By KEN de la BASTIDE
The trash-talking has been ongoing for several weeks between Russell Williams and his wife, Ruth, as the Super Bowl neared.
Ruth will root for the Indianapolis Colts tonight and Russell will cheer for a win by the New Orleans Saints.
Russell, 39, was born in Louisiana and has been a fan of the Saints his entire life. While living in Louisiana, he said he never missed a Louisiana State University Tigers’ football game.
“I’ve always been a Saints fan,” he said. “I went to three games in the Superdome and never saw them win; they only scored one touchdown.”
Williams moved to Kokomo in 2003 and continued to root for the Saints, but also was a fan of the Colts because of all the players on the team from Louisiana.
He recalled watching Peyton Manning play high school football in Louisiana.
“I wear my Saints gear every day to work,” William’s said of the family-owned business Pet Supplies Plus. “I wasn’t allowed to decorate the store.”
Russell and his wife have a wager on the outcome of the game.
If the Colts win he will have to shave off his goatee.
“I haven’t seen my chin for years,” he laughed.
If the Saints win, Ruth has to paint a fleur-de-lis, the Saints logo, on her cheeks and go to work like that.
“The trash-talking has already started,” Williams said. “I’m pulling for the Saints, but losing to the Colts won’t be all bad.”
Ruth, a Kokomo native, said she has been a Colts fan all of her life.
“We watch both games, I have no choice,” Ruth said of days when both teams have televised games.”
Russell tried to convert his wife’s allegiance to the Saints.
“I going for Manning all the way,” she said.
While Russell’s allegiance to the Saints spans his lifetime, Ashley Reed and Carol Rush are rooting for the Crescent City team because their quarterback, Drew Brees, is a graduate of Purdue University.
Reed, a teacher at Eastern Elementary, has been a fan of the Saints ever since Brees joined the team in 2006.
“I’ve rooted for the Colts,” she admitted. “I don’t hate the Colts.”
Reed said she has been keeping her allegiance secretive.
“I do like Drew Brees,” she said. “He’s a good person and a Christian.”
Reed said her husband, who is normally a Dallas Cowboys fan, will cheer on the Saints in today’s game.
“I watched every game this year,” she said of the Saints.
Rush is a teacher at Elmwood Elementary School in Peru and described herself as a huge fan of Brees.
“My daughter said I will no longer be related to her if I cheer for the Saints,” she said. “I’ll probably be silent.”
Rush said she intends to wear a shirt on game day with the helmets of both teams on it.
“I’ll wait and see how I feel,” she said of the team she’ll choose to cheer for. “I went to all of Drew’s games at Purdue.”
Rush said both Brees and Manning are awesome people and good role models for young people.
“I hope both quarterbacks have good games,” she said. “I won’t be unhappy if the Colts win.”
