‘Absolutely amazing': Local fans tune into Super Bowl

For Shawn Doherty and his family, Sunday night was their time.

Doherty — a native of Pascagoula, Miss., located about 90 miles east of New Orleans — but now living in Edinburg, has been a Saints fan his whole life.

“I’ve been a fan way too long without a Super Bowl,” said Doherty.

But on Sunday, Doherty, his sons and their friends celebrated their team play their first Super Bowl at Jackson’s All American Sports Grill on North 10th Street in McAllen. In keeping with the Big Easy’s tradition of celebrating, the group had their table decorated in the gold, purple and green of Mardi Gras from the beads and masks scattered throughout the table to the table cloth. Doherty and his family also donned beads.

He and his 17-year-old son Patrick said they’ve received some ribbing from Dallas Cowboys fans throughout the season, but this night was their time to celebrate.

“They don’t understand. They go (to the Super Bowl) all the time,” Shawn Doherty said. “Just because I live here … I can’t change my team.”

Sitting a few feet away, Indianapolis Colts fan and Indiana native Katie Tribbett and her friend Lesley Blackburn were quietly eating their dinner awaiting the start of the game.

“It’s absolutely amazing. I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said Tribbett, who moved from Indiana to McAllen about two months ago.

So far, Tribbett said she has been adjusting well to her new home, especially the warmer weather, but she does miss home a little, especially now that her team is playing in the Super Bowl. But watching them on TV brings some solace.

“It makes me feel closer to them,” said Tribbett, who was wearing a Colts quarterback Peyton Manning jersey.

Tribbett said before the game she’s happy for the Saints’ success thus far, but really feels her team deserves another championship.

“So we can prove everybody wrong,” she said.

Despite not having the Cowboys play, the restaurant received a fair amount of football fans, though it appeared to be dominated by Saints fans. Black and gold balloons were tied to furniture in parts of the restaurant and signs bearing “Who dat?” hung on the walls. But there were a fair number of fans wearing Cowboys and Colts jerseys.

“I think the Super Bowl is one of those games where people are going to watch it” even if their team isn’t playing, said Steven Del Angel, one of the restaurant’s owners.

Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.