Coral Gables gets its share of the Super Bowl spotlight

By Mario Artecona

South Florida, host city to more Super Bowls than anywhere else in America, yet again extended its welcome to the world for Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium, where the New Orleans Saints won the NFL championship with a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Feb. 7.

Leading up to game day, many municipalities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties hosted concerts, street fairs and other special events to help our region put its best foot forward and show the nation and the estimated 75,000 Super Bowl visitors that there is no better place than South Florida in the dead of winter.

Our own City Beautiful has not been excluded from the festivities, starting with the football-themed Super Art in the Park on Friday, Jan. 29, at Ponce Circle. And during Super Bowl week, sports stars and celebrities took to the links at the famed Biltmore Golf Course, where two of the largest and most important charity tournaments took place.

The 2010 Hall of Fame Players Classic, played yearly in the host city, was held Thursday, Feb. 4. The tournament features some of the National Football League’s most famous players of the past, most of whom have been inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

This year’s participants included former Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese and former Dolphins Larry Little, Dwight Stephenson and Nick Buoniconti.

The tournament, a four-man scramble, featured a hall of famer and three amateurs in every foursome. Money raised went to area charities.

Other footballers included Jan Stenerud, Ted Hendricks, Carl Eller, Anthony Muñoz, Jack Youngblood and Mel Renfro, as well as Pittsburgh Steelers legend, former wide receiver Lynn Swann.

On Super Bowl Friday, Feb. 5, the Biltmore hosted yet another celebrity tournament, the Fourth Annual Jimmy Johnson/Nick Lachey Celebrity Skins Classic.

Mr. Johnson, a four-time and defending NASCAR champion, and Mr. Lachey, an actor and entertainer, teamed up to bring together dozens of sports celebrities in a charity fundraiser. The format, a “skins game,” takes the winner of each hole and allows the celebrity on the winning team to choose the beneficiary charity.

The Miami Dolphins Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Miami, the United Way of Cincinnati and many other worthy charities benefited from the day of golf.

Among the celebrities who took part in the tournament were NFL current and former greats Jerry Rice, Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Jason Sehorn, Matt Ryan, Darryl Talley, Tahani Jones and Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. Also participating were 2004 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Raymer, LPGA star and Miami native Cristie Kerr, as well many Major League Baseball stars.

The Biltmore Golf Course was in magnificent condition for both these events, and Mother Nature, although threatening at times, cooperated and let the golfers enjoy great Florida winter temperatures. The high winds made the play a bit more challenging, but a good time was had by all, and many charities benefited from the festivities.

Contact golf blogger Mario Artecona at gablesgolf@gmail.com