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Touchdown Pittsburgh with Aer Lingus

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And for the weekend that’s in it our friends at Ireland’s national airline carrier are proud to announce it’s touchdown Pittsburgh with Aer Lingus.

It’s green for go for Aer Lingus and the pride of Pittsburgh, the Steelers, who have entered into a four-year partnership.

With the Pennsylvanians pencilling in a first, a regular season NFL game in Ireland later this year.

At Croke Park, the home of Ireland’s Gaelic Games.

Steel yourself

Team of all talents: Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh, who share the record number of Super Bowl titles of six with the New England Patriots, have long-held contacts with Ireland.

Through the Steelers’ founding family, the Irish-American Rooneys.

They came over from the Oul Country in the 1840s.

Now we’ve been trailing the Steelers and Ireland connection and drive to host a regular season match in Ireland.

Which, of course, will bring the famous Steeler Nation over in their droves… and all on Aer Lingus planes.

Rooney Rools

Susanne Carberry, Aer Lingus Chief Customer Officer is looking forward to laying out the green carpet.

She said: ‘As an airline that connects people, places and possibilities, we eagerly anticipate welcoming many Steelers supporters.

‘As they travel to Ireland to cheer on their team and to explore Europe.’

Steelers President Art Rooney II is no stranger to the land of his forebears.

And he said: ‘The opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in Ireland is truly special.

‘Not only because of the Rooney family history there, but also to play in front of the growing number of Steelers fans in Ireland.’

Philadelphia, who will be carrying the flag for Pennsylvania on Sunday.

With the Eagles facing the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis and Taylor et al, has long been on the Aer Lingus radar.

With flights to the City of Brotherly Love one of 24 North American routes.

From Dublin, Shannon and Manchester, bolstered by new destinations in Nashville and Indianapolis.

The City of the Andys

Of course, as much as we want to show Pittsburghians around Dublin’s Fair City.

We’re also keen having spent time with them in Ireland to get out there too.

To the city of the handy Andys… where Warhol and where Carnegie’s footprint is huge.

It should, of course, come as little surprise that Ireland should have been chosen for the Gridiron expansion.

With Aer Lingus having been a proud supporter of College Football since 2016.

Aer receivers

When the first-ever Aer Lingus College Football Classic took place and which we have been fortunate enough to attend ourselves.

Since 2022, the event – held on Week Zero of the College Football calendar – has been a regular fixture at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Bringing teams and supporters from across America to Ireland.

In 2027, the University of Pittsburgh’s Pitt Panthers will be the home team taking on rivals Wisconsin in an exciting matchup.

So as the Super Bowl whets your appetite on Sunday.

Just think it will be Touchdown Pittsburgh with Aer Lingus in Dublin for later in the year.

America, Countries, Deals, Sport

Taylor, Travis and Sports Vegas

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They used to come for the boxing now Neon City is box office for all sports as we all tune in to watch Taylor, Travis and Sports Vegas.

For Swifties everywhere tonight’s match-up is all about their favourite girl and her beau Mr Kelce.

Who they’ll tell you has a very tight end.

Vegas, in many ways is the natural location for the Super Bowl.

Even if it is hosting the world’s biggest annual showpiece for the first time.

Because Vegas brings showbiz and sport together like nowhere else.

Push Cassidy

And how we love to take in both on our travels.

Which our friends at Cassidy Travel know only too well.

CT run a range of American sports offers with gridiron fans already over enjoying the 49ers and Chiefs in Vegas.

Now knowing too that each of us have our own gridiron team and favourite destinations they have us covered there.

With packages to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vegas, Chicago and Tennessee.

Patriots Games

All with their own merits while our own favourites New England are there too.

With the likes of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Dallas and Seattle.

And old new friends in Pittsburgh who honoured us with our very own Steelers ‘terrible towel’.

In Irish green rather than Steelers yellow… for their visit to the recent Meet the Media travel get-together in Dublin.

Big shots

But for the day that’s in it and because we left our own sporting mark on Neon City.

At Topgolf range shooting towards the skyline…

And then firing at Chucky targets at Machine Guns Vegas.

The big shots, of course, this weekend are on the gridiron.

With Taylor, Travis and Sports Vegas.

America, Countries, Sport

The home Rangers are on top of the baseball world

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They’ll be breaking out the Shiner Bock beer down Arlington, Texas way… the home Rangers are on top of the baseball world.

And for the first time too as the Texas Rangers, who play their games in the greater Dallas/Fort Worth conurbation, at last emerged.

From the two-time winning Houston Astros‘ shadow.

To win their first world series with a romp against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

And most importantly keep the World Series in Texas.

The South Rises

Now, those of who see Texas as a football state would be right.

With the storied Dallas Cowboys having lifted the SuperBowl five times… never mind the religion that is college football.

But there has been a geographical switch in American sport in recent years.

With Southern states challenging and bursting down the door of northern dominance in baseball and ice hockey.

The Lone State back-to-back World Series victories come after Atlanta Braves beat the Astros in another all-southern showdown.

Ice one

And heck when the South rises again in ice hockey when there’s never any ice in the sunny states then you know that the world is turning on its axis.

Texas’s own Dallas Stars have been recent Stanley Cup finalists while Tampa Bay Lightning have made three of the last four finals.

And Florida Panthers got to this year’s final only to be beaten by the Vegas Golden Knights, a snub to the north with Sin City being deep in the West.

Which only leaves basketball as the outlier with the San Antonio Spurs who went through their tricks for us this summer in Alamo City..

The Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks carrying the hoop dreams of the state.

The Homer Star State

All of which tour around the world of Texan sport drives home how games are central to the Texan experience.

So that when you get out there take in a game, any game.

Get down to Arlington where the home Rangers are on top of the baseball world.

Watch the rodeo or have a go yourself.

Countries

SuperRiRi Bowl

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And for the day that’s in it a celebration of half-time shows which we will name for this year the SuperRiRi Bowl.

But while it is now the hottest ticket in showbiz for an entertainer it wasn’t ever thus.

With marching bands, magic card tricksters and Elvis Presley impersonators then the order of the day.

Who back in 1979 entertained the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys at the Miami Orange Bowl.

We’ll get onto the superstars in due course but a shout-out for now for the likes of Dominican cadence-lypso group.

Super Bowl Thriller

Super Bowl went on a run of musical themes over the Eighties and early Nineties.

Punctuated only by the likes of New Kids on the Block and Gloria Estefan.

The turning point came 30 years ago when the biggest star of his day (or for many any day) Michael Jackson rocked up.

It was a moment frozen in time, literally, as MJ held a statue pose for 30 seconds at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena in California.

Before blowing the audience away with his set.

And long after the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills in the final we’re still talking about Jacko’s show.

As with most things in music where Michael led the rest followed.

Chain Reaction

His great friend Diana Ross headlined in Tempe, Arizona.

Before we entered the era of multiple acts for the 1997 showpiece in New Orleans.

Where we were treated to the Blues Brothers, ZZ Top and James Brown.

Super Bowl was in full swing by now and they celebrated 40 years of Motown in style in 1998 in San Diego.

With Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, and the Temptations getting everybody up on their feet.

Gloria was back the following year alongside Stevie Wonder to sing out the Millennium.

A new Millennium

The 2002 iteration back in New Orleans was always going to be challenging in the wake of the previous year’s 9/11.

For many the Noughties were the high point of the halftime shows.

With Paul McCartney (Jacksonville), The Rolling Stones (Detroit), Prince (Miami) and Bruce Springsteen (Tampa) overshadowing for many the actual sport.

For others it was the last decade with The Who (Miami again), Madonna (Indianapolis), Beyoncé (New Orleans), Bruno Mars (New Jersey), Katy Perry (Phoenix) and Lady Gaga (Houston).

From J-Lo to Ri-Ri

This decade has seen a concentration on R&B, Dance and Hip-Hop.

With Shakira and J-Lo heralding in the Twenties in Miami before The Weeknd put on a spectacular set up the road in Tampa.

Last year in LA saw a feast of rap if that’s the collective term with Dr Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar leaving us all wanting more.

That more tonight comes in the shape of our favourite Caribbean queen.

Enjoy your SuperRiRi Bowl.

America, Countries, Europe, Ireland, Sport, UK

Touchdown LA

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The eyes of the world will be on the Super Bowl tomorrow so let’s play a little game of stadium spotting… and Touchdown LA.

The magnificent SoFi Stadium is led-lighted up like a Christmas Tree so the world can see it from the air.

And while we, of course, always look out of our windows for iconic landmarks, us sporty types also target sports stadiums.

LA is my Playday

Los Angeles: Now the first thing that we look out for when we fly into the City of Angels is the Hollywood sign.

Alas it is not so easily spotted up there in the hills meaning SoFi monopolises your view.

You can, of course, rectify that with a 8.8km walking trip up to the Griffith Observatory.

As long as you didn’t sit yourself down next to a passenger who was sick into her bag, gave it to you and passed on a 24-hour bug.

London calling

London: With 22 football grounds in the English capital you’d think you’d have a choice of viewing from the air.

You can see a good bunch of them, Wembley, the Emirates, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Stamford Bridge and the Thameside Craven Cottage.

More surprising is the ground outside of the capital in Watford.

And its red and yellow seats… very Harry Potter which is pertinent seeing you can visit Harry’s world there.

As the Hertfordshire town houses the Warner Bros. Studio London.

The other is in LA… and yes, I missed that too because of that passenger’s virus although I will be back, and obvs with Attraction Tickets Direct.

In Dublin’s air city

Dublin: And, of course, Irish sports fans will be converged in Paris today for le rugby et Les Bleus v Les Vertes.

For those of us who visit the Irish capital, or were lucky enough to live there for 13 years you’ll see their marvellous Aviva Stadium.

Which I will again tomorrow… and my heart is leaping.

The Cruyff turn Amsterdam

Bird’s eye view: How Cruyff changed football

Amsterdam: And this is really what they should call the pilot’s move as he flies into Schiphol Airport in Clog City.

The Ajax stadium is named after the Netherlands greatest-ever player after which this move was named.

The late Cruyff was iconic in his white and single red stripe Ajax top and Oranje national shirts.

And if you can board a bouncing train with the Oranje Army down to Rotterdam where Cruyff played latterly then all the better.

The Camp Flew

Barcelona: Cruyff is as big a hero in Barcelona as Amsterdam.

After reviving them as a player with his total football.

And as the architect of Barca’s Tiki-Taka football, taken to new heights in the Catalans Messi-inspired teams of the Noughties and Tweens.

I first saw Barcelona from the cabin of a cruise ship (as you do).

So I saw the city from the air in a helicopter.

I expressed my wonderment to the pilot about the stadium below.

Only for him to tell me that that was the Reserve Team’s ground and that the Camp Nou was coming up.

So if you’re flying into the City of Angels for the Super Bowl.

Or plan to visit in the future look out for the SoFi stadium… because it’s Touchdown LA.

America, Countries, Culture, Sport

My Sporting Weekend – Reagan, The Gipper and the Super Bowl

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Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush will be watching the Super Bowl on a cloud up there shouting ‘One more win for the Gipper’.

Ronnie’s most famous acting role, other than as the 40th President of the USA, was as Notre Dame great George ‘The Gipper’ Gipp in the 1940 film Knucke Rockne, All American.

And like all the best method actors he even took it into his own life off the screen, adopting the persona in his political campaigning.

As we mark Reagan’s birthday today (he would have been 110) we can look forward too to the Super Bowl tomorrow too.

It features the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

And while nobody is saying Ronnie was a Patrick Mahomes nor Tom Brady, he had some American football acumen having turned out as a lineman for Eureka College in his native Illinois.

And like both he boasted Irish heritage.

Ronald Reagan’s Irish heritage remembered in his Library

The Great Communicator made California his home, of course.

And that’s where you’ll find him now, and where everything Reagan related is kept at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. in Simi Valley 40 miles from Downtown Los Angeles.

Keepers of the Reagan flame

Just like Ronnie himself, the keepers of the Reagan flame are charm personified as I soon discovered at the American Travel fair, IPW.

And like the best friends they always stay in touch.

The good folk at the Library have put on a virtual event which does justice to the Great Man, livestreamed on YouTube at 12.30pm Pacific/3.30pm Eastern.

The commemoration includes brief remarks, a three-volley salute, musical entertainment, and the laying of the Presidential Wreath on President Reagan’s gravesite.

A word or two from Ronnie

Of course as it should be Ronnie, his life, achievements (and remember he oversaw an economic boom and helped end the Cold War), and words are to the fore.

His old office: A replica of the Oval Office

True to the wit of the man, the Library has adapted a famous story from his life to mark the 110th in their spiel for the Big Day.

‘President Reagan would have joked that it is the 71st anniversary of his 39th birthday. As President Reagan quipped on his 73rd birthday ”Even though this is the 34th anniversary of my 39th birthday, those numbers don’t faze me at all. I believe Moses was 80 when God first commissioned him for public service. And I also remember something that Thomas Jefferson once said. He said, ”We should never judge a President by his age, only by his works.” And ever since he told me that, I’ve stopped worrying.’

And someone else who fills out the seat of office

Ronnie’s distinguished Vice President and a future President himself, George HW Bush spoke emotionally at the Republic Convention in honour of his great friend in 2004.

When he exorted the audience by saying ‘this time we can truly win one for the Gipper.’

George HW Bush passed away a couple of years ago when I was in his adopted state of Florida.

I saw then the affection then in which he, and ex-Presidents, are held there and across the country.

So tomorrow, whoever wins, let’s here the clarion call: ‘Just one more win for the Gipper.’