As Super Bowl XLIV approaches (just 3 days away!), you may find yourself feeling benched when it comes to this year’s big game. Luckily, Her Campus is here to coach you through football’s finest finale! This Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints will battle it out on the field at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
To learn the basics of football, check out “I Bleed Crimson Becoming The Female College Football Fan!”
First things first: A Short History
The first Super Bowl was held in 1967 at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won the most Super Bowls in history with six victories, including last year’s match-up against the Cardinals. The Cowboys have had the most Super Bowl appearances, playing a staggering eight times.
The Indianapolis Colts:
Led by all-star quarterback Peyton Manning, the Colts will make their 4th appearance in 2010’s Super Bowl. The last time they played, in 2007, the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears to win the title. Because the Colts won the Championship just three years ago, many experts contend that the Saints will be at a disadvantage since they have never made a Super Bowl appearance.
Players to Watch:
- Peyton Manning: Although you may know him from his hilarious hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, Manning is also arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history, and probably the best currently playing in the NFL. Manning comes from a powerhouse family – his brother, Eli, is the starting quarterback for the New York Giants, and his father, Archie, was an NFL quarterback as well. Manning is the number-one ranked quarterback in passing yards per game at 261.1 yards.
- Reggie Wayne: Wayne weighs in as the top Colts receiver, which also makes him one of the best in the league. He has the longest consecutive streak of starts in the NFL at 113 games. With an impressive 63 touchdowns with the Colts, Wayne is surely one that will have the Saints on their toes all four quarters.
The New Orleans Saints
The Saints, led by quarterback Drew Brees, will make their Superbowl debut this year to what will hopefully be not only their first appearance, but also their first victory. Brees allegedly rivals Manning in stats, and they have played a stellar season this fall – but it will be the true test against the Colts to see how the Saints stack up.
Players to Watch:
- Drew Brees: Hailing from Dallas, TX, quarterback Brees played college ball at Purdue. After getting drafted to the San Diego Chargers in 2001, Brees has really blossomed at the Saints, where he was traded in 2006. This past fall, Brees led the Saints to an amazing 13-0 start to their 15 week season. He established a new NFL record for the highest passing completion percentage at 70.62%. Brees also holds the record for most completions in a season (440), which he set in 2007.
- Reggie Bush: You might know Bush from his on-again-off-again relationship with reality-TV star Kim Kardashian. Or maybe you remember his glamorous days at the University of Southern California. But this year, Bush will be vying for recognition on the field at his first Super Bowl appearance. Considered by some analysts as the best punt returner in the NFL, Bush will aspire to shut down the Colts’ defense by using his raw speed on the field. Although he is not the top ranking Saints’ running back, he is surely the one everyone has their eye on.
The Halftime Show
The Who will perform the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime show. Super Bowl I’s halftime show featured the University of Arizona and Michigan Bands for entertainment. However, who can forget the Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004?
Fun Facts:
The Patriots’ Super Bowl XXXIX ring was the biggest ever – weighing 4.09 ounces and sporting 124 diamonds! The losing team also is awarded jewelry for their performance in the championship game; however, it’s not as snazzy as the rings. One football player — Bob Hayes — has won both a Super Bowl ring AND an Olympic Gold Medal. Hayes played for the Dallas Cowboys as a receiver and won his gold as a 400m-relay runner in the 1964 Tokyo Games. Mike Wolclk has the record for most rings – and he isn’t a player! Wolclk has won six rings as a strength coach in the NFL.
Throw a Super Bowl Party!
Spice up your Sunday night by inviting the cute guys from your class to your party and impress them with your Super Bowl knowledge.
Start a Betting Pool: Bet with your friends on who will win, the margin of victory, how many commercials will be played — the possibilities are endless!
Vote on Best Commercial: Famous for their high dollar time-spots and witty ad campaigns, Super Bowl commercials are half the entertainment!
Work up a sweat…in the Kitchen! Check out SouthernFood.com’s “Super Bowl Food and Recipes” here!
So tune in to CBS on February 7th for the 6:25pm EST kick-off of Super Bowl XLIV!
Sources:
http://www.southfloridasuperbowl.com/ http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history
“Bling Basics: 20 Questions” by Cathy Harasta
http://espn.go.com/nfl/superbowl
“Double Coverage: Saints vs. Colts” by Pat Yasinskas and Paul Kuharsky http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/8935/double-coverage-saints-v… “All 106 Super Bowl XLIV Players Ranked” by Scouts, Inc. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4862483
“Reggie Wayne” http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=bio&player_id=67