By: Brain Shappell
Millions sat in living rooms and local pubs and watched as New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri kicked a game-winning field goal to beat the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
No one can claim they had a better seat than Kendall Park resident Mike Hollo, who was sitting six rows from the end zone of the Louisiana Superdome at the time of the winning kick.
"It was pretty memorable," said Mr. Hollo, who won an NFL lottery for a chance to purchase a ticket to the big game. "I’ll never forget it."
Mr. Hollo was one of 1,000 people who won an NFL lottery that entitled him to purchase two tickets to the game at $400 per ticket. The letter saying he was a winner came the Hollo house on Savage Road in November, more than eight months after Mr. Hollo sent his letter/entry in for the contest.
The local Jets fanatic, whose TV area at home is covered in Jets memorabilia including signed photos and helmets from the likes of Joe Namath and Vinny Testaverde, thought the contest win may have been an omen that Vinny and the Jets were going to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Though the Jets didn’t make it to "The Big Easy," Mr. Hollo did, clad in his No. 80 Wayne Chrebet jersey and in a seat overlooking the players’ tunnel between the goal posts.
"I’m a die-hard Jets fan I bleed green," he said. "The only way it could have been better is if the Jets were there. If they ever make the bowl, I’ll go no matter what short of selling my wife and kids."
Mr. Hollo left his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Michelle, behind for a weekend of shopping on Friday and got on a Tampa-bound airplane to pick up his son, Shawn, a Florida resident, on his way to New Orleans.
Mr. Hollo and his son found themselves entering the nearly empty New Orleans airport early Saturday morning. It was the calm before the storm as within hours the pair found themselves on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
Mr. Hollo said he found little time to sleep with all the distractions such as amazing restaurants, beads of every kind and the 24-hour party atmosphere downtown.
"Thousands and thousands of people were in the streets it’s crazy," Mr. Hollo said. "It’s unbelievable how much drinking is done there. It must be the beer capital of the world. You go into a bar and buy one beer and they end up giving you two for free."
After a long day of taking in the New Orleans downtown area, it was time for Mr. Hollo and his son to hit the Superdome on Sunday. Mr. Hollo said the tight security was evident throughout the day from the fencing around the entire concourse of the building to the armed guards on the roof.
"President Bush could’ve come and they wouldn’t have to increase their measures they’d have been ready," said Mr. Hollo. "It seemed like it was the safest place in the world to be that day."
And after going through more than an hour of security checks including being padded down "from head-to-toe" and going though metal detectors and waiting in lengthy lines to enter the area surrounding the stadium, the duo was ready to experience all the Super Bowl had to offer.
However, there was no reason to rush to their seats, Mr. Hollo said, because of the various activities outside of the stadium that included surprise outdoor concerts by Paul McCartney and Credence Clearwater Revisited.
"There was music all over," Mr. Hollo said. "You could hear it on the streets it was blaring so loud. It was fun seeing everything outside."
After picking up various souvenirs like the New Orleans Super Bowl Bobble Head Doll, Mr. Hollo and his son headed to their seats.
As for the game, Mr. Hollo had a bird’s-eye view of what some might argue was the best NFL championship game ever.
"The Rams’ first field goal came our way, the Patriots interception return for a touchdown (by Ty Law) came our way and the winning field goal came our way," said Mr. Hollo. "It was definitely cool."
An exhausted and satisfied Mr. Hollo returned home on Monday with a suitcase full of beads and souvenirs and a head full of great memories from fulfilling his childhood dream of seeing a Super Bowl live.
"If you ever have the opportunity to go and you’re a real football fan, you should," Mr. Hollo. "It was expensive, but you’ve got to pay the price. It was definitely worth it."