Indianapolis to NFL Youre welcome
Side Lines
INDIANAPOLIS — Yes, I did have some time to do some writing on Super Bowl Sunday. Even took a moment and penned a letter for a dear old friend.
Dear Roger Goodell & NFL:
You’re welcome.
Signed,
Indianapolis and the state of Indiana
New Orleans, a city known for going all-out on a party, has its work cut out for itself when diagramming next year’s Super Bowl.
The Circle City has pretty much received A+ reviews for the XVLI experience. The well-planned downtown celebrations, concerts, hotels and game site — all within an eight-square block area of Indianapolis — was ideal for the Super Bowl fans, media and teams.
Friendly volunteers everywhere, and plenty of them, ample parking opportunities, dozens of clubs and restaurants and the marvelous Convention Center — Indy did its homework, dotting every I and crossing each T.
Darren Rovell, sports business reporter for CNBC, called Indianapolis the best Super Bowl city he’s ever seen.
“For example, when you go to New Orleans, you go to the parties, which are a big part of the weekend. You can pretty much go to one party a night. It takes an hour or two to get five miles,” Rovell said in a radio interview this week on ESPN. “Indianapolis is like eight blocks. The parties that are taking place in the same place Thursday and Friday night, you can walk. The whole weekend experience you can’t discount. Indy is a tremendous city.”
I had the opportunity to sit along press row with Parisa Bastani, one of the hundreds of NFL public relations staff members working the game.
The University of Penn graduate is all of 25, but Indy was her fifth Super Bowl. She was working directly with staff which churned out an incredible volume of media releases the last two weeks.
I asked for a straight-up answer — no P.R. spin.
The question? How did Indianapolis really do?
“It was definitely the smoothest running Super Bowl I’ve ever been to,” said Bastani, who lives in San Francisco. “Everything was convenient, easy to get to. It’s cool to be here.”
Seemed to be a common thread.
Maybe in another six or seven years we can do it again.
Zipping Along
Bumped into Elkhartan John Sadowey, Elkhart’s mega-obsessed sports celebrity photo op hunter.
Yes, that’s his actual title.
At 4 a.m. Sunday, John purchased a 3 p.m. ticket for his son, Surf, 11, to ride the popular “Zipline’’ high-wire act downtown. It’s a $10 deal and the ride was sold out by mid-morning.
Tickets were being scalped for $100 by 1 p.m.
More from Elkhart
Locals were on the Lucas Oil Stadium sidelines and at the Convention Center helping herd fans in the right direction.
During the game, Troy Nusbaum was part of the massive S.A.F.E. (Security, Athletic Facilities and Events) Management volunteer team working inside during the game. S.A.F.E personnel were all over the stadium and the JW Marriott, the NFL headquarters and media center.
Nusbaum’s job? Keep people away from NBC’s cameras. Also there were Tim Nusbaum, Troy’s dad, Ryan Shuff, Ben Matherly and Josh Miller.
Outside, Brian Jamison and Neil Boston were working the area at the NFL tailgate along Maryland Street near the Convention Center. Brian was helping with bus traffic.
Inside Lucas Oil, Boston was escorting the VIP crowd after the halftime show. No word on Madonna.
Super Sunday bites
Best line of the day: A Giants fan walking near Lucas Oil about three hours before kickoff looking for tickets — “I need tickets. Patriot fans, save yourself the misery.”
Classic.
Best T-shirt of the day: “Tom Brady eats poo.”
Most weary Indy residents: My friends Rob Thompson and his wife, Jen. They live in a loft apartment on Georgia Street — Ground Zero of the Super Bowl Village.
Nothing like have a party until 3 a.m. just outside your living room window every night for a week.
Most secure man in Indianapolis: Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly, who casually walked through the human masses Sunday afternoon totally unnoticed.
Except by me, of course.
Bill Beck is The Elkhart Truth sports editor. Contact him at bbeck@etruth.com.