One Year Ago: Super Bowl Sunday
One year ago on Super Bowl Sunday, all of Chatham-Kent was on the edge of their seat watching Wallaceburg’s Shaun Suisham kick for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
Although Suisham and the Steelers eventually lost the big game to the Green Bay Packers, the event brought the entire Chatham-Kent sports community together, and put Wallaceburg on the national stage.
Thousands of Wallaceburg residents crowded sports bars and huddled around TV’s at house parties, the gymnasium at Wallaceburg District Secondary School brought television networks in to see Suisham’s alma mater celebrate his successes, and people erected Suisham monuments in store windows and on their front lawns to show support.
It was a galvanizing moment for Chatham-Kent and Wallaceburg. Suisham kicked a 33-yard field goal and hit two point after conversions in the loss, but the moment was a proud one for Suisham’s hometown.
This season, the team’s are different and there is no local flavour to the big game, but Super Bowl Sunday will undoubtedly hold some incredible memories for the citizens of Wallaceburg.
I must say, the Super Bowl does not have the same draw this year for me. Following Shaun Suisham last season was so exciting, especially to have it culminate in his Super Bowl appearance. Hopefully, we will get that chance to see him again in the big game. His presence really stirred up his home town!