Area residents ready for Super Bowl

Friends Marvin Birt and Ky Coleman might agree on most things — but not on this year’s Super Bowl.

Today’s match up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints have them rooting for opposing teams.

“I’m going for the Saints this year,” Coleman said. “I have family in New Orleans, and they are excited.”

Birt, however, says it’s the Colts going all the way this year.

“Growing up I’ve always gone for the Colts; me and my family have always liked them,” he said.

The big game may have created a friendly rivalry between the two, but they said it’s all part of the yearly tradition.

“We’re planning a party just because it’s a tradition,” Coleman said. “We’ll have snacks and see people scream about bogus calls from the refs.”

Other Colts and Saints fans have been flocking to athletic stores to snag jerseys, hats and other gear before the big game — or to place an order for sweatshirts from the winning team.

Renee Zirnhead, assistant manager of Legend’s Sporting Goods in the Jacksonville Mall, said that the store has been quickly running out of team items for the past several weeks.

“There’s been quite a lot of people coming for both, but I’ve seen more of a demand for Saints than Colts,” she said. “But that all could change depending on who wins.”

Rachelle Ehni, manager of Aussie Outfitters in the mall, said that some shelves have been emptied.

“Our hats and other knick-knacks are already gone,” Ehni said. “People will be here buying up until Sunday. Right now the Saints are already pulling ahead.”

Ehni said that, like many of the customers who have stopped by the store, she wants the Saints to have their history making win this year.

“Personally, I’m going for the Saints more because it’s the first time for them,” she said. “The Colts have already been there and they’re good.”

Even local sports bars like Dukenfield’s Tavern and Spanky’s Sports Bar and Grill are expecting to see a split between patrons. Dukenfield’s owner Melissa Peck said that she was still looking forward to having a full house today and celebrating no matter which team comes out on top.

“I’m pulling for the Colts, but everyone else is pulling for the Saints,” Peck said.

It’s no secret that Michelle Tully and her mother Joanne Pulley are Colts fans. The two were browsing through the Jacksonville Mall on Friday sporting matching Colts jerseys.

Pulley, who traveled from Martinsville, Ind., to visit her daughter here, said it has become an ongoing tradition for the two to dress head-to-toe in Colts gear. Since they found out that the Colts were heading back to the Super Bowl, they have been eagerly awaiting the big day. Friday they decided to do some last-minute shopping for their party.

“We do this all through the season, and we probably have about 20 jerseys at home,” Tully said. “It’s a family affair, so we all sit down and watch it together.”

Tully said that she and her husband James have decorated their Camp Lejeune home with banners and blue and white icicle lights that have been hanging since Christmas. They even dedicated a room to the team and have bought enough Colts clothing for their four children to wear for a few weeks.

“My two boys have been wearing Colts stuff to school every day,” Tully said.

Tully and Pulley said that despite their love for the Colts, they were still proud of the Saints for making it to the Super Bowl this year.

“If they don’t win, we’ll still be happy for the Saints,” Pulley said. “They worked really hard and they deserve to be there.”

Contact Aniesa Holmes at 910-219-8473 or aholmes@freedomenc.com.

  The Super Bowl will kick off Sunday at 6:25 p.m. on CBS.