Looking Ahead to Super Bowl XLVI

Although I'm still disappointed that I won't be watching the Ravens in the Super Bowl this Sunday, I realize that it's time to move on. So, as the Patriots and Giants prepare to go to battle, I'm preparing for my Super Bowl party (actually, Tina is doing the preparation while I write this story).

The last I heard, the Patriots were a three and a half point favorite to beat the Giants. You can't deny that Tom Brady has explosive potential, but the Patriots defense has the potential to give up a lot of points. Considering NY quarterback Eli Manning had almost 5000 passing yards this season, the New England defense could be in for a long day.

Speaking of Eli, he often gets overshadowed by the offensive accomplishments of his older brother. But in the playoffs, Eli has proven that he can be every bit as effective, if not more than Peyton. And if the Giants should win on Sunday, Eli will have twice as many Super Bowl rings as big brother.

Since I love trivia, let me share these interesting Super Bowl tidbits:

• Of the top ten most watched TV shows ever, eight are Super Bowls (the other two were the MASH and Cheers finales)
• We're used to seeing pop superstars performing at Super Bowl halftime, but for the first five SB's, college marching bands provided the entertainment
• Super Bowls are distinguished by Roman numerals because the NFL season spans two calender years (ex. this season was played in 2011 and 2012)
• The San Francisco 49ers are the only team to appear in multiple Super Bowls and remain undefeated (5-0). On the other hand, the Minnesota Viking and Buffalo Bills have both appeared in four Super Bowls and lost them all.
• Fans will consume, on average, 1200 calories in snacks alone this Sunday. That's not even including the  bratwurst, burgers and other "entrees"
• Tickets to the first Super Bowl cost between $6 and $12. You pay more than that for a beer today! By comparison, the face value of today's SB tickets are between $600 and $1200. Of course, once they wind up in the scalpers hands, the price is limitless.
• Over 4 million pounds of pretzels will be consumed (please keep these away from George W)
• Over a billion dollars will be spent on roughly 100 million chicken wings this Sunday
• In a recent poll, 15% of the people said that they would miss the birth of their child for a chance to go to the Super Bowl
• The only teams to have never appeared in a Super Bowl are Cleveland, Detroit, Jacksonville and Houston
• Nine out of ten people will watch the game at home (or someone else's home). 5% of these people will watch the game alone. I find that kind of sad. It's sort of like spending Christmas alone....
• There will be approximately 48 million takeout/delivery orders. Please realize that these people have to work for our convenience. Be sure to tip them generously!
• 51 million cases of beer will be sold for the big game. I will account for at least one of them!
• Next to Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday is the highest food consumption day in the US
• Being a great player doesn't guarantee you a Super Bowl ring. Dan Marino, Barry Sanders and Fran Tarkenton (just to name a few) never won a Super Bowl.

Specifically related to this year's Super Bowl:

• This will be the first year where two former Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks have squared off against each other
• New England head coach (Bill Belichick) and NY head coach (Tom Coughlin) won Super Bowl XXV while both were on the coaching staff of the NY Giants under head coach Bill Parcells
• The Patriots record in the Super Bowl is 3-3. The Giants have a 3-1 record with their one loss coming to the Baltimore Ravens (sorry, I just had to throw that in there)
• The most expensive commercial for this year's Super Bowl has a price tag of $3.5 million. The first Super Bowl commercial cost $37,000. Yes, we've come a long way baby!
• This is the first Super Bowl ever held in Indianapolis. Miami has hosted the most with ten. If you're talking strictly venues, the Superdome in New Orleans is tops with six.
• Since most hotels near Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy have been booked, the remaining ones are cashing in by price gouging. I just read about one hotel that normally charges $39 a night is now charging $750 for this weekend. I hope that includes HBO!
• Madonna, who will performing at halftime, announced that she will not be having any wardrobe malfunctions. Thank God for small favors!

Hopefully, that's enough trivia for you. I've got to wrap this up, so let me give you my predictions. I think the Giant's defense (especially their front four) will keep an unrelenting pressure on Tom Brady all game. And if they happen to sack him a few times, expect to see Gisele (Brady's wife) twittering an SOS down to the refs. The "roughing the passer" flags will start flying. And this will undoubtedly inspire at least three people at my Super Bowl party to call Tom Brady a little bitch.

It's like I have a crystal ball......

I see Eli Manning picking apart the Patriot's vulnerable pass defense. Don't be surprised if Eli passes for 350-400 yards and is named Super Bowl MVP once again. So,with the precision of a weatherman predicting the snow accumulation, I forecast the Giants beating the favored Patriots by a final score of 27-21. As always, I just ask for a good game and not a 34-7 blowout like in Super Bowl XXXV when the Ravens beat the Giants (Sorry, there I go again!). And please let Coach Belichick wear a decent shirt and not one of those homeless-looking, cut-off sweatshirts that he usually wears.

And a word to my friends who happen to be Patriots fans: I mean no disrespect. It's just that the Steelers aren't playing, so I've got to pick on somebody.

Seriously, I hope everyone enjoys the game. And remember, Monday is a workday, try not to overindulge!

kw