Who won the
Super Bowl in 1988? I know that the Denver Broncos played in that game because
we were living in Colorado Springs and were at a friend’s house for a party.
Heather was just barely a month old. I did not remember what team they played I
just remember that they lost of course. The Broncos lost to the Giants 20 to
39.
Who won the Super
Bowl in 2009? I know that the Arizona Cardinals played with Kurt Warner as the
quarterback. It was a very busy weekend at our house as Wendy’s baby shower was
Saturday and then we hosted a huge Super Bowl party on Sunday afternoon. Again,
I honestly do not remember what team the Cardinals played I just remember that
they lost. The Cardinals lost to the Steelers 23 to 27 in the last few minutes
of the game.
As this year’s
Super Bowl came along I really did not care if I watched it or if I didn’t. I
had a reason for both teams to win, Denver so that Manning could show the Colts
they made a huge mistake by trading him, but then Seattle has never won a Super
Bowl so that would be nice for them to win. I could watch the game or I could
go to a movie just as well I really had no big affection to watch the game. But
as today, Super Bowl Sunday, went on Wendy, Sunnie and Snookie wanted to hang
out and watch the game. That was just fine with me. Now what to do for dinner,
of course there has to be food.
I had
mentioned one idea for food but that did not really sound good to me so I went
with traditional football food, homemade chili. As I got my big stew pot out
and began to brown the ground beef I was transported back to the sounds and
smells of another Super Bowl when life was good. I made chili with cornbread
for the big Super Bowl party we had here in 2009. It was the single’s group
that Jenn and Heather were a part of and we ended up with about 35 people here.
The snacks were gone and chili had been served up and the game was in full
swing. People were everywhere but my kitchen duties were finished. It was the 4th
quarter and as I scanned the room to find Heather to make sure she was okay, I
noticed she was nowhere to be found. I went upstairs and found her and Wendy in
our room watching the game away from everyone downstairs.
The game was
over, Cardinals lost, time moved forward and life as I knew it changed forever.
What was interesting was that two different friends of mine that had been at
the shower noticed that Heather looked sad with a distant longing in her
expression. Like she knew her time was very short. I was not told this at the
time. As I have looked back at photos the friends were right, there was a
distance and sadness in her eyes.
Something as
simple as a Super Bowl can bring back a flood of memories to me. The 1990 Super
Bowl was just two weeks after the death of my Daddy, Jim. The Denver Broncos
were again in the game and we had a few friends over to the house for a small
party. I was pregnant with Wendy and was not feeling terrific. As the party
broke up so everyone could go to Sunday evening church service I decided to
stay home. I began to wonder then who would win the game and then thought to
myself that my Daddy already knew who won or lost the game. I did not even
remember that the Broncos played in this game and once again the Broncos lost
to the 49ers 10 to 55.
There are so
many people that get really upset and nasty over the Super Bowl. It is said to
be one of the highest domestic violence days of the year. To me, honestly, it
is a game and no one will remember who won or who lost in 2 years. It really is
not something to get upset over. Our family likes the Denver Broncos, sorry but
we were in Colorado Springs for 7 years, it was kind of a requirement to live
in the state. Heather bought Bill a Bronco sweat jacket for Christmas her last
year. Bill wears it all the time to feel close to Heather. Because of the
events of the game today, Bill may have to put his jacket aside for a few weeks
just not to be harassed. Not that he minds, but this is something special to
him as the last gift from his daughter.
Jenn and
Heather as babies would wear Denver Bronco tshirts. After church I would take
their dresses off and leave their tights on. The ones with the ruffles on the
butt. We would have lunch, watch the first quarter and then it was naptime. I
have many fun memories of the girls wearing their Broncos shirts. So while the
country is tearing apart the Broncos for playing so badly, to me the memories go
much deeper than just one game. It is a family tradition that means a lot to
us. Heather loved her Broncos for better or for worse. After all isn’t that
what a true fan does? Loves and supports their team no matter win or loss?
