I'm with you... I haven't even watched SportsCenter since the Eagles got knocked out. At first, I couldn't handle seeing highlights. Now, I just don't care. Damn, I hope the commericals are good!

Now, you have to admit... both QBs are pretty damn hot. But I have to agree, the Big Show is going to be a bit of a snooze this year. What do we do? In the immortal words of... someone(?)...

"get drunk, get drunk!"

In my home, the talk has been more about what snacks will be served during the Super Bowl than the actual game. Isn't it all just about the party???

now you know how the rest of the world feels when the yankees are in the world series.

I guess no one hear appreciates good coaching, clutch play, disciplined defense, class, etc.

These are all things that these teams display better than any others. The 2003 patriots will have won 15 straight games after this game. It's great that you guys are JUST LIKE the mainstream media and continue to pine for Peyton Manning et al...Give me a break. Appreciate the pats.

Right, the Pats don't get any credit for being a good team. I don't know what "mainstream media" you've been watching....

Paul, you should know better than anyone that anything can happen in a Super Bowl. Think back to 1991. The Buffalo Bills have run roughshod through the AFC, and there seems to be nothing any team can do about it, except maybe the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers, who should breeze through the inferior New York Giants. Well, the Giants outplayed the Niners for a 15-13 win, but the media kept whining and moaning about how it would have been so much more interesting for the Niners and Bills to face off, and that Buffalo will have a hard time not scoring 70 on the Giants. I think everybody knows by now that this Super Bowl was probably in the top 5 ever played, and was an instant classic before ESPN Classic (or ESPN2 for that matter) existed. Same story applies to the Pats-Rams game from 2 years ago. "The Steelers and the Rams would be a much better game, the Pats are just here to enjoy the ride." Of course, that was probably the best Super Bowl ever. And last year, most were looking forward to the #1 offense going up against the #1 defense in the NFL. That was one of the most boring football games I have ever seen.

I'm not discounting this game as having no chance of being close. But it's just so... blah. As a guy who watches every Sunday night game, no matter if it's the Chargers against the Browns, I feel cheated.

Think back a year ago: Bucs vs. Raiders. Great defense vs. great offense. Jon Gruden's whole reputation on the line; either he wins in the first season with his new team or his old team wins right after he leaves. Tim Brown going for a ring at the tail end of a potential Hall of Fame career. The game sucked, but at least there was a buzz about it.

What's on the line now? He Hate Me's endorsement career?

Sunday will be the saddest day of my life, well next to the day that Terrell Owens announces he's going to the Falcons....or wait, maybe the Cowboys. God I'll miss him.

Regardless, watching Tom Brady's booty on Sunday will more than make up for the snooze fest this BluperBowl is going to be.

So what you're saying is that you think the buzz around the Super Bowl is better than the game. Here's an example from baseball that will help out, even though your beloved Yankees aren't involved: In 1991, the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves had just reached the World Series. Now, yes, they were the first two teams to ever go from worst to first, but most people wanted a Pittsburgh (with young star Barry Bonds) to meet a Toronto team that was chock full of talent, but had never won a playoff series. The 1991 World Series is the greatest World Series ever played (although the 1960, 1975, 2001, and yes, even the 1962 Series were great ones). So at least give the game a chance. Now, the 8 hours of pregame crap, you can't count me out of that.

James writes: "So what you're saying is that you think the buzz around the Super Bowl is better than the game."

No, that's not what I wrote. (And I hate when people try to tell me what I am "saying.") The game could turn out great. As could any game. But so far the story of Super Bowl ZZZ is that there is no story.

We were this close to Colts vs. Eagles, Manning vs. McNabb, and coaches Dungy and Reid trying to finally kick the door in. Instead we got the worst possible matchup of the final eight playoff teams.

If nothing else the Pats win over the Colts has shown me how immature the average chowd is. They are hanging all over Colts forums still 'cause they're are bored stiff of the big game themselves. Your Yankees have given these people a complex even worse than I've seen Raider fans have - I'm impressed!

So Paul, your big complaint is that there hasn't been a big "story" leading up to Sunday's game? That there hasn't been enough hype about the Super Bowl?

So what? Shouldn't it be all about the game? This is one sporting event that could with a little less hype, in my opinion. Let the players play the game AND THEN we'll be able to argue over whether or not it was a snoozer (possibly) or a great football game (probably).

Dearest Paul--the super bowl, my friend, is not about grown men fighting over pigskin. I think we can at least all agree on the commercials as stars for the eve. But come on, this event is about nothing if it’s not about the food. Okay, granted, I have breasts, so as a rule, I'm not paying attention to much football during the season... but come on, who really cares anyway, unless of course you're in a pool. Most people only join in on the pool so they can at least fake a mild interest in how the game goes. Take comfort in this: I've got two words for you: LIFETIME TELEVISION. Pass the nachos baby!

I love the fact that possibly 60 million people around the world will tune in to see this game. It's true that there are other teams that would have been more interesting to cover, but no one outside true football fans gives a shit. For 95% of the people tuning in Sunday, it'll be the first game they've watched all season.
Give the NFL credit for making this game what it is(mass consumption, excess in everything)and shoving it up the ass of everyone outside our borders. Hey France, how do you like us now?

"We were this close to Colts vs. Eagles, Manning vs. McNabb, and coaches Dungy and Reid trying to finally kick the door in. Instead we got the worst possible matchup of the final eight playoff teams."

The worst possible match up? Are you for real? For one, the Colts didn't even show up for that game in New England. Thank god it was a week after the game we played against TN in 20 below temps and the temp was alot warmer because I would have been upset to freeze my ass off two weeks in a row. Ty Law I think caught more of Peyton's passes then Colt players did.

I thought for weeks that it was going to be a Eagles vs Pats SuperBowl to be honest with you. I knew there was no way anyone was coming to New England and coming out with a win. Everyone can call this game a bore or whatever they want. I will be down in Houston on Friday cheering my team on and the rest of the country can piss off.

Maybe it's the same way everyone felt about the World Series this year. The real series was the Sox/Yanks series and the tv rating's proved that I believe. Even though the better team won, it was the best baseball I have seen in years. It was a long drive back to New England after that loss in game 7 but a lifetime of memories for me.

GO PATS!!!!

GO MARLINS!! WORLD CHAMPS!!

Paul: "We were this close to Colts vs. Eagles, Manning vs. McNabb, and coaches Dungy and Reid trying to finally kick the door in. Instead we got the worst possible matchup of the final eight playoff teams."

Heh. Funny.
That's EXACTLY what I thought about a Marlins-Yankees WS. Cubs-Red Sox would have been a storyline not unlike the 'Dungy-n'Reid' one.

I suppose for me, SFGiants-Anybody would have been worse; but that's probably only 'cause of a historic rivalry.

I think that NE makes for a good Superbowl team. Despite the Cinderella angle, my beef is with Carolina. Not that the NFC had much to crow about, generally speaking, though.

ESPN.com's cartoon on the Buzzless Bowl:

http://espn.go.com/i/page2/quickie/040128_quickie.jpg

Worst Possible Matchup?!!

The Patriots beat Tennessee twice, Indianapolis Twice, Miami twice, Dallas, Philadelphia, Denver...

Don't you want to see the Best Team!??

The Pats are the best team. They are the story. Going for their 15th straight win. Trying to join the list of elite franchises with their 2nd win in 3 years. Capping off the winningest season since the 72 Dolphins. Going against the Panthers, an underdog very similar to the 2001 version of the Pats.

There are stories here...Not to mention THE BEST TEAM. Manning V. McNabb Be Damned!

Paul, you can't always have a winning team!!! ha ha ha. Embrace the Pats with open arms!!! You might actually enjoy it!!!

Coaching? Discipline? Grit?

Yeah, you see the same thing in Division 3 Football.

Which is the Pro-equivalent of what the NFL has become thanks to the Salary Cap.

The first SB had over a dozen Hall of Famers, and all stars every where you looked.

38 years later, the only way any of these guys get into the hall is to buy a ticket.

Hope the commercials and half time game are good, at least that makes up for a lousy game.

They are promoting this as a human chess game, hellooo chess isn't much of a spectator sport. That is why they put it on public television.

Who'd pay to see it?

I think I'll go over to Time Out for the SB, at least the food is good and Timmy is her own halftime show.