It's Super Bowl Media Day, and Britt Davis stands on the sidelines at Lucas Oil Stadium — the same place he'll be for Sunday's game. Davis has spent the season as a wide receiver for the Patriots, but as a member of the practice squad he has yet to take the field.
Davis has played for three teams in the three seasons since he graduated from Northern Illinois, and while he's thrilled to be part of a Super Bowl team, he admits the experience is somewhat bittersweet. He talked to The Times about the view from the sidelines.
Q: Tell me about the last three seasons.
A: Since I left Northern, I spent a year in New York playing for the Jets, a year in Denver playing for the Broncos, and now I play for New England and am enjoying my time at the Super Bowl.
It's been crazy, it's been a crazy ride, but I look at this situation, and now I'm at the Super Bowl with a great team and a great organization.
Q: What has Super Bowl preparation been like knowing you're here, but won't play on Sunday?
A: It's a different experience for me. I can really soak it in, but at the same point I have a job to do, just like everybody on the team. Everybody has a job to do.
Guys go 10, 12 years and never make it here. It's a blessing and I'm enjoying it.
Q: Have you been contacted by a lot of people from back home?
A: That's like a zoo. Everybody wants tickets. It's hard to tell certain people I just can't do anything, but it's the nature of the beast. Everybody can't go.
You know when it's time to turn off your phone, when it's getting overwhelming. I'm surrounded by good people who know I've got to focus on important things.
Q: What do you say to your college roommates or best friends who just barely don't make the cut?
A: Luckily my college roommate and best friend plays for the Chargers, so I don't have to worry about it.
Q: Who did you give tickets to?
A: I'm giving my tickets to my agent, my best friend from high school and my two uncles.
My agent, I had to have him out here. My best friend, January 28 was his birthday so it was a birthday gift for him. Then my two uncles, they haven't been to any games and this was close enough they could drive.
Q: Is the game still the highlight of the week, even though you know you won't play?
A: It's all the game. There's nothing more important than the game. That's why all this stuff is good, but you have to have balance to be focused.
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