Caruso: The Super Bowl Belongs In South Florida

Super Bowl XLIV will take place this coming Sunday, February 7 as the New Orleans Saints face off against the Indianapolis Colts in Miami, Florida. In honor of the network and the venue, CBS star and Miami denizen David Caruso (CSI: Miami‘s Horatio Caine) penned a story for the official Super Bowl game programme.

Caruso described his history and appreciation for football and the city of Miami. “It started when I was 14 years old and watched the [New York] Jets triumph over the [Baltimore] Colts in Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl,” he told NFL.com. “To me, it’s one of the greatest games ever played.” The Orange Bowl stadium has since been demolished, but Caruso has memories from another Miami football venue: the Sun Life Stadium (also known as Dolphin Stadium). Since it was built, the Sun Life Stadium has hosted five Super Bowl games—including this year’s Super Bowl XLIV.

“[I]n 2007, I had the good fortune to attend Super Bowl XLI, held at Dolphin Stadium, when the [Indianapolis] Colts beat the [Chicago] Bears,” Caruso continued. “This year marks the 10th Super Bowl in Miami, and it’s with good reason the game keeps coming back. The weather, the scenery, the culture, and the nightlife create an electric setting that’s perfect for such a big event. In this humble taxpayer’s opinion, the Super Bowl belongs in South Florida.”

The actor also related a story about himself and Miami co-star Adam Rodriguez (Eric Delko) that took place in the Sun Life Stadium after Super Bowl XLI. “No matter your age, I think we can all agree that the Super Bowl brings out the kid in us,” Caruso shared. “So, with the sincere intent of embarrassing my good friend and CSI: Miami cast-mate Adam Rodriguez, I want to share with you a truly giddy, adolescent moment that I believe is the fantasy of all Americans.”

The day after the Colts won the Super Bowl, Caruso and Rodriguez did an interview in the end zone at Dolphin Stadium. “While waiting to go on the air, Adam and I embarrassed ourselves by publicly reenacting moments from the game,” Caruso explained. “Equipped with an invisible football and our imaginations, we became 6-year-olds all over again.”

“After some nervous looks from the crew, we finally settled down and returned to reality,” he continued. “But it had happened—a small miracle, a tiny sliver of the great tradition was beneath our feet and now in our souls. We had been on the field where the Super Bowl had just been played, astride on the same turf where the great gridiron masters perform and where history is carved out.”