Don Crisman, one of the last Never Miss A Super Bowl Club members, ranks his top memories
KENNEBUNK, Maine — When Don Crisman takes his seat in section 220, in the front row and near the goal line of Allegiant Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday, his role in the Never Miss A Super Bowl Club streak will continue for a 58th year.
Crisman, a Kennebunk resident, will leave Wednesday for his annual trip to the Super Bowl with longtime "Super" friends, Tommy Henschel and Gregory Eaton.
This year, the last three remaining members of the "Never Miss a Super Bowl Club" are heading to Las Vegas to see the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
Crisman, 87, still enjoys going to the big game. Both Henschel and Eaton are 82.
"Getting together with the guys is important," Crisman said. "We sip and tell stories of things we did together. Everybody remembers different things about different games, so it's pretty neat."
Crisman, who will also travel to Las Vegas with his daughter, Susan, shared some of his top moments throughout the years.
Don Crisman ranks his top Super Bowl moments
Off the bat, Crisman mentioned two Super Bowls the New England Patriots were involved in as being among his favorites.
One was Super Bowl XX in New Orleans, where the Patriots lost to the Chicago Bears, 46-10, in 1986. It was the first time Crisman's favorite team had reached the Super Bowl. Crisman's second favorite was New England's epic 31-28 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI in 2017 in Houston.
Another moment Crisman puts in his top five was actually not the game itself, it was when he was part of a TV commercial for Visa that first aired in October 2010 prior to Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
"When we did that commercial, Visa said we want (you guys) to tour a bunch of TV and radio stations with John Elway, and it was supposed to be all four of us," Crisman said. "But there was a wicked snowstorm in Dallas. People couldn't get in and flights were delayed, but somehow I got there."
Turns out, Crisman was the only one who showed up, and off he was with Elway driving around in a limousine.
"It was a neat day, spent a half a day with him," Crisman said.
Crisman said Super Bowl III — between Joe Namath and the New York Jets against the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts in 1969 — was another highlight.
"In the whole scheme of things, Super Bowl III has to stand out for me and for most people I know," Crisman said. "Namath and company were like 16- or 18-point underdogs and they pulled that off. A 16-7 win over the mighty Colts.
"Of course, I was a big Patriots fan, I was an AFL fan, but I really didn't expect to see a win so early in the series," Crisman continued. "So that's in my top-five, somewhere, and Super Bowl IV, the year after, is right behind it."
In Super Bowl IV, Kansas City beat the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in Miami.
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Meeting a club member and valet parking at a diner
Crisman, Henschel and Eaton were at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami in Denver's 34-19 win over the Atlanta Falcons in 1999. The Super Bowl XXXIII program had a story on Crisman, Henschel and Eaton, but also mentioned another fan — Larry Jacobsohn from San Fransisco — who had been to all the Super Bowls.
"During the year we invited (Jacobsohn) to join us (the following Super Bowl)," Crisman said.
The four agreed to meet next year in Atlanta for Super Bowl XXXIV, and the four planned to have lunch at The Buckhead Diner ahead of that year's game between the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans in 2000.
"We were meeting for the first time, and we decided to have lunch at Buckhead Diner," Crisman said. "That's the only diner I've been to that had valet parking."
To make the visit even better, seated across from Crisman and his group was Lamar Hunt, the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, his wife and another couple. Hunt came over and talked to Crisman and his friends.
"It was so neat to have him come sit at our table and talk about the history," Crisman said.
What are Crisman's favorite Super Bowl locations?
The Super Bowl has been played in 15 different cities, with Las Vegas becoming the 16th this year. They are Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Tampa, Phoenix, San Diego, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Jacksonville, Dallas-Fort Worth, Indianapolis and the New York metro area.
"I've always liked San Diego," he said. "I've always liked Miami. I also liked Jacksonville, they had one year, and have never gone back."
The not-so-favorites? Crisman points to New Orleans, which has hosted the game 10 times, and Los Angeles.
Hitting the streets of Las Vegas
While it's the first time the NFL will play the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, it's the first time Crisman will be back in the area since around 1999. when he was there for work when he was in telecommunications as a sales manager.
"People tell me I won't recognize (Las Vegas) today," Crisman said. "In some ways I'm looking forward to it, and in other ways I think it might be (too much) hustle bustle for me. I don't move as well as I once did, but I'm looking forward to it."
Crisman trio will be busy sharing their story
Crisman said he and the remaining two members of the Never Miss A Super Bowl Club typically makes the rounds on "Radio Row" each year, going on various radio stations from across the country and sharing their stories. "Radio Row" will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center this year.
"We end up bopping around there and do some TV and radio interviews," Crisman said.
Crisman, Henschel and Eaton will have their own press conference at one of the hotels on Friday at noon, and will appear at the "Taste of the NFL" fund-raiser on Saturday night.
"We're pretty well committed," Crisman said.
Super Bowl 58 and beyond ...
Although Crisman has said multiple times a given year was going to be his last Super Bowl, he has always ultimately changed his mind. He said he truly believes this one will be his last.
"Some of these stadiums you have to get a wheelchair and get wheeled in, I think it's time," Crisman said. "It's also getting ridiculously expensive."
But what if Crisman's beloved Patriots make it back to the Super Bowl in a year or two?
"Well, that might complicate things," Crisman joked. "I don't see it in the next two years, I hope I'm wrong."
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Super Bowls with the Patriots, and without
The Patriots have played in a record 11 Super Bowls, winning six.
Crisman talked about the difference in watching the Super Bowl with the Patriots playing and when they are not in the game.
"It's actually more stressful when your team is in it, unless you've got a heavy bet, " Crisman said. "I'm uptight because there's so much on the line for my team."
Who will take home the Lombardi Trophy this season?
Though it wasn't the matchup he wanted to see on the big stage as the playoffs were going on, Crisman believes the 49ers will take home their sixth Lombardi Trophy this year, tying the Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl championships.
"I'm in favor of the (49ers), I've had enough of the Chiefs," Crisman said.
Crisman predicts a 49ers' 24-17 win with running back Christian McCaffery taking home the MVP honors.
"He's a talent, he's a hard runner," Crisman said. "If (McCaffrey) has a good day, I think they can prevail."
This is not the matchup Crisman wanted to see. He was rooting for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, two organizations that have never played in the Super Bowl.
"That was my dream Super Bowl," he said.
Can Mahomes catch Tom Brady?
If the Chiefs were to win, it would be the third for Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he tries to catch Tom Brady's record of seven titles.
Can Mahomes ultimately catch Brady?
"I think he's young enough," Crisman said. "I see some people online already comparing him to Brady, and I think it's a little early."
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Never Miss A Super Bowl Club's Don Crisman ranks top games, cities
