Super Bowl LII took place February 4. The two teams competing were the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year the Patriots won Super Bowl LI, which was the first game ever in Super Bowl history to go into overtime.

New England and Philadelphia fans know how they feel about the opposing team. Science teacher Joe Greaves, a Patriots fan, says, “If anyone liked someone other than the Patriots, then they wouldn’t be allowed in my family.”

“My whole family is rooting for the Patriots,” said freshman Sydney Eaton.

Preparations go into high gear for Super Bowl parties. Families and friends visit to watch this sporting event. Food is one of the many things that some people prepare for a party. Greaves says, “I have to marinate ribs, deep fry chicken wings, get dressed like Tom Brady, and throw the football around with my family.”

Eaton added, “Me and my Pepere usually hang out and gather all our Patriots merchandise. My family goes through the season with the Patriots and the Patriots show the hard work and determination that they went through just to get to where they are now. Just like my team.” Eaton plays for the local Aroostook Huskies.

Super Bowl traditions are special and sometimes unique.  “We always get together at a friends’ house. We also light fireworks for every touchdown the Patriots make, and we eat whatever symbolizes the team the Patriots are playing, i.e., since the Eagles are playing, we would eat birds like chicken wings, etc.,” says Greaves.

Eaton says, “I usually go to my grandparents’ house. I go because my Pepere taught me football and it has always been our sport.”

The Super Bowl doesn’t come with just the actual football game, it comes with tons of funny ads and other funny moments, as well. Greaves replays a memory, saying, “The Patriots beat Seattle three years ago. My cousin, who was 35 years old, cried like a baby in the living room.”

Eaton shared, “We had the power go out during the 2017 Super Bowl and me and my Pepere had a fight over who was going to win.”

Art teacher Ellyn Whitten-Smith is a raging Eagles fan. She says, “My love for football started when I was 12. I was wondering why my father was so attached to the TV. That year, the Eagles were destroying the Giants. They switched out quarterback for quarterback, and I didn’t like the new one at the time. I stopped watching the Eagles at that point. Now the quarterback is wonderful. When the Eagles won the Super Bowl, all I could feel was giddiness. I was absolutely excited and I was just so happy. There was some conversation in 2003 that when the Eagles played the Patriots that the Patriots cheated. The Eagles denied player Donovan McNabb.”

Greaves considers the loss, “I was devastated, but we can’t win them all. I’m sure we will win next year.”

Eaton says, “I felt like we were cheated and it was an unfair win because of the calls that were and were not called during the game.”

The Eagles defeated the Patriots with a score of 41-33.