Today’s affair inside the New Meadowlands Stadium was not so much a press conference as it was a touchdown celebration with the Giants, Jets and New York and New Jersey governors taking turns dancing in the end zone — their end zone.
The get together took place some 19 hours after the NFL owners voted the new stadium in as host of Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.
The guests of honor included Giants owners John Mara and the Tisch family, Giants coach Tom Coughlin, Jets owner Woody Johnson, and Jets coach Rex Ryan as well as New York Gov. David Paterson and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
All took turns spiking the proverbial football in celebration of their historic victory.
Johnson went first.
“Well, it worked,’’ Johnson said with a sigh, referring to the bid. “We went to the fourth round (with the owners voting); that was nerve-wracking, but … the bid committee has turned into the host committee. We have three-and-a-half years to prepare for an incredible Super Bowl. We’re going to give the fans the ultimate experience.’’
Next up was Mara, who apologized for “almost completely losing my voice,’’ something that likely happened from celebrating.
“This region has a rich and deep connection to football going back to 1925 in the Polo Grounds,’’ Mara said. “To bring the biggest game here … I think it’s about time. We’re going to make it a memorable experience for everybody.’’
Steve Tisch, Giants president and CEO, recalled a stadium design meeting he had with Johnson five years ago when “Woody leaned into me and said, ‘This is going to be the home of a Super Bowl.’ He said, ‘Everyone is going to ask why and our answer will be, Why not?’
“We made history yesterday (in Dallas at the NFL spring meeting) and we’ll continue to make history right through that 2014 Super Bowl Sunday.’’
Following the team owners, Paterson worked the room like a banquet speaker, starting his speech off with this quip: “Well, another good fourth-round pick,’’ referring to the number of votes it took to secure the game.
Paterson and Christie fielded a litany of questions about the potential poor winter weather that could be present on that February 2014 day, and they deftly handled them with humor.
Paterson’s argument that the weather won’t take away from the quality of play centered around the point that it’s the “unanticipated moments’’ that make Super Bowls memorable.
As for potential logistics issues based on poor weather, Christie said, “For all the ‘what ifs’ there will be answers.’’
“There is a misconception that people from New Jersey and New York are not used to winter,’’ Christie said. “We have winter here every year and we’ll have it in 2014.’’
Coughlin, ready for the weather questions, said, “One of the fondest days in my memory was 24-below, thank you for asking,’’ referring to the Giants’ 2008 NFC Championship game win in frigid Green Bay.
“I don’t even remember that it was cold in the second half of that game,’’ he said.
Sending a clear message, Ryan’s right ring finger was almost entirely covered by the Super Bowl ring he won with the Ravens over the Giants in 2000. Asked how often he sports that piece of jewelry in public, he said, “Not very often.’’
Ryan, referring to himself and Coughlin, said, “You have two guys here who’ll sign up for this game right now. Our teams are built to win in December and January.’
“Growing up a coach’s son, 30 years in the league, there was an old saying that holds true now more than ever: ‘You have to win when the snow flies,’ ’’ Ryan said. “Maybe some indoor teams wish for perfect weather conditions. Well, that’s too bad if they get there. I know one thing: These two teams (Jets and Giants) are built to win in any conditions.’’
Ryan admitted that, since the announcement was made yesterday, he’s found himself daydreaming about coaching in that game
“I have to be in this game,’’ Ryan said. “I would think regardless of who we’re playing we’re the favorites. You think, ‘Man, I want to be there for that.’ I want to be coaching the team in that game. Deep down you want to be a part of this game. It’s certainly something to shoot for.’’
When the possibility of not being involved in that game in his home stadium was brought up, Ryan cringed, saying, “Oh, that would be impossible. To have your facilities taken over by another AFC team … oh my goodness, that would be hard to take. If my brother (Rob, who coaches with the Browns) makes it then maybe I can live with it. But that would be almost impossible to take.’’
Mara conceded that “playing a Super Bowl in your home stadium would be pretty special,’’ but added, “But I’m not focused on that; I’m focused on this season right now.’’
The public relations theme attached to this massive project talked about “making history.’’
Mark Lampling, president and CEO of the New Meadowlands Stadium Co., said, “We’re no longer talking about making history, thanks to the owners of the Jets and Giants they made history yesterday.’’
The group showed the two-part video that was shown to the NFL owners prior to yesterday’s vote. It asked the question: “Who’s better? Then or now?’’
The narrator of the piece made this point: “Games are played in the elements all season long, but for the biggest game it isn’t.’’
The narrator said called the owners’ vote “a decision guaranteed to go down in football history,’’ invoking the 1869 college game between Rutgers-Princeton, the first-ever football game.
“We have a chance to do something historic in 2014,’’ the narrator stated. “Another chapter in football history is waiting to be written.’’
A short time before the press conference began then after it was over, there was a sound check taking place outside on the field for tonight’s Bon Jovi concert.
For Johnson, who planned to be in the house for the show, and the Maras and Tisches, the concert would serve as a fitting celebration for their accomplishments.