Super Sunday...not quite yet

I could bore you with how tired I am, but I owe the faithful an update since I've started working in Miami (which isn't really Miami, as I'll explain below).

The "who's who" of the people down here is really incredible. Most of it means nothing to anyone but me, but the PR staff is made up of mostly public relations directors of the NFL teams. While I'm obviously not on the same plane as them, it's amazing to be volunteering and doing the same tasks as a guy who's the head honcho with his main team.

Not to mention, most of these guys, when I hear about them, come with phrases like, "He's been doing a great job for a really long time." And they're all in the same room. Unbelievable.

Two of my fellow NFL Europe volunteers are here as well! That makes half of the League here in attendance. Clearly, the League picked its future interns well. It's nice to put some names to the faces too, and to actually know people before I dive into it.

On Saturday, we all got a tour of Dolphin Stadium. Schematically, from the outside, it looks very much like Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. The interior of the building is very interesting, since it's one of the few combined football/baseball stadiums still in existence. Everything looks very nice and new, considering it's been in use for quite a while.

They're still making additions to the stadium as well, for the Super Bowl. They're building--literally, from scratch--media areas on the top of the stadium, for the international broadcast booth for example (where I will be on Sunday).

It was very sunny that day, and I have a great necktan to show it.

The main person I'm working with is David Tossell, head of NFL International. One of the big things he does, for instance, is campaign to get an NFL regular season game in London--which is happening next year. Which two teams will it be? Find out Friday at Commissioner Goodell's press conference. But I know already. (Sorry, I hate to rub it in.) (Not that it matters, you'll find out in a few days, too.)

Ready for something cool? The webmaster of the 49ers website, the wonderful Chrissy Mauck, has asked me to blog about my experience at the Super Bowl this week! My blog for her, which will appear on 49ers.com, will talk about what it's like to see the Super Bowl from behind the scenes, after being a fan all of my life.

I just sent that one over a few minutes ago, so when it's posted on the website, I'll put the hard link here.

But in the meantime, you check out the videos on the website, masterfully done by the 49ers website/video intern and my roommate back in California, Scott Kegley.

As I alluded to before, the Super Bowl is NOT being held in Miami. Seriously. Since all of the week's events are being held up by the three surrounding counties (could some of the locals help me on the names?), this has been touted as the South Florida Super Bowl. It makes sense, yes, but will the people really call it that? I doubt it.

So, it's a small world after all. As all the Super Bowl volunteers went around the room introducing themselves, a very familiar face popped up. She works at the League office on Park Ave, back in New York. I went to camp with her after 8th and 9th grade! And I dated one of her friends! Her name is Joanna Hunter, and we went to Explo together for two years. So now, not only are two of my Explo friends in the Bay Area with me, but one of them works in the NFL, and she's here, in Mia...South Florida. Amazing! That camp has been wonderful to me. I still regret not working there one summer (despite what Jane says).

I saw John Clayton and Marshall Faulk (at different times) today. John Clayton is a really, really nice guy. I didn't hear or see Marshall say anything, but come on, he's one of the greatest running backs of all time. He HAS to be a good guy, right?

Bears arrived today, Colts tomorrow, Media Day Tuesday. That will be a circus. I can't wait. Until then....I need to wake up for work in less than 5 hours. Hasta luego.