PLATTSBURGH — The Super Bowl is more than a game to die-hard fans in the area.
And today's big game will have fans of the New England Patriots and New York Giants on the edge of their seats.
Ed Cahill, 50, of Peru, said if the Patriots lose, he won't be going to work Monday.
"I can't face Giants fans. I would have to hide out for at least a day."
Cahill has been a Patriots fan all his life. He even got a tattoo 20 years ago with the team's former logo.
And he always makes of point of seeing his team play live.
"I go to two games a year," he said.
William Hill, 34, of Plattsburgh also enjoys live games.
He attended six Patriots games this year.
Some area fans have been rooting for their favorite football teams for decades.
Kevin Jennette, 58, of Plattsburgh has been a Giants fan since he was about 9 years old.
"My father was a Giants fan," he said.
Dennis Lefebvre, 59, of Plattsburgh began supporting the Giants at a young age.
"I think it was just everybody in the neighborhood. We're all Giants fans and Yankees fans and we kind of stayed with it. I still know a lot of people that I grew up with (in Plattsburgh) that are still Giants fans."
Bob Meconi, 59, has been an enthusiastic Patriots fan since he was a kid.
"I don't miss a game unless I'm dead," Meconi said.
Local Patriots fans still remember their team's painful loss four years ago after an undefeated season when the Giants beat the Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII.
"All Patriots fans will always live with the lingering memory of us getting beat by them when we were undefeated. It still hurts to this day no matter what happens," Meconi said.
"I can't put up with the way I felt the last time they lost to them," Cahill said.
Patriots and Giants fans alike are somewhat surprised the Giants made it to football's biggest game of the season.
"I didn't think they (the Giants) would make the Super Bowl this year," Meconi said.
Rick Lamberton, 56, of Plattsburgh agreed.
"I didn't even think they'd make the playoffs."
Lamberton is relying on the Giants' strong defense line and wide receivers — the team's biggest strengths in his opinion — to secure the win.
The Patriots' tight ends and star quarterback, Tom Brady, could present a challenge, though, Lamberton said.
Meconi said he thinks the Patriots will win, but the game could go either way.
"Any time you have Tom Brady, the Patriots can win a game," Meconi said. "But on the flip side is the Giants' defensive linemen are so talented and so athletic that it's going to be hard to beat them off.
"I think it's going to be a real close game."
FAVORITE THINGS
Most fans have a reason behind their passion for the sport.
"I know the game pretty well. It's a great sport. The players are total athletes and it's amazing to see what they can do and to see their abilities. And I just love the strategy," Lefebvre said.
"The anticipation of a good game" is Cahill's favorite thing about football. And it's especially fun to watch a close game, he said. "It's exciting."
Despite Meconi's love of the game itself, his favorite thing about the Super Bowl is the TV commercials.
"Basically what happens in my house is the men pretty much stay in the living room area, a lot of women stay in the kitchen area because we have a TV in there too, and there's a lot of noise that goes on during the playing of the game itself, but when the commercials come on everybody has to be absolutely silent. It's a rule."
PARTIES
Super Bowl parties have become a part of American football culture.
Meconi's family started a Super Bowl party tradition years ago.
"There's about 16 family and friends that come over, which is fun when the Patriots and the Giants play because they're either Giants or Patriots fans, with the exception of one, who is a Baltimore Ravens fan."
At Meconi's party, "My wife always serves pulled pork sandwiches. That's her thing."
Everyone always brings a dish to share and to top off the meal, a "Super Bowl Sundae" is served in a dish shaped like a football helmet.
Cahill is having 15 friends over to watch the Super Bowl. Most of them are Patriots fans, he said.
MEMORABILIA
Avid sports fans often collect a lot of team souvenirs and memorabilia.
With all the Giants clothing he owns, Jennette could almost assemble an entire outfit.
"I have a blue corduroy jacket, I have sweatshirts, T-shirts and about nine different hats if not more, underwear and socks."
"Every time my kids buy me stuff it's either Red Sox or Patriots," Cahill said.
"I have jerseys and hats and all kinds of stuff," Hill said.
No matter what colors adorn the jerseys of fans, they all seem to have one thing in common this year.
"I just hope it's a good game," Lamberton said.
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