Why I Love Super Bowl XXXIV

Ever since I was a young child, I have eagerly anticipated every Super Bowl, and have accumulated many fond memories of the game. But in all my years of watching this esteemed football game, one matchup has an especially fond place in my heart: Super Bowl XXXIV, where the St. Louis Rams played the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 30, 2000.

Although the Rams had never been significant to me before this season, they quickly became my favorite team early in the year. I was just starting to get serious about fantasy football, and had snagged an unknown quarterback off waivers with the name of Kurt Warner after the first week of the season.

I rapidly fell in love with Warner and the rest of the St. Louis offensive, which included great players like running back Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. These guys, among others, were instrumental in turning the Rams from a perennial loser into a powerhouse.

So when the playoffs came around, I was naturally rooting for St. Louis. I was thrilled when they advanced to the Super Bowl, where they would face against a tough Titans squad. However, I was so confident my team would win that I wagered my copy of the Super Nintendo game Tecmo Super Bowl against my friend’s Madden NFL 99 for Nintendo 64.

When the game was finally being played, I was very nervous, and with good reason — Super Bowl XXXIV is remembered today for its high level of competitiveness. The game came down to one final exciting play: Tennessee had the ball on the Rams’ 10 yard line, and trailed by 7 points. Quarterback Steve McNair hit Kevin Dyson with a short pass, who then dove towards the end zone while being tackled by linebacker Mike Jones. When the dust cleared, it was clear that Dyson came up just short, and the Rams had successfully completed their magical season.

I received my Madden NFL 99 cartridge as promised, but it was almost an afterthought. My favorite team had just won the Super Bowl, and that was bigger than any video game.


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