Chasin’ This American Dream

Super Bowl Sunday with The Santa Clara staff

In line with the nationwide chaos of Super Bowl Sunday, the hoots and hollers of the Bronco community were heard for miles. For the 57th year in a row, millions watching the game all at once was again a quintessential American football experience.

Despite that temporary sense of community, everybody celebrated the day differently–with family, friends, alone or without football at all. Here’s what we at The Santa Clara were doing this time around.

Mia, Sports Editor: The twinkly tones of “Fly Eagles Fly” will be emblazoned into my brain for the rest of my life. Super Bowl Sunday LVII was unlike any others I’ve experienced in my 21 years–even the karaoke machine was blasting full volume Eagles chants with excitement. I can still see it: 30-something college students screaming for their teams and singing along to Rihanna’s iconic “Umbrella,” wondering if Tom Holland would suddenly make an appearance. 

So of course, I spent my Super Bowl with my best friend, cheering on the Eagles–I’m a Seahawks fan at heart and cheering for the Chiefs goes against my DNA. With her housemates and their guests, it was a day full of betting, yelling, cheering and an overall jovialness that I find I’ve been lacking. I personally grew up on football; it’s been part of my weekend routine for as long as I can remember. The rowdy tradition of chanting at the TV with my closest friends and family holds some of my best memories, and this year’s Super Bowl Sunday only added to that bank.

Thomas, Sports Writer: I drove up to San Francisco to watch the big game with my extended family. Excitement was abound in my household–the Philadelphia Eagles coming out to Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” fired us all up and had me ready to run through a brick wall wearing midnight green.

As a Raiders fan, I despise Kansas City with every fiber of my being; while it was a great game, there is always going to be a bit of a sour taste in my mouth when a division rival wins on the big stage.

Max, News Editor: My family’s Super Bowl Sunday has become Thanksgiving 2.0. For the past three years, my aunt and uncle have coordinated the annual party at their home. With more than 30 people in attendance most years, it feels as if I am actually at the football stadium. When you first walk in the door, you find a table with different betting options – which only increases the pressure of the viewing party. Once the game begins, the room is divided in two: between those who are only there for the halftime show and others who actually like football. The latter are almost always overpoweringly loud (but in a fun way). 

This year, I was only able to stop by for 30 minutes because I had been up in the mountains with friends enjoying the snow. I still, however, tuned into the game via the radio on my ride home as I snacked on jalapeno cauliflower chips. To my surprise (and delight) the Chiefs had a great fourth quarter and took the Lombardi Trophy!

Clara, Opinion Editor: 

The only sport that I grew up watching with my family is surf competitions, and for most of my life I thought the Super Bowl was played on Thanksgiving. So, it was no surprise when I didn’t watch any of the Super Bowl this year. 

I spent most of Super Bowl Sunday in the library addressing the two midterms and a paper that were preoccupying my mind. But if I did not have so much work I would have definitely gone to a watch party because I am a big fan of excessively American foods. I think the atmosphere of the Super Bowl is really exhilarating and it makes me (sort of) understand the excitement that surrounds football. 

Despite knowing absolutely nothing about football teams or whether they are good or not, I was weirdly still rooting for the Eagles. I know a couple of people from the Philadelphia area and their excitement about their team going to the Super Bowl really rubbed off on me. Eagles fans have such chaotic energy. I saw a video where they listed absurd things they would do if their team won–including one guy who said he would “light his furniture on fire”--and I would have loved to see that happen.