Just as sweet the second time around, says Super Bowl winner's mom

Published: 2004-02-12

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The non sequitur "it's deja vu all over again," oft ascribed to Yogi Berra, applied to the family of New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri. Two years ago, they got to witness live and in person Vinatieri kicking the winning field goal as time ran out in Super Bowl XXXVI. This year, they were again at the Super Bowl as they saw him kick another winning field goal, this time with four seconds left, which took the Patriots to a 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers. Judy Vinatieri, the kicker's mother, said she and her husband, Paul, had attended a nondenominational service with players and their families the morning of Feb. 1, Super Bowl Sunday. She remembered that the preacher at the service said, "You know, you're all worried, you're all nervous, but we don't have any control." As it turned out, he was right, said Vinatieri, a Catholic. "It's beyond our control at this point," she remembered thinking.

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