Did you happen to catch yesterday's Super Bowl that The Steelers played against the AZ Cardinals? My heart is still not in a regular rhythm! It's always exciting when "my" Steelers play, especially in the Super Bowl, but yesterdays game was an exception. If you missed it you missed one of the better football games I can recall watching as far as being exciting from Harrison's 100 yard interception return, to hitting rock bottom when Fitzgerald put the Cards ahead until the last 35 seconds of the game. Santonio's game winning reception will be in high light films for years.
Prior to yesterday's game there was all kinds of activity for football fans in Tampa, FL. One of those activities is what is called the NFL Experience. It's an annual event sanctioned by the league and includes all kinds of games for kids of all ages from toddlers right up to aging baby boomers. It's a commercial endeavor where you can buy authenticated autographs of professional football greats. There's a NFL museum that covers the whole spectrum of professional football from the league's beginnings with the Massillon Tigers and the Canton Bulldogs right on up to more modern times. Then of course there are the vendors...
This year's Super Bowl NFL Experience was held in the parking lot of Tampa's Raymond James Stadium all last week. Early last fall they started advertising for volunteers to work as ambassadors of Tampa Bay. Two of those volunteers were Wellsville natives and transplanted Floridians Andy & Dorothy (MacCauley) Lynn. The Lynns moved down that way back in '84, a couple of years after Crucible shut down.
They answered one of those ads, were accepted, investigated and trained. Then they spent last week working four hours a day for four days. As I mentioned it was volunteer. You would think the NFL would have given out tickets to the game for their efforts. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. Guess the NFL didn't relish giving up the proceeds with the 6,000 volunteers they had working. The Lynns said they watch the game at a club that is home of the "Dunedin Rip-off" but that is a private joke.
Andy told me that anyone wanting to play any of the games had to sign a liability waiver form. Any one that did were given a wrist band identification before they could get in. Dorothy's job was getting the forms filled out and Andy had the task of strapping on the wrist bands. Andy said they both thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He said he especially enjoyed the museum part. I think he played football for the Wellsville Tigers back in the days before they had a whole lot of padding in the helmets and could probably relate to a lot of things on display! Just kidding fella... Both Andy & Dorothy said the crowds were over whelming with Steeler black & gold. The Lynns are both alumni of WHS Class of '58 and were in town last summer for their 50 Year Class Reunion.
Pictured above are the Lynns. From the left is Dorothy, Andy, daughter Kelly and son Jon. Jon, by the way, is an employee of Flemings Prime Steakhouse on Boy Scout Road that is located right in the middle of the hotels near the stadium and the airport down there. I bet he saw a lot of football VIPs these past few days.
Like Brassy said last week no matter where you go in this country it is rare you can't find some connection to the ville.
ole nib
5 comments:
I kept thinking what the bars in the Southside of the Burg must have been like last night! What a game! Good for you all!
Hey, I know them people, hello Lynns from the ice-cold, snowy Ville. Your pal Nick D.
Nice to see some hometown folks involved in the Super Bowl activities. I am sure they had a great time. What a game !! I am still recovering ! GO STEELERS !!
To Anonymouse asking questions e-mail me at olenib@gmail.com. I'll answer you questions.
nib
Where'd all your hair go, Harv? Greetings from the class of 1990.
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