My Super Bowl Dream Came True!

“Wow, you were at the Super Bowl!? How was it???”

That has been the most common asked question of me this past week.

What can I say? Amazing! Exhilarating! Fun! A dream come true?! Yes. All of those. But I want to focus on that last one: a dream come true!

If you had asked me when I was 10 years old, what I wanted to do, I would have said “play in the Super Bowl.” And despite my incredibly low vertical jump and deceptively slow 40 yard dash – I went un-drafted yet again by any of the 32 teams. But my dream didn’t die. It just changed… a little.

If I can’t play in a Super Bowl, I can surely go to a Super Bowl and do it with my sons and show them what it looks like up close. And if they have those similar dreams to PLAY in the big game one day, we can talk about how hard work, determination, and luck play a part in that. But most of all, it starts with a dream.

Also, we had been planning this for over a year. The boys saved their change and kept it in a huge jug. They put every coin they saw for about a year in that jug. Why? Because they had to pay for 10% of their ticket. Lisa and I want to create ownership in our family and last time I checked —no one ever washes their rental car—so in order for them to appreciate this experience, they were going to have to sacrifice a little too. The change didn’t cover it all but it did put a dent in the amount they had to pay. So when they had to give me those coins to cover their 10%, I was sure they had recognized that this did cost real money.

I’ve talked to 5 or 6 dads since that game. They have all said the same thing – I should have taken my son to a Super Bowl when I had the chance. 

When it was 33-32 with 3 minutes left, I turned to my sons and said—this is a good time RIGHT NOW. We cheered, we laughed, we high fived. After the game was over, we took it all in—not leaving the stadium for over 90 minutes. It was a dream come true. 36 years later, and a little adjusted, but still a dream.

What do you dream about doing with your family? Dream BIG. It’s always more fun!

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