Super Bowl XXXVII

Superbowl 37, otherwise known as Super Bowl XXXVII, otherwise known as the Pirate Bowl, featured the pirate-themed teams of the Buccaneers and the Raiders. Super Bowl XXXVII was held on January 26, 2003 at the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The NFC Champion, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers played the AFC champion, the Oakland Raiders. Super Bowl XXXVII attendance was 67,603, the third-smallest attendance ever, behind Super Bowl I and Super Bowl XXVI.

The Super Bowl XXXVII Game Review

Super Bowl XXXVII odds stated the prediction that the four-point favorite Raiders would prevail. However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had heavy defense and dominated the game, scoring more points in 3 out of 4 quarters. The final score was 48 to 21. The Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon threw five interceptions in one day, a Super Bowl record, three of which were caught and then returned for touchdowns. The Super Bowl MVP was awarded to safety Dexter Jackson who had two of the interceptions. Part of the pre-game drama centered around the fact that Jon Gruden had been the Raiders' head coach from 1998 to 2001 and then switched to the Buccaneers in 2002. Thus, sports fans remarked that it was Gruden's old team vs. his new team. The Raiders had also traded the rights to Gruden to the Buccaneers in exchange for draft picks and 8 million dollars. The Buccaneers however wanted a coach that would be able to rebuild their offense that would help their strong defense. Super Bowl XXXVII score predictions favored the Raiders to win the game for the first time in 19 years. However, many underestimated Gruden's intimate knowledge of the Raiders, which played a major factor in the win. Revenge is a pirate's game. While Super Bowl XXXVII predictions may have proven inaccurate, no one can deny the show was one of the best games played in a long time.

Super Bowl XXXVII Entertainment

The Super Bowl 37 game opened with a show called “Santana And Friends”, in which Carlos Santana, Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Branch sang “Oye Como Va”, “The Game Of Love” and “Foo Foo.” Celine Dion sang “God Bless America” and the Dixie Chicks sung the national anthem shortly before the Super Bowl XXXVII kickoff started. The coin toss was tended to by members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins including Don Shula, Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Larry Little, Jim Langer, Nick Buoniconti and Paul Warfield. The halftime show and Super Bowl XXXVII saw Shania Twain, No Doubt and Sting performing, while Bon Jovi performed for the post-game ceremony.

Some of the most popular merchandise sold was the Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII t shirt with the Super Bowl XXXVII logo, as well as Super Bowl 37 game shots and Super Bowl XXXVII photos. Super Bowl XXXVII pictures are still available online as our facts and fun about the Super Bowl 37 Buccaneers triumph. Superbowl XXXVII will long be remembered as a pirate's day in the sun.