36 Years Ago Today, Rice Stadium: They Don't Make Super Bowls Like That Anymore

That's right -- Super Bowl madness in the middle of that cushy neighborhood. Hard to believe.

But check out the first two minutes or so of the above video to get a taste of what the Super Bowl was like back then: Players getting off non-luxury buses in the middle of fans, a pregame ceremony that seems to consist chiefly of releasing some balloons, and the godawful Astroturf of the time, which looks like a cheap floormat.

The game itself was an incredibly boring 24-7 Miami win over Minnesota.

The big controversy of the week came from the practice facilities. Minnesota was assigned to HISD's Delmar Stadium, and head coach Bud Grant labeled it a "junior high" facility with only three working showerheads. The NFL fined him for his remarks.

Anyway, it's hard to imagine the bloated circus that is today's Super Bowl being played at Rice, although it'd be nice to stroll from the Ginger Man to the stadium.