Fans pack downtown Boston to welcome home Super Bowl Champs

"We're baaack," quarterback Tom Brady screamed to over a million ecstatic fans.

For the second time in three years, the New England Patriots' faithful headed down to City Hall in downtown Boston to welcome home their beloved team and its newly acquired hardware: the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Fans went all out for their team, some wearing face paint, wigs, and Revolutionary-era militia outfits.

Hundreds of thousands of screaming fans gathered up and down Boylston Street, just hoping to catch a glimpse of the Patriots as they passed by in their Duckboat transportation. The team paraded down Boylston from Copley Square to City Hall, accompanied by police officers both on foot and on motorcycles.

"The streets were jam-packed and everyone was very excited," said freshman Hillary Fazzone, who was waiting for the team outside Suffolk University. "Every girl in sight was going nuts for Tom Brady."

About 30 to 45 minutes later, the team arrived at City Hall on Congress Street and met countless numbers of fans, who had been filing into the area since Monday night. By mid-day, City Hall was packed, and the crowd cheered as images from the parade were broadcast on huge screens.

"It was absolutely crazy, everyone had so much Patriotism," sophomore Stephanie Marvel-Sweetser said. "I am such a huge Pats fan and I couldn't believe how many bigger Pats fans there are."

"City Hall was a complete mad house," Fazzone added.

The team signed a few autographs for waiting fans and then got up on stage for the actual parade ceremony. Brady and owner Robert Kraft hoisted twin Super Bowl trophies amid showers of red, white and blue confetti.

"It felt like it was snowing at one point," Fazzone said. "There were half naked people, mostly guys with their shirts off, painted completely in Pats colors. People were hanging out of office buildings, standing on balconies, throwing confetti and screaming the entire time."

People decorated the streets with countless banners and even climbed atop subway station entrances to catch a glimpse of the players.

Kraft, Brady, and even normally straight-faced coach Bill Belicheck did a victory dance for the crowd, much to the enjoyment of all-pro cornerback Ty Law and the rest of the Patriots squad.

"We had been waiting around for a good three hours," senior Nick Palange said. "The whole scene was very funny, it seemed like everyone was out there enjoying themselves. The players were very relaxed after working so hard and us being there with them made it just one big celebration."

While there were select incidents where the police had to buckle down, surprisingly, they were relaxed throughout the whole event, laughing and having a good time with the fans.

"The police were very friendly. In the area I was in, nobody was doing anything obnoxious," Fazzone said. "We were just laughing with them and even throwing around a football with them. They were very relaxed, but at the same time, they were definitely enforcing."

Marvel-Sweetser agreed.

"I thought the police department was exceptional, they were completely into the crowd," she said. "Overall, they did a really good job."

Fans were respectful as well.

"There were fights every once and a while," Fazzone said. "Either people got really [drunk] or didn't drink at all, but the kids I was around were normal."

Overall, the parade was a clear success for everyone, whether or not they were Patriots fans.

"I thought it was a real quality parade," sophomore AEPi brother Lionel Yarmon said. "I had a very good time, the crowd was good and everyone had a lot of energy. We were standing right where the players got off, we said hi to a couple and even got a few autographs. It was definitely a worthwhile experience."