watching a rather incredible Gatorade Super Bowl commercial. Goosebumps. The Drew Brees Disney World commercial. Goosebumps. The thought that I was at Sunday's game. More goosebumps. Get the picture?

You should know that I'm lucky for more than just attending this game. It's the way the whole thing came together. I mean that from beginning to end. I spent a week hemming and hawing over whether or not to go to the game, eventually having a moment of clarity where $1500+ seemed doable (I eventually paid $1200). A college roommate had a hotel room, transportation to and from the game, late night meals -- all paid for by his company. My years of hoarding frequent flier miles because "some day there might be an emergency" found its emergency.

Why else? Let's run through the whole thing. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee and listen to me re-trace my steps. Heck, I'll even divide this into several sections so you don't have to read all at once.

I am...

Sunday AM
...Waking up in Charlotte, NC at my friend Dave Kulp's house, thanks to the storm canceling the East Coast. Montgomery Gentry's "Roll With Me" starts the day in my head. Wake up in the morning, Get to living my life, Making sure I'm all that I can be. I love this song. This is a good sign.

...Seeing Dave for the first time in a solid six? seven? years, during which time he has had three daughters (crazy how that happens). He keeps saying things like "Mr. Pac is going to the Super Bowl" and his daughters look at me like I'm famous.

...Getting dropped off at the airport, Dave having provided me with a new Saints hat he randomly had (he's a Panthers fan). Fifteen years earlier Dave had sold me a Saints hat in high school (before you could order those things online)

...Seeing people wearing Colts jerseys, instinctively feeling a rival gang instinct, then realizing this "rival gang" tucks in their shirts.

...Sitting first class next to a Saints fan, thinking that was a good sign. Discussing the Bobby Hebert era, the Billy Joe Tolliver era, shaking his hand on the way out the door and wishing each other good luck

...Walking outside in Miami to a level of sunshine I haven't seen in five months. Taking the airport shuttle to the wrong Courtyard Marriott

Pre-game
...As usual I had no idea what I was getting myself into and was completely bailed out by my friends. The transportation to and from the stadium...I mean, I have no idea how I would have navigated this without Jim's company limo van.

...Jim scoring me an invite to the official NFL pre-game tailgate. Seeing C+ list celebrities like Tom Arnold and Jesse Palmer. Eating my face off, downing one of the stiffer G&Ts I've ever had and generally forgetting I'd be attending the Super Bowl in a couple hours. Having phone calls from friends re-focus me on the task at hand. If I'm this distracted as a fan, I don't know how players deal with it.

...You know that moment when you're at the grocery store and the scanner can't find the UPC code on your honeycrisp apple? Well multiply that by 1200 when it's a Super Bowl ticket. But mine is real. I'm in. Massie and Helen Pacchione's son is at the Super Bowl.


The stadium
...Getting legit goosebumps as I walk into the stadium. Tons of Saints fans. The "Who Dat" cheer everywhere

...Parting ways with Jimmy (in section 440) and heading to my seat in section 451. Figuring seat 21 would be in the middle of the row. Looking only at the steps in front of me as I climb past rows with 17 seats, 17 seats, 17 seats...section 451 is the first one with 21 seats. Right on the aisle. How lucky am I? You have no idea how much I love the aisle.

...Turning around and noticing the two people next to me were Colts fans. And the two behind me. And the two in front of me. And...I'm in the Colts season ticket-holder section.


...Introducing myself to the Colts fans next to me. They say they're concerned but it seems like a concern born out of politeness more than anything else. Colts fans have a "we expect to win this thing" vibe

...Finding three Saints fans on the other side of the aisle. See what I mean? I was lucky. In the sea of blue, I found light. Announcing to those Saints fans that I would be coming to them for high fives throughout the game

...Being moved to virtual tears by Carrie Underwood's national anthem. Why so emotional? Not only was I at the Super Bowl, but she knocked the anthem out of the park. Then the Blue Angels flying right over my head...wow, wow, wow. That never gets old.


First quarter
...The flashbulbs going off at kickoff. You always see it on TV but to be there in person...It's already been worth $1200

...Jumping up and down like the Fox robot, being so absolutely juiced up I felt like I was playing. I have no understanding of how players can function normally in this game

...Telling the woman behind me I'm sorry for being so tall but I'm probably going to be standing this whole game

...All of my concerns about the Saints immediately surfacing. The offense continuing to look out of sorts. No signs of being able to stop Peyton. Their awful run offense moving the ball down our throats

...Serious blowout potential as I make nervous eye contact with the Saints fans across the aisle. We all have the same thought: weather the storm. Deep breaths as it's only 10-0

Second quarter
...Being absolutely beside myself on the blown 3rd and 4th down calls on the goal line. Wishing there was something I could do about this. Why are we losing aggressiveness in the most important game of our lives?

...Grabbing a $10 beer after the 4th down play, more as a distraction than anything else. Being the only one in line and asking the bartender why. "It's the Super Bowl," he said. Good point.

...Going into halftime down 10-6, receiving a text from my buddy Jon telling me we were okay. Disagreeing with him. Dropped third down passes, being stuffed at the goal line...I've seen all of those NFL Films Super Bowl specials. These are the plays made by teams that lose the Super Bowl

Halftime show
...Finding this strangely cool. Receiving text after text from friends asking if The Who sounded as bad/good (apparently there was divided opinion) in real life as on TV

...Completely missing my cue to do the cell phone dance they'd taught us at a break in the second quarter. Oh well. Choreography has never been my strong point

Third Quarter
...Seeing Thomas Morstead practicing his deep kickoff. Something about this seemed odd to me.

...Seeing the Saints special teamers juiced before kickoff. They're doing the old Bash Brothers elbow bump. This, too, seemed odd

...Suddenly understanding why. The onside kick (amazing background on it here). The longest fumble scrum I can ever remember. Knowing the Saints would come up with the ball. They just had to. As the Colts fans next to me had been saying, the Colts always score to start the second half. Why not prevent them from having the ball then? Just a thing of beauty. Get busy living or get busy dying

...Turning my phone off -- "so I can concentrate" -- then having it turn on because my jumping caused too much friction between the power button and my jeans pocket

...Taking the lead and realizing this is all I had asked for: a moment in the second half where I thought the Saints could win

Fourth quarter
...Slowing down and realizing just how incredible it is to be at this game. Every play is intense (in a good way) and feels like so much is riding on it. For some reason I am not nervous.

...Screaming for the defense on every play. Just screaming. Believe.

...The incredible and wonderful feeling of the opposing coach making an awful decision. As Matt Stover lined up for the 51 yard field goal -- hey Jim Caldwell, it's not 1998 anymore -- I said aloud, this had to be a trick. Nope. We're going to win this thing.

...I'm at the Super Bowl. I'm really at the Super Bowl.

...Knowing Shockey would be the target from the two yard line. Knowing Lance Moore -- hurt all season, a forgotten man -- would be the target for the two point conversion. What can I say? I was locked in as a fan.

...Seeing what looked like a dropped two point conversion. Discussing how awesome it was to be up five with 5:42 left, but Manning with the ball. Asking the Colts fan next to me how he felt and then...


...that was the reaction to the news of Sean Payton's challenge going our way. In the stands, we didn't even know the play was being reviewed. It was like hitting jackpot in a contest we didn't even know we'd entered. We're winning this thing.

...Looking at my phone and seeing how many friends had texted me about the challenge. Feeling amazed at how many people took the time to text me when I hadn't even asked. "Receiving unsolicited texts about coaches' challenges" immediately becomes one of my love languages.

...Feeling genuinely excited about the Colts drive. This is what it's all about, right? For the first time I begin to seriously consider how I'll react if we win this thing. I picture myself falling to my knees in tears. Believe.

...Seeing Malcolm Jenkins nearly pick off a pass. Reacting the same way a DB does when he misses one -- clapping hands and looking toward the heavens. Feeling like a pick is coming. If Malcolm Jenkins (who has been regularly burned all season) can come close to an INT on Peyton Manning, something is wrong.

And then...

The interception
...For some reason Manning is not scaring me. My mom texts "stop biting your nails," and I tell her I'm not. I don't know that I've bit my nails all game. I'm just excited. I feel good. And then Manning drops back to pass and I see Tracy Porter sniff out the route and he picks it off and he sees daylight and HE'S RUNNING STRAIGHT TOWARD US

...And I never see him score. As soon as he gets by Manning I leap into a four man bear hug with the Saints fans next to me, hugging, jumping, screaming. One of them is the first to make sense of it -- "We just won the Super Bowl" -- and good golly, he's right. A Colts fan leaves and shakes my hand on the way out. We just won the Super Bowl

(Best part: Before the game, my buddy Jon asked me who needed to have a big game on defense. My answer? Tracy Porter. My hope for was for him to minimize the run after catch. But the Super Bowl clinching pick six? Yeah, I'll take that too)

The final minute
...After I text "We just won the Super Bowl!!! I can't even do this in Madden" to about 79 people, my buddy Fife texts me to not start celebrating yet. Ordinarily I might still be nervous. Not this time. We just won the Super Bowl.

...The 4th and 6 pass goes awry. Absolute pandemonium. I have an 11 man bear hug with every Saints fan in reach. I videotape it all with my phone. Each video is about 3 seconds long since the "record" function cuts off when texts come in -- significant because every friend I've ever had decides to text me at this very moment.

This is the mark I've left on the world: everyone I've met since fourth grade knows me as the Saints fan.

The aftermath
...Fireworks everywhere, confetti everywhere, some sort of light show...The only reason I know about this is because I have it on film. I have no recollection whatsoever except for pure happiness. Whereas I had thought I might drop to the ground in appreciative tears, I really just feel a genuine happiness. At one point I remember "interviewing" myself on my phone's camera so as to describe my feelings. Safe to say I was out of my mind? I should think so. Thankfully this is interrupted by 74 different friends texting me congratulations...

...Looking at how quickly my section of Colts fans cleared out. In this giant section of the stadium, there are 17 Saints fans in sight and that's it.



...Walking toward Jim's section and stopping to congratulate an older man who had limped back to his seat. He's at an age where he may have legitimately feared never seeing it happen. "We did it!" I yell. He looks at me funny. "Are you Juan?" he asks. "No," I say, "I just thought you'd want to be congratulated."

...My phone legitimately short-circuiting because of all the texts I'd received. Yes, phones get tired, too.

...Making it to Jimmy's section. Giving huge hugs to him and his friend Allison (whom I'd met only hours earlier but whom I treated like a dear old friend)

...Hugging the security guard on the way out of the stadium. High fiving the stadium workers who were cheering for us. We just won the Super Bowl (!)

Can I be honest for a second? In past years I was always a little bit nervous as to what I would do if the Saints made the Super Bowl. I'm not actually from New Orleans, so it's not like I could go there and celebrate with old friends. Watching on the TV seemed anticlimactic. I had always hoped to make a "regardless of where we are in life, we're watching this together" pact with another Saints fan. Never happened.

Then my prayers were answered. A couple of months ago I emailed Jim. Hadn't talked in several years. He sent a long reply back in which he mentioned how he's going to the Super Bowl this year on business. The wheels started churning in my head. If the Saints make the Super Bowl, I have a free place to stay, I have these frequent flier miles I've been hoarding...giddyup.

He and his friends were the best. They thanked me for being a Saints fan because it gave them some sort of credibility. Being a Saints fan gave them credibility. Not to overplay the whole "we usually suck" angle but...It's funny to type that.

Here's another thing that's funny to type: the Saints won the freaking Super Bowl. And I was there. Praise the Lord, I was there.

In high school my friend Aaron Wexler (brother of Bruce the Caroler) dubbed me "Murph" because he felt like I was the epitome of Murphy's Law; anything that could go wrong would when I was around. But after having season tickets the year the Red Sox won the World Series, meeting Jennifer Nettles, having more friends than I'd thought possible, generally feeling loved at all times and now seeing the Saints win the Super Bowl in person...I think "Murph" can be retired. Baby I'm a lucky man.