Story and Photos by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle
138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq (Feb. 6, 2006) -- Across the United States football fans gather to watch one of the most exciting games on television " the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XL pitted the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Seattle Seahawks.
Avid fans invite family and friends to their house for a Super Bowl party. They may serve snacks such as wings, pizza, cheese and crackers, pretzels, dip, you name it. Fans want this to be the biggest and best party of the season. Their favorite beer is in the refrigerator a few days before the game to make sure it is the coldest beverage to serve.
Super Bowl Sunday is a day that most football fans wait for all season long. To the most enthusiastic fans, this day is like a national holiday. If your team happens to make it to the big game, it's party time.
What if you're a U.S. Soldier deployed to a combat zone? Where can you go and watch the game, especially if your favorite team is playing?
For the Soldiers and civilians at Forward Operating Base Courage the answer was easy: have a party at the dining facility. Watch the game; projected onto a big screen, get some wings, pizza, soda, and don't forget the beer, Coors, O'Doul's, or Beck's.
It is, of course, the non-alcoholic version, or "near beer," as the troops call it. It is not the real thing, but it will do.
The event at FOB Courage was sponsored by the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Facility and drew about 150 fans that came out to celebrate in the early morning. In Iraq, kickoff time was 2:28 a.m.
"We felt this Super Bowl party was a good way to get Soldiers and civilians together to have some fun and a good time," said James Coleman, MWR coordinator.
Once the game started, the only noises heard on the FOB was hooting and howling for favorite teams. An occasional expletive for that play that didn't go well. A score from the opposing team might send a hat flying at the big screen.
Most Soldiers were going with the favored Steelers and their storied history of winning four Super Bowls, but there were also a few Soldiers rooting for the underdog, the Seahawks. "I'm going with the Seahawks," said Spc. Christopher Towne, broadcast journalist, 138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, and a Seattle native. "This is the first time we made it to the big show and I think we have a good chance at beating the Steelers."
"We have not won a Super Bowl in about 26 years, so I am real excited about them [the Steelers] being here, it will be a great game," said Sgt. Brian Baum, 401st Civil Affairs Battalion. "Seattle has a good team but the Steelers will win."
The best part of the game for these Soldiers, other than their team winning, was the opportunity to be seen by family and friends on Fox Sports during a satellite feed to the Super Bowl.
Date Taken: | 02.09.2006 |
Date Posted: | 02.09.2006 12:43 |
Story ID: | 5357 |
Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
Web Views: | 240 |
Downloads: | 101 |
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