Memory lane and the Super Bowl

My three favorite Super Bowl memories

DISCLAIMER: I was born in 1982, the year of Super Bowl XVI. The first Super Bowl I have a conscious memory of watching was Super Bowl XXIII in 1989, when the 49ers defeated the Bengals. This is in no way a list ranking the five best Super Bowl games. This is a personal list of favorite memories.

Super Bowl XXIX, Jan. 29, 1995. 49ers def. Chargers, 49-26

Though this was a nondescript Super Bowl and a blowout, it has significance for me. My family and I had just moved to Youngstown that fall and we were living in a modest condo/townhouse while our new home was being constructed. Often times, at least for the first few months there, it was just the five of us (six, counting our dog Sandy) and though it didn't register at the time, I can look back now and see that we forced to bond together and we spent some real "quality time" in that condo. We didn't have a choice, we didn't know many people, our relatives in friends were in Cleveland and it was literally just us. One example of this was watching Super Bowl XXIX. I remember sitting in front of our TV, the five of us, and playing a board game (sadly, can't recall which one), eating good food my mom made and watching this Super Bowl. It was very enjoyable for me, being with my family, and also because I was a huge Steve Young fan and at that point I was really getting into football and really starting to understand the game. So, for those (cheesy) reasons, this Super Bowl was significant for me. As far as the game goes, Steve Young won his only Super Bowl here, and was the MVP. The Chargers were overmatched and fell victim to a very good 49ers team ... the last "great" 49ers team to date, actually.

Super Bowl XLII, Feb. 3, 2008. Giants def. Patriots, 17-14

This one is more for the actual game than anything else. I rank this as the most entertaining Super Bowl I have watched, even ahead of Super Bowl XXXIV, where the Rams stopped the Titans one yard short of winning the game. Aside from the Browns, the Giants are my other team of choice to follow, so obviously I was very into this game. The week leading up to the game, I knew I would be off work and would be able to watch it, so I really got into it. I read probably hundreds of articles and stories and analyses about the game, watched interviews on TV, studied the matchups, etc...I was into it, and the game didn't disappoint. I watched it, alone, in my apartment here in Roanoke. It was glorious. I ordered a ton of food, purchased some good beer, sat down and watched every second of the game. The finish was well worth it, as the Giants beat arguably one of the best offensive juggernauts ever in the NFL. Though I believe if those same teams played nine more times on a neutral field, the Patriots would have won seven. By the way, the Giants won that game because they pressured the quarterback ... the key to success in any game, especially a playoff game.

Super Bowl XXV, Jan. 27, 1991.  Giants def. Bills, 20-19

Another one where the excitement of the game is the main reason it makes the list. For some reason, around this time I began to really follow the Buffalo Bills, as much as a 9-year-old can follow a sports team. Looking back, I think it was because good family friends of ours, the Packs, lived in Buffalo. Anyway, when the Bills' Scott Norwood missed the would-be game winning field goal, I remember crying and also remember all of my relatives going crazy, as we were at a party held at my Uncle Rick's house. During this time period (late 80s, early 90s) my extended family always had a Super Bowl party, and I loved watching the games with all of my cousins and relatives and such. This is the first family Super Bowl party I really remember. As far as the Bills go ...I'd get three more chances to get redemption. Yea....that went well.