The Via Via was the place that was going to show it on their big screen TV in their lounge area, right inside the door. Dan and Natasha, our comrades from the horseback ride said they'd stop buy. Even though they were Canadian they had some interest in the game. It looks like it does have some international appeal. We were going to meet Larry and Compton there. Those two had been wagering on the games during the time they'd traveled together. Compton kept taking the Giants (they beat his original playoff team, the Falcons, so he rode them all the way) while Larry would bet on the contrary.
I slept through the first few minutes of the game, but got over there pretty quick, with enough time to see the Giants punt after their first possession. I grabbed a seat on the couch between Larry and Compton, while the other side of the L-shaped couch sat a pair of fans, Baltimore Raven fans, a traveling couple like Corrie and I, only younger and more annoying. For some reason they were loudly rooting for the Patriots. Actually, just the girl was rooting for the Pats, the guy was busy messing around on his iPad.
While Larry was rooting for the Pats, it was more because of his wager. His heart wasn't in it. Compton rooted for the Giants, but not like me. Basically I was the only person there who had their team in the game, and the girl and I were the only ones getting loud.
Corrie showered after our siesta, and then took some pictures, but did float by for the majority of the game.
The first offensive play of the game for the Pats had Justin Tuck, on the Giants defense, forcing Tom Brady to through a horrible pass that resulted in a safety: two points for the Giants on the first play of offense for the Patriots.
I remember thinking right then: the lead my be grow and be lost, but there's no way the Giants lose this game.
The Giants dominated the first half--scoring a touchdown--before the last two series in the last three minutes of the second quarter where the Patriots went up 10-9.
They grew the lead, then they lost it. When the Patriots opened up the second half by marching down the field and scoring, going up 17-9, the girl kissed her boyfriend and declared "It's over!"
I leaned over and calmly--for a change--declared "They're not scoring again. And that won't be enough."
How'd the rest of it go? Field goal-Giants: 17-12. Field goal-Giants: 17-15. Touchdown-Giants (failed two-point conversion): 17-21.
The final score: Giants 21, Patriots 17.
Both the girl and I were on our feet for the last series, those final twenty-seconds where Tom Terrific had a chance with a hail-mary to win the game, but that's a rare turn of luck, something the Pats didn't really have on their side this time around.
The sound had been turned off the entire game, since the feed was in Spanish, and the Via Via had some lounge-moody music going on in the background. Also, because the feed was Spanish, we didn't get any of the fabled Super Bowl Commercials. That part was kinda cool.
On a trip to the bathroom I saw the the Canucks sitting at the bar watching the game on a smaller television. I said hey, and other salutations. I guess I had been so into the game I didn't see them come in.
After the end of the game, when the hail-mary hit the grund, I had a stupid grin on my face for the rest of the evening. Larry congratulated me, because he's a mature person who had a friendly relationship with me. I would have done the same if the tables were turned.
That girl? She might have said something that was concessional, and wasn't as obnoxious as I would have thought.
Here's a semi-blurry shot of our little slice of Super Bowl couch pie. It has all the components; Larry, the spot Corrie'd just vacated to snap the picture, me, Compton, the guy and his iPad, the girl giving me the stink-eye:
Like Corrie's birthday being so far removed from the usual people and activities, I can say that the Super Bowl under similar circumstances was equally cool and unique.
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