HOUSTON, Texas - Sunday's Super Bowl 51 telecast received a higher rating in Hampton Roads than the game did in Boston, Atlanta and every market in the country except three. However, this story focuses more on what we heard in Houston, rather than what we saw.
Former Norfolk Tides play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci calls Super Bowl 51.
If the game-winning touchdown call from Sunday's Patriots victory sounded familiar - it should. Pats play-by-play man Bob Socci spent six-plus seasons doing Norfolk Tides radio broadcasts.
"You're going to be part of an historical comeback on the greatest stage in sports," Socci said to News 3 when explaining his thoughts during New England's incredible comeback.
However, his ties to the Tides are not the only reason he may sound familiar. Just two years before he called the first overtime game in Super Bowl history, Bob was behind the mic for another riveting rally to set-up a finish for the ages: Super Bowl 49.
"Maybe it's going to sink-in in time," Socci guessed when asked what it's like to call not one, but two historical games. "You saw the Patriots driving in overtime and there was a sense of what was at stake. I think it hit me that this was history in the making."
Socci behind the mic for the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history? Yes, that has a nice ring to it. However, it's not the only ring coming to Foxborough.
"Oh my God this is unreal," exclaimed Hannah Plasker.
Patriots video assistant Jared Rita proposed to Hannah Plasker following team's victory in Super Bowl 51.
See, just minutes after the Patriots victory, team video assistant Jared Rita proved Tom Brady is not the only New Englander with flare for the dramatic. Rita proposed to his girlfriend Plasker on the confetti-filled field.
"I had no idea," Plasker admitted.
"I told her when I win a Super Bowl, I`d propose," Rita explained. "But I didn`t really follow through (after the team's victory in Super Bowl 49), so I followed thru the second time around."
However, there almost wasn't a second time around. Why? Because there almost wan'st a Patriots win.
"I had no backup plan," Jared said smiling when asked what he was thinking when New England trailed the Falcons by 25 points in the third quarter.
Rita might not have had a backup plan, but he did have Tom Brady - the greatest quarterback of all-time who's been helping deliver rings for those in the Patriots franchise since 2002.
