The Southland is home to many outstanding football rivalries. Far too many, in fact, to list here.
But few, if any, are better than Brother Rice vs. Marist, a rivalry the area was deprived of this season for reasons we’ll discuss in a bit.
I’m happy to report that, after a one-year absence, the Pulaski Road Super Bowl will return in 2016, with an encore presentation promised in 2017.
The contract is signed, sealed and delivered by both parties.
Best of all, the game is slated for Week 1. How’s that for kicking off a season?
For every underclassmen in the respective schools’ football program, Christmas has arrived early.
“We’re back in the saddle,” Brother Rice coach Brian Badke said. “I love playing this game, especially in Week 1. This is a game that needs to be played every year.”
Fortunately for thousands of loyal fans, the decision-makers came to their senses and agreed.
Game on.
It’s just too bad seniors such as Brother Rice quarterback Cam Miller, who was a backup last season, were deprived of the experience.
If you recall, the biggest reason the rivalry wasn’t renewed was Marist demanded that when Brother Rice hosted the event, the Crusaders would provide additional seating closer to the field for the RedHawk Rowdies. Marist went as far as offering some financial relief in case Brother Rice agreed to play the role of a pushover — I mean, gracious host — and purchased portable bleachers.
Brother Rice’s response was thanks, but no thanks. While Rice’s visiting bleachers aren’t the most accommodating, it’s what’s commonly referred to in the sporting world as home-field advantage.
Ever been to Lemont’s visitor’s bleachers? Take two steps backward and you’re picking yourself up off the ground in Burr Ridge.
Coincidentally, the lone question regarding the return of the Pulaski Road Super Bowl is where it will be played next season. There’s talk of Soldier Field.
Which sounds like a wonderful idea until you realize what makes this rivalry so special — the passion of the Crusader Crazies and RedHawks Rowdies student sections. Their clever chants and roars of support would get lost in the capacious surroundings of Soldier Field.
I believe this game is better served at the schools’ on-site stadiums, where the intensity can be felt and heard. There’s also the added bonus of the host school enjoying the cash windfall generated by gate receipts and concession stand revenues.
Why allow Soldier Field to reap the rewards of decades-long rivalry?
If the Soldier Field deal doesn’t come to fruition, the teams have agreed that Marist will host next season and Rice in 2017.
“It’s a great game for the community and the schools,” Marist coach Pat Dunne said. “Without a doubt, I’m happy it’s back. It’s a great game to have on our schedule.”
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Beyond the atmosphere in the bleachers, the competition on the field between these two schools is the true definition of a rivalry. Brother Rice leads the series 18-16. The past four meetings, from 2011 to 2014, each school won twice, with the Crusaders boasting a 27-20 win last season.
I recall when the Pulaski Road Super Bowl went through a three-year hiatus from 2008-10. When the game returned to the schedule in 2011, Rice pulled out a thrilling 34-31 win. I’ll never forget the raw emotion of then-Brother Rice coach Steve Nye after the game. The man was a ball of fire.
I don’t ever recall seeing a coach as emotionally charged and overjoyed after a regular-season, nonconference victory.
But that’s the joy, intensity and passion this game exudes from coaches, players and fans.
And with the returning talent both programs boast next season — Marist’s Micah Awodiran and Rice’s Ricky Smalling to name just two — as well as the influx of skill from successful lower-level programs, the Pulaski Road Super Bowl promises thrills the next two seasons.
“We’re excited about it,” said Badke who like Dunne took part in the Pulaski Road Super Bowl as a player. “Our kids will be excited too. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Indeed it is.
Twitter: @disabato