Base fans cheer on Super Bowl teams

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher A. Marasky
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  The New York Giants battled against the New England Patriots for the National Football Championship Feb. 4 in one of the largest televised events of the year, the Super Bowl.
On this side of the world, service members from Kadena Air Base gathered together to join the more than 95 million viewers' worldwide that watched the event. 

"The parties were a big hit," said Col. Marydarlene Morgan, 18th Services Squadron commander. "We had hundreds of people get up early to watch the big game." 

The 18th SVS sponsored a number of events around the base, to include a party at each of the three clubs, a more family atmosphere event at the Shilling community center, a special event at the base Chili's, and even a marathon the previous Saturday at the Risner Fitness Center. 

During many of the events, various prizes were given away, with the larger prizes being handed out during the half-time show. 

"We gave away close to $5,000 in prizes at these various parties," said Colonel Morgan. "Those prizes included an X-Box, recliners and a big screen TV." 

Service members here were surprised by guest visitors during the half-time show at the Rocker NCO Club, as the Denver Bronco's cheerleading team showed up to perform.
On a multi-week USO tour through the area, the cheerleaders were glad to be able to give something back to the troops, while being surprised at the lengths military members go to watch football, said Candice Jones, a Bronco's cheerleader. 

"I think it's awesome to see that people will get up so early in order to watch football," she said. "That was pretty surprising to me." 

As Super Bowl XLII came to a conclusion with the Giants beating the Patriots, 17-14, Ms. Jones reflected upon her trip. 

"It's a big deal to be able to come over here," she said. "We go through our daily lives and don't often realize what's going on all over the world, especially with our fellow Americans and troops. 

"For us, it's a little something we can do to say thank you to the people who are giving so much," she said.