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Super Bowl fever is suddenly sexy all over Ireland again

Tom Brady, Giants and Patriots clash is eagerly awaited

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral Contributing Writer

Published Friday, February 3, 2012, 7:22 AM

Updated Friday, February 3, 2012, 9:40 AM

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The new hot question on many Irish sporting lips this weekend is a simple one – are you watching the SuperBowl?

Photo by ESPN

I can easily sit at home now, sometimes with a can of Bud in hand in deference to old times, and watch golf from Dubai, rugby from New Zealand and soccer from Scunthorpe, sometimes all the same time with the aid of the Sky Sports remote control.

I can also watch live American Football every Sunday night, not that I do.

My kids, the two boys Cillian and Ciaran, however love it. On a Sunday night they will hog the Sky remote and watch at a time when they should be in bed ahead of college and school the following morning.

A few weekends ago they got very excited when 49ers beat the Saints in that incredible finale in San Francisco. I did watch the re-run and yes, the changing lead was dramatic to say the least.
I’ll watch the Bowl with them this weekend as well. So will many people I know. They’ve told me as much the last week when the Bowl became a hot topic once again.

The renewed interest is, I believe, down to the New York-Boston rivalry. We feel like we own both cities in this part of the world and we do have a Giants jersey somewhere in our house from a visit to the Big Apple with the Irish soccer team a few years ago.

We also know about Tom Brady in this part of the world. He’s a Cavan man by all accounts and many Irish fans I’ve spoken to this week will be rooting for him. So will many of the girls but I think that’s for a different reason altogether!

Me? I’ll be a New York fan come Sunday night. Me and my Bud. Go Giants. Stick it to the Cavan man.

*Cathal Dervan is sports editor of the Irish Sun newspaper and a columnist with the Irish Voice and Irish Central

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gobdawpaddy | Feb 05, 2012, 06:58 AM EST

Ciara, you forget that this is a US based site targeting Irish America. For most people in the US, including Irish Americans, the Superbowl IS the biggest sporting event of the year. You are wrong in your assertion that American football is like rugby without padding. Rugby is a far more exciting and faster game demanding a greater degree of fitness from those playing it. I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the clash at Landsdowne Road this afternoon and will of course be shouting for Paul O'Connell and the guys. Hopefully my hotel will be showing the Superbowl tonite when I will probably wake a fellow guest or two as I chear on the giants. Guess there will be no work done tommorrow. It's 7am in New York, 12 noon here in Dublin,, heading downstairs for a Bud, I can hear the singing at the bar.

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SeamusMartin | Feb 04, 2012, 08:15 PM EST

Both great sports. Ah, though the Super Bowl commercials are what I love. Whether or not the game is a dog-fight or a blowout the ADs are always entertaining. In '67 the first championship between the upstart AFL and the long standing NFL a :30 AD cost $42,500 today for :30 the cost is $3,500,000. That's an increase almost $78,000/yr for the last 45 years. Unbelievable. But true. Them thar commercials better be freakin' great at that rate!

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ciaradexy | Feb 04, 2012, 02:09 PM EST

Bob, they get hit by 264lb 6'6'' men of various positions in the team so its not really that much different now is it??

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bob40wil | Feb 04, 2012, 12:46 PM EST

To those that say Rugby players don't wear padding, you're right but they don't get hit, very hard, by 320 lb. 6'7" defensemen.

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ciaradexy | Feb 04, 2012, 12:14 PM EST

Seamus, rugby players do not wear any 'armour' and IVE GOT A TICKET FOR THE MATCH TOMORROW!! WOOO!!

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SeamusMartin | Feb 04, 2012, 04:07 AM EST

Football in the US is the evolved combination of rugby and association football (soccer). Initially there was little "padding"in football. But over the progressive transformation of the sport it became more important so as players weren't as readily injured permanently or killed mainly because of the size and speed of the players. Similarly, like batting helmets and catcher's equipment in baseball or helmets and the "padding" in ice hockey. In fact seems I've seen a few safety features worn by rugby players that one might construe as "padding". Guess "padding" is like armor - it takes a rugged individual to wear the extra weight, but hopefully the protection offered allows the combatant to take the fight to the opposition while suffering the least amount of injuries. Basically American or Canadian football is a game similar to a war with rules. Opposing generals (coaches) directing their troops offensively and defensively against the adversary. As for the games this Sunday, there is no reason one can't see both. The Super Bowl is at 6:30 PM Eastern Time in the US, which is probably midnight or 1:00 am in Ireland or Wales. I certainly hope the Irish ruggers will have defeated the Welsh by then.

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Murph46 | Feb 03, 2012, 04:37 PM EST

Seamus I'd come back over to see the Irish High Kings play!

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ciaradexy | Feb 03, 2012, 03:53 PM EST

Lad, the footballers wear padding! Thats not very manly now is it?

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SeamusMartin | Feb 03, 2012, 03:51 PM EST

I love all sports, though I cannot get the hang of cricket. Hopefully the Super Bowl (two words) will be exciting. Some are many aren't. However, the commercials are almost always great entertainment. Look at them (hope you get 'em) for their originality & humour. Maybe the NFL will have a franchise in Ireland with Green, Orange and white uniforms and nickname them the Ireland High Kings. Sla'inte!

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lad1912 | Feb 03, 2012, 01:17 PM EST

American football IS a real man's sport - you dolt.

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beachcomber | Feb 03, 2012, 12:43 PM EST

I watched the Super Bowl last year in Ireland and was incredibly disappointed that at every commercial break, the channel i was watching just cut to some strange British sports commentator trying to make conversation and analysis with Tiki Barbour...i soooo missed watching the commercials. :( LOL! What channel should I be watching carrickcourt? And no, that doesn't make you un-American, there's loads of people that only watch it for that reason! Sometimes the commercials are way more exciting than the game...(spoken like a true baseball fan)

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ciaradexy | Feb 03, 2012, 12:08 PM EST

One of the biggest sporting events of the year is starting this weekend. One in which Irish men play rugby and IC are going on about the Superbowl?

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carrickcourt | Feb 03, 2012, 11:04 AM EST

The Super Bowl? You must be kidding. I will not be watching lots of commercials with some occasional excitement on the field/pitch on Sunday night. Now if it was a good match between the Spurs and Man City perhaps I would be watching. In think North American football was made for commercials. I know I must be "Un-American" but so be it.

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ciaradexy | Feb 03, 2012, 10:45 AM EST

IC, where do you get your info from? I havent heard anyone here even mention the Superbowl. We have Irish men playing rugby against Wales this Sunday. Why would we give a sh1t about American football? Its like rugby but with padding! Id rather watch the real mans sport thanks!

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Searlit | Feb 03, 2012, 09:44 AM EST

Ah, but Tom Brady speaks Irish.

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