THE SUPER BOWL CHASING FOOTBALL IMMORTALITY MATT DOEDEN
INTRODUCTION THE BIG GAME he quarterback takes the snap and drops back to pass Flashes light up the I stands as the fans snap photos The sound of cheering is almost deafening The clock ticks down 5 4 3 Defenders crash through the line and converge on the quarterback He spins out of a tackle turns and heaves the ball toward the end zone More than 100 million people watch on TV as the ball sails through the air Everything rides on one play An entire National Football League NFL season comes down to this the Super Bowl It's the biggest game of the pro football season and arguably the biggest sporting event of the year Since its modest beginnings in the late 1960s the Super Bowl has become something larger than a championship game It has become a cultural institution an unofficial national holiday and a game that unites fans and nonfans alike And it all started with one simple question Which football team is the best in the world Facing page Jets fly over Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara California before the start of Super Bowl 50 on 2016 February 7
