Sunday, Feb 5th will not be a typical Sunday for junior Willoughby Smith. The New England native and well-known die-hard Patriots fan will be in West Sacramento cheering on her team as they take on the New York Giants.
Even though Smith will be in West Sacramento to watch the game with her family, she explained, “If I were home, my two crazy best friends and I would go swimming in the ocean on Super Bowl Sunday.”
Smith and her friends spent one Super Bowl Sunday doing exactly that when the Patriots won the title, at Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005 and since then has become one of her many traditions for Super Bowl Sunday.
“I’m nervous about the game. I know it’s going to be a really good one,” said Smith, who is preparing for the game by maintaining “really positive mental energy” by keeping the talk about the game to a minimum, along with any negative comments aimed toward the opposing team, the New York Giants, noting that these are the same superstitions many football teams go by to create good luck for their team in order to get a victory.
“If you win, say little. If you lose, talk even less,” Smith said, quoting Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick. Belichick often offers this advice to his players, and Smith and her family have applied it to their lifestyle when the time for big championship games like the Super Bowl begin approaching.
Not everyone has a favorite team until the last minute.
If you are not as confident in a team as Smith is or don’t already have a team to cheer for during this Super Bowl, you are not alone.
“I pick my team at halftime,” said sophomore Asma Siddiqui. She spends the first half of the game by just seeing how each team performs and by halftime she has made the decision. Others take a less technical approach when choosing a team. “My man Payton Manning is not playing, so I’m going for his brother Eli Manning, who is the quarterback for the Giants,” said Jess Stewart, junior.
Some students are anticipating the rematch between the Patriots and Giants.
“I’m going for the Patriots, because I want to see a rematch,” said Jennifer Chou, sophomore.
The two teams have met at the Super Bowl on numerous occasions and most recently at Super Bowl XLII (2008), Giants won that game.
“I am going for the Giants because they won against the Patriots a few Super Bowls back and in my opinion it was the best game ever,” said sophomore Cathalina Ainzua.
Senior Bre Montgomery explains that she feels indifferent toward the game and probably won’t watch the Super Bowl, but since her family is from also Boston, it is highly encouraged.
“It’s kind of a requirement in my family,” she said. “Go Pats, go Red Socks, or go home.”
Sophomore Jen Nguyen is also rooting for the Patriots.
“I’m not just cheering for the Patriots because Tom Brady is cute,” the Boston native explained, “but it is a plus.”
“The first Super Bowl I watched was at the Cowell building with friends,” said Brenda Gonzalez, sophomore.
Ani Chavez, sophomore, will not be watching the Super Bowl at Mills because of the Puppy Bowl that was being played in some recreation rooms last year. Chavez was disappointed that she was unable to view the Super Bowl last year, that is why this year she will be at a friends house. The Puppy Bowl is Animal Planet’s version of the Super Bowl, which is going on its 8th consecutive year and will be showing at the same time as the Super Bowl 3PM E/P.
Chavez will be rooting for the Patriots instead of the Giants because of the Giants victory over the 49ers. “That’s Bay Area pride right there,” she said.
