Category: Boston and New England

A dragon-bell trombone solo x one million people

A dragon-bell trombone solo x one million people

by Douglas Yeo (December 13, 2025)

I don’t use any form of social media – Facebook, Instagram, and all the rest. I have my reasons for this but I understand that many people find it useful and helpful. Actually, there was a short time in my life when I did use Facebook. That was during the years I was Professor of Trombone at Arizona State University, 2012–2026. At that time, a Facebook page for our trombone studio was a great way to get out the message of what we were doing at ASU. It also was helpful for recruitment, and parents always seemed to enjoy the photos and videos I would post that included their children. But that was it for me and social media – when I retired from ASU, that was the end of my social media engagement.

Now and then, a friend or colleague will reach out to me and let me know that someone posted something about me, and now and then I hear from people who tag me on social media, wondering why I didn’t respond to them. Well, I don’t use social media; I never saw their tag!

Segue: Last week, I (Douglas Yeo) visited my friend, Dana Hofer, who owns Dana Hofer Brass Repair in Des Plaines, Illinois. He is the go to person for brass players in the Chicago area when they need an instrument fixed. Since we moved here in 2018, I’ve made many trips to his shop to get various instruments repaired. He’s a great technician, a decent, honorable, fair-minded person, and runs his business like he cares for and about his customers and their instruments. Because he does.

Earlier this year, I acquired a bell to a 200 year old buccin, a “dragon-bell” trombone made by Jean-Baptiste Tabard in Lyon, France. Tabard was active as a maker in the early nineteenth century and the buccin was popular in French military bands at that time. I’ve written about the buccin on TheLastTrombone. I recorded a video of me playing a buccin by Tabard at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. I’ve also written the entry about the buccin for The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments and several other publications.

The logo of the International Trombone Association, based on a buccin by Tabard owned by New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

And. . . the buccin is the official logo of the International Trombone Association. That logo appears on the plaque I received in 2014 when I received the International Trombone Association’s ITA Award. It hangs on the wall above the desk where I am writing this blog post.

At its founding in 1972, the ITA adopted a stylized buccin logo based on a buccin in the collection of New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where I taught for 27 years when I was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. And the maker of NEC’s buccin? Tabard. So, now I own a buccin that is a cousin to the one at New England Conservatory of Music, and the ITA’s logo has even more meaning to me.

The buccin bell I recently acquired was in very rough shape when it arrived on my doorstep. It was heavily dented, it was missing a brace, another brace had come loose at its flange, and it was covered with two centuries of patina and grime. But I knew that the right person could resurrect it. I asked Dana if he could restore the bell so I could play it. He agreed, and last week, he called and told me it was ready. I went to his shop to pick it up.

I love playing the buccin. I think it’s the coolest trombone ever made. It’s wonky looking and wonky sounding. And because the bell is over your head and not in front of you, you don’t have the bell as a guide to find slide positions. Imagine playing trombone with your eyes closed. That’s how you REALLY get to know the trombone. Playing it is a really fun challenge.

When I dropped the bell off for Dana to restore, I gave him a slide to my other buccin bell by François Sautermeister of Lyon, a slide that had been made for me by Jim Becker (formerly of Osmun Music in the Boston area, now with YAMAHA in New York City). I asked Dana to make a new receiver for that slide so it would fit on my newly acquired Tabard buccin.

Douglas Yeo’s buccin by Jean Baptiste Tabard, Lyon. Bell restored by Dana Hofer. Slide by James Becker after an original at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

When I saw my buccin at Dana’s shop last week, I was absolutely thrilled with his restoration. The dents were gone, a new brace was in place, the centuries of grime had been removed and I had a beautiful instrument in my hands. Here are some “before and after” photos:


Of course, I wanted to play it right away. After tooting a couple of arpeggios – and noticing that it played in A, not B-flat – Dana said, “Hey, let’s make a video for Instagram.” “Sure,” I said. Dana gave his iPhone to Sam Park, who works with Dana at the shop, and Sam took a video of me playing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” It was the first piece I’d ever played on the buccin and that was that.

It was over in 30 seconds. I went home and moved on to some other things.

A little later in the day, Dana texted to say he had posted the video on Instagram and Facebook. If you want to see the video, go to Dana Hofer Brass on Instagram, or Dana Hofer Brass Repair on Facebook. I also put it on my own YouTube channel so I could link the video to this blog post. Here’s the video:

Two hours later, Dana texted me again with a screenshot of his Instagram feed. He wrote:

Just so you know, the Instagram is blowing up. These are pretty high numbers for me.

The video had 13,400 views in two hours. I shook my head. I don’t know how Instagram works, but that seemed wild. Over the course of the week, the numbers kept climbing. Then, this morning, December 13, 2025, Dana texted me with an update and he sent me a message with the screenshot below:

Looks like we might hit 1 million today.

The Instagram feed for Dana Hofer Brass, 11:01 am, December 13, 2025. 997,000 views. Dana Hofer on the left; Douglas Yeo on the right.

Seriously? 997k views? 997,000? Nearly a MILLION views of this video? With 60,800 “likes” and 29,100 shares? I couldn’t believe it. 

Sure enough, the video hit a MILLION views this afternoon. Here’s a screenshot Dana sent when the video hit that milestone:

The Instagram feed for Dana Hofer Brass, 12:56 pm, December 13, 2025. 1 million views.

There you go. 1M. 1 million people have watched me play “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on a two hundred year old buccin. That. Is. Bonkers. You never know when something like this will happen. I was just trying out my new/old trombone. I wasn’t looking for a global audience. I wasn’t planning to play for one million people. And full disclosure: There’s nothing in this for me; there’s no money involved. But I’m thrilled that the buccin has a new audience, and most of all I’m happy for the publicity this has generated for Dana Hofer and his shop. A happy result of this is he’s gained hundreds of new followers for his Instagram and Facebook accounts, and if that results in more people using his services, that’s great news. If you’re in the Chicago area and you need a terrific brass instrument repair person,  Dana Hofer — Dana Hofer Brass Repair — is the person you’ll want to see.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, friends—all 1 million of you—from Dana Hofer, my buccin, and me.

100 years ago today – Rochut, Brahms 1, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra

100 years ago today – Rochut, Brahms 1, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra

by Douglas Yeo (October 9, 2025)

Readers of The Last Trombone know something about the life and work of the French trombonist, trombonist Joannès Rochut, who was principal trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1925–1930. I have written several articles about Rochut—who is best known for his influential books for trombone, Melodious Etudes for Trombone, arranged from the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni—here on The Last Trombone. You can find those articles here:

In addition, I wrote a 70 page article about Rochut’s life and work, “More than Bordogni: The Life, Work, and Influence of Joannès Rochut,” that appeared in the January 2025 International Trombone Association Journal.

Today, October 9, 2025, is the 100th anniversary of the first concert that Joannès Rochut played with the Boston Symphony. Here is the program and the list of orchestra personnel from the concert:

Program for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s opening night concert of October 10, 1925

Boston Symphony Orchestra personnel as printed in the program for the concert of October 9, 1925

Here is a photograph of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, taken in fall 1925. Joannès Rochut is in the back row of the orchestra just in front of the right side of a doorway that’s in the center of the back wall of the stage. To his left are assistant principal trombonist Eugène Adam, second trombonist Lucien Hansotte, bass trombonist Leroy Kenfield, and tubist Paul Sidow.

Boston Symphony Orchestra on stage at Symphony Hall, Boston. Serge Koussevitzky, conductor. Fall, 1925. Courtesy Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

Detail of the photo above. Back row, left to right: Joannès Rochut, Eugène Adam, Lucien Hansotte, Leroy Kenfield, Paul Sidow (tuba)

This anniversary means a little more to me than the fact that I have been fascinated with Rochut’s life and work for over 40 years. That’s because he and I share a connection to our first opening night programs as members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

On October 1, 1985, I played my first opening night concert as bass trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I joined the BSO in May 1985 and played several weeks of the 1985 Boston Pops season and all of the orchestra’s 1985 summer season at Tanglewood. But opening night of each Boston Symphony season was always a special event. As you can see from the program below, Rochut’s first opening night concert with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and mine shared something: we both played Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 on the concert. He was conducted by Serge Koussevitzky; I was conducted by Seiji Ozawa.

Program of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s opening night concert of October 1, 1985

Boston Symphony Orchestra personnel as printed in the program for the concert of October 1, 1985

I don’t have a photograph of the Boston Symphony from my first full season with the orchestra, 1985–1986. But here is the earliest photo I have of the orchestra after I joined, taken in Symphony Hall during the 1987-1988 season.  The trumpets and trombones are along the back wall of the stage (left to right): assistant principal trumpeter Timothy Morrison, second trumpeter Peter Chapman, principal trumpeter Charles Schlueter, principal trombonist Ronald Barron, second trombonist Norman Bolter, bass trombonist Douglas Yeo, and tubist Chester Schmitz.

Boston Symphony Orchestra on stage at Symphony Hall, Boston. Seiji Ozawa, conductor. 1987–1988 season. Courtesy Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

Detail of the photo above. Back row, left to right: Timothy Morrison, Peter Chapman, Charles Schlueter, Ronald Barron, Norman Bolter, Douglas Yeo, Chester Schmitz (tuba).

There you have it. Two opening night Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts, 65 years apart. Both concerts were in Symphony Hall, Boston. One common piece, the Symphony No. 1 in C minor of Johannes Brahms. And two new members of the trombone section, Joannès Rochut and me.

This makes me smile. 

[Header image: The trombone chorale from the 4th movement of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.]

Honoring Joannès Rochut in Paris

Honoring Joannès Rochut in Paris

by Douglas Yeo (September 12, 2025) — Cet article paraît en français ci-dessous.

Trombonists around the world are well acquainted with the life and work of Joannès Rochut (1881–1952). Readers of TheLastTrombone may remember the several articles I wrote about him here:

Since 1928, trombone players have relied on Rochut’s three volumes of Melodious Etudes for Trombone, adapted from the vocalises of Marco Bordogni, as important material for development of legato and expressive styles. In January 2025, the International Trombone Association Journal published its largest issue to date, which included my 70-page article, “More Than Bordogni: The Life, Work, and Influence of Joannès Rochut.” In the course of my research, I connected with Rochut’s great-granddaughter, Julie Rochut. From her home in Paris, Julie generously shared family photographs and information—much of it gleaned from conversations with her father, Bernard, and her uncle, Jean-Jacques—that greatly enriched my work.

The entrance to Bagneux Cemetery, France.

In August 2025, my wife, Patricia, and I traveled to Paris to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. The trip gave me the chance to meet Julie in person and thank her for her invaluable help. As our plans to meet unfolded, we agreed to gather at the final resting place of Joannès Rochut and his wife, Louise, in Bagneux Cemetery, just south of Paris.

Douglas Yeo with members of the Rochut family at Bagneux Cemetery, France. Left to right: Douglas Yeo, Sophie Rochut, Bernard Rochut, Arthur Allouti-Rochut, Inès Allouti-Rochut, Julie Rochut. August 23, 2025.

Benny Sluchin—my friend and colleague and co-recipient along with me of the International Trombone Association’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award—had previously visited the cemetery, photographing Rochut’s grave for my article. Benny joined Patricia and me on our visit, where we were welcomed by several members of the Rochut family: Bernard Rochut (grandson of Joannès), Julie and her sister Sophie (great-granddaughters), and Sophie’s children, Inès and Arthur Allouti-Rochut (great-great-grandchildren).

Commemorative plaque commissioned by Douglas Yeo for the grave of Joannès Rochut (2025).

Ahead of our trip, I commissioned a commemorative plaque for Rochut’s grave to honor his enduring influence. I installed on behalf of the ITA and the Boston Symphony Orchestra; the marker bears the following text:

Joannès Rochut

1881–1952

The International Trombone Association and

Boston Symphony Orchestra honor Joannès Rochut

For his lasting contributions to musical art.

 

L’Association Internationale du Trombone et

l’Orchestre Symphonique de Boston rendent hommage à Joannès Rochut

Pour ses contributions durables à l’art musical.

 

Principal trombonist, Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1925–1930

Arranger, “Melodious Etudes for Trombone,” 1928

Recipient, ITA Legacy Circle Award, 2021

This is the second commemoration of Rochut’s work that appears at his grave. The grave also includes a tribute to Rochut from his colleagues at Radiodifussion-télévision française (R.T.F.), where he served as Régisseur général des Orchestres (general manager) from 1935 until his death in 1952. This beautiful tribute—carved in stone in the shape of an open book—reads:

SOUVENIR

REGIE DES ORCHESTRAS DE LA R.T.F.

(A remembrance from the Management of the Orchestras of the R.T.F.)

 

Tribute to Joannès Rochut by his colleagues at Radiodiffusion-télévision française.

At the gravesite, Bernard Rochut brought forth several photographs of Joannès, a photograph of a valve trombone Rochut had owned, and an eight-page hand-written letter Rochut sent in 1930 to his son, Robert, just before Joannès concluded his tenure with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Joannès Rochut riding motorcycle with his son Robert. Undated photo from Bernard Rochut.

The Rochut family also holds additional music manuscripts in Rochut’s hand which they plan to share with me for possible future publication. These materials will form the basis of a forthcoming update to my earlier article.

Inscription on the grave of Joannès Rochut.

As we look ahead to the 150th anniversary of Rochut’s birth in 2031, it is especially meaningful to see his great-great-grandchildren continuing in his path: Inès (trombone) and Arthur (percussion) are members of the Paris Opera’s first youth orchestra, Apprentissage de l’orchestre. Their love of music reminds us that Rochut’s legacy is not only preserved in print and performance but is also alive in the next generation of musicians who carry his name—and his influence—into the future.

The grave of Joannès and Louise Rochut, Bagneux Cemetery, France.

• • • • •

Honorer Joannès Rochut à Paris

par Douglas Yeo (12 septembre 2025)

Les trombonistes du monde entier connaissent bien la vie et l’œuvre de Joannès Rochut (1881–1952). Les lecteurs de TheLastTrombone se souviendront peut-être des plusieurs articles que j’ai écrits à son sujet:

Depuis 1928, les trombonistes s’appuient sur les trois volumes des Melodious Etudes for Trombone de Rochut, adaptés des vocalises de Marco Bordogni, comme matériel essentiel pour développer le style legato et expressif. En janvier 2025, le International Trombone Association Journal a publié son plus grand numéro à ce jour, comprenant mon article de 70 pages “More Than Bordogni: The life, work, and influence of Joannès Rochut.” Au cours de mes recherches, j’ai établi un lien avec l’arrière-petite-fille de Rochut, Julie Rochut. Depuis son domicile parisien, Julie a généreusement partagé des photographies de famille et des informations—dont une grande partie recueillie lors de conversations avec son père, Bernard, et son oncle, Jean-Jacques—qui ont considérablement enrichi mon travail.

En août 2025, mon épouse Patricia et moi nous sommes rendus à Paris pour célébrer notre 50e anniversaire de mariage. Ce voyage m’a donné l’occasion de rencontrer Julie en personne et de la remercier pour son aide inestimable. Au fil de nos conversations, nous avons convenu de nous rassembler au lieu de repos final de Joannès et de son épouse, Louise, au cimetière de Bagneux, juste au sud de Paris.

Benny Sluchin—mon ami, collègue et co-récipiendaire avec moi du Prix pour Lifetime Achievement Award par l’International Trombone Association en 2024—avait déjà visité le cimetière, photographiant la tombe de Rochut pour mon article. Benny s’est joint à Patricia et moi lors de notre visite, où nous avons été accueillis par plusieurs membres de la famille Rochut: Bernard Rochut (petit-fils de Joannès), Julie et sa sœur Sophie (arrière-petites-filles), et les enfants de Sophie, Inès et Arthur Allouti-Rochut (arrière-arrière-petits-enfants).

Avant notre voyage, j’avais commandé une plaque commémorative pour la tombe de Rochut afin d’honorer son influence durable. Je l’ai installée au nom de l’Association Internationale du Trombone et du Boston Symphony Orchestra ; elle porte l’inscription suivante:

Joannès Rochut

1881–1952

The International Trombone Association and

Boston Symphony Orchestra honor Joannès Rochut

For his lasting contributions to musical art.

 

L’Association Internationale du Trombone et

l’Orchestre Symphonique de Boston rendent hommage à Joannès Rochut

Pour ses contributions durables à l’art musical.

 

Principal trombonist, Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1925–1930

Arranger, “Melodious Etudes for Trombone,” 1928

Recipient, ITA Legacy Circle Award, 2021

Il s’agit de la deuxième commémoration de l’œuvre de Rochut figurant sur sa tombe. Elle comporte également un hommage de ses collègues de la Radiodiffusion-télévision française (R.T.F.), où il fut Régisseur général des Orchestres de 1935 jusqu’à sa mort. Ce bel hommage—gravé dans la pierre en forme de livre ouvert—porte l’inscription:

SOUVENIR

RÉGIE DES ORCHESTRES DE LA R.T.F.

Au cimetière, Bernard Rochut a présenté plusieurs photographies de Joannès, une photo d’un trombone à pistons lui ayant appartenu, ainsi qu’une lettre manuscrite de huit pages que Rochut envoya en 1930 à son fils Robert, juste avant de conclure son mandat avec le Boston Symphony Orchestra.

La famille Rochut conserve également d’autres manuscrits musicaux de sa main qu’elle prévoit de partager avec moi pour une éventuelle publication future. Ces documents formeront la base d’une prochaine mise à jour de mon article précédent.

Alors que nous nous tournons vers le 150e anniversaire de la naissance de Rochut en 2031, il est particulièrement émouvant de voir ses arrière-arrière-petits-enfants marcher dans ses pas: Inès (trombone) et Arthur (percussions) sont membres du premier orchestre de jeunes de l’Opéra de Paris, Apprentissage de l’orchestre. Leur amour de la musique nous rappelle que l’héritage de Rochut ne se conserve pas seulement dans les partitions et les concerts, mais qu’il vit également à travers la nouvelle génération de musiciens qui portent son nom—et son influence—vers l’avenir.

La famille de Robert Rochut, Marseille, France, v. 1942.

Rang arrière: Joannès Rochut, Robert Rochut (fils de Joannès). Rang avant: Jean-Jacques (fils de Robert et Arlette), Arlette (épouse de Robert), Philippe (fils de Robert et Arlette), Louise (épouse de Joannès), Bernard (fils de Robert et Arlette). Collection de la famille Rochut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Super Bowl Sunday!

It’s Super Bowl Sunday!

by Douglas Yeo (February 9, 2025)

It’s that time of year again. The National Football League’s Super Bowl will kick off in a few hours. Millions of people around the world will be watching, whether on television, through a streaming service, or the internet. Even people who are not football fans will be watching. The game is just that big, such a big part of life for so many people. Whether your team is playing (mine isn’t. . .) or not, whether you tune in just to watch the commercials or the halftime show, my guess is most readers of these words will be watching or have watched Super Bowl LIX – Super Bowl 59.

The Super Bowl is one of those unique events—like a World Cup soccer final, or a college football championship final—that is bigger than life. When I was young and living in Valley Stream, New York (just a few miles across the border of Queens, New York City, where I spent the first few years of my life), I remember watching Super Bowl III in January 1969. I was in eighth grade, but I remember the thrill of watching the game (on our family’s black and white television) and seeing our team, the New York Jets win. It was thrilling. I wish I still had my Joe Namath rookie football card. Yup, I had one. But after the Super Bowl III, I took that card and did what all of my friends and I did with all of our football and baseball cards: We got a clothespin and attached them to the back frame of our bicycles to make a fluttering sound. Seriously. I just looked: a Joe Namath rookie football card in near mint/mint condition is selling on eBay right now. For $48,500. I’ll pass. (No pun intended.)

Over the years, I’ve attended three Super Bowls. Each one of them are indelibly imprinted in my memory, historical events in my life that I’ll never forget.

Panoramic photos of Super Bowls XXXVI (New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams), XLIX (New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks), and LIV (Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers).

SUPER BOWL XXXVI – February 3, 20020

I was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1985-2012. In December 2001, we began to hear rumors that the Boston Pops Orchestra—which IS the Boston Symphony Orchestra minus most of the principal players in the BSO—would be playing in the pregame show at Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans on February 3, 2002. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks turned the world upside down, and the next Super Bowl after the attacks was scheduled to be played in New Orleans, with a typical Mardi Gras type theme. 9/11 changed that and the theme of the game was switched to a patriotic theme.

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, was on the NFL’s Super Bowl entertainment committee and he suggested that the Boston Pops—”America’s Orchestra”—be involved in the game. That got set many weeks before any of us in Boston knew that the New England Patriots would actually be playing in the game. 

I told the story of how that all happened in a long article on my website: The New England Patriots and the Boston Pops: A Super Bowl XXXVI Diary, January/February 2002. You can read that article HERE.

Tom Rolfs, Douglas Yeo, and Ronald Barron at Super Bowl XXXVI

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave each member of the orchestra a ticket for the game. Amazing. I sat between two great friends, BSO trumpet player Tom Rolfs (he is now principal trumpet in the orchestra) and Principal trombonist Ronald Barron. 

My view from the end zone at Super Bowl XXXVI.

We were seated in an end zone; little did we know that we would watch the winning field goal come off Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri’s foot and come right to us. Unforgettable.

A framed box of Super Bowl XXXVI highlights.

SUPER BOWL XLIX – February 1, 2015

I retired from the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2012 and when we moved to Arizona, my wife and I became season ticket holders for Arizona Cardinals (and Arizona State University—where I was trombone professor) football. That said, we still followed the Patriots; after all, one does not give up a nearly 30 year fandom overnight. In 2015, the Patriots were in the Super Bowl again, and Super Bowl XLIX was held at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the home of the Arizona Cardinals. Just a 30 minute drive from our home.

Naturally we wanted to go to the game but ticket prices were out of this world. But then, the most unexpected thing happened. A friend in Boston, whose family had many season ticket seats to Patriots football, called and said that their family had two extra tickets. Would I like them? WOULD I LIKE THEM?!?!? YES! This was a remarkable gift, one I could not wholly accept without paying something. My friend didn’t want money for the tickets, but she said her family had supported an Christian ministry in Haiti for many years and if we wanted to make a donation to that group of selfless workers who served the poor, that would be great. So I sent a donation to the ministry and my wife and I went to the game. 

Douglas and Patricia Yeo outside University of Phoenix Stadium before Super Bowl XLIX

Our seats were five rows from the field, right on a goal line. It was WILD to be in the stadium—where we had seen so many Arizona Cardinals football games—and don our old Patriots gear for another game for the first time in several years.

At our seats for Super Bowl XLIX

I had never sat so close to the field for the game and I confess I never thought such a view right next to the end zone would be that interesting. But it was! At one point in the game, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski caught a touchdown at the other side of the end zone. A week later, a photo of that touchdown that showed Pat and me across the end zone appeared in Sports Illustrated.

Rob Gronkowski catching a touchdown at Super Bowl XLIX. Douglas and Patricia Yeo are circled in red, across the end zone. I’m wearing a white baseball hat and Pat is next to me, on my left.

This was a wild, back and forth game. And at the end, the Patriots won in a stunning way, when Malcolm Butler intercepted Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson at the goal line. I wrote about my experience at Super Bowl XLIX and how I apply a very important lesson that was in evidence at the end of that game to my trombone playing and teaching in an article on TheLastTrombone. The article is titled: Stay disciplined: a lesson from Super Bowl XLIX. You can read that article HERE.

Patricia and Douglas Yeo celebrating the end of Super Bowl XLIX.

SUPER BOWL LIV – February 2, 2020

After Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona, the thought of attending another Super Bowl never entered my mind. I had been to two. Another one? I never really thought about it. But I DID go to another Super Bowl. And that is quite a story in itself.

Pat and I moved from Arizona to the Chicago area in 2018 in order to live closer to our grandchildren. One of the first things we did was get Chicago Bears season tickets. New town, new team.

Douglas and Patricia Yeo at Soldier Field, Chicago, September 8, 2024.

In 2019, the Chicago Bears ran a contest. The winner would receive an all-expenses paid trip to Super Bowl LIV in Miami, Florida. The contest was this: Write an essay of 100 words or less on the subject, “Who would you take to the Super Bowl and why?” I wrote an essay about my son-in-law, Chad, who is a hospice chaplain. My essay was exactly 100 words. And I won the contest. Unbelievable.

Douglas Yeo and Chad Leonard on the field at Super Bowl LIV.

Two fans from each of the NFL’s32 teams were given this remarkable experience. Each team decided how to award the two tickets allowed to them. The Bears had a contest. Some teams sent their “fan of the year.” Others had a random drawing. Going to Miami, staying at the Biltmore Hotel, going to the NFL Experience, NFL Honors, and Super Bols LIV was a truly remarkable experience, made all the better because we were with super fans from all teams.

Fans from all 32 NFL teams at the 2020 Super Bowl LIV fan experience. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)

Once again, I found myself seated in the end zone at a Super Bowl, just like I had been at Super Bowl XXXVI. Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey came up to say hello to Chad and me and we watched a memorable game as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers. We witnessed the beginning of the Kansas City Chief’s NFL dynasty as they won their first Super Bowl since they won Super Bowl IV in 1970.

Douglas Yeo, Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey, and Chad Leonard at Super Bowl LIV.

I wrote several posts on TheLastTrombone about this remarkable experience. You can read my article, 100 Words – Super Bowl LIV which tells the story of the contest and has my winning essay HERE. And you can read my long article about the whole experience at Super Bowl LIV, Super Bowl LIV – an exceptional fan experience thanks to the Chicago Bears and the NFL, HERE.

Today, when I’m watching Super Bowl LIV with Pat and our oldest daughter, Linda, her husband, Chad, and our two grandchildren, all of these live-in-person memories of past Super Bowls will be in my mind. The Super Bowl. It’s a special experience every year. Here’s hoping we’ll see a great game later today.

UPDATE: The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIV. Congratulations to the Eagles. And now we’re on to next season. But first, baseball! Go Cubs, Go!