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Super Bowl Security; Super Bet

Aired January 30, 2004 - 15:13   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Nowadays, Super Sunday means super security. NFL officials are working with federal, state and local authorities to ensure that some 70,000 fans at the game are safe. And, of course, there's bigger numbers than that, because there's all kinds of hangers-on stuff.
But Mike Brooks is here to tell us a little bit about the precautions.

Of course, good security is best kept secret, in some respects. But, in general terms, first of all, what's your sense? When you talk to people, how they doing?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I just spoke from Robert Hurst from the Houston Police Department just a short time ago.

He said they are ready. They're trying to take a proactive approach. Now, there are 24 different police agencies involved, federal, state and local. Houston is the lead agency. They started their planning over a year ago. They were at the Super Bowl in San Diego, took a look at what they were doing, started their planning now.

And so they're ready. They said that they're ready for any contingencies. They won't say exactly what kind of things they're going to be doing. But they have been on high alert since 9/11, Miles, due to their port there and the petrochemical plants, the refineries. They won't say exactly what kind of planning they're doing. But I can tell you that the Coast Guard is going to have extra patrols, I hear from sources, outside on the water there at the port. They are one of the 24 agencies involved.

O'BRIEN: I would think, regardless of the Super Bowl, those refineries there would be a tempting target for terrorists.

I assume they have a big fat no-fly zone over the city.

BROOKS: There's a no-fly zone. There's 12-hour window in which they'll shut it down and then open it back up. And I've also been told by sources that there will be combat air patrols by the Air Force flying around there.

So, if there's any general aviation, low flying, they'll probably be intercepted by Black Hawk helicopters. Anything outside of that they see coming into the zone will be intercepted by the combat air patrols. O'BRIEN: You almost have the sense that this has just become part of the fabric, part of the woodwork, if you will. And when you start thinking that way, of course, complacency creeps in. How are all of the security guys avoiding that?

BROOKS: Well, I think, because we're just coming off of an orange alert, law enforcement there, they're anything but complacent, talking to Mr. Hurst. And he said they are ready. They make sure they're not complacent, because there's a lot of things going on outside of the stadium in the city. And they're concerned about that, also, because, again, a very tempting target.

Last night, they had Super Bash. They had over 200,000 people. They said they probably would have had more, but the weather wasn't that good, only six arrests, basically for public order kind of things, drinking in public, disorderly conduct. Tonight, over the weekend, they're planning over 500,000, should the weather hold up.

O'BRIEN: Well, that's pretty good arrest record.

And the Jacksonville police there are there learning for next year. Houston had gone to San Diego. So this is becoming a thing where you have to go to city

(CROSSTALK)

BROOKS: Exactly.

You go to the spot before to see what they're doing, best practices. Take it back to your agency and maybe you can do something better than the agency before you did.

O'BRIEN: Let's hope for a safe Sunday.

BROOKS: Absolutely. Thanks, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.

All right, there will be plenty of wagering going on this weekend, some legal, some otherwise. Don't tell Mr. Brooks. He might have to tell some of his friends. You'll get in trouble.

But a few fans stand to possibly do as well as Page Long. Believe it or not, the Carolina fan actually put 100 bucks on the Panthers before the season, when they were 100-1 longshots to win the Super Bowls.

Mr. Long joins us now.

Congratulations, sir. You feel like a soothsayer?

Oh, thanks very much.

PAGE LONG, BET ON PANTHERS: I just basically placed the wager last June. My sister-in-law actually placed it. And I knew they had a good defense, good special teams. And they got a lot of heart, all the way from the top of the organization on down.

I mean, you know, so, Jerry Richardson, he gave everybody, all the full-time employees got tickets to the Super Bowl. And I don't know many owners that do that. So great organization.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this, though. When you put that bet down, did you tell a lot of people that you did that? And, if so, what was their reaction?

LONG: They thought I was crazy, because they were 100-1 odds. But I knew they had a good enough team to make the playoffs. And once you get into a playoff, anything is possible.

O'BRIEN: Yes. And what did you see in this team, though, seriously that others could not see? Or were you just being a good fan?

LONG: Well, partly being a good fan. And last year, they were second in the league in overall defense. And they got a lot of heart. Sam Mills and Mark Fields are helping drive this team this year. And I think they're going to get it done on Sunday.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. What about the Panthers fans? Are they as rabid as other fans are?

LONG: Not really. We've got a lot of class here in Charlotte. We're not quite as rabid as the Philly fans or the ones up in New York. But, you know, we got pretty good fans here.

O'BRIEN: So, in other words, when you say rabid, you think that's a bad thing? What you're saying is, you're a class act there?

LONG: Oh, yes, only, we support our team, we get behind them and do the yelling and screaming, like everything else, minus the bad stuff.

O'BRIEN: All right, let me ask you one thing. Is there any point spread or is it just a Super Bowl victory? Does that do it?

LONG: They've got to win it straight out. It's all or nothing for me. I feel great. I feel like they're going to do it. I got a chance to win a free 10,000 bucks, is the way I see it.

O'BRIEN: And what are you going to do with the money, if you win?

LONG: I'm probably going to give my wife a little bit. And my sister-in-law, I made a pre-bet agreement with her that I had to give her $1,000, and probably blow a couple thousand out in Vegas, if I'm lucky.

O'BRIEN: I think you just went through your money right there.

LONG: Yes, it's all gone.

O'BRIEN: Listen, you going to be watching it at home this weekend?

LONG: Yes, more than likely at home with my family.

O'BRIEN: All right, well, enjoy the game, Page Long, who put 100 bucks down and stands to win $10,000.

LONG: Go Panthers.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: Go Panthers. Well, good luck, sir.

LONG: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Take care. 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 30, 2004 - 15:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Nowadays, Super Sunday means super security. NFL officials are working with federal, state and local authorities to ensure that some 70,000 fans at the game are safe. And, of course, there's bigger numbers than that, because there's all kinds of hangers-on stuff.
But Mike Brooks is here to tell us a little bit about the precautions.

Of course, good security is best kept secret, in some respects. But, in general terms, first of all, what's your sense? When you talk to people, how they doing?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I just spoke from Robert Hurst from the Houston Police Department just a short time ago.

He said they are ready. They're trying to take a proactive approach. Now, there are 24 different police agencies involved, federal, state and local. Houston is the lead agency. They started their planning over a year ago. They were at the Super Bowl in San Diego, took a look at what they were doing, started their planning now.

And so they're ready. They said that they're ready for any contingencies. They won't say exactly what kind of things they're going to be doing. But they have been on high alert since 9/11, Miles, due to their port there and the petrochemical plants, the refineries. They won't say exactly what kind of planning they're doing. But I can tell you that the Coast Guard is going to have extra patrols, I hear from sources, outside on the water there at the port. They are one of the 24 agencies involved.

O'BRIEN: I would think, regardless of the Super Bowl, those refineries there would be a tempting target for terrorists.

I assume they have a big fat no-fly zone over the city.

BROOKS: There's a no-fly zone. There's 12-hour window in which they'll shut it down and then open it back up. And I've also been told by sources that there will be combat air patrols by the Air Force flying around there.

So, if there's any general aviation, low flying, they'll probably be intercepted by Black Hawk helicopters. Anything outside of that they see coming into the zone will be intercepted by the combat air patrols. O'BRIEN: You almost have the sense that this has just become part of the fabric, part of the woodwork, if you will. And when you start thinking that way, of course, complacency creeps in. How are all of the security guys avoiding that?

BROOKS: Well, I think, because we're just coming off of an orange alert, law enforcement there, they're anything but complacent, talking to Mr. Hurst. And he said they are ready. They make sure they're not complacent, because there's a lot of things going on outside of the stadium in the city. And they're concerned about that, also, because, again, a very tempting target.

Last night, they had Super Bash. They had over 200,000 people. They said they probably would have had more, but the weather wasn't that good, only six arrests, basically for public order kind of things, drinking in public, disorderly conduct. Tonight, over the weekend, they're planning over 500,000, should the weather hold up.

O'BRIEN: Well, that's pretty good arrest record.

And the Jacksonville police there are there learning for next year. Houston had gone to San Diego. So this is becoming a thing where you have to go to city

(CROSSTALK)

BROOKS: Exactly.

You go to the spot before to see what they're doing, best practices. Take it back to your agency and maybe you can do something better than the agency before you did.

O'BRIEN: Let's hope for a safe Sunday.

BROOKS: Absolutely. Thanks, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.

All right, there will be plenty of wagering going on this weekend, some legal, some otherwise. Don't tell Mr. Brooks. He might have to tell some of his friends. You'll get in trouble.

But a few fans stand to possibly do as well as Page Long. Believe it or not, the Carolina fan actually put 100 bucks on the Panthers before the season, when they were 100-1 longshots to win the Super Bowls.

Mr. Long joins us now.

Congratulations, sir. You feel like a soothsayer?

Oh, thanks very much.

PAGE LONG, BET ON PANTHERS: I just basically placed the wager last June. My sister-in-law actually placed it. And I knew they had a good defense, good special teams. And they got a lot of heart, all the way from the top of the organization on down.

I mean, you know, so, Jerry Richardson, he gave everybody, all the full-time employees got tickets to the Super Bowl. And I don't know many owners that do that. So great organization.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this, though. When you put that bet down, did you tell a lot of people that you did that? And, if so, what was their reaction?

LONG: They thought I was crazy, because they were 100-1 odds. But I knew they had a good enough team to make the playoffs. And once you get into a playoff, anything is possible.

O'BRIEN: Yes. And what did you see in this team, though, seriously that others could not see? Or were you just being a good fan?

LONG: Well, partly being a good fan. And last year, they were second in the league in overall defense. And they got a lot of heart. Sam Mills and Mark Fields are helping drive this team this year. And I think they're going to get it done on Sunday.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. What about the Panthers fans? Are they as rabid as other fans are?

LONG: Not really. We've got a lot of class here in Charlotte. We're not quite as rabid as the Philly fans or the ones up in New York. But, you know, we got pretty good fans here.

O'BRIEN: So, in other words, when you say rabid, you think that's a bad thing? What you're saying is, you're a class act there?

LONG: Oh, yes, only, we support our team, we get behind them and do the yelling and screaming, like everything else, minus the bad stuff.

O'BRIEN: All right, let me ask you one thing. Is there any point spread or is it just a Super Bowl victory? Does that do it?

LONG: They've got to win it straight out. It's all or nothing for me. I feel great. I feel like they're going to do it. I got a chance to win a free 10,000 bucks, is the way I see it.

O'BRIEN: And what are you going to do with the money, if you win?

LONG: I'm probably going to give my wife a little bit. And my sister-in-law, I made a pre-bet agreement with her that I had to give her $1,000, and probably blow a couple thousand out in Vegas, if I'm lucky.

O'BRIEN: I think you just went through your money right there.

LONG: Yes, it's all gone.

O'BRIEN: Listen, you going to be watching it at home this weekend?

LONG: Yes, more than likely at home with my family.

O'BRIEN: All right, well, enjoy the game, Page Long, who put 100 bucks down and stands to win $10,000.

LONG: Go Panthers.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: Go Panthers. Well, good luck, sir.

LONG: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Take care. 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