Superbowl Sunday

Get out your herring and reduced-fat triscuits, start a fire in the fireplace, and prepare to drink beer on a Sunday night, because the day has finally arrived: it's Superbowl Sunday.

Personally speaking as a die-hard fan of the NFL, today is better than Christmas, Easter, and Earth Day (suck it Al Gore) all put together because tonight marks the culmination of one of the best NFL season's in recent memory. This was a year of the unexpected, highlighted by the league's best player shredding his knee in the first quarter of the season opener. This injury would end Tom Brady's streak of starting 128 straight games (3rd all time behind Brett Farve and Peyton Manning) and every New England Fan's hopes of a winning season; however, everyone was pleasantly suprised when Matt Cassell - who hadn't started a football game since high school - lead the Patriots to an 11-5 season. While they didn't make the playoffs, he played better and better as the season progressed and finished as one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks.If I was him, I would sign with the Detroit Lions, as they already have dynamic wide-out Calvin Johnson, and attempt to turn the franchise around.

Other suprises this season included Tony Sparano's Dolphins making the playoffs after having gone 1-15 last year and Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco - two rookie quarterbacks - leading their teams to the playoffs. Unfortunately for Detriot Fans, 0-16 didn't suprise anyone as this year's Lions went down as the worst team in NFL history.

So now the superbowl is finally here. Who am I rooting for? I can't say. I have too much invested in both teams to choose one. If the Steelers win, I will be happy to see a great franchise do what is expected of them and win championships. I like Hindes Ward, Ben Rothlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Willie Parker, Troy Polomalu, and of course hometown favorite Rashard Mendhall (granted he isn't playing because of a broken shoulder suffered earlier in the year). Mike Tomlin may be my favorite head coach in football now that Tony Dungy has stepped down and I want him to win a superbowl.

On the otherhand, how can you not root for the Cardinals? Who doesn't want Kurt Warner to win his second Superbowl ring, as his job before football was bagging groceries. Besides him, I also like Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and Edgerrian James. Ken Wizenhunt has done a great job turning the Cardinals around (they were 5-11 during Dennis Green's last year in 2006) and it would be great to see him win against his former team (he was an assistant coach under Bill Cowher when the Steelers won in 2006).

Truthfully, I'll be happy with either outcome. I'm just looking for a great game to cap off an incredible NFL season. I love football.