Tampa mayor wants another Super Bowl

Even before kick-off on Sunday, Mayor Pam Iorio was thinking about the possibility of another Super Bowl in Tampa.

Iorio said she wanted the city to bid on another Super Bowl "before I leave office." Her term ends in 2011. "It's been a fantastic week. Just fantastic," she said as she walked into the stadium with her husband, Mark Woodard.

The next Super Bowl that's available is in 2013. The game will go to Miami in 2010, Dallas in 2011 and Indianapolis in 2012.

"We'd like to do this again," said Paul Catoe, executive director of Tampa Bay and Company, the local convention and visitors bureau. "As soon as the NFL invites us to bid we'll bid if the Bucs and the Glazers want us to."

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

Woman runs into horse, dozen arrested for counterfeit Super Bowl tickets

TAMPA - Police nabbed more than a dozen people Sunday for a variety of crimes, including selling counterfeit Super Bowl tickets and a woman who allegedly drunkenly drove into a police horse.

Tampa International Airport running smoothly despite Super Bowl exodous

TAMPA -- The citywide exodus of Super Bowl visitors began early this morning at Tampa International Airport, with officials expecting the busiest day in more than a year.

Despite the traffic, there were no big delays at ticket counters or security-screening checkpoints. Airlines began checking in passengers as early as 3 a.m., and the Transportation Security Administration brought in extra officers from Orlando to open all 27 of the airport's screening lanes.

Airport officials estimate about 32,000 passengers will fly out of Tampa through Monday, likely the most since the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2007, said airport executive director Louis Miller.

Fourth quarter, transportation officials get ready for the end

TAMPA -- It's fourth quarter and the people responsible for moving people out of Raymond James Stadium are getting cranked up again.

Mike Witte, VP of Gameday Management Group, has been radioing folks to make sure all the buses are lined up where they need to be when fans start trickling out.

Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Got deep pockets? Visit the souvenir stand

Fans on the club level of Ray Jay wanting to bring home their own piece of the Super Bowl have to shell out some major coin for apparel and memorbilia.

Five dollars will get you the smallest momento -- a magnet or pennant -- but you want a Cutter & Buck black suede jacket with the Super Bowl logo? That's $185. A nifty leather jacket with all the past Super Bowl logos, that only $350. A Steelers leather bomber jacket. That will cost you $369.

And for the fan who comes to the Super Bowl wanting to buy a Pro Football Hall of Fame jacket signed by 56 Hall of Famers (Because that's what any true football fan comes to the stadium for), hope you brought either a credit card or a tight wad of Benjamins. It's $4,995. Or you can just look at it on the right.

If you do buy, just make sure you don't spill beer on it.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Ybor City buzzes with Super Bowl festivities

TAMPA---They swig beer, munch burgers and puff cigars. They wear red or black jerseys. Some meander brick streets, while others wait for coach buses or limos to take them to Raymond James Stadium.

They're Super Bowl fans, and they're flocking to Ybor to celebrate the big game.

Not surprisingly, some of this early-afternoon revelry turned into verbal spats between fans.

Counterfeit ticket, NFL jersey sales land some in jail

TAMPA -- Authorities arrested several individuals Saturday night for peddling counterfeit NFL jerseys and Super Bowl tickets.

Two other men were also arrested on gambling charges for orchestrating card games on the street near the NFL Experience.

Surprise guests at ESPN's Tampa-centric tailgate

TAMPA -- On Friday night, Hollywood took over ESPN the Magazine's NEXT Party. On Saturday afternoon, Tampa residents took it back.

ESPN's fan-oriented NEXT Day Tailgate drew hundreds of football fans, both local and from around the country, to downtown Tampa for a day of food, music, exhibitions and autographs.

It was a little more grown-up than the NFL Experience, and not quite as randy as the lavish VIPs-only parties around town Friday night. But the price (free) was right, and the Worldwide Leader didn't disappoint the fans who showed up.

Sean Kingston and American Idol alum Michael Johns performed as scheduled, but a couple of surprise guests -- actor Anthony Anderson and Wyclef Jean -- popped up onstage to the delight of party guests.

Let's do it again in 2014

TAMPA -- The 2009 Tampa Super Bowl hasn't even been played, and already some area boosters are looking at whether Tampa Bay should seek a place in line as host for a future big game.

There was scattered scuttlebutt during the Tampa Bay Host Committee's Gridiron Gala Friday night that local leaders of this year's effort may do just that.

"We definitely want to bid again," said Reid Sigmon, executive director of the Host Committee, when the question was put to him. "We haven't talked officially about when."

The chatter Friday night focused on 2014, though 2013 is the next available date. Miami; Arlington, Texas; and Indianapolis hold the next three.

Sigmon said the reaction to Tampa as a host town has been overwhelmingly favorable from the league, the teams, regular Joes arriving from out of town and even the out-of-town media.

"I think we've had a very good week," Sigmon said. "We feel good about what we've done."

-- Bill Varian, Times staff writer

Interstate 275 slow due to Super Bowl events

TAMPA -- Traffic is backed up on Interstate 275 in Tampa as thousands of football fans pour into the NFL Experience, an interactive gaming complex set up just south of Raymond James Stadium.

Cars are moving slowly in both directions, starting in the southbound lanes at the Interstate 4 junction and in the northbound lanes just north of the airport exit, the Florida Highway Patrol is reporting.

They aren't reporting any accidents at this time, but say the congestion is due to Super Bowl events.

-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer

Super Bowl Breakfast honors Warrick Dunn and Tony Dungy

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn received the Atheletes In Action/Bart Starr Award at the Super Bowl Breakfast today.

The award honors exemplary players who make a difference off the field through community service.
Dunn was lauded for his Warrick Dunn Foundation Homes For The Holidays program, which offers down payments an furnishing to single parents and their children. So far it has provided 84 homes, the latest being awarded Tuesday in Tampa.

About 7,000 attended the breakfast at the University of South Florida Sun Dome, dining on eggs, bacon, strawberries, orange juice and coffee.

The ceremony also honored former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy.

Former players and friends spoke about his humbleness, faith in God and community commitment, and said they were exicted to see what he would do next, now that he has retired.

-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer

Combat-wounded marines arriving for game

TAMPA -- About 40 combat-wounded Marines from around the country are expected to arrive around 4:30 this afternoon at Tampa International Airport for Super Bowl weekend. The Marines, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan,  are members of the Wounded Warriers Regiment, which provides assitance to other wounded or ill Marines and their families. They will go to Busch Gardens Saturday, and enjoy the NFL Experience and the game on Sunday.

-- Curtis Krueger, Times Staff Writer

Lifehouse, Fall Out Boy, Rihanna, live in Tampa

The rain may have put a damper on some of Tampa’s Super Bowl week hype, but Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz is still chipper.

“I noticed that it rains here every day at three,” he said with a laugh, shortly before Fall Out Boy’s performance alongside Lifehouse and Rihanna at a drenched Ford Amphitheatre Thursday night. “Is that the scheduled time?”

It actually began raining before 3 p.m. Thursday -- which is part of the reason the early mood at Thursday’s Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash, which airs live on VH1 at 9 p.m., may have been a little, well, dampened.

Watch for fake Tampa Super Bowl tickets

Look closely at that pricey Super Bowl ticket. Authorities expect fakes to start turning up tonight or Friday.

But the NFL and law enforcement officials say real tickets -- they have a face value of $800 to $1,000 -- have myriad tell-tale features designed to thwart counterfeiters:

• The words "Super Bowl XLIII" are laser-cut into the ticket, allowing light to shine through.
• On the back, there's a hologram. Turn it one way, and you'll see the words "TAMPA BAY." Turn it the other, and there's the logo for Super Bowl XLIII. The colors should really pop in the light. If you see both images at the same time, it's probably a piece of silver foil and a fake.
• And at the bottom of the back of the ticket, look at the image of the stadium. The field and two curving stripes above it are printed in grass-green heat sensitive ink. Rub it with your thumb, and the field and stripes will disappear. Take your thumb away, and they return.

Plant High team in for Super experience

The state champion Plant High football team will help make sure all of NBC’s camera angles are perfect in preparation for Sunday’s game.

Fresh off the high of winning the FHSAA Class 4A state championship a month ago, the Panthers will participate in a simulation of Super Bowl XLIII game night Friday evening at Raymond James Stadium.

Club Aja back in party mode

Aja (pronounced "Asia"), which the fire marshal shut down for a handful of violations during the club's opening last Saturday, is back in full swing. The venue, located in downtown Tampa's Channelside entertainment district, closed Sunday and Monday for repairs and employee training.

"The contractor missed one or two things," said general manager Dean Del Riccio. Organizers got the place up to code and even had time to install eight 52-inch televisions before reopening Tuesday for a friends-and-family gathering that included free admission and an open bar for guests forced out early on Saturday.

But the true test came Wednesday night during retired NFL player Chidi Ahanotu's Chidi Chidi Bang Bang Super Bash Party. The party, which went off without incident, was a trial run for this weekend, when Pamela Anderson, DJ AM, Jazzy Jeff and other celebs are scheduled to appear at Aja.

"Of course I'm walking through like, 'Are you guys going to be ready?' because I'm seeing people sawing wood and painting," Ahanotu said. "But it's just surface stuff. It's not structural things, so I was confident that they'd be ready for tonight."

-- Dalia Colon, Times Staff Writer

Photo: Chidi Ahanotu at Aja [Dallia Colon | Times] Click image to enlarge.

Time out with Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten

TAMPA -- Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten much rather be preparing for the Super Bowl, but this week he took home another trophy.

Away from the intense Super Bowl spotlight, the five-time Pro Bowler’s path took him to a vacant lot along East 22nd Avenue in East Tampa, where he was one of seven NFL players helping to build new playgrounds.

No out routes, just hammering nails. No media horde, just volunteers wanting to shake his hand.

Later that morning, Witten was awarded the Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP, selected from 17 players for his community work. Home Depot presented Witten with a trophy and a check for $25,000 for his Jason Witten S.C.O.R.E (Support. Community. Overcome. Rebuild. Educate) Foundation, an organization he created in 2007 that helps families affected by domestic violence (the foundation provides families with shelter and other necessities and offers kids male mentors called SCOREkeepers) and helps Boys and Girls Clubs in Dallas and his native Tennessee.

Home Depot, along with non-profit group Kaboom, built 17 playgrounds with the 17 participating players in their NFL cities. This was the second year of the NFL Neighborhood MVP Award (Bucs running back Warrick Dunn won last year), but the first time the finalists came together to build a playground in the Super Bowl's host city.

After receiving his award, Witten spent some time with Times staff writer Eduardo A. Encina, talking about giving back, what’s wrong in the Big D and his Super Bowl prediction. Read on for the interview.

NFL players unite to help build East Tampa playgrounds

Seven NFL players helped turn a vacant East Tampa lot into a playground Wednesday morning as part of the Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP Program.

All-Pro players such as Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, Panthers receiver Steve Smith and Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking joined about 160 Home Depot associates and about 40 volunteers from CDC (Corporation to Develop Communities) of Tampa in building a new public playground and an additional one at the King's Kids Christian Academy.

"I'm having a good time doing a good thing," Dawkins said while laying tile on the academy playground.

The seven players -- Witten, Dawkins, Smith, Brooking, Giants receiver Amani Toomer, Texans receiver Andre Johnson, Lions receiver Mike Furrey -- were selected as finalists for the Home Depot Neighborhood MVP Program out of 17 NFL players who dedicated themselves to charitable work in their individual markets. Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner was also nominated, but couldn't attend because he's preparing for the Super Bowl.

It's the program's second year (Last year's winner was Bucs running back Warrick Dunn), but this was the first time all the players gathered together for a playground building event.

Together, they worked on assembling a rock-climb wall, lifted a swing set into its bearings for concrete. Toomer painted signs with King's Kids Academy students. Smith, one of the more popular players, went from station to station, from hammering nails to planting flowers.

The players helped for about an hour and the morning ended with a ceremony that awarded Witten the MVP award, giving him a trophy and $25,000 for the Jason Witten Foundation, a charity focused on helping those affected by domestic abuse. Before leaving, the players signed autographs for the volunteers.

"It's not just what we're doing physically here, everyone's out here strengthening the community," Toomer said.

-- Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer

Giants receiver Amani Toomer and Lions reciever Mike Furrey work to assemble a rock-climbing wall as part of the Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP event Wednesday. (Times photo/Eduardo A. Encina

Check back later this afternoon for a Q&A with Witten and click HERE for more photos.

Tampa's mayor stoked for the Boss

Even as she considers a run for the U.S. Senate, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio is swept up in Super Bowl mania this week with a calendar packed with appearances alonsgide football players, press conferences and parties. She’ll sit down for an interview with The Today Show on Thursday, and swing by a dinner for NFL team owners hosted by the Glazer family, owners of the Bucs, that night. On Saturday, she’ll do a turn with ESPN’s jock chefs.

But what is Iorio, 49, most excited about?

“I’m really looking forward to meeting Bruce Springsteen,” she said. “I’ve been a Bruce Springsteen fan since high school.”

Springsteen and the E Street Band are the Super Bowl’s halftime entertainment.

Media samples Tampa drinks, food and cigars

TAMPA -- Journalists descended on Ybor City's Cuban Club tonight for all the food and drink they could consume and a concert by .38 Special.  The Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee staged the annual media party, which drew reporters from across the country and around the world.

The NFL has issued credientials to more than 4,500 journalists, including media from a record 28 countries. A total of 141 international media organizations will be in Tampa, compared to 116 for the Super Bowl in Arizona last year. The countries with the most media representation? Japan and Mexico, with 22 different organizations each.