This 6:30 start time just doesn’t work for some of us. No doubt, it’s all about the money. More time for more hype and more commercials. I liked the earlier start time much better. But nice start!!! Enjoy the game!!!

To get you ready for the Super Bowl, here are some sets, appearances and skits from Frank Caliendo, one of the best impressionists working today. I’ve long been a fan. Here’s his site.

As John Madden on Letterman, 10/5/06:

As Madden, 12/18/06:

As Madden, 1/24/07:

[youtube]C5jF-v0lp4I&eurl=[/youtube]

This is one of Caliendo’s first sketches as Madden (if not the first) from the underrated Mad TV:

But this sketch features perhaps the worst pairing of product and spokesperson ever:

Just like those Super Bowl nachos - it’s hard to stop at just one!

A first grade teacher explains to her class that she
is an Indianapolis Colts fan. She asks her students
to raise their hands if they are Colts fans, too. Not
really knowing what a Colt fan was, but wanting to be
liked by their teacher, their hands flew into the air.

There is, however, one exception. Susie has not gone
along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has
decided to be different. “Because I’m not a Colts
fan” she reports.

“Then,” asks the teacher, “what are you?”
“I’m a Chicago Bears fan,” boasts the little
girl. The teacher asks Susie why she is a Bears fan.
“Well, my Dad and Mom are Bears fans, so I’m a Bears
fan, too” she responds.

“That’s no reason,” the teacher says. “What if your
mom was a moron, and your dad was an idiot. What would
you be then?”

Susie smiles and says, “Then I’d be an Indianapolis Colts fan.”

I have to tell you, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale have been cooking with Superbowl parties all week. It’s Superbowl Mania down here. Unfortunately, I didn’t get invited to the Versace mansion party. Dang. It’s 67 and raining. 50% chance of rain tonight.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday at last. Finally — after all the hype, all the parties, all the talk — we will get to see what the Super Bowl is really, in the end, all about: the TV commercials.

There will be a lot of them, because the total Super Bowl broadcast package runs longer than the administration of the late Gerald Ford, having begun two weeks ago with the pre -pre -pre -pre-pre-pre-pre-pregame show (Peyton Manning: The Early Bowel Movements). You will not want to miss a single hour of this coverage.

SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR MEN: I assume you will be watching on a brand-new high-definition TV with an 11-foot-diagonal screen delivering a picture so enormously lifelike that, to comprehend what you are seeing, you have to watch from your driveway. I hope you did not allow anybody — defined as ”your wife” — to convince you that you don’t need a new TV, because your current TV still works fine, or you need the money for your child’s insulin, or some other lame excuse. You do not want to be known in your neighborhood as ”the guy with the small diagonal.” The Super Bowl is today; the electronics stores are open right now. You need to step up and be a MAN, by clipping out the following newspaper article and giving it to your wife:

SMALL TVS CAUSE CANCER, STUDY SHOWS

NEW YORK OR BOSTON — (AP) — A scientific study, done by scientists, has shown that small television screens cause cancer.

”If your TV set is not the size of, at minimum, a Toyota Camry, you are taking a serious medical risk,” stated Dr. Harold Gropenfinger, a scientist. “A person who would deliberately expose her family, including children, to a smaller TV is, in my scientific opinion, scum.”

Dr. Gropenfinger won the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize for Science for discovering that beer prevents heart disease.

Continue reading here

I really like both these guys. Although I’ll be cheering for the Bears, anyway this game goes is a win in my book. Peyton Manning is a class act and my favorite QB. Lovie Smith is a class act, and the lowest paid coach in the NFL. Dungy…..big class act. I’m glad they’re in it, and can’t wait to see it! Cookin homemade Italian beef sandwiches for tomorrow and shrimp with mango salsa. I gots the SuperBowl fevah….Miami style!

He spoke about the special feeling coaching against his good friend, Lovie Smith, and how honored he is to be a part of the first Super Bowl with two African-American head coaches. He spoke of family and religion and of doing things his way, in a low-key, caring manner. The only thing in-your-face to come out of Dungy all week long was a warm, kind smile.

But after Feb. 2’s early-morning press conference, the talking stopped. There is only one thing on his mind now, and that’s leading the Colts to a Super Bowl victory. Don’t be misguided by his soft’spoken demeanor. This is a man who has a passion for winning and has waited a long time to stand on the doorstep of something as significant as this.

“There can only be one winner,” Dungy said. “I’m looking forward for it to be us. I’ll be extremely disappointed if it’s not us, but I’ll also be happy for Lovie Smith if it’s him, probably happier than I could be for any other coach.”

Facing Smith provides a special sort of challenge. They know each other all too well. They coached together. They pray together. Their families spend time together. This isn’t some manufactured angle for the sake of the game. This is all very real.

When told earlier this week that Smith compared his matchup against Dungy to two brothers playing one-on-one basketball, Dungy just about exploded with pride.

Read more here

I asked the Answer Man…..how should I bet on the SuperBowl. Here’s his answer:

Bet the under on the first half. Bet the over on the second half. And the Colts to win.

If you have any questions, send them into us and we’ll get them to the Answer Man. He can answer anything about anything……..cause he’s the Answer Man!!

I love Dave Barry. Thanks to Bat for sending me this link! If you’ve ever lived in the area, you know the Golden Glades is NOT somewhere you want to have to drive through. It is the most fucked up link of highway I’ve seen anywhere in the country……add to that the horrifically bad Florida drivers……and you’ve got disaster.

Put down your drink and listen up, South Florida, because it is time to talk Super Bowl security.

It is a known fact that the Super Bowl is a major target for terrorism. The terrorists HATE the Super Bowl, because (a) it is a symbol of corrupt Western decadence, and (b) the terrorists lost a giant bet in 2004 when the Patriots failed to cover the spread.

So we have every reason to believe the terrorists will try to attack this Super Bowl. In fact, it can now be revealed that they have ALREADY MADE ONE ATTEMPT.

Yes. On Wednesday, a group of terrorists flew into Miami International Airport Construction Zone, carrying a large quantity of powerful explosives, which they were able to get onto their plane because they put them in clear, one-quart, zip-top plastic bags, in accordance with Transportation Safety Administration rules.

“These guys really knew what they were doing,” a TSA spokesperson said. “They also removed their shoes.”

The terrorists then rented a car and were headed toward Originally Joe Robbie Stadium when they made a fatal mistake: They tried to get through the Golden Glades Interchange.

“They never had a chance,” a police source said. “We picked them up in Atlanta.”

Full article at the Washington Post

Good for him!

MIAMI, United States (AFP) - A US marine reporter tried unsuccessfully to get Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to plug the federal government’s Pentagon channel during Media Day at the Super Bowl.

Reina Barnett, wearing full Marine camouflage, was accompanied by a uniformed cameraman when she asked Manning on Tuesday to repeat “You are watching the Pentagon channel” which is be aired during Sunday’s game for US troops watching in Iraq.

Instead Manning, who gave a colourful performance during Media Day with many one-liners that left reporters laughing, simply expressed support for the troops and thanked the soldiers for their sacrifice.

Others like Chicago Bears starting quarterback Rex Grossman and Colts guard Matt Ulrich weren’t so apprehensive to plug the Pentagon.

Said Grossman, “Hi I’m Rex Grossman, Chicago Bears and you’re watching the Pentagon Channel.”

“I want to thank you guys for all you do keeping us free here,” Ulrich said. “We will keep you in our hearts and prayers.”

Since the invasion of Iraq, US fatalities have totalled more than 3,050.

Source: YahooNews

“Our teams will be safe,” Ahlerich said. “We want the focus to be on the teams on field and not on security.”
Yah, those millionares will be safe……we’re not worried about the fans.

THE National Football League has boosted the law enforcement budget and heightened the security threat level for Super Bowl XLI because of terrorism fears.

The Super Bowl has been raised to a level one national security event, putting it on par in terms of manpower and resources with the US President’s State of the Union speech and the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

“We consider the Super Bowl so high profile that we see it as attractive to terrorists,” Milt Ahlerich, NFL vice-president of security said.

The last Super Bowl to be given a level one security designation was the 2002 New Orleans Super Bowl, held three months after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Ahlerich said the league has budgeted $US6 million ($7.7 million) for the event. The money will pay for sophisticated equipment, screenings, background checks, hiring security experts and paying for 3,000 civilian security workers.

Ahlerich said they expect a peaceful event but are preparing for the worst.

“Our teams will be safe,” Ahlerich said. “We want the focus to be on the teams on field and not on security.”

Robert Parker, director of the Miami-Dade Police Department, said their contingency plans include bringing in officers from all over the state of Florida, backed up by the military.

He declined to say how many law-enforcement personnel would be working at the various Super Bowl events.

“We have envisioned every possibility imagined as far as potential threats,” Parker said.

Part of their preparations has also included what might happen if aging Cuban President Fidel Castro were to die during Super Bowl week.

“We don’t expect anything to happen, but if it did we would be looking at celebrations and people taking to the streets,” Parker said.

Aircraft will also be prohibited from flying anywhere near the Super Bowl stadium, Ahlerich said.

Source: here

I read this article this morning, and man oh man how true it is. I sooooooooo miss Midwesterners. The rudeness level down here is off the scale. And driving down here is a real adventure, to say the least.

Well, my two favoite teams are Da Bears and the Colts. But I never thought Grossman would bring Da Bears to the Superbowl (nor did any of my friends in Chicago) and being that Payton Manning has a habit of choking in the playoffs, I didn’t think they’d make it either. Two good games today. What a great game tonight. Largest come back ever. I predicted the Saints and Chargers. Glad I didn’t bet on that one. Being a Chicago girl…… I have to hope Da Bears win, but I can’t see that happening with Grossman going up against Manning. I love Manning. I’m torn. Also, first time not one, but two black coaches going to the Superbowl. Great football day!!!!!

Sunday Talk
* Meet the Press: NSA Stephen Hadley; Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT); Sen. Joe Lieberman (CFL); Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ); Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
* Face the Nation: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ); Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL).
* This Week: Hadley, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA); Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger (R-CA); roundtable consists of George Will, Katrina vanden Heuvel & Fareed Zakaria.
* Fox News Sunday: VP Dick Cheney.
* Late Edition: Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari; Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI); Pakistani PM Shaukat Aziz; ex-JCS Chair Gen. Richard Myers; Sen. John Kerry (D-MA).

TV Alerts
* Clarence B. Jones and Dr. Clayborne Carson on 1/15; Quincy Jones on 1/16; Common on 1/17; Anthony Swofford on 1/18; Jeff Rosen on 1/19;
* Leno: Matt Lauer on 1/16; Meredith Vieira on 1/17
* Political Capital: Rep. David Obey (D-WI) (Bloomberg, repeats throughout weekend).
* Newsmakers: Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) (C-SPAN, 1/14 at 10am).
* Road to the White House: Mike Huckabee (C-SPAN, 1/14 at 6:30pm).
* Q&A: Center for American Progress VP Melody Barnes (C-SPAN, 1/14 at 8pm).
* 60 Minutes: Bush43 on 1/14; Duke Lacrosse coverage on 1/14;
* The Daily Show: Josh Bernstein on 1/15; Michael Oren on 1/16; Jerry Rice on 1/17; Robin Wright Penn on 1/18
* The Colbert Report: Alex Kuczynski on 1/15; Dinesh D’Souza on 1/16; Richard Clarke on 1/17; Bill O’Reilly on 1/18; Tom Schaller on 1/22; Lou Dobbs on 1/24; Mike Wallace on 1/25
* O’Reilly Factor: Stephen Colbert on 1/18;
* Ellen DeGeneres: Barbara Walters on 1/18;
* Letterman: Harry Shearer on 1/18;
* “The War Within” Christiane Amanpour reports on Muslim extremism in Britain; airs 1/20 at 5pm.
Source: Newsie8200

Are You Ready for Some Football???

Saturday, Jan. 13
Indianapolis at Baltimore 4:30 CBS 125 123
Philadelphia at New Orleans 8:00 FOX 125 123

Sunday, Jan. 14
Seattle at Chicago 1:00 FOX 125 123
New England at San Diego 4:30 CBS 125 123

Call it the Gator Slam. The Florida Gators became the first program to hold football and men’s basketball titles at the same time Monday night with a 41-14 victory over top-ranked Ohio State.

The basketball team won its first championship in April, beating UCLA 73-57 in Indianapolis. The football team claimed its second title - the Gators also won in 1996 - with similar ease.

“How do I compare them? Both have confetti landing on my head,” athletic director Jeremy Foley said. “I couldn’t believe it in April; I can’t believe it now. I can’t believe I can talk about it without jinxing us. Obviously, things had to break our way to even get here.”

The Gators needed to beat Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference championship game and have Southern California lose to UCLA to get to Glendale.

Read more here