It’s everywhere you go and even non-sports fans are talking about it, but it’s still a week away. The Superbowl is by far the biggest, most watched, sporting event in America. And Kaua’i isn’t too isolated to not feel the
It’s everywhere you go and even non-sports fans are talking about it, but it’s still a week away.
The Superbowl is by far the biggest, most watched, sporting event in America.
And Kaua’i isn’t too isolated to not feel the same way others around the nation are feeling right about this time.
There are many Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks fans on the island.
For one, I think Fred Levinthol might be the biggest Steelers fan on the island.
I caught up with him during a Monday night football game at Wailua Golf Course’s Par 4 Da Course lounge and he made sure to wear his Steelers hat and watch the entire game from start to finish even if at that time they weren’t considered Superbowl contenders (But who’s laughing now, right Fred?).
Kaua’i County councilman Mel Rapozo was also spotted wearing “Big” Ben Roethlis-berger’s jersey at the Grille at Puakea, while watching a Steelers Monday night game.
But how committed to the Steelers is Rapozo?
Well, he mentioned that although he got the jersey at a good price, he still kept the price tag on it, just in case the Steelers would take a plunge (Time to take off the tag Mel!).
Meanwhile, geographically we’re closer to Seattle than Pittsburgh, but it seems that there might be more Steelers fans around the Garden Isle.
Traci Nakahara, who spent some time in Washington during her college years, is a huge Seahawks fan, along with a couple of Seattle transplants here at The Garden Island newspaper in paginator/copy editor Soren Velice and Essential Kaua’i’s Todd Vines.
Oh and I shouldn’t forget Clorinda Brede, who picked the Seahawks at the beginning of the season to play in the big game (I’m impressed Clorinda, so when are we going to Vegas?).
In The Garden Island’s Gridiron Challenge, Dickie Chang leads the way in the individual race, but he chose Seattle and was one of just two panelists to go with the Seahawks, along with Ron Wiley.
Everyone else, including myself, chose Pittsburgh, who is favored in most early lines by at least four points.
The buzz is here and you can hear it from the conversations at Hanalei Gourmet to the Waimea Brewing Company.
It’s one of the few times the roads around the island will be lonely without the usual traffic, especially from 1:30 p.m. until the game is all said and done.
This year’s game should be a barn burner, so no matter where you are, you’ll be glued to KITV-4 on your television sets, probably until the evening hours.
Just don’t let Wells Fargo Home Mortgage’s Doug Henderson tell the next day about the commercials you missed, because you had to take a quick trip to the John!
