I'm Dreaming of a Different Super Bowl

I never “got into” the Super Bowl all that much during my life. I liked viewing football from a distance, but was never totally “into it” by making a point to watch high school, college or NFL games. Nor have I entertained the thoughts of getting into betting or getting involved in fantasy football. My exposure to the game was largely through the lens of my childhood as I witnessed the then-hometown NFL football club known as the Cleveland Browns lose season after season. On many weekends, I would witness my mother scream at the TV about how terrible the Browns played against legendary teams like the nearby Pittsburgh Steelers. Many years later, I confess that it was more fun watching my mother scream at the overpaid players than viewing the game itself.

Indeed, the Cleveland Browns became more interesting during my college years when there was a lot of hope that the team was going to make it to the Super Bowl. Whenever I would visit Cleveland and there was a Browns game on television, my mother would stock up on massive salami/ham subs at the local Italian grocery store and get back in time at the 1 p.m. kickoff to see her favorite quarterback at the time, Bernie Kosar pull out a win.

Those hopeful years ended when a player named Earnest Byner fumbled the ball in Denver, thus denying the Browns any chance of a Super Bowl appearance. It seems like the Browns never regained their footing after “the fumble.” The owner ended up moving the team to Baltimore and started the Ravens franchise while Cleveland worked hard to establish a new Browns team in a new stadium on the city’s lakefront.

I suppose that I never “got into” the Super Bowl very much over the years because there is no way that Bernie Kosar will be resurrected and bring the Browns to the Super Bowl. It’s a fact that I accepted many years ago. For me these days it’s, “Who’s this Brady guy?” and “Eli who?”

Over the years, I became more interested in the Super Bowl ads and halftime shows. My favorite years were when Sir Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen performed to the crowds with much success. Like Earnest Byner, some halftime artists fumbled their performances. Certain years fell flat with The Who and yes, that lip-synch, wardrobe malfunction fiasco with Janet Jackson.

So, I’ll watch some of the 2012 Super Bowl and by the time most of you will come across this post, you'll know the outcome of the game and Madonna's halftime appearance as well as the reception on the advertisements including the Matthew Broderick Ferris Bueller re-enactment. While all of the Monday morning quarterbacking will be going on at the watercoolers, I'll be dreaming of a Browns Super Bowl team.