A Memorable Super Bowl Sunday

Originally Written Between 2013-2015                       

The snow started on Friday, January 10, 1975 and ended way into the late evening of Sunday, January 12, 1975.  The storm, however, barely fit the definition of snow.  It was grey, mixed with South Dakota dirt and beaten into the consistency of talcum powder.  It packed tight, deep, and high.  Drifts exceeded 12 feet in some areas.  And, it stuck around for a long, long time.  Somehow tunnels were cut through the snow creating canyons and we drove to and from work on cobblestones of packed snow and ice for more than a week until it wore smooth.  The storm was called the “Blizzard of the Century.”  At least that title held until the famous Halloween Blizzard in 1991.  

Sunday, January 12, 1975 was also Super Bowl IX with the Minnesota Vikings playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in New Orleans.  Game time was 2:00 PM.

Now, you may be wondering why Super Bowl IX was such a memorable Super Bowl for me.  Well, it wasn’t.  In fact, none of the Super Bowls has been memorable for me.  I don’t like football.  I don’t watch football.  I don’t care about the Super Bowl.  And so, I found it very hard to write on this subject.  Until I was reminded by my son-in-law, Tony, that he was born on January 12, 1975 – during a blizzard and during the Super Bowl.  So, while that particular Super Bowl was not memorable for me – it was for his parents, Tony and Sue.

Sue told me that two significant things happened on Saturday – day two of the three-day storm and also her due date.  First, both ends of their street were blocked with snow and ice.  A car was also stuck sideways at one end.  And, their only car had a flat tire.  So, since the roads were blocked, Tony talked his next-door neighbor into lending him his snowmobile so he could get to the gas station to have his tire fixed.  

During the early hours the next morning – Sunday – Sue went into labor.  The blizzard was still in force, the roads were all icy, and they literally slid all the way from Brooklyn Center to Fairview Riverside Hospital in downtown Minneapolis.  When they arrived, the lobby was filled with pregnant women who came to the hospital –just in case they went into labor.  Tony’s dad still mentions that he was upset that he missed the Super Bowl game.  By the way – the Vikings lost 12-6 so maybe it was a good thing he didn’t get to see the game.

Oh wait – I just remembered a Super Bowl Sunday!  I don’t remember the year.  I don’t remember who played.  But, I do remember where I was.  I was on a cruise ship with our good friends, Dan and Dolores, and of course, my husband, Norm.  The ship hosted the best Super Bowl party.  One could buy bottles of beer packed in football helmets.  They went all-out with the decorations and I suppose, the “colors” of the opposing football teams (whoever they were).  That’s all I remember – seeing Norm and Dan sitting at a table in a huge ballroom – drinking beer, eating wonderful wings, hamburgers, popcorn, and other snacks while watching the game on the theater screen.  While the guys were enjoying the game, Dolores and I spent our evening shopping on the promenade deck and enjoying all the games and entertainment set up for the football widows.  Ah, yes….. I remember it well.