Louis Montez relocated to Colorado from Texas nearly two decades ago. But he still roots for the Dallas Cowboys.
“I’ve always been a Cowboys fan,” says the native of the Lone Star state. “I just couldn’t let go of my team.”
When Montez and his wife settle in to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday — along with more than 90 million other viewers — they will sit among collectible Dallas Cowboys jerseys, photographs, Wheaties boxes and player figurines.
Their family room is always ready for a Super Bowl party, but millions of other people outfit their homes just for the big game. Twice as many new televisions were expected to be purchased in anticipation of the Super Bowl this year as last year, and around 30 percent of the viewing audience will use a computer or cellphone to check stats or banter with fellow fans, according to research from the National Retail Federation and the Consumer Electronics Association.
“When we decided to redo the family room,” Montez says, “my wife agreed to let me do (it) in the Cowboy flavor.”
Besides the silver star cutout in the center of his navy blue carpet, Montez’s other prized fan possessions include a painted portrait of former running back Tony Dorsett and a Troy Aikman jersey framed with an autographed photo. The room is a great place to “get fans and friends together who like the same team, so we can root for them, (take) joy in winning and cry if they lose,” he says.
But since the Cowboys were knocked out of the playoffs by the Super Bowl-bound New York Giants, Louis and his wife, Linda, are planning a quiet Sunday night with their poodles, Emmitt and Tanner. (Linda put the kibosh on both dogs having Cowboys-related names.)
Meanwhile in Thornton, just as they do every weekend during football season, Ruby Haynes and her son, Jerry, will watch the game together. She’s a Denver Broncos fan who has been collecting team memorabilia for many of her 84 years.
Haynes has so much Broncos stuff that she had to move the collection out of the family room and into a room of its own. It “used to be a library but there’s nothing in it but Broncos stuff now,” she says of the 11-by-11-foot area where every available space is taken up by about two dozen Broncos hats, more than a dozen bobblehead dolls, more than a dozen jerseys and innumerable posters, banners, pompoms, toys, clothes and photos.
Three of her favorite pieces are her autographed John Elway football, another ball autographed by Al Wilson, and her “Bronco Brick,” a gift from her kids that was once part of the old Mile High Stadium.
And how will Haynes spend Super Sunday?
“We just have a little snack bar,” she says. “Just snacks and dips for Jerry and me, no big meals.”
Longtime Best Buy “Blue Shirt” Rocky Defalco says he will spend the days leading up to Super Sunday outfitting homes with high-definition televisions, HD DVD players, wireless speakers and other surround-sound components. One last key for the ultimate football-viewing room: a universal remote control.
“When you get into the HD world, you’ve got more and more components,” Defalco says. But with a universal remote “you can just hit one button … (and) it makes things extremely easy for a beginner.”
Elana Ashanti Jefferson: 303-954-1957 or ejefferson@denverpost.com
Prep your cave for super viewing
Retired football star Tony Siragusa believes guys need a place to call their own. Siragusa — The Goose — has teamed up with DIY Network host Jason Cameron to offer ideas and tips for creating the ultimate guy’s hangout as part of the show “Man Caves,” which airs on Wednesdays. His do-it-yourself team provides a few ideas for throwing the ultimate Super Bowl party.
TELEVISION
Make sure your man cave has the ultimate television viewing area set up for the big game. An HDTV with surround sound is best, and our favorite is the 60-inch flat panel plasma/LCD TV (available for $5,000 and up at Best Buy).
Money saving tip: Electronics stores tend to have post-holiday sales. Check stores for special deals on home theater equipment in the weeks and days leading up to the game.
Money saving tip: Most cable companies offer DVR for less than $10 a month. Call your cable company before the Super Bowl to order DVR. That way, you won’t have to wait for the network to do an instant replay — you can decide what plays you want to see again and when. DVR is also great for anyone who tunes in just for the commercials.
SEATING
The game will have your guests on the edge of their seats — better make sure everyone has one! Comfortable seating is essential. Our ultimate choice is the Sharper Image Massage Chair (from $799.95).
Money-saving tip: Transfer kitchen chairs and bar stools into your Super Bowl party room the morning of the game.
Money saving tip: If it is absolutely impossible to get enough chairs for each guest, round up as many pillows as possible to make the floor more inviting. Also, don’t be embarrassed to ask your friends to bring along extra folding chairs and tables. It’s Super Bowl Sunday, not a dinner party.
FOOD
Party-snacking standards like buffalo wings, pizza, chips and a wide range of dips never disappoint. Basic is always better — leave the fancy fixings behind and go for snacks that are meaty and messy. Our favorites include Goose’s Barbeque ribs, sausages, pulled pork and more ().
Money saving tip: Put together a list of food you’ll need, and divvy it up among your guests.
