The old chestnut that folks from Dallas and Fort Worth just don’t mix was put to the test with the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Kick-Off Concert Series with Faith Hill. Like a dysfunctional family gathering for Thanksgiving dinner, the party promised all the action of a “them” vs. “us” dust-up at Fort Worth’s Bass Hall.
More than a few Dallas gents demonstrated their lack of Fort Worth savvy by showing up in business suits at the McDavid Hall reception. Direct mail maven Hal Brierley, wearing a dark suit and a navy and gold power tie, looked like he was headed to a board meeting. But soon the Brooks Brothers look blended nicely into the big crowd of men in open shirts, window-pane sports jackets, and cowboy boots. The ladies, however, were decked out in de rigueur leathers and platform stilettos.
Halfway through the reception, VIPs such as Lori and Jerry Jones Jr., Charlotte and Shy Anderson, Marianne and Roger Staubach, and Rosie and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief began disappearing like wrinkles on a plastic surgeon’s wife. They’d been summoned to the Bass for a meet-and-greet with Faith herself. Their escape was aided by a little-known tunnel that connects the McDavid to the Bass. As he was led through the tunnel, Mayor Mike admitted that even he had never ventured through that tunnel before.
Then it was concert time, with the warm-up team of FOX Sports’ Joe Buck and Troy Aikman trading quips like old pros. “Jerry once said I looked good in the shower,” Troy joked. “That’s why they drafted you,” Joe replied.
The boys then introduced the NTSB XLV version of Faith’s hit “This Kiss,” with a video of off-key performances by Staubach, Dirk Nowitzki, Nolan Ryan, Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck, and many others. Tony Romo took top honors for his all-out assault on our cochlea. He must have taken singing lessons from an old girlfriend. Roger the Dodger later confessed that when one of his daughters called Tony’s performance “pretty good,” Rog quipped, “Are you kidding me?” Do we hear a quarterback controversy brewing?
Luckily Faith was in fine voice and ended the evening on a pleasant note. She even managed to get those suits from Dallas to loosen up a bit.
