|
Well.....I'm still in West Palm Beach. My brother and I dropped off our Dad at the airport just a little while ago and our flight leaves tomorrow. This was one wild ride from beginning to end....from stolen superbowl tickets and police to watching my Bears immediately take the lead only to lose. Here's the story.
We fly into West Palm Beach airport because all inbound Miami flights are full. There are fans everywhere from both teams. It's already beginning. We'll hear "GO COLTS!" from someone in the airport and someone yell back "DA BEARS!" non stop through Atlanta and in WPB. The anticipation was already beginning.
We get our hotel room in WPB on the water...very cool place! Go out for dinner and are among a bunch of fans of both teams (jerseys being worn from both teams...and I have my #34 Payton jersey on). Hit the hotel and crash...must be up early to get to the ESPN tailgate party.
We drive 61 miles to Miami and it begins to drizzle...not cool. We get to the Intercontinental Hotel (think that was the name) where all ESPN crew, staff, and family are. We head across the street to Ross so Dad and my brother can get rain jackets...forecast doesn't look too good. Dad has the superbowl tickets in his shirt pocket (they stick out about a 1/2 an inch and I tell him to put them away. We are great targets of getting robbed or something. He says he wants to keep them mint becuase they will be worth money. Understood, but he hides them elsewhere.
We get back to the hotel...Ross didn't have rain gear. We check out the apparel shop for shirts, etc...nothing great. We decide to get Starbucks. I'm in line paying and Dad's behind me w/ about 12 other people waiting for coffee. My brother is around the corner on the phone. Here's where it gets good. Dad put the tickets back in his shirt pocket not paying attention as he's got a bunch of papers and all he needs to hold on to. I coudn't see my Dad since he was behind me.
Someone starts tugging on my Dads pant leg by his foot saying he's stepping on his Starbucks card. Dad looks down while some other jack@ss pulls the tickets out of my Dads shirt pocket. Dad had no idea but the Starbucks employee saw this. SB's emp thought it was a joke, but then saw the guy begin to take off w/ our tickets and ESPN passes. He runs after telling security who stops the guy. SB's emp runs back to Dad telling him and I hear. SB's emp runs w/ us back to the main doors to the hotel and points out who took the ticktes (suspects are now in a white Chevy Trailblazer headed out of the plot). He identifies the guys in the vehicle as the ones who stole the tickets. I give chase.
I catch up to the Trailblazer two blocks away...I'm on foot. They try to cut through traffic stoped at the light. I slam my police badge on their passenger window yelling at them police and to stop. They back up to get away. I rear back with all my might and begin to swing at the window, but quickly realize I'm going to break the window w/ my bare hand. MMMmmmm let's see....break the window, get cut up, and possibly miss the superbowl? Or don't break it, don't go to the hospital, and see if we can get the ticket situation fixed. I slow mid swing and slam the window but don't break it. They cut over the median into oncoming traffic and speed off through the red light getting away. I got the license plate.
I run back to the hotel and police are called. I find out that security got back the 3 ESPN tailgate passes and two of the three superbowl tickets. We are only missing one. Police get there and we find that the Trailblazer is a rental.....but the plate is good. They don't get caught. We talk to ESPN security and they say everything should work out.
We get to the ESPN tailgate party and immediately are met by the ESPN main security lady...very nice lady. She says she has seat 3 next to us so we are missing seat 6. Now we are sure which ticket needs to be cancelled. It is 11am, gates don't open until 2pm, and the ticket should have been cancelled, right??? We have a great time at the tailgate party. There are field goal kicking competitions, tons of footballs to pass around, a live band, free food and drinks....tons of people. We are told we can get our new ticket at the will call at the game. On the bus headed to the game.
We get to the stadium...it is CRAZY! Get through security and to will call. They don't know a thing about it. They say they can't cancel the ticket because some poor schmo might have bought the ticket and already got in. It's now 5pm. They had HOURS before the gates opened to cancel the ticket. It didn't happen and someone dropped the ball. After a lot of arguing back and forth, my dad is FORCED to purchase another $600 ticket two sections away from us. BS!!!
We get in and I swing a deal w/ the usher who won't let my dad in our section. I make him aware of everything and he says he'll work w/ us if someone comes in to TRY and take seat 6. Of course, the police will want to talk to this person. No one shows and we get to enjoy the whole game together!
It was crazy at the game....just crazy! Billy Joel sings the national anthem, we see a night vision of a pilot on the big screen, and realize the fly over is about to happen. The Thunderbirds fly over in formation buzzing the stadium. It's now really crazy. Bears win the toss, kick off, and Hester returns if for a touchdown. It's now pandomonium!!! And then we get about 4 more minutes of fun.....then it's cold rain...soaked clothes even being decked out in rain gear...as the Bears lose to the better team.
I can't say enough about the Bears defense and the entire Colts team. The Colts are by far the better team and proved it. Manning did an excellent job on the field. Rex was by FAR, by FAR a let down. I can't begin to tell you how dissapointed everyone was with him....and still is.
It was a great game....minus the cold, wet weather and losing the superbowl. But, it was fun. We had a great time. Now we are just bumming around for today and will be heading back tomorrow. That about sums it up!
|