Low Key Super Bowl XL for Salve Students

By: Kerin E. Lazzaro and Alana D. Cullen
Posted In: Sports

Salve football fans gear up for an uneventful Super Bowl Sunday. As the Seattle Seahawks make their first ever Super Bowl appearance, junior Dave Gilman waits in anticipation. Gilman, originally from Westbrook, Maine has his heart set on the Seahawks winning the big game.

A former graduate from Bridgton Academy Gilman will be cheering on fellow graduate and Seahawk’s quarterback Matt Hassleback. Gilman plans on celebrating at either the bar or his house sipping back Miller Lite and dining on shrimp cocktail, “a little tradition of mine,” he says.

This year’s Super Bowl will be held in Detroit, Mich. According to the official Super Bowl website, “both clubs rolled to victory in the championship games with Pittsburg winning its third straight road playoff game, beating Denver 34 to 17 while Seattle slammed the door on the Panthers season with a 34 to 14 triumph.” In hopes to portray the City in a more positive way, city officials will tear down decaying buildings and plan on spending $10 million on events.

Charlie Hamilton, also a junior and Pennsylvania native was disappointed with his favorite team’s performance, the Philadelphia Eagles, but is eager to support the Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

Unlike Gilman, Hamilton will be snacking on barbeque wings. Although he is rooting for the Steelers, Hamilton believes the Seahawks will be victorious because of their running back Shawn Alexander, who is “nasty,” he says.

John Mixter, head of security at Salve, isn’t too worried about this year’s Super Bowl. “If, lets say the Pats were playing, I might get a call asking how many officers I have on and I might call Residential Life and see how many RA’s were on staff,” says Mixter, “The only times that I might keep an extra eye out is when a local, New England team plays.”

According to a website devoted to Super Bowl Sunday, the actual event is broadcasted in 182 countries. People eat more food on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year other than Thanksgiving.

Over $50 million is spent on food during the four days of Super Bowl weekend. Junior Sean Sullivan will be watching the game wherever the party is. Sullivan’s not a hardcore football fan, but does anticipate the Super Bowl every year. This year he is a Steelers’ fan.

For those of you looking for the party, this year it is at “180 Allston baby!” says juniors Chris Comb, Marc Gigliotti and Dave Buonocore.

The boys plan to have a good time with chili dogs and beer. Comb and Gigliotti both from Massachusetts are Seahawks fans. Gigliotti is another admirer of Hassleback and Comb likes how their emblem reflects that of Salve’s.

Buonocore’s the odd man out, supporting the Steelers. “I want to see Jerome Bettis ‘the bus’ finish his career with a Super Bowl,” he says.

Whether it’s the Steeler’s or the Seahawks, this Super Bowl Sunday will be a quiet one. Students will be relaxing in front of their TVs with good food and enjoying the game with friends.