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CNN Saturday Morning News

Super Bowl Prep Crews Race Clock as Kickoff Nears

Aired January 25, 2003 - 09:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: As you probably know, it's more than 32 hours before kickoff in tomorrow's Super Bowl, so it sounds like it's about time to start the pregame, right? Well, the clock is ticking done for the supporting players indeed. Setup crews are scrambling to get things in place for nation's the single most-watched sporting event, which is being held this year in beautiful San Diego.
And that is where we find CNN sports reporter Josie Karp. Gorgeous place to be, isn't it, Josie?

KARP: It is, it's a beautiful morning. And you mentioned this is the most-watched sporting event. It's probably the most talked- about sporting event too, Heidi. But all the talk is almost done. It's just about, as you mentioned, 30-plus hours until they actually get under way and play this game.

Much of the talk this week was centered on one of the coaches, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden, because basically he was traded last February from Oakland, where he was the head coach, to Tampa for two first-round draft picks, two second-round draft picks, and $8 million.

Well, yesterday Gruden and his counterpart, Bill Callahan, got a chance to get their hands on the trophy that the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fighting for. The Vince Lombardi Trophy goes to the winner of the Super Bowl XXXVII.

And yesterday both coaches also had their final press conferences. And Gruden was asked, for probably the last time, whether he thought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to win the game in order for him to justify his high price tag.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON GRUDEN, COACH, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Well, I feel a lot of urgency in coaching. I felt the same urgency when I was at Southeast Missouri State, honestly. I realize this compensation, this trade, and all this business is something that you have to talk about, but I -- you're going to be judged whether you're brought in for a pair of turf shoes or for a draft pick to perform and win games.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: All week long we were sort of waiting for some animosity to bubble up between maybe players from the Oakland team who felt abandoned when Jon Gruden left, or Jon Gruden and Al Davis, but that never really materialized.

And one of the lasting impressions I think a lot of people are going come away from -- from -- with -- with from this Super Bowl is the fact that Jon Gruden and Bill Callahan are such good friends and they have such affection for each other. Affection isn't what we were looking for at the Super Bow, but it's what we got.

Just yesterday, Callahan said basically that Jon Gruden taught him everything he knows about offensive football. That's because when Jon Gruden was in Philadelphia, he brought Bill Callahan into the National Football League. It will be interesting tomorrow to see if -- what Gruden taught Callahan comes back to maybe bite the coach in some way, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Josie Karp, an important and exciting day ahead for you. All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 25, 2003 - 09:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: As you probably know, it's more than 32 hours before kickoff in tomorrow's Super Bowl, so it sounds like it's about time to start the pregame, right? Well, the clock is ticking done for the supporting players indeed. Setup crews are scrambling to get things in place for nation's the single most-watched sporting event, which is being held this year in beautiful San Diego.
And that is where we find CNN sports reporter Josie Karp. Gorgeous place to be, isn't it, Josie?

KARP: It is, it's a beautiful morning. And you mentioned this is the most-watched sporting event. It's probably the most talked- about sporting event too, Heidi. But all the talk is almost done. It's just about, as you mentioned, 30-plus hours until they actually get under way and play this game.

Much of the talk this week was centered on one of the coaches, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden, because basically he was traded last February from Oakland, where he was the head coach, to Tampa for two first-round draft picks, two second-round draft picks, and $8 million.

Well, yesterday Gruden and his counterpart, Bill Callahan, got a chance to get their hands on the trophy that the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fighting for. The Vince Lombardi Trophy goes to the winner of the Super Bowl XXXVII.

And yesterday both coaches also had their final press conferences. And Gruden was asked, for probably the last time, whether he thought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to win the game in order for him to justify his high price tag.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON GRUDEN, COACH, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Well, I feel a lot of urgency in coaching. I felt the same urgency when I was at Southeast Missouri State, honestly. I realize this compensation, this trade, and all this business is something that you have to talk about, but I -- you're going to be judged whether you're brought in for a pair of turf shoes or for a draft pick to perform and win games.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: All week long we were sort of waiting for some animosity to bubble up between maybe players from the Oakland team who felt abandoned when Jon Gruden left, or Jon Gruden and Al Davis, but that never really materialized.

And one of the lasting impressions I think a lot of people are going come away from -- from -- with -- with from this Super Bowl is the fact that Jon Gruden and Bill Callahan are such good friends and they have such affection for each other. Affection isn't what we were looking for at the Super Bow, but it's what we got.

Just yesterday, Callahan said basically that Jon Gruden taught him everything he knows about offensive football. That's because when Jon Gruden was in Philadelphia, he brought Bill Callahan into the National Football League. It will be interesting tomorrow to see if -- what Gruden taught Callahan comes back to maybe bite the coach in some way, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Josie Karp, an important and exciting day ahead for you. All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com