HAPPENINGS
Superbowl Roundup
February 7th, 2006
Wow!  What a week it was.  Super Bowl XL came screaming into town last week and five days later I crawled out of a Coors Light haze and had to use some serious tools to get the smile off my face.  Who would have thought that Detroit could have pulled it off? 

With temperatures hovering in the mid 40’s for the first few nights and a winter storm to rival the Pontiac Super Bowl of 1982 blowing in on Saturday night, the fans took it all in stride.  For anyone who was able to make it down to the festivities, Detroit looked like Pittsburg Country for the weekend.  I’ve never seen so many Black & Yellow jerseys in my life; it almost looked like a Steelers home game.  Luckily the weather in Pittsburg is similar to the mess we deal with here in the ‘D’, or the fans might not have partied as much as they did.  A little snow and rain didn’t keep the die-hards in, no, every bar and tent at Winter Blast was packed with energized fans looking for fun.  If you were one of the lucky few to make it in to some of the big ticket party’s, Detroit was overrun with stars and celebrities.

When else do you get to see Pete Coors walking down Woodward talking with fans of his product or playing the tambourine on stage at the Rooster Tail?  When is the next time you’ll be able to see Kid Rock and Bob Seger on the same stage, Snoop Dog at Tiger Stadium, the guys of Smash Mouth or Clint Black play in Downtown Detroit?  When else do you get to see Fireworks behind the Rooster Tail in February to rival the city’s Freedom Fest normally saved for July.  When is the next time you’re going to be able to see traffic at a stand still coming into the city and not a car leaving?  Police having to direct pedestrian traffic because the streets are so filled is not the norm in Detroit.  Seeing multiple bars shut down due to over capacity and the majority of them were celebrities and all of this accomplished with out any major malfunctions.  Yes, I’m glad I got to experience this rare occurrence and take part in history.     

My only complaint was there was too many party’s going on at the same time.  How can you expect to attend only one party when the Red Wings are playing, Kid Rock is performing, every bar in town is hosting some ‘Big Ticket’ event, the N.F.L. Experience and the Winter Blast only could have kept you busy for a few days straight?   If only they could have spread these out over a few weeks rather then cram them all into a few nights.  I bet Betty Ford sees a few new faces after an event like this, I know that I thought of checking myself in by the time the game was over and the final Coors Banquet Style was poured down my throat.   Yes Monday morning I found my wife snuggled up beside me spooning my Liver thinking it was another throw pillow on the bed.

I would like to admit that only a few months before, with the big game fast approaching, I never thought the city was going to be able to pull it off.  Yet I never heard a single negative comment at any of the local bars or clubs that were filled with out-of-towners that would normally never choose Detroit as their vacation destination; especially in the middle of winter.  Congratulations Detroit on pulling it off!  Now the trick is to see if we can maintain the city’s attraction and keep bringing people in. 

What a week it was, it almost makes you want to pack up and follow the party that Super Bowl has become.   Its way more than just a football game, that is what started it all, but now it has evolved into a party to rival no other.  Just glad we got to be part of it.

Scott Garner
scott@stldmag.com

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