Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

A Football Fan Who Has Been to Every Super Bowl

Aired February 02, 2002 - 08:54   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: Hard to believe it's Super Bowl XXXVI, that's XXXVI, right? Have you seen all of them in person? A story of super fans now, from Lee Goldberg of our CNN affiliate WCSH in New Orleans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEE GOLDBERG, WCSH REPORTER (voice-over): Stan Whitaker and Don Christman are not your typical football fans. In fact, they're two of just four known fans in the entire country who have been to every single Super Bowl.

It started with Super Bowl I when five guys went to the game. Not everybody, though, was able to make it for Super Bowl II.

STAN WHITAKER: The next year, a couple guys got ultimatums, either hunting or Super Bowl, couldn't have both and there was a divorce thrown in. And the next thing you know, the third year, we're down to two of us, so we started taking our wives.

GOLDBERG: Don and his wife Beverly live in Kennebunken (ph), had no idea that this streak would still be going.

BEVERLY CHRISTMAN: When it started, we never dreamed that it was going to end up like this, but it's been special. Our children enjoy seeing their father, you know coming to every game, and the memorabilia that he's collected, and we're very grateful that he's enjoyed good health. We've been truly blessed to be able to come.

GOLDBERG: In 2001, New England Patriots, Super Bowl Champion.

WHITAKER: Let's hope so. Yes, let's hope so. We're hoping that's the way it comes out.

GOLDBERG: Even though the Super Bowl is the biggest spectacle in sports, for Don it's even bigger when the Patriots are in, but it has a down side as well.

WHITAKER: If it's a Super Bowl not involving the patriots, you kind of get over it by the next morning, and you don't really care. But with the Patriots in it, I'm in the doldrums for a few days afterwards, so.

GOLDBERG: Not only does Don have the Super Bowl streak, he also has been to 17 Daytona 500s in a row. So what would it mean for you for the Patriots to win the Super Bowl, and Rick Craven win the Daytona 500 in a two-week span?

WHITAKER: Well that, yes that would be time to quit, I think.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: That was from reporter Lee Goldberg of WCSH in New Orleans.

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