Super Bowl 43 - NFL Experience

The NFL football experience is the most exciting continuous event surrounding Superbowl® XLIII - an interactive theme park offering interactive games, displays and entertainment attractions.

Okay, that’s what they say about it. I went last night, more accurately, yesterday afternoon AND last night. A friend got free tickets (they cost $18.50 each) and she took me along. We had a good time even though it rained all afternoon and most of the evening on and off. Out of the 50 NFL superstars that are promised over the course of the event (it ran two days last weekend and from last night through Super Bowl Sunday), we met and got the autograph of exactly ONE. Brandon Jacobs of the NY Giants. That was in the State Farm Insurance tent and I won a tailgating chair that I had to lug around the rest of the night (it was worth it, it’s a nice chair). We also did this game where you threw the football and it measured how far it would have gone. Pathetic when I used to be able to make it sail......a whole 17 yards.

Getting Brandon's autograph was where we met this character.... half Tony Romo and half Jessica Simpson, or so the MC's kept calling him all night. Personally, I hope he makes a better man than a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader. *shudder*

Visited the traveling NFL Hall of Fame exhibit and that was amazing. REALLY AMAZING. Equipment and jerseys from HOFers from the beginning. Pictures of superstars, even the Income Tax Form from a player in 1938. He made $1375 and was required to pay for his own equipment, plus he had a ‘real’ job. All of the players did back then. How different it is today. Now I’ll have to visit the REAL NFL Hall of Fame! I’ve always been a football fan and it’s always, always been the Chicago Bears for me. I know, I know, you’re supposed to support your local team....but I just can’t seem to get behind the Buccaneers.

Got up close and personal with the Vince Lombardi trophy, had our picture taken with it and read about how it’s made. VERY cool to get that close to it.

At the National Dairy Council booth you could get you picture taken and they'd superimpose a player into the picture. So after standing in line eating free samples of Cabot cheese, I chose Roberto Garza of the Chicago Bears.....see I said I was a Bears fan!

Saw this fabulous video about the history of football that was fantastic, showing the greats of the game, Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Brian Griese, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and a host of others. Awesome video....and it was INSIDE where it wasn’t raining!

Then we hit the Topps Super Bowl Card Show, where there were dozens of vendors selling football and baseball cards, memorabilia, paintings and an auction place where you could bid on silent and live auction items. I wanted the autographed Gayle Sayers ball cap that was in the silent auction. The bid was already $60 and the auction wouldn’t end until midnight. That was at 5:30. Being unemployed SUCKS.

We visited the NFL official store and did a little shopping....very little, but I got myself a Super Bowl 43 pin and collected a couple things for a dear, dear friend that’s a Steelers fan. Belated 50th birthday gifts. LOL

Also collected autographs from ALL of the Arizona Cardinals cheerleaders. THAT collection is going in the mail to an old and good friend that lives in Arizona. He’ll enjoy it.

Oh and Channel 8 was broadcasting their 6 and 11 pm news from the NFLX and got our pictures taken behind the news desk.

The craziest part of the evening though was the wild and weird golf cart ride back to our car. Through mud puddles, over curbs, into the media parking lot, through narrow passages at breakneck speed (for a golf cart) and all the way to my car! Our driver was nice, entertaining and FUNNY, oh and revealed that he’s a nudist. Fifty four years old and is married to a woman that’s older and a second generation nudist. Her grandmother is 78 and is a newly converted nudist. Talk about a crazy conversation with that man! He dispelled some misconceptions I had about that whole lifestyle (no, the men do NOT walk around with constant boners) and yes, they require that if you’re in the pool, hot tub or playing games on the beach you MUST be naked. Anyway, as I said entertaining, enlightening and FUNNY!