Super Bowl XXXVII: Raiders vs. Buccaneers

On my walk into work each morning for the past week, I have watched the progression of "Super City" sprout from parking lots, the back of trailers, and seemingly nowhere. Old beer umbrellas on sidewalk cafes have silently been replaced with new ones, fresh flowers have been planted, buffet tables set up, shuttle vans appear in front of hotels, and a dirt construction lot paved, fenced, and converted into the NFL Experience. The parking lot I cut through to get to work each day has been fenced off. There's a big, brown, puffy, air-filled XBox tent; food and drink stands; and a giant stage in there now.

The streets of the Gaslamp District are teaming with life...fans, residents, news media, football stars, football families, bright lights, signs, and T-shirt shops. Without exaggeration, every store (in the 8-block walk between my parking garage and work) that normally sells anything other than food has moved their normal inventory aside to make room for Super Bowl XXXVII, Raiders, and Buccaneers T-shirts, ball caps, tank tops, sweat shirts, sweaters, jackets, shot glasses, beads, posters, mugs, stuffed bears, footballs, bumper stickers, and flags. This even includes the wig shop, an art gallery, and a few previously-boarded up warehouses. The "Wine Bank" has resisted the T-shirt frenzy, although they have moved their champagne up front! Le Travel Store is not participating in the Roman numeral sell-a-thon, except that we have moved our "Raiders map of Oakland" and a Tampa guidebook up front to show our support.

Downtown San Diego is looking her best. The sidewalks have been steam-cleaned, manhole covers painted, Raider- and Buccaneer-colored balloons decorate bars and restaurants, and the Marriott --down by the bay-- is sporting a 30-floor banner welcoming the Super Bowl to San Diego. Bright halogen lamps dance blue, green, yellow, and white lights across the sky at night; and the main street of the Gaslamp District, Fifth Avenue, has large white gates every block with directions to beer, food, festivities, and, of course, a list of corporate sponsors.

And that's only a 16-block section of the city --and a few out-lying parking lots. The Bud Bowl (what would football be without the Bud Bowl!) is bringing food, music, and, of course, beer to the beach areas; and the stadium has had it's own hectic schedule of meet-the-press --and, probably a little football.

There is a HUGE fireworks show scheduled for Saturday night. The promoters haven't (yet) called it the biggest one on earth --ever, but they are letting us know to expect a dazzling show. They'll be setting the fireworks off for 30 minutes from barges in the bay --I guess they figured the smoke wouldn't clear by kick off Sunday, if they did it any closer to the stadium! We have dinner reservations with friends from out of town at a restaurant on the waterfront. We're hoping for a front row seat to the show.

As for the whole reason for this hoopla (oh yeah, the game!), may your team win (since our team didn't make it), and may all the commercials be worth the wait.

Happy Football!