NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The Jags will be making plenty of moves this offseason to look to get back to the postseason, and two moves that are on the way according to the Florida Times-Union is the release of WR Torry Holt and OT Tra Thomas:

Wide receiver Torry Holt and offensive tackle Tra Thomas, two veteran free agents who were signed last year, won’t be returning to the Jaguars next season. The Jaguars can’t make the moves official until next week because players can’t be waived before Monday, but the players were given advance notice because they both hope to continue their careers, and the Jaguars want to give them time to find new teams. Holt, 33, was the Jaguars’ third-leading receiver with 51 catches for 722 yards this season while Thomas started three games, saw part-time duty in the two games and didn’t play in the last seven.

Check out this collection of quick, easy and delicious recipes for your Super Bowl tailgating and football parties! Whether you're cooking for the whole team or just the offensive line, these dishes are guaranteed to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites!

Starters:
Frank's® RedHot® Buffalo Chicken Dip:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (9.75 oz each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast, drained
½ cup Frank's® RedHot® Sauce
½ cup blue cheese salad dressing
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers

Directions:
1)Stir cream cheese in 9" deep dish pie plate until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2)Bake at 350°F. for 20 min. until hot and bubbling. Stir. Serve with vegetables and crackers.

Tips:
- Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar cheese for blue cheese crumbles.
- Make it tailgate friendly – prepare ahead of time and transport in a disposable heavy foil pan. When you get to the tailgate heat it on a grill and serve nice and hot!
- Make this in the microwave by heating it on high for 5 minutes instead of baking
- Keep it warm in a crockpot or slow cooker

Spicy Honey-Mustard Kielbasa Wraps:
A spin on the classic pigs in a blanket to honor Steelers' Fans
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. honey mustard
1 package (16 ounces) turkey or beef kielbasa, cut into 8 pieces

Directions:
1)Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
2)Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sheet into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Brush the pastry with the honey mustard. Cut the pastry into 8 (about 4 1/2 x 3-inch) rectangles.
3)Place 1 piece kielbasa in the center of each pastry rectangle. Brush the edges with the egg mixture. Fold the pastry over the kielbasa and press the edges to seal. Place the wraps seam-side down on the baking sheet. Brush the wraps with the egg mixture.
4)Bake for 25 minutes or until the wraps are golden. Remove from the baking sheets and cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Serve with additional honey mustard for dipping

Chicken Nachos
In honor of the sole surviving, southwestern "birds," the Arizona Cardinals
1/2 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 bag (about 10 ounces) tortilla chips
Chopped tomato
Sliced green onion
Sliced pitted ripe olive

Directions:
1) Heat the salsa, soup and chicken in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture
is hot and bubbling, stirring often.
2) Spoon the chicken mixture over the chips. Top with the tomato, onion and olives.

The Main Event:

Fiesta Chili:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 can (about 15 ounces) , red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (14 oz.) Swanson® Beef Broth

Directions:
1)Cook the beef, garlic and chili powder in a 4-quart saucepot over medium-high heat until browned, stirring frequently to break up meat. Pour off any fat.
2)Add the beans, salsa, corn and broth. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Sweet 'n' Spicy Barbecued Brisket
5 lb. trimmed beef briskets
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tbsp. garlic powder
2 cups Pace® Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Sandwich Buns or Hoagie Rolls

Directions:
1)Season brisket with salt, black pepper and garlic powder and place in 3-quart shallow baking dish. Mix salsa, brown sugar and Worcestershire and spread over brisket. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2)Bake covered, at 300°F. for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until tender. Slice or shred brisket and serve with juices on rolls.

Crunchy Potato Salad
9 medium potatoes, cut into cubes (about 9 cups)
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small green pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 medium green onions, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Directions:
1)Cook potatoes in boiling water in 3-quart saucepan 10 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2)Mix soup, mayonnaise, vinegar and black pepper.
3)Toss potatoes, celery, green pepper, onions and eggs with soup mixture until coated. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

The Game Winner:
Mixed Berry Pound Cake or Cupcakes:

1 box (16 ounces) pound cake mix
3/4 cups V8 Splash® Berry Blend
2 eggs
6 cups fresh berries (cut-up strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
1 1/2 cups thawed light whipped topping

Directions:
1)Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9?x5?x3? loaf pan or two cupcake pans (12 cupcakes each)
2)Mix cake mix, Splash, and eggs according to package directions, substituting Splash for water. Pour into prepared pan.
3)Bake 45 min. or until done.
4)Cool on wire rack 10 min. Remove from cake or cupcake pan and cool completely on wire rack.
5)Drizzle with Easy Glaze and or top with berries and whipped topping. Serves 8 to 10.

Tip:
Easy Glaze: Mix 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. V8 Splash® Berry Blend until smooth. Pour over cooled cake or cupcakes.

AP has written an article about the 10 ads you need to keep your eyes out for on Super Bowl Sunday:

Ten ads to look for during the Super Bowl, which airs Sunday on CBS:

ANHEUSER-BUSCH: The brewer has five minutes of ads this year to pitch Bud Light, Budweiser and others. Scientists choose to drink when they realize an asteroid is coming and a man loves Bud Light so much he builds his house out of its cans. Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong appears in an ad for low-calorie beer Michelob Ultra.

BOOST MOBILE: The 1985 Chicago Bears reunite to perform a new version of the Super Bowl Shuffle, this time pitching the prepaid wireless carrier. Original shuffler Jim McMahon stars, riding on an electric scooter. Other originals including Mike Singletary, Willie Gault, Otis Wilson, Richard Dent, Steve Fuller and Maury Buford, reappear, as does coach Mike Ditka. William "Refrigerator" Perry is absent.

COCA-COLA: The world's largest soft drink maker has two Super Bowl ads this year. In one, miserly Mr. Burns, the richest man on "The Simpsons," loses his fortune but finds happiness. In another, a man goes sleepwalking through an African safari.

DENNY'S: The restaurant chain is giving out free Grand Slams again and shows what the announcement will mean for chickens, who are urged in the ad to take any unused vacation time so they can miss out on the extra work involved in serving more people.

DOCKERS: Men march across a hillside, singing happily about not wearing pants. But the ad for Dockers, a Levi Strauss & Co. brand, tells men it's time to "wear the pants" as part of a new campaign to reinvigorate sales of khakis.

KIA: Children's toys, including a teddy bear and sock monkey, joyride in the Sorrento SUV. They go bowling, get a tattoo, and party in Las Vegas, set to rock tune "How do you like me now?" by British band The Heavy.

HOMEAWAY.COM: The vacation rental site launches a yearlong campaign tied to the Griswold family of "National Lampoon's Vacation" fame. The ad, starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo as the quirky, traveling Griswold family, sends viewers to a 15-minute film on the company's Web site.

SNICKERS: Actress Betty White plays football and tears past her opponents to set herself up for a pass in this ad for the Mars brand. In a teaser, the announcer says, "She's one of the most respected actresses in Hollywood but would you want her on your team? Watch the Super Bowl and find out." "Barney Miller" actor Abe Vigoda also appears.

VOLKSWAGEN: The car brand reinvents the game of "punch buggy" to acquaint Americans with its lineup. In the new version called "Punch Dub" (short for "W"), people hit each other when they see any type of Volkswagen, and shout out its color. Comedian Tracy Morgan appears.

TACO BELL: Basketball star Charles Barkley rhymes about everything diners can get in the NBA 5 Buck Box.

With Super Bowl Weekend finally upon us, the next two days will drag.

This is the weekend that pretty everybody who is anybody has been waiting for. Football fanatics, regular passive fans, the non-football fans, the clueless girlfriends, the clueless period.

You get the idea. Pretty much everybody will be watching the Super Bowl this weekend, if not for the game itself, for the hilarious commercials, the halftime show, and the national anthem.

The Super Bowl provides something for everyone, which is why it is so appealing to all of America.

The Super Bowl may indeed, be the ONLY television broadcast where you cannot find the power within yourself, to get up off of your butt, to even get food, because of all of the features that go along with Super Bowl Sunday.

Everything, and everyone involved in the Super Bowl hype is glamorous. The weeks leading up to the Super Bowl feature some of the biggest and best parties that you will find in the whole world. It also features some of the biggest media gatherings of the season, on Media Day.

The fact that the NFL is the only league where the champion is decided with one game just adds to all of the excitement.

Even the best of the best get nervous for the Super Bowl. This may be that players, or teams, only chance at being crowned as the best team in football ever. Look at some of the teams that have not even been close to a Super Bowl in their history:

The Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans, even the New Orleans Saints have not tasted the success that one feels when finally getting to that Super Bowl.

For the players that finally make it, it may very well be their only shot at getting a championship.

The raw emotion that goes into the whole 60 minutes of play is what the true die-hards crave. This is what they do not get to see in the regular season, the two best teams in the league playing in the last game of the year, to be known as the best team in the league for that year.

So you get the picture, the Super Bowl is the biggest, and baddest fad this nation has seen that is televised. So without further ado, let me take you on a tour of how I see the game, between the Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints, and read, as I give you my take on the matchups, and who I think will get the win, and be crowned as this years champion of the NFL.

Let’s first start off with the key injuries for both teams:

Colts:

Did not participate in practice: DE Dwight Freeney (ankle), CB Jerraud Powers (foot).
Full participation in practice: RB Joseph Addai (shoulder), CB Antoine Bethea (back), LB Gary Brackett (knee), RB Donald Brown (foot), CB Melvin Bullitt (knee), OT Ryan Diem (knee), CB Aaron Francisco (hand), RB Mike Hart (ankle), DT Antonio Johnson (shoulder), OT Charlie Johnson (foot), DE Robert Mathis (shoulder), G Jamey Richard (shoulder), K Matt Stover (left calf), TE Jacob Tamme (ankle), OT Tony Ugoh (knee), K Adam Vinatieri (right hip), WR Reggie Wayne (knee).

Saints:

Probable:
CB Randall Gay (foot/illness); CB Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring); DE Bobby McCray (back/ankle); S Pierson Prioleau (quad); WR Courtney Roby (knee); S Darren Sharper (knee); TE Jeremy Shockey (knee); DE Will Smith (groin); T Zach Strief (shoulder); LB Jonathan Vilma (knee); T Jermon Bushrod (thumb); LB Jonathan Casillas (ankle); TE Darnell Dinkins (foot); G Jahri Evans (foot); LB Scott Fujita (knee); CB Jabari Greer (groin); WR Robert Meachem (ankle); WR Lance Moore (ankle); CB Tracy Porter (knee)

Questionable:

RB Lynell Hamilton (ankle)

Both teams have listed a lot of players that will be playing without a doubt, and will be playing as close to full speed as you can get.

The serious injuries that fans should be worrying about is the ankle injury that Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney suffered in the AFC Championship game, and the injury to Colts corner Jerraud Powers.

Michael Lombardi, from the NFL Post, is reporting that Freeney will likely only play in obvious pass situations, which limits the speed of the Colts densive line, which is arguably their biggest strength.

The limited use of Freeney also allows the Saints offensive line to double team right end Robert Mathis, who is a good player in his own right, but is overshadowed by Freeney.

Raheem Brock would likely get the reps in the absence of Freeney.

In what will most likely be a shootout anyway, this gives New Orleans Sains All Pro Quarterback Drew Brees, even more time to get the ball out of his hands, and into the grasp of one of his many playmakers.

It does not help the Colts defense that the Saints have one of the most physical pass protecting lines in the game. Passing is the Saints specialty, so they are used to pushing back the oncoming pass rush at this point in the season.

Key Matchups:

5. Gregg Williams vs. Peyton Manning

4. Dallas Clark vs. Saints linebackers

3. Colts receivers vs. Saints cornerbacks

2. Saints offensive line vs. Colts pass rushers

1. Peyton Manning vs. Darren Sharper

Keys To Game:

The keys to the game will be as follows, first up is the Colts:

First and foremost, the Colts will have to score on almost every possession. If they don’t, it could prove costly. While Peyton Manning is clutch in big time situations, I would not want Brees to be in the game come crunch time.

If the Colts allow the Saints to hang around, it could prove to cost them the Super Bowl ring that they have worked so hard for.

I believe the Saints have a better all around defense than the Colts, and that without Freeney, the Colts have a huge dent in their armor, which will allow Brees to run rapid all over the Colts secondary.

To stop this of course, the Colts will need to get some hits on Brees, and get him on the ground. This may be easier said than done though. Brees has one of the quickest releases in the game, and he is more mobile than most quarterbacks in the league, especially Manning.

If the Colts fail to get a good pass rush on Brees, and allow him to stand in the pocket for most of the game, Brees will torch the Colts, and win a no contest in getting his first ring.

Next up is the Saints:

The Saints will need to be able to run the ball successfully against the Colts defense. The Colts will be expecting the Saints to come out and pass the ball, and try to establish an early lead.

What the Saints need to do is wear down the Colts defense, and run the ball down their throats, but at the same time, show that they can score on a moments notice, with a big play.

Getting the run game going will be key for the Saints, as getting more run situations eliminates Dwight Freeney from the game, since he should only be on the field in passing situations.

Finding a way to stop the Colts offense will be key for the Saints as well.

If Manning breaks loose, and has a career day, the Saints will come away from the game losers. The Colts have a lot of options on offense, and while they put up some impressive offensive numbers against the league’s best defense in the AFC Championship game, the Saints defense is no slouch, especially when Gregg Williams in the evil genius behind it all.

This will undoubtedly be a game for the ages, featuring a high scoring game, with both quarterbacks looking to outduel each other, and each team looking to prove who has the better offense.

The team that shows that it can drive down the field and kill some clock, but still come away with some quick scores, will be the team that comes away with the victory, and in my mind, I see that team being the Saints.

The Saints have the all around better coaching. The Saints have both defensive and offensive masterminds, and also have an offense to match the Colts. So the X-Factor then must be the defense in this game. This matchup goes to the Saints as well, which somehow force the unlikely turnovers.

Peyton Manning is not invincible to throwing interceptions, he threw 3 in one game against the Denver Broncos this year. And if the Saints can get the pressure on Manning that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would like, Manning will be in for a long night, and rest assured, will throw at least two picks.

The Saints defense is no joke. They have some of the best ball hawks in the league, and one of the best matchups of the night will be Saints free safety Darren Sharper against Peyton Manning.

This may go down as one of the best Super Bowls in history, and I predict that the Saints win in a shootout, 45-41, with Drew Brees getting the Super Bowl MVP award.

When you combine microphones, an audience and the Super Bowl, be careful what you say.  Because the reality is, words tend to live in infamy. Whether it's Joe Namath, Shannon Sharpe or Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, there's been no shortage of jabs, insults and bulletin board material in the days leading up to the Super Bowl.

Let's take a look back at some of the best and most memorable quotes during the Super Bowl media day and the days leading into the Super Bowl:

"How long have you been a black quarterback?" - A question posed by a reporter to Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams at Super Bowl XXII

"Terry Bradshaw couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the 'C' and the 'A'." - Dallas Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson (Super Bowl XIII)

"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl" – Washington Redskins guard Russ Grimm.  (Super Bowl XVIII)

"I'd run over Russ Grimm's mother to win the Super Bowl, too" – Raiders linebacker Matt Millen in response to Grimm's comment.  (Super Bowl XVIII)

"I'll be glad to leave here.  I feel like eating palm trees.  I don't like this place.  It's for people with arthritis.  They come here to play gold and die" – Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Ernie Holmes talking about Miami.  (Super Bowl X)

"That's why I was out in the streets. To make sure no one else was." - Raiders defensive end John Matuszak explaining why he stayed out all night partying in New Orleans after he forbade his teammates to do so.  (Super Bowl XV)

"I'll play anywhere for $15, 000." – Green Bay Packers cornerback Herb Adderly's response when asked if he would rather play the game in Los Angeles or Miami.  (Super Bowl II)

"What are you going to wear in the game on Sunday?" – Julie Brown's question to Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith.  (Super Bowl XVIII)

"We're going to win on Sunday.  I gurantee it." – New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath's famous gurantee before Super Bowl III

"Shannon looks like a horse.  I'll tell you, that's an ugly dude.  You can't tell me he doesn't look like Mr. Ed" – Atlanta Falcons cornerback Ray Buchanan talking about Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe. (Super Bowl XXXIII)

"Tell Ray to put the eyeline, the lipstick and the high heels away.  I'm not saying he's a cross dresser, but that's just what I heard." – Sharpe's response to Buchanan.  (Super Bowl XXXIII)

"If I see Ray in a snowstorm and his truck is broken down and mine is running perfect, would I pick him up? No." – Sharpe's continued war of words with Buchanan. (Super Bowl XXXIII)

Gab reader Michael Masson sent in this interesting piece leading up to Super Sunday:

Saturday.

I pack my #57 Rickey Jackson jersey with pride and care, and walk to my car on a cold Chicago morning. When I pull up to my brother’s house a few blocks away, we exchange cautiously optimistic looks. We’ve been in this position before. We all have, albeit only very recently. Dan hoists his suitcase – with his #9 Drew Brees jersey inside – in the trunk and we make our way to Chicago’s Midway airport. It’s the beginning of what we hope to be a memorable journey, in a good way.

When the cabin door of the 737 opens, I’m hit with an immediate, familiar, and welcome rush of humidity. This is not my first time in New Orleans. I was born here, and spent the better part of my childhood exploring the city with my family and slopping through the bayou with my dog, Petey, next to the Pearl River in Slidell. Maybe humidity is the same everywhere. But I don’t think so.

It’s lunch time. And although a trip to Mandina’s is in the game plan, I’m just too hungry to wait. So, Dan and I stop at the airport Acme and decide to split some red beans and rice while waiting for my Dad’s plane to land. It’s a good primer for the tour de feast I have planned, and it doesn’t disappoint. I’m pretty sure there’s no other airport on the planet with food like this.

My Dad – a New Orleanian who transferred to Chicago in 1985 – gets on the ground and we hop on a shuttle to rent a car. It’s beautiful outside. Overcast, sure, but a vast improvement over the frozen midwest. After an obligatory joke with the Avis agent about the Saints’ futility and nervous laughter, we’re on the way to Mandina’s for gumbo and po boys. We talk about the big game and Dad says, “Oh well … I’m glad we came.” Its part of an inner conversation that escaped – the same conversation he’s been having with himself since booking the hotel in November. Of course, he wants the Saints to win as badly as anyone else. He’s an original season ticket holder. But 43 years of the Saints have a way of making you talk to yourself. Console yourself, rather.

We drive past Lake Lawn Park Cemetery, where my grandfather rests. He was a life-long resident of this great city, and a hell-raiser. He used to own a bar. In that bar, my Dad would run drinks to the men in the back room who were betting on the races. That would constitute a “visit” – Grandma and Grandpa divorced when Dad was three years-old. Grandpa lost that bar in a poker game.

A little further down the causeway and we drive past Grandma’s old apartment on Veteran’s Boulevard. She was a lifelong Saints fan … or sympathizer, at least. Katrina wrecked her place and stole most of her possessions. So, she moved to Chicago and settled in a nice retirement home where she lived her final few years fawning over her grandchildren and great-grandchild, playing Wii, and entertaining her friends with her southern style, dialect and disposition. She passed over a year ago. Unfortunately, she never saw the Saints get this far. But she did see her “boys in black and gold” win their first ever playoff game. Thanks, fellas.

After Mandina’s and a ridiculous amount of delicious food, we make our way downtown. We pass through the remnants of a once-vibrant section of the city, past dilapidated relics of Dad’s childhood, including the site of his high school prom, where Professor Longhair provided the entertainment. We coast past a former Pontiac dealership where, Dad tells me, his grandmother used to buy all her cars.

We come down Canal street and loop behind the hotel on Iberville where a Vikings fan, clad in a Favre jersey, hears two “Who Dat” chants from the other side of the street. It’s rather friendly taunting. Southern hospitality-hostility, I suppose.

A quick tour of Bourbon Street is in order before dinner. In the doorway to my left is a pot-bellied stripper, chatting pleasantly with a New Orleans police officer. A little further down the street are a couple of painted men. The silver guy is familiar to me, but the gold guy is new. They put on their robotic show to amusement, some uneasiness and plenty of camera flashes. This is when I first notice the throngs of Saints jerseys around me. They are everywhere.

Further on down we come across four tap-dancing boys (to be fair, one of them looked at least 21). They are working hard and earning a little cash. On the other side of the street is a lone boy. He’s not nearly as coordinated as the others, and his shoes don’t seem to make the same “click.” There’s considerably less money in his collection box. He must be earning his stripes, I guess.

A turn down Toulouse, then Chartres, and we walk into The Napoleon House. It’s one of my favorites. The windows and doors are open and the air is sticky, and slightly scented of fresh horse manure from the street. The bartender is working fast, making Pimms and popping bottle tops. I choose to have a Sam Adams in Napoleon’s House and feel quite patriotic about it. I’m getting hungry again, so we head back to the hotel before dining at Mr. B’s. Some shrimp, redfish and bread pudding later, it’s time to turn in. Big day tomorrow.

Sunday.

It’s morning on game day. Milling around the hotel lobby are several jerseys – some black and gold, some purple and white. The bar is already filling up and mimosas and bloody mary's are flowing freely. But we have more important affairs to attend to.

We take a drive to Dad’s college roommate’s house. He has cancer and the diagnosis is not good. Still, he greets us at the door with a big smile, a handshake and, of course, is clad in his Drew Brees jersey. He’s lost weight and looks older than the last time I saw him at my Grandmother’s funeral. But he’s most definitely excited – talking to us while keeping one eye on the television for the latest news surrounding the game. He and Dad are sharing old stories and I feel incredibly fortunate to be a witness. We all talk about the game. We talk about the Saints teams of yore (if you can call them ‘teams’) and we laugh. On the TV, Tom Dempsey is recalling his record-setting field goal. Only when it comes to the Saints could a kicker be a legend. We shake hands again as we’re getting ready to leave and I can’t help but wonder if this is the last time I will see Dad’s friend.

I’ve seen three people fight cancer. Here’s what I’ve learned: First, people who battle cancer are incredibly strong. Second, cancer is no match for the human spirit. It’s not even close.

We are headed back to the hotel to get our gear on and make the pilgrimage to the dome. Dan and I have a surprise for Dad … a retro Archie Manning jersey, circa 1978. Putting the jersey on, you can see it in his eyes – this is real. There’s no turning back now. The Saints hold our hearts in their hands and there’s not a thing we can do about it.

The walk to the dome is like a scene straight out of movie – the ones where a lone person starts walking and people slowly join in, to the point where it’s a massive crowd with a singular purpose. “Who Dat” is ringing freely, and impromptu street vendors are selling beers by the handful. So we grab a few $4 cans of beer and keep walking. Interestingly, the beers get cheaper the closer we get to the stadium, and this surprises me. The first guy told us they would be much more expensive … how interesting.

Inside the dome, the atmosphere is tense. We all know something monumental is coming, for better or worse. Still, blind optimism abounds. There’s just no possible way our boys will let us down. Can’t happen. Impossible.

The dome is rocking. Then a terrifying silence comes after the Vikings score first. It’s a slow start. I hear mutterings of “C’mon boys,” and “Settle down, boys.” Then an unlikely play – a screen pass for a touchdown – sends the dome into a frenzy. The upper deck sways with every movement of fans dancing to the adopted “Crunk” song. High-fives are flying. And these are hand-stinging, hard slaps. And it feels good.

After a flurry of scoring, everything slows down and the punting begins. And before every Viking punt fans chant, “Reggie, Reggie, Reggie.” This is significant to understand and will play a big part in the game. You see, Saints fans have this inherent, unshakable faith in Reggie Bush. We want to believe that he’s everything we thought he would be. We want him to succeed and believe we can help him do just that. But Reggie hasn’t been able to turn those cheers into results yet. Then, as if on cue, our faith is tested yet again. Perhaps Reggie Bush became drunk on the crowd’s chants, because he fumbles a key punt. Only the Saints could pull a move like this. It’s late in the half and the Vikings are poised to capitalize on the mishap. It’s unraveling.

But it doesn’t go down that way. On the next play, the Vikings fumble and we get the ball back. This is New Orleans. We’re the Saints, and someone is clearly looking out for us from above.

The game carries on, and it’s intense. There are fumbles, missed opportunities, bad calls by the referees, and some missed calls. Favre is banged up, but won’t stay down. And that’s scary. He’s surely growing more determined with each hit he takes.

Reggie makes an outstanding play for a touchdown, and the chants resume. Our faith is restored, yet again.

Then, it begins. Time is running out in a tie game. Time is running out on the Saints. The Vikings and Brett Favre have the ball and are slowly, dreadfully moving down the field. They are in range to kick a game-winning, soul-crushing field goal. It’s quiet. The air is trapped in our lungs and you can see utter despair all around. But wait, the Vikings have too many men on the field and draw a crucial five-yard penalty. What? How is this possible? It’s the Saints. Anything – and everything – is possible. Brett Favre, one of the most revered, reviled and legendary men to ever play the game, needs a play. So he throws the ball and we can hardly watch.

Interception! No … intervention. Divine intervention. I really believe that.

The dome is on fire. The man in front of me is screaming so hard, he’s drooling on the #12 Colston jersey next to him.

Naturally, overtime is grueling. It’s filled with challenges and a jittery fourth down plunge. There’s only one play left for a chance to go to the Saints’ first Super Bowl. This could very well be one of the most important events in the city’s rich history. At least, it feels that way. We have faith. Faith in a young, inexperienced kicker.

It’s up and it’s true … it finally happens. After 43 years of torture, we have redemption!

After the pleasant shock of disbelief wears off and a speech by Tom Benson and a few players, the gleeful exodus to Bourbon street begins. Who Dat Nation is beaming.

We hide out in our hotel courtyard for a few minutes and light cigars we brought from Chicago. Our voices are raspy from shouting and swallowing hard throughout much of the game. No matter, we don’t need to talk right now.

It sounds like a war zone down on Bourbon. There’s shouting, wailing sirens and hovering helicopters overhead. I recognize a few Vikings fans across the courtyard from earlier. They stopped upstairs to remove their jerseys.

Of course, we must go to Bourbon street and celebrate. It’s packed – every bit as packed as the busiest day of Mardi Gras. In fact, Dad says, “It’s like Mardi Gras, except everyone likes everyone.” A woman I’ve never met before bumps into me at The Old Absinthe House and spills half of my beer on the ground. Instead of an apology, she just hugs me with tears in her eyes. Enough said. People are delirious and slightly cautious. We’re not quite relaxed. We’re not sure this is all real just yet … like it could be taken away from us at any moment.

But it wont’ be taken away. This game, this night is for New Orleans. In the days ahead people will tell us they are happy for us. But it doesn’t matter. This is ours. We earned it, we deserve it and we’re grateful to our boys for giving it to us.

Monday.

It’s getaway day, so to speak. Time to head back to Chicago. But first, some coffee and beignets are in order.

I love walking through the French Quarter early in the morning. Sure, I have to sidestep spraying hoses and, on this day, hop over the remains of someone’s over indulgence. But mornings in the Quarter are peaceful. The energy has dissipated, but there is most certainly a happy vibe pulsating off of the historic buildings and trodden sidewalks and streets.

Cafe Du Monde is bathed in sunlight. The coffee is the best I’ve had since the last time I was here and the beignets are light and fluffy – the only place on earth where they come out that way. We talk about the game and I can overhear other people talking about the game too. Individual plays are recounted and near-tragedies are laughed off.

A man plays a trumpet lightly as we get another coffee to go. As we walk out, he holds a single note for what seems like forever. Light applause follows and as I cross the street to Jackson Square, in the distance I hear the lasting memories of a joyous adventure … “Who Dat, Who Dat.”

- Michael Masson is a writer living in Chicago, and the Saints are his boys.

The Colts and their fans held their breath on Friday, as their best wide out, Reggie Wayne pulled up short on a pass route. Despite the injury, he is still expected to play in Sunday's Super Bowl.

The four-time Pro Bowl receiver left practice 20 minutes early after aggravating an injured right knee. Coach Jim Caldwell said Wayne hurt the soft tissue below his kneecap. Wayne is listed as probable and Caldwell plans on him playing against New Orleans. Wayne got through the injury most of the season.

Let's face it: We are all looking forward to Super Sunday. It doesn't matter if you are a Colts fan, a Saints fan, or a supporter of one of the 30 other teams that didn't make it this far. Heck, it doesn't even matter if you know what N.F.L. stands for. How many non-football fans will be watching the game with you this Sunday?

You know who they are; talking during key points in the game and asking simple questions. You’ll grit your teeth, roll your eyes and bear it. How many people will tune in for the spectacle alone; for the singing of the national anthem, the halftime show, and the new commercials? I'd venture to say a large portion of that demographic wouldn't recognize Peyton Manning if they passed him on the street. They remember the "bud bowls", but not the games played in between them.

I don't point this out to belittle these people, nor do I intend to start a program for remedial football 101 at University of Phoenix.

I am simply pointing to these self-evident facts as proof positive that football in general, and the Super Bowl in particular, has transcended the status as a simple game and has secured higher ground in our national consciousness. It is not our national pastime. It is our national passion, our obsession, our fixation. And the Super Bowl is its pinnacle event.

What other sport can compare? The MLB? Please. It's been dying for decades. The NBA? Not a chance. The NHL? Lucky to be alive. None of them come close. None of them choose their champion on one day. The NFL is the only professional sport that can provide the kind of drama and pure, undiluted emotion that we hunger for and the Super Bowl is the most dramatic, most emotional, most awe-inspiring thing the NFL has to offer.

And so, this Sunday millions (perhaps billions) will huddle around Hi-def flat screens and grainy cathode ray tube televisions throughout the world. America, the richest and most powerful of nations, will stand still. Time will stop on Maple Street for 3 hours. If there was ever a perfect time for a terrorist attack, a communist coup, or an alien invasion, it's Sunday around 6:00 PM. No one would even find out until late Monday some time, after the game, and the commercials and post-game season premiers have been discussed at length. It would only be discovered after the party food was critiqued, the hangovers medicated, and the halftime show choreography reviewed.

By then the evil emperor of the army of planet Zorg would have his 12-toed feet up on the desk in the oval office.

Go ahead. Laugh. I may sound like Rod Serling, but you know it's true.

Therefore, I offer one simple suggestion: Make Super Bowl Monday a national holiday.

No one wants to go to work anyway. Between the parties, the food and the drink, a post game recovery period is required. After daylong pre-game shows, the national anthem complete with jet flyovers, the halftime show, the post-game interviews and reports, the commercials, and, oh yeah, the game, no one has the strength for work a few short hours later. Simply too much sensory overload.

Now I know some of you will call me a crazy old coot; a fool that takes this child's game played by grown and overpaid men way too seriously. In response, my only defense is "Hey, don't shoot the messenger." You know you say the same thing every year. "Man I wish I had tomorrow off." Maybe you even do it.

The fact is that the Monday after the Super Bowl is known throughout all businesses and industries as an uncommonly popular "sick day". They call it "Super Bowl-itis." MSNBC recently reported that roughly 17% of the American workforce will miss work Monday. In addition, those that have the fortitude to make it in will provide less than ½ their normal productivity, costing the economy millions.

So why should we lie to ourselves? I'm just being a realist. Let's call a spade a spade. Call it "Valentine's Day for the dudes", or "All Commissioners Day" or the "National day of mourning for the end of football." I don't care how we label it or what we call it. Just make it happen.

If you are reading this, President Obama and the Congress, I beg you to fast-track this bill through now. Forget such minor and inconsequential issues as national healthcare, foreign policy, and the budget deficit. Who cares about that stuff? Make some real, appreciable change. Do something that unites and not divides! Reach across the aisle! Let us recover from a football induced stupor! Make Super Bowl Monday our next national holiday!

Seems like all the talk in Miami yesterday was about Chad Ochocinco’s appearance on NFL Network talking about wanting Terrell Owens to come to the Bengals in 2010, lining up opposite him:

Begals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, who was appearing with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen and Warren Sapp, thinks Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens will be a Bengal in 2010. Owens said that it could happen because both players have the same goal in mind, winning a Super Bowl. “Of course we could, I did shared the football with Jerry Rice in San Francisco.” Owens told NFL Network’s Deion Sanders.

Would Ochocinco and Owens work? Sure right now as the guys are sitting around in shorts and flip flops giving love back and forth to each other they say it will, but no one would really know until it happens. Yes, the Bengals could use another receiver, but again, would Owens keep his mouth shut if the team loses a game in which he doesn’t have a lot of passes thrown to him? That’s the real question.

Yesterday afternoon, the Ravens front office stepped to the podium to not only officially comment on this past season but to discuss the future of the franchise. In general, the comments were in accord with many of the same issues that fans complained about during the 2009 campaign, repeated penalties, the lack of a pass rush and the need to upgrade the receiver position.

It was interesting that at times the focus of owner Steve Bischotti's message wasn't just about the future of his team but of the entire NFL. This coming season will mark the first uncapped season but the bigger issue is the CBA that needs to be hammered out by 2011 or people may begin to mention the dreaded "Lockout" word.

Some of the highlights of the remarks were:

• The Ravens aren't worried about the upcoming uncapped season. In fact Bischotti seemed very upbeat about the prospects of continuing to compete in such a marketplace. He quoted as saying;

"I don't think the problems with the CBA are going to impact me in any way, shape or form more" than any other team, he said. "If anything I think it'll be less because of the talent we have in this building. I'm looking forward to the constrictions. If there are any constraints, to me, it makes your decisions that much more important."

Bischotti feels very confident about his management staff from Dick Cass to Head Coach John Harbaugh. I'm glad that he feels positive about his team's situation but honestly a cap helps Baltimore and I'm sure he's aware of that. The feeling throughout most circles is that this is just a  temporary situation and that the cap will return in the future. So it may just be a case of viewing the future in a positive vein.

• The Ravens need to upgrade at Wide Reciever. Many people, Ozzie Newsome included felt that Demetrius Williams could be the player to help provide a deep threat presence on this offense. It didn't happen for a variety or reasons. Coaches were displeased with Williams' route running and ability to make adjustments. Kelley Washington over took the slot role fairly quickly and never relinquished it. They used very few four wide looks so that left Williams out of the equation.

Does that mean Brandon Marshall is back on the table as a possibility?  Maybe so. John Harbaugh mentioned during the session that there was never a player that was ruled out due to character issues during his two seasons. Ozzie Newsome said that he would be willing to trade his number one pick for a player that would improve the team.

• Terrell Suggs was out of shape this season. Suggs production in the sack department dropped off dramatically and he made more headlines for an alleged domestic incident (which has since been dropped) than for on the field production. Sure he stops the run but he's being paid for his role as a pass rusher. So he needs to improve. The staff has been assured that Suggs will stay in Baltimore to ready himself for next camp.

• The staff feels that both Derrick Mason and Ed Reed will return for the 2010 season. No doubt the receiving corps will look different for next season. How different is still up to speculation with the restrictions that the Ravens will have to deal with. Retaining Mason is a good idea but as usual it must be "right player, right price" and Mason has to want to come back. Reed of course is a different matter. He skipped the Pro Bowl, much like thirty others that were chosen but he needed to start his healing from another tough season. The Ravens are at least covered in case he does retire but if he does step down he's hardly replaceable.