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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Super Bowl Packs ‘Em In Cheeseheads In Majority, But Many Root For The Walla Walla Wonder, Bledsoe

At the Corbin Senior Center, with the Super Bowl telecast buzzing in the background, three women played Scrabble and cards.

“We’re not the type who can do more than one thing at a time,” said Dorothy Miller, as she swung her head around to steal a peek at some football action. “But I’m rooting for the underdogs - whoever that is.”

The Patriots, especially quarterback Drew Bledsoe, were the favorites of most seniors.

“Gotta go with your hometown boy,” said Trudy Grant, 77, who had a $5 bet riding on the man from Walla Walla.

Grant’s rival, Charlie Cornell, clapped his hands silly when his Packers intercepted a Pats pass.

“Aw, go home Charlie,” said the trash-talking Grant. “I wonder why he’s always on the wrong side.”

Around Spokane on Sunday - inside bars, restaurants and living rooms - old and young fans gathered around TVs for a traditional, four-hour gridiron party.

Downtown, at Finnerty’s Red Lion, cheeseheads outnumbered New England fans. Some Wisconsin natives, newly transplanted to Spokane, let everyone know how the big game was going to end.

“Obviously we’re happy the Patriots made it this far,” said Carrie Haugerud, whose fists made beer mugs bounce whenever a penalty against the Packers was called. “But they’re gonna get their butts kicked.”

Her roommate chimed in.

“Hey, all I know is that the Packers are going to win,” said Lisa Thurn, sipping a chocolate-flavored coffee drink. “I am a Packers fan, I am from Wisconsin, and we are going to win. That’s really all there is to say.”

Folks were saying a whole lot at The Ram, a sports bar near the Arena. From every corner of the raucous crowd came rhythmic hoots of “Go, go, go!” “Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah!” and one too many “Woo-hoo!”

Tucked in the back of the bar were Sean O’Regan, Hazen Poe and David Blair. The three roomies, lying in their booth, consumed so many appetizers and beer that snooze time came before the kickoff.

They perked up for the commercials. “They were better than the game,” said Poe, 22.

Across the bar, three men agreed. As if their mothers had caught them reading Playboy, they insisted the only reason they watch the Super Bowl is for the commercials.

“Oh, that was good,” said Paul O’Keefe, 41, of Budweiser’s “chicken crossing the road” commercial.

O’Keefe was at the bar with his brother Perry, a Packers fan.

Between commercials, Paul O’Keefe, a Patriots fan, admitted he wanted to see Green Bay get beat, “because my brother here is a fan of theirs.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo