Sports : Seeing America in the Super Bowl

The daughter of an immigrant from Ecuadorwho lived through some difficult times was singing, while a big, strong man wiped a tear from his eye.

To me, when I cover sporting events, I pay as much attention to what’s going on in the stands as I do to what is going on between the white lines (or in basketball season, the black lines).

The Super Bowl is no different.

I watched one of the Pittsburgh Steelers cry while Christina Aguilera sang the National Anthem. That is just one of the uniquely American stories that comes from events like that.

Here’s another: After earning fame in a Visa commercial as being one of four men who has attended every one of the 45 Super Bowls, one of the four missed Sunday’s game.

Robert Cook of Brown Deer, Wis., had to go to the hospital a few days before Super Bowl XLV. He sent his two daughters instead.

Cook's wife, Sarah, told the Associated Press they were packed and ready to go Thursday, but her husband became ill. She said her husband is very depressed, but not just because his streak is over. It hurts more that he won't be able to watch his beloved Packers in the big game. He saw the Packers win the first two Super Bowls. He saw Lombardi and then the presentation of dozens of Lombardi Trophies. Click HERE to see a story about the four men featured in that commercial.