Super Bowl XLIV Weekend
Pregame Sun Life Stadium Miami Gardens, FL |
Indianapolis
Colts vs. New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Stadium February 7, 2010 |
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Stadium Vitals Sun Life Built: 1987 Stadium Address Capacity: 76,500 seats 2269 Dan Marino Boulevard Playing Surface: Natural Grass Miami Gardens, FL 33056 Draft Beer: $7.00 305-623-6100 Hot Dog: $5.00 Get Directions Stadium Parking: $150.00(Avg) |
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Stadium Review - Super Bowl Weekend Tailgating The National Football League truly shines on Super Bowl weekend. Each year the NFL invades a different host city, as pro football culture infiltrates every facet of the region. This year South Florida played host to Super Bowl XLIV pitting the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints in what was an incredible Super Bowl matchup. I was on hand throughout Super Bowl Weekend to take in the sites and provide a full report on the goings on in both camps as pro tailgaters and die-hards from both Indianapolis and from the Big Easy took to the South Florida shores the first week of February to celebrate their team’s participation in a World Championship. My ticket to the Super Bowl was provided by the fine folks at TicketCity.com, an exceptional online resource NFL tickets. So with a ticket to attend the greatest of professional league championships, I prepared for the South Florida pregame by seeking out the biggest and best pregame parties for both the Indianapolis Colts fans and New Orleans Saints fans. Arriving in Orlando on Friday afternoon, I had to rent a car and drive down the eastern coastline to Miami which took roughly three and a half hours. As I closed in on Miami, I got a call from NY Giants Supefan, Greg Scharfstein. Greg had scored an extra ticket to an exclusive Super Bowl XXV reunion party and asked me to come along. That was the Giants-Bills wide-right debacle that the Bills lost 20-19, the sting of that first missed opportunity still burns me to the core. As a Bills fan I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make an appearance and maybe even exercise some old demons. Either way it had begun. I was in South Florida on Super Bowl Weekend and what better way to celebrate my first trip to the Super Bowl than to revisit the glory years of my beloved Buffalo Bills. Ex-players such as Leonard Marshall, Darryl Tally, Butch Rolle , and Otis Anderson made appearances with ESPN on the air perfroming live radio interviews and full coverage of the event. After the reunion party, I headed over to the Shuck N Dive Cajun Cafe, a New Orleans themed bar and restaurant owned by LSU alum, Chef Dan “Staz” Stasi for the Who Nation Pep Rally and Crawfish Boil. The Shuck N Dive served as headquarters for Saints faithful throughout the weekend. By the time we arrived, the party was in full gear as black and gold dominated the parking lot with patrons spilling out of the restaurant. Chef Staz has assembled an impressive menu of Crescent City foodstuffs complete with imported boiled crawfish and Abita Beer on tap. Talking to many of the Louisiana natives gathered around the bar, they were very impressed by the quality of the food at Shuck N Dive, praising ownership for capturing the genuine flavor of the local cuisine that few can match outside of the New Orleans. Several beers later and after meeting several new friends, I was actually recognized by some as that “Quest for 31 Guy” … that was pretty cool. Saturday morning I was up early and headed to South Beach, or Black and Gold Central as it appeared to me. Throughout the weekend, South Beach was dominated by folks dressed in Saints colors and the New Orleans Saints war cry, “Who Dat!”, could be heard all over the strip. The NFL had setup a series of public events throughout the weekend including free concerts, fireworks displays, and a celebrity beach bowl featuring a flag football contest with celebs and ex-NFL players, so there was plenty to do throughout the weekend. There were some NFL artifact and interactive displays, ESPN had setup their satellite studio, and merchandisers and sponsors setup giveaways throughout the day. Whether you were a Saints fan or a Colts fan, South Beach was the place to be. It certainly could not be beat for people-watching, sun bathing, or grabbing a bite to eat. The Fat Tuesdays restaurant on the beach seemed to be the gathering spot for Saints fans as the thundering base and brass of “Black & Gold (Who Dat!)” by K.Gates was played on a constant loop throughout the weekend. The number of people that mobbed the area was intimidating, but there were surprisingly very few incidents throughout the weekend. I gotta believe this is a testament to the southern hospitality of Saints fans and Midwestern laid back demeanor of the folks from Indianapolis. Fans were rowdy, they represented their respective teams, but there was a mutual respect that kept things from getting out of control and that was refreshing to see.
Saturday night I hit Café Iguana to hang with the Indy Blue Crew in
Hollywood, Florida. Café Iguana is actually located in a strip mall.
For
some reason, several bars down in South Florida are in strip malls (what’s up with that
by the way?), but it was a massive complex boasting 4000 square feet of
Indianapolis Colts Pre-Game Celebration. Café Iguana management setup an
all you can eat roast beef tailgate buffet with drink specials
throughout the night, as Colts
fans
from all over South Florida gathered at the largest fan party in the
region. Three different DJ were spinning tunes throughout the night as
fans collected around multiple bar areas, billiards tables, VIP sections, or
the jam-packed dance floor. I spent most of the evening in the front
portion of the bar reconnecting with Blue Crew members I had met during
my visit to Lucas Oil Stadium earlier in the year. By the time I made my
way to the back of the bar I was floored by how large the complex
actually was. If the Colts had managed a victory in Super Bowl XLIV,
Café Iguana was where you needed to be. Check
out my Super Bowl review
here.
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Super Bowl Weekend Pregame To cap off the completion of my Quest for 31, my immersive study on the home team fan experience across the nation, the fine folks at TicketCity.com have decided to help me make a life long dream of mine finally come true. They've provided me with a ticket to Super Bowl XLIV so I could be on hand as the National Football League crowns its next World Champion. The Super Bowl venue, Sun Life Stadium, had been selected, the matchup is set, all that remains is to decode the incredible amount of nebulous data available online as to what there will be to do throughout Super Bowl Weekend. The NFL has made some plans, fans of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts have made plans, but there really seemed to be no coordinated source where the average fan can go to figure out exactly what there is to do during Super Bowl Weekend down in Miami. My intention is that this page might be that resource. Here I will post the latest developments from both Super Bowl Fan Camps, if you are hosting a massive open to the public Super Bowl Bash, I want to hear about it. If you're gathering the Superfans, the Football Fanatics, the Blue Crew, if you're circling the wagons somewhere down in South Florida and you're hosting one of the hottest parties in the area, send me an e-mail and I'll post information about your South Florida Pregame Tailgate on this site. There have already been some cancellations that you're going to want to be aware of. The NFL Experience that has been a fixture at the Super Bowl every year has been canceled. Super Gate, hosted by Jay the Tailgate Guy has been canceled. The NFL has posted their annual ban on Tailgating on the grounds at Sun Life Stadium. I've never been to a Super Bowl as you know, but apparently this is a serious ban. There will be no tailgating in the parking lots in an around Sun Life Stadium. That is exactly why a resource like this is so vital. If you need information on Super Bowl Parking, here's the official site. |
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Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl Tailgating Peyton Manning and the high octane Indianapolis Colts no-huddle attack are set to lock horns with the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. Can Manning match wits with and stave off the blitz packages of the Saints Defensive coordinator Greg Williams or will the Saints defense figure out a way to contain and confuse him under center? We will certainly find out on February 7, 2010. The following information is collected here to allow Indianapolis Colts fans to find pregame activities and Super Bowl Weekend Tailgating while they are in Miami. If you know of any other organized Indianapolis Colts Tailgating activities down in South Florida throughout Super Bowl Weekend, please let me know by e-mailing the Website or filling in the Comment Form below: Cafe Iguana Pines & The Indy Blue Crew 8358 Pines Boulevard Hollywood, FL 33024 954-433-8787 Saturday February 6th- Taste of Miami Nightlife Party Doors open at 8pm, $10.00 cover, Free Drinks and Free Buffet for 2 hours. No advance tickets required. Open until 4am. Sunday February 7th- The Worlds Largest Tailgate Party Doors open at Noon, $20 cover, to reserve a table prepay $40 per person, a table of 4 is $160.00, then you would have credit of $160.00 for food and beverage. www.CafeIguanaPines.com Get Directions Fishtales Bar & Grill 3355 N.E. 33rd Street Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33308 954-689-2344 Saturday February 6th Doors open at 9pm, Live Band, Free Pasta Bar w/ drink purchase. Open until 3am Sunday February 7th Doors open at 9pm, Live Band, Free Pasta Bar w/ drink purchase. Open until 2am www.fishtaleson33rd.com Get Directions |
New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Tailgating Drew Brees and the balanced attack of the incredibly potent New Orleans Saints offense are set to challenge the Indianapolis Colts for the right to raise the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Super Bowl Sunday. Will Reggie Bush continue his impressive playoff run, finally showing flashes of the talent that made him a number one draft pick? We will certainly find out on February 7, 2010. The following information is collected here to allow New Orleans Saints fans to find pregame activities and Super Bowl Weekend Tailgating while they are in Miami. If you know of any other organized New Orleans Saints Tailgating activities down in South Florida throughout Super Bowl Weekend, please let me know by e-mailing the Website or filling in the Comment Form below: Shuck N Dive Cajun Cafe 650 North Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-462-0088 Friday February 5th - Who Dat Nation Pep Rally & Crawfish Boil Doors Open 11:30am-11:00pm. No cover. Abita Beer on Tap. Ask for Chef Staz. Saturday February 6th - Who Dat Nation Pep Rally & Crawfish Boil Doors open 11:30am-11:00pm. No cover. Abita Beer on Tap. Ask for Chef Staz. Get Directions El Palacio Sports Hotel Tailgate (1 mile from hotel) 21485 NW 27th Avenue Miami Gardens, Florida 33056 305-621-5801 Sunday February 7th From 10:00am - 3:00pm, Cost $21 per person for conference room & band, $13.99 extra for open bar. Second line to stadium with jazz band begins at 3pm. Prepayment is Required. Go to www.paypal.com and send payment to sheilafoster@yahoo.com. A receipt will be emailed back to you upon payment - bring for confirmation. Money must be received by Wednesday, February 3rd. ElPalacioTailgateSite Get Directions |
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Saturday, February 6, 2010 2010 DIRECTV Celebrity Beach Bowl Gates Open - 12:00pm Free, Open to Public Pre-Game - 1:30pm, Gametime - 2:30pm,Concert - 3:30pm Over 30 celebrities and pro athletes face off in a flag football game with a post game concert featuring the All American Rejects. Location: 21st and 22nd Street (on Beach) Miami, FL Super Bowl Saturday Night 4:00pm - 10:00pm Free, Open to the Public Two Main acts headline a free outdoor live concert topped off with a firework extravaganza. Location: Fort Lauderdale Beach 1140 Seabreeze Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL Get Directions |
Sunday, February 7, 2010 Gameday Fan Plaza 1:00pm, Super Bowl Ticket Holders Only This event gives fans an exciting dynamic and festive area to celebrate prior to the football. This area will include merchandise, food and beverage, sponsor activation and entertainment. Location: Dolphin Stadium 2269 Dan Marino Blvd. Miami Gardens, FL Get Directions The Main Event - Super Bowl XLIV 6:30 PM New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts Location: Dolphin Stadium 2269 Dan Marino Blvd. Miami Gardens, FL Get Directions |
Compare Prices for Super Bowl Tickets Here: Click on the following links for Super Bowl XLIV ticket availability at each of the top online ticket brokers on the web. Try each link to find the cheapest NFL ticket prices: TicketCity.com StubHub.com VividSeats.com RazorGator.com |
Yahoo! Maps Directions to Sun Life Stadium from your home |
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Sun Life Stadium Tours Sun Life Stadium offers group tours for groups of 15 or more. To schedule a tour, please contact the Community Relations department by email at rheard@dolphinstadium.com or by phone at 305-623-6286. Feel free to checkout the Sun Life Stadium website at http://www.sunlifestadium.com/. |
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Hangin' at Shuck N Dive with Chef Staz | Boiled Crawfish and Abita Beer on Tap | Why Can't I remember your names? | ||
South Beach was Saints Central | A photos with the Denver Broncos Mascot | Rounding up several of the NFL's' Best | ||
Celebrity Beach Bowl Event | Pretty interesting game going on there ... | The ESPN Beach Studio | ||
Breaking bread with Tommy and Alex | Some of the fan interactive displays | Roast beef at Cafe Iguana | ||
Matt from the Tailgate Resuscitation Unit TRU | The Beef Carver at Cafe Iguana | NY Giants Superfan Greg Scharfstein | ||
COMMENTS? We are interested in all of the goings on during Super Bowl Weekend. All the fan parties, Indianapolis Colts Tailgating and New Orleans Saints Tailgating all over the South Florida Region. Our goal is to provide as much information as possible to allow fans to gather in Miami, Florida in order to support their team. Please feel free to post any suggestions or comments you might have for Super Bowl Weekend at Sun Life Stadium, including the following: - Local Hotspots (Bar Districts, Restaurants, Clubs) - Local Foods (Traditional Cuisine, Micro Brews) - Tailgating Traditions - Your Experiences or Helpful Hints - If you saw me let me know! All commentary will be moderated. Your e-mail address will not be published. |
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