From staff reports
The State News
He's been to all but one Pittsburgh playoff game this year, and had a large banner made in honor of Bettis.
On Sunday, the fan from New Jersey held back tears as he explained his love for the Steelers, which led him to pay $3,400 for a ticket to the game at Detroit's Ford Field.
"You're not going to meet a bigger fan. I cried four times today," Cicolella said. "Words can't describe where I'm at right now."
He's just one of thousands who traveled to Detroit — many from Pittsburgh and Seattle — to root for their team in professional football's biggest game.
Steelers fans dominate downtown
Hours before kickoff, energetic fans packed the streets outside Ford Field, battling frigid temperatures and fierce winds to wait in lines for bars, restaurants and the game itself.
Whether it was right outside the stadium or a few blocks away on bustling Woodward Avenue, one thing was sure — Steelers fans dominated the crowd.
"Pittsburgh has such a big following," said Michelle Minemyer, a Steelers season ticket holder from Johnstown, Penn. "They have a long history and dedicated fans."
From Steelers sombreros and cowboy boots to fake beards imitating Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh fans donned their team's colors, turning Detroit into a temporary sea of black and gold.
For every Seattle Seahawks fan, there seemed to be 10 Steelers fans who used the sight of a Seahawks jersey as an invitation to chant and heckle.
But Seahawks fans weren't ready to concede.
"We're very loyal and excited," said David Jones, a Seattle resident who painted his face in the Seahawks' blue and green colors. "Steelers fans have been rowdy, but so have we."
State troopers put in long hours
In an empty warehouse next to the Ambassador Bridge, more than 120 Michigan State Police troopers met before heading downtown for a long, cold Super Bowl Sunday.
After a quick bite to eat, the troopers split off to control the thousands of pedestrians and cars that made their way to and from the big game.
The troopers had been in Detroit since last Monday, working 14 to 16 hours a day directing traffic and keeping the peace as crowds grew larger throughout the week.
Before troopers Jesse Harper and Bob Wolf stepped out into the intersection of Congress Avenue and Randolph Street, traffic was slow and backed up. But when the two troopers went to work, cars and pedestrians soon were easing their way toward Ford Field.
"I figured there were so many police here, it would go smoothly," Harper said.
The biggest complaint Harper said he heard from visitors was the lack of taxis and public transportation. One man even offered Harper $200 to give him a ride, which he declined.
While Connecticut resident Wayne Holland said he was upset he couldn't get too close to the stadium because of a safety perimeter, Jim Nadeau said he was pleased with the security presence.
"They're doing a great job with the city," said Nadeau, a Massachusetts resident. "(There are) a lot of police to control the crime."
Parties continue on game day
Detroit catered to the needs of the high-rollers, the VIPs and the everyday football fans before the big game.
The parking lot on the corner of Brush and Macomb streets — about five blocks south of Ford Field — was headquarters for a Steelers tailgate organized by www.stillers.com, a Steelers fan Web site — spelled to match the Pittsburgh accent.
Tailgater Melanie West, 34, of Pittsburgh said she has been a Steelers fan her whole life and expects nearly 150 people to show up for the pregame party.
Although Steelers enthusiasts overwhelmingly outnumbered the Seahawks faithful, Seattle fans still "hawked it up," holding their own exclusive party at the Steel bar on the corner of Brush Street and Gratiot Avenue. The party was sponsored by the Seahawks Booster Club.
"The nice thing is, the irony of the Steel bar hosting the Seahawks," said 34-year-old Seattle resident Jim Stull. "We came to Motown to hawk the house."
The Renaissance Center, 400 Renaissance Ctr., provided a much more laid-back environment.
"I heard everything was happening at the Renaissance Center," said John McKeown, while lounging at Bar One on the building's second floor.
The 36-year-old Villanova, Penn. resident has been to nine Super Bowls and said he wished he could have seen more of the city.
"Aside from the weather, Detroit is right up there with other Super Bowl hosts," McKeown said. "There's lots to do here and it's bigger than Jacksonville (the host of last year's Super Bowl.)"
Detroit's downtown provided a diverse setting for fans and fellow revelers to gather and celebrate, although those with a limited budget had limited options to experience Detroit's bar scene.
Seattle fans few, but proud
Destiny Spitzenberg and her boyfriend Brady Murray said they were warned before flying in that Detroit was dangerous, but after a few days in the city, they found it wasn't as unfriendly as they were told.
"People are so friendly, so nice," Spitzenberg said.
The Seattle couple and Seahawks fans spent part of their afternoon shopping for Super Bowl souvenirs in downtown Detroit's Greektown.
Murray said he was so happy about the weekend that he made an "I (heart) Detroit" poster for the game, and the couple said they plan to return to Detroit in the future.
Across the street from Greektown Casino, artist Kyle Holbrook drew caricatures of more than 500 people throughout the weekend. Holbrook, a muralist from Pittsburgh, traveled to Detroit to make some cash and watch the game on TV with his cousin.
Holbrook said he made $700, but only in donations.
"I'm not allowed to charge," he said.
Sunday in the park
In Campus Martius Park, tents and food booths stocked with elephant ears seemed better fit for a summer fair, but the frigid February weather was anything but balmy. Still, people bundled in hats and scarves weren't deterred.
The mood in Detroit has taken a positive swing during the Super Bowl festivities, said Detroit resident Debora Copeland.
She said she was surprised when people asked her to photograph them in the downtown area.
"That's almost unheard of in Detroit," Copeland said.
Situated among hulking skyscrapers, hundreds of people skated on an ice rink in the afternoon hours before the game.
"Everybody is out having fun," said Walt Barnes, 21, a Campus Martius Park employee. "The only thing is I'm working and can't enjoy it."
One of the area's biggest attractions was a 28-foot-tall snow slide.
The 220-foot-long slide took a week and 1,600 tons of snow to build, said the hill's creator, Andre Ducas, of Montreal.
Carole Metsker, 41, of Royal Oak waited more than two hours for her daughter to ride an inner tube down the man-made slope, but 9-year-old Meghan Metsker said the wait was worth it.
"It was really fun and bumpy," she said. "I liked when they pushed me off because it's the steepest part and you go really, really fast."
And Ford Field wasn't the only home to a football game, as visitors assumed the role of an NFL quarterback at one of the many interactive games in the downtown area.
Pittsburgh native Lauren Crister played the game Sunday before the Super Bowl kicked off.
"I love football and so does my family," Crister said. "Detroit's been wonderful just walking around."
Staffwriters Angela Bianchi, Corinne DeVries, Melissa Domsic, Steve Highfield, Holly Klaft, Lindsay Machak, Ryan McCormick, Fredricka Paul and Gabrielle Russon contributed to this report.
