Memories of Super Bowl XLVII In New Orleans
For the last three years, my friend Jerry Rokoff and I have won tickets to the Super Bowl at a charity auction for a wonderful organization Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS). Here are some highlights from an amazing weekend in New Orleans.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Mystery Automobile
Can anyone identify this automobile seen in front of my hotel?
Update: February 13, 2013
The comments consensus indicate the New Orleans car was an original or replica of a 1935 Auburn 851 SC Speedster. The car on the left was an original Auburn sold at the 2005 RM Monterrey Sports and Classic Car Auction.
Friday: NFL Man of the Year Lunch
Jerry and I were fortunate to attend a special lunch for the NFL Man of the Year sponsored by the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. The award scknowledges a player's off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence. Dallas tight end Jason Witten was announced as the winner at the lunch with Cleveland Brown's tackle Joe Thomas and Arizona Cardinal's receiver Larry Fitzgerald as the other two finalists.
From left to right:Larry Fitzgerald, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Gerald Rokoff, Connie Payton, Joe Thomas, Brittany Payton, Howard Kroplick, Jason Witten, and Jarrett Payton.
Owner Jerry Jones told us the process he went through when he purchased the Dallas Cowboys.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and I discussed his father Senator Charles Goodell.
Saturday
The Mardi Gras Parade in Gretna
Having fun at the NFL Experience
Bourbon Street was filled with football fans.
Sunday Lunch
A pre-game charity event at Emeril's Delmonico's Restaurant.
Chef Emeril Lagasse asked me the difference between "complete" and "finished".
"If you marry the right woman, your life is complete. If you marry the wrong woman, your life is finished. If you cheat on your wife, your life is completely finished."
Former San Francisco 49er runner Roger Craig.Yes, I wore my Jet hat to the Super Bowl!
Former San Francisco 49er wide receiver Dwight Clark immortalized for "The Catch"
2013 Super Bowl
The pre-game ceremony with Jennifer Hudson and the Sandy Hook Chorus. An AP reporter stationed near us asked Jerry for a comment. His "beyond beautiful" quote was picked up throughout the world.
"As 26 children in white polo shirts excitedly walked to center of the Superdome field and prepared to sing, a packed Super Bowl crowd revved up by a day of partying in the Big Easy fell silent. The chorus from Sandy Hook Elementary School, nearly two months removed from a deadly shooting rampage at the school, joined Jennifer Hudson to deliver a stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful” that had some players on the sideline and countless fans in the stands on the verge of tears."
"Gerald Rokoff, standing near a portal in the upper deck, turned and said, “Beyond beautiful,” when the children finished singing."
The coin-toss.
Half-Time show with Beyonce.
It will forever be known as the "LIghts-Out" Super Bowl.
The last play of the game captured by my Iphone:
Comments
From Jack Mandel:
“Excellent!”
Howie,
Super exciting—I felt like I was sitting there next to you !
I’m proud to be a Kroplick…
Thanks for sharing. Looks like a great time.
The red boattail is a replica 1935/36 Auburn Speedster.
Car looks at first glance to be a ca.-‘36 Auburn 851 Boat-Tailed Speedster. However, the low wheels make it more likely be a modern replicar. Sam, III
Car looks like an Auburn boat tail speedster to me. W
Looksa like a boatail ‘36 Cord
The red car is obviously a Duisenberg, but I am betting it is one if the replica copies with a modern drive train made in the 70’s
looks like a 1935-36 auburn speedster.
From Robert R:
1935 851 Auburn Speedster?