Ronnie Lott tried to be normal when walking into the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan in 1982 for Super Bowl XVI.
Thirty-two years later, that’s what Lott stresses to a Seahawks roster that has no Super Bowl experience.
“The best part about the Super Bowl, the first one, you stick with what you did that got you there,” Lott said.
It was the first of four Super Bowl wins for the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame safety. He emphasizes that preparation needs to remain the same. He also repeated what Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said, each equating Super Bowl preparation to getting ready for a college bowl game.
“You go like you’re going on the road, you spend a week like you spend a week like you do at home,” Lott said. “You eat the same cereal you eat every day. You practice the same way, you watch film the same way, then you get ready for the game the same way to play the game of your life.”
He’s aware of the distractions. He watched players at the Super Bowl insist they needed to attend a certain party or meet a particular celebrity. He says the allure of things outside of the game is hard to resist for some.
“It’s unfortunate because every year, every game, there’s always one guy,” Lott said. “‘And they jeopardize the team and they jeopardize everything everybody’s trying to do. Because the Super Bowl is so big, guys get so caught up, guys will forget about team. They will forget about their responsibility just to go see if they can meet one celebrity. Just to see if they can be at the one party.
“You’re not there for that. You’re there to win one game. And, by the way, you win that one game? That one day of your life will change your whole life. The guys who walk around with a championship ring that didn’t play, still get a chance to walk around with a championship ring and tell everybody that they were a champion.”
Ticket, please
A trip to the Super Bowl means players begin hearing from that long-lost second cousin who wants to attend the game.
But, players receive just two free tickets and have to pay face value for the limited number of tickets they are allowed to purchase beyond that.
Rookie like tight end Luke Willson can’t afford to take the financial hit of buying everyone’s tickets. His friends have to pay at least face value.
Veteran Red Bryant will be shelling out some cash for tickets.
“I got a bunch of calls,” Bryant said. “People I haven’t talked to in years. It’s going to be good, though.”
Bryant operates with a deep Texas wisdom that provided a savvy approach to managing the ticket allotment.
“I’m going to let my wife handle that,” Bryant said. “I’m going to do what I do best, get ready for the football game.”
Extra points
The Seahawks fly to New Jersey today and have their first press conference tonight. They are staying less than a mile from the Broncos. … The forecast as of Saturday for Super Bowl Sunday in East Rutherford, NJ, was a high of 37 and a low of 27 with a 60 percent chance of precipitation in the form of a “wintry mix.” … Carroll said there will be no limitations on wide receiver Percy Harvin at the Super Bowl. … Carroll also said he expects linebacker K.J. Wright to start. Wright was a substitute in the NFC championship game, which was his first action in five weeks after breaking a bone in his foot. … Wide receiver Doug Baldwin (hip) was limited in practice all week, but Carroll expects him to be ready for the game.
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