We were in the greater Denver area for a wedding and while we were there, my wife had scheduled for us to take a stadium tour of Mile High Stadium (currently called Sports Authority Field) because I am a huge Denver Broncos fan. When we arrived for our scheduled tour, we were told that they were unable to honor our reservation because they had another large group which had scheduled a private event for that morning and that someone should have called us to cancel our reservation. We were dejected.
The private group that took over the stadium that morning were bringing in bus loads of people for a stadium tour (about 25-30 people at a time) and through the graciousness of one of these group's leaders, we were allowed to accompany a group on their tour.
We got to see the United Club, an Executive Suite, the press box, and a party suite. We didn't get to go on the field (there was another event scheduled on the field) but we got to go to the edge of the stands and see the field. We toured the player areas and even a locker room. All of that was cool, but the highlight of the day was in the locker room; the team had sent over the Vince Lombardi Trophy (the trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl). Apparently the Broncos will sometimes do something special for large groups and they did today, allowing people in the group to pose with the trophy the Broncos won in Super Bowl 50. Had our original reservation been honored, we probably wouldn't have had this opportunity, but because we were with this other group, I got to see the trophy up close. There was only one rule: don't touch the trophy.
I am generally a rule follower, but I couldn't resist the urge. After posing for pictures with the trophy (first by myself, then with my lovely wife), I swiped my hand across the table, nipping the back corner of the trophy. I touched it! We went from dejected to out of this world.
The private group that took over the stadium that morning were bringing in bus loads of people for a stadium tour (about 25-30 people at a time) and through the graciousness of one of these group's leaders, we were allowed to accompany a group on their tour.
We got to see the United Club, an Executive Suite, the press box, and a party suite. We didn't get to go on the field (there was another event scheduled on the field) but we got to go to the edge of the stands and see the field. We toured the player areas and even a locker room. All of that was cool, but the highlight of the day was in the locker room; the team had sent over the Vince Lombardi Trophy (the trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl). Apparently the Broncos will sometimes do something special for large groups and they did today, allowing people in the group to pose with the trophy the Broncos won in Super Bowl 50. Had our original reservation been honored, we probably wouldn't have had this opportunity, but because we were with this other group, I got to see the trophy up close. There was only one rule: don't touch the trophy.
I am generally a rule follower, but I couldn't resist the urge. After posing for pictures with the trophy (first by myself, then with my lovely wife), I swiped my hand across the table, nipping the back corner of the trophy. I touched it! We went from dejected to out of this world.
As a child, I dreamt to one day hold up that trophy after winning the Super Bowl. I'll have to settle for nipping the back corner of it. But hey, I touched the Lombardi Trophy!
Edit:
Two days after touching the trophy, it was in DC with the Broncos to visit the White House and President Barack Obama.
Two days after touching the trophy, it was in DC with the Broncos to visit the White House and President Barack Obama.
photo credit: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/_JVfiMIFR7h/President+Obama+Welcomes+Super+Bowl+Champion/C7l5t57OM-H/Barack+Obama