The view from Row 1, Seat 80. (M. Bradley)
HOUSTON — I'm sitting in the press box at the Super Bowl. I have a front-row seat. I'm a lucky guy. I'm also a sweaty guy.
You don't care about how long it took four AJC professionals — esteemed colleagues Jennifer Brett, Darryl Orlando Ledbetter and Jeff Schultz, plus yours truly — to walk from the TV compound, where we'd joined Zach Klein of WSB-TV to do a Championship Countdown on our many Cox platforms, the media entrance. You don't care, and I'm not sure: I lost count at the 10-mile marker.
But here we are, and thank heavens for that. We're hunkered down in the press box — I'm on Row 1 near midfield — and we've got three hours to kill. But better to be inside than out. And, having arrived last Sunday, I'm ready to go. Bring it on! Rise Up!
(Wait. Did I really say that? What the heck. It's the Super Bowl, y'all.)
Super stuff:
[ I like the Falcons to win. Others disagree. ]
[ Why the stealth Falcons will win the Super Bowl. ]
Steve Bartkowski on these Falcons: "A team of destiny."
[ Photo flashback: The 1970s Falcons ]
[ Photo flashback: The 1960s Falcons ]
[ The Falcons' Ben Garland: A do-it-all who might need to do more. ]
[ Atlanta scores a huge win in Houston. And no, not the Falcons. ]
[ The highlight of my Super Bowl week: Seeing Lady Gaga. ]
[ So far, it's Tom Brady's Super Bowl. (So far, I said.) ]
ESPN: 4 out of 5 dentists … er, coaches … prefer the Patriots.
[ The face of Dan Quinn's Falcons? Big hitter Keanu Neal. ]
[ Super starters show Signing Day isn't always a stairway to heaven. ]
[ Super question: What will Belichick try to take from the Falcons? ]
[ Shanahan loses backpack with game plan, gets it back. ]
[ Opening Night: Belichick denies knowledge of underwear bearing his name. ]
[ The Falcons' ultimate challenge — the dark lord Belichick. ]
[ Falcons coach Dan Quinn: The winner who went to dinner. ]
[ Falcons arrive, are mistaken (by my Uber driver) for a funeral. ]
[ Hope for the Falcons: The Patriots' defense isn't really No. 1. ]
Football Outsiders: ‘Nightmare' scenario sees Falcons blown out.
The Falcons are headed to the game that defies simulation.
[ A revealing take on Matt Ryan from someone who knows him well. ]
Memo to Boston: I won't apologize for Atlanta or the Falcons.
[ The Falcons are underdogs, but they absolutely can win. ]
[ Facing the hated Patriots, the Falcons are now America's Team. ]