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CNN Live Saturday

Super Bowl XXXVII Gets Under Way This Weekend

Aired January 25, 2003 - 16:20   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Super Bowl XXXVII. Our Josie Karp is in San Diego for the game, and she joins us live. How's it looking out there in San Diego, Josie?
JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I think you can tell, it looks pretty good, at least from our position here on Harbor Island. The boats behind me in the bay, you might be able to make them out, they are positioning themselves for a big fireworks display that is supposed to take place tonight. The fans getting ready for the game, and so, too, are the players. They'll have a final walk-through today over at Qualcomm Stadium.

One of those players, Tampa Bay wide receiver Joe Jurevicius is not as flashy as his teammate Keyshawn Johnson and he is certainly not as well known as Oakland wide receiver Jerry Rice. But this week, Joe Jeravicius has distinguished himself nonetheless. No player involved in the game has had to balance the sport and life as much as this 28- year-old has.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARP (voice-over): Some day, long after Super Bowl XXXVII is history, Joe Jeravicius plans to tell his first-born child all about it.

JOE JUREVICIUS, FOOTBALL PLAYER: My son will be able to look back on this down the road and I think be pretty excited.

KARP: Jurevicius and his son, after all, have so much to do with why the Buccaneers are here in the first place. Born three weeks premature, as Tampa prepared for the NFC championship game, Michael Jurevicius is still in the hospital. His father stayed at his side, but returned to his team in time for the game, and then made the key 71-yard reception that sent Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl for the first time. It was his only catch of the game, and the one that mattered most.

JUREVICIUS: My son's a fighter and he's giving me inspiration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see he was kind of worn out, kind of tired, kind of mentally drained of all the events going on this last week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he made that play, I can assure you that all the guys on the sidelines and everybody that was involved and knew the issues, you know, that was a big moment for him. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was set about 65 yards down the field. I'm running all the way down the field to give him a high five. You know, and he was like -- he was like, are you all right? I said, no, are you all right?

JERAVICIUS: I think it was a release. I don't think there's any doubt about it. I mean, it just felt good to get out on the football field and be able to make a play.

KARP: Here in San Diego, the wide receiver's thoughts are divided. He's focused on the game, and his son back in Tampa. The player's dream this weekend, to win a title. The father's dream? To see his baby released from Tampa General.

JERAVICIUS: You know, I've heard it's going to be a while, and, I mean, I'm hoping that if I call up after I'm done here, that he's got his bags packed and is ready to go home, but we're prepared for the long haul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARP: And this is actually the second time that Jurevicius has gone to the Super Bowl and the second time his wife Megan (ph) hasn't been able to go with him. She wasn't able to go two years ago when he was a member of the New York Giants. And she's obviously back in Tampa this weekend with their son Michael. But Jurevicius has said he's going to go home with plenty of home videos, and this time just maybe with that championship that eluded him two years ago -- Carol.

LIN: And well deserved. All right, we're rooting for him. Thanks, Josie.

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 - 16:20   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Super Bowl XXXVII. Our Josie Karp is in San Diego for the game, and she joins us live. How's it looking out there in San Diego, Josie?
JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I think you can tell, it looks pretty good, at least from our position here on Harbor Island. The boats behind me in the bay, you might be able to make them out, they are positioning themselves for a big fireworks display that is supposed to take place tonight. The fans getting ready for the game, and so, too, are the players. They'll have a final walk-through today over at Qualcomm Stadium.

One of those players, Tampa Bay wide receiver Joe Jurevicius is not as flashy as his teammate Keyshawn Johnson and he is certainly not as well known as Oakland wide receiver Jerry Rice. But this week, Joe Jeravicius has distinguished himself nonetheless. No player involved in the game has had to balance the sport and life as much as this 28- year-old has.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARP (voice-over): Some day, long after Super Bowl XXXVII is history, Joe Jeravicius plans to tell his first-born child all about it.

JOE JUREVICIUS, FOOTBALL PLAYER: My son will be able to look back on this down the road and I think be pretty excited.

KARP: Jurevicius and his son, after all, have so much to do with why the Buccaneers are here in the first place. Born three weeks premature, as Tampa prepared for the NFC championship game, Michael Jurevicius is still in the hospital. His father stayed at his side, but returned to his team in time for the game, and then made the key 71-yard reception that sent Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl for the first time. It was his only catch of the game, and the one that mattered most.

JUREVICIUS: My son's a fighter and he's giving me inspiration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see he was kind of worn out, kind of tired, kind of mentally drained of all the events going on this last week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he made that play, I can assure you that all the guys on the sidelines and everybody that was involved and knew the issues, you know, that was a big moment for him. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was set about 65 yards down the field. I'm running all the way down the field to give him a high five. You know, and he was like -- he was like, are you all right? I said, no, are you all right?

JERAVICIUS: I think it was a release. I don't think there's any doubt about it. I mean, it just felt good to get out on the football field and be able to make a play.

KARP: Here in San Diego, the wide receiver's thoughts are divided. He's focused on the game, and his son back in Tampa. The player's dream this weekend, to win a title. The father's dream? To see his baby released from Tampa General.

JERAVICIUS: You know, I've heard it's going to be a while, and, I mean, I'm hoping that if I call up after I'm done here, that he's got his bags packed and is ready to go home, but we're prepared for the long haul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARP: And this is actually the second time that Jurevicius has gone to the Super Bowl and the second time his wife Megan (ph) hasn't been able to go with him. She wasn't able to go two years ago when he was a member of the New York Giants. And she's obviously back in Tampa this weekend with their son Michael. But Jurevicius has said he's going to go home with plenty of home videos, and this time just maybe with that championship that eluded him two years ago -- Carol.

LIN: And well deserved. All right, we're rooting for him. Thanks, Josie.

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