SF Bay Area Fil-Ams dug Super Bowl 50 for various reasons
Jackie Metica-Crawford (right) and niece. JUN NUCUM
SANTA CLARA, California–As expected, many Fil-Am families and friends in the San Francisco Bay Area gathered for mini-reunions with food and other goodies to share while they witnessed last Sunday’s sporting spectacle, where the Denver Broncos led by quarterback Peyton Manning demolished the Carolina Panthers 24-10.
They also witnessed Fil-Am Bronco wide receiver, Jordan Norwood, run 61 yards for the longest punt return in Super Bowl history.
To most Filipinos back home, football is soccer. American football, however, is something very different unless one has been exposed to it for some time.
Fil-Am consultant Eric Pacho, who was raised in Fremont, California regards the Super Bowl as a huge annual American tradition observed even by ardent fans of other ball games or sporting events.
Glenn Fajardo.
“Just look back at the success of the San Francisco 49ers (80’s/90’s/2011-2013) and the Oakland Raiders and you can see that both teams have won the Big Game. I am happy that the Bay Area hosted championship because we haven’t had an SB in the Bay and in California for quite some time,” Pacho recounted.
“And the fact that the SB was held at the Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, literally across the street from some of our relatives and friends, is pretty damn awesome.”
Pacho added that hanging out with family and friends is really the most important thing that SB games bring, as he cares more about enjoying the game with family and friends grumbling, screaming, jumping up and down while watching an exciting game.
Special Education schoolteacher Jackie Metica-Crawford of Pacifica, California agreed that football is an important American tradition.
“Super Bowl is part of the American culture regardless whether you are a football fan or not, it is a huge event,” Crawford opined. “And it is important that we hosted it because economically, the Bay Area greatly benefited, from transportation, to small businesses, and even the people themselves who were employed during the Super Bowl period.”
Carol Pongol and husband, Tony.
For procurement buyer Glenn Fajardo, who hails from Hagonoy, Bulacan and now resides in Campbell, California, people watch the Super also for the much-anticipated half time show, with big name stars performing. The million-dollar advertisements throughout the game are also much awaited. A 30-second commercial spot reportedly cost advertisers $5 million.
‘Throughout the years, the San Francisco 49ers dominated, as well as the Raiders in the 1960’s. It is being held in one of the most affluent areas of the country and right in the heart of the Silicon Valley, the birthplace of high technology,” Dallas Cowboys fan Fajardo said.
Twenty-four-year U.S. residen Rizza Tumambing-Finger of Vallejo, a Pittsburg Pennsylvania Steelers, fan looked forward to a fiercely fought Super Bowl 50.
“I was somewhat disappointed that the game was not that close as borne out by the score and the Carolina Panthers did not win the championship,” Finger lamented.
“Nevertheless,” she added, “we enjoyed watching the game at home with family and friends and we immensely loved the great halftime performances of Coldplay, Beyonce and fellow Fil-Am Bruno Mars. We were also entertained by the television commercials that were featured during breaks.”
Gina Rebosura Rizza Tumambing-Finger
San Jose City high school teacher Carol Pongol of Concord, California, said the Super Bowl was extra special because it was held in the Bay Area and “would have been a bigger cause for celebration if the San Francisco 49ers team were in it. I am happy I made the right choice as my team won. Go Broncos!”
Businessman DD Peña of Coffee Adventure of Milpitas, California was glad that the Super Bowl brought Fil-Ams from other states to the Bay Area to join the festivities.
“You can say we were lucky to be located near the venue as we experienced a spike in our number of out-of-state guests during Super Bowl week, including many Fil-Ams,” Peña said.
San Jose resident Gina Rebosura, a computer technician who lives close to the Levi’s Stadium did not really care about the outcome of last Sunday’s game.
“Believe it or not, I have no interest in the Super Bowl because I am not a sports fan. At the most, I see it as an excuse to get together with some friends and eat. But I was not even interested in watching the game because I know very little about the sport. I didn’t even know the teams that played,” Rebosura disclosed
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