How about my Bears? I still can't believe they made it 2 the Superbowl WITHOUT a quarterback.

I live in Chi-town.



Go Bears.

Prince to perform at Pepsi Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show

NEW YORK -- Prince, one of the world's most electrifying performers, is set to perform in the Pepsi Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show on CBS at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, Feb. 4.

Prince is more than just one of the world's most popular and influential musicians -- he is an international icon. One of the greatest living performers of our time, he has sold nearly 100 million albums and is a member of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has won six Grammy Awards (he's one of the leading nominees this year with five Grammy nominations) and five American Music Awards. He has one of the most recognizable and successful bodies of work of any musician, consisting of 20 Top 10 hits which include "Purple Rain," "Little Red Corvette," "1999," "Kiss," "When Doves Cry," "Cream," "Diamonds and Pearls" and countless others. There is no question that when it comes to his achievements, Prince has made an indelible mark on rock 'n roll history.

The Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. More than 141 million viewers watched last year's game in the U.S. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories.

This year marks the first time Pepsi, which has been an NFL sponsor the past five seasons, has sponsored the Super Bowl halftime show.

Don Mischer Productions and White Cherry Entertainment will produce the Pepsi Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show as part of their season-long marquee entertainment agreement with the NFL. The two companies produced the NFL Opening Kickoff 2006 special from Pittsburgh and the Thanksgiving special from Kansas City on NFL Network. In addition to the halftime show, they also will produce the Super Bowl XLI pregame show. Don Mischer Productions will serve as executive producer and director, while White Cherry Entertainment, led by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, will serve as executive producers. The NFL has worked the past three years with both Don Mischer Productions and White Cherry Entertainment on Opening Kickoff and Super Bowl shows.

Why the de-sticky? The suuperbowl hasn't happened?

Bumpity bump bump bump.

I've decided to work the bar on Superbowl Sunday. I told my boss I would do it if he fixed the big screen and let me take a break at half-time.

So any Superbowl parties this year?

Prince Super Bowl Press Conference. No words. Just music.

I'm not one to mention clothing, but damn, my eyes

Don't forget the game. Super Bowl XLI. It's gonna be one for the ages.

Super Bowl XLI www.superbowl.com
BBC: This is it! It's time!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/spo...efault.stm

Super Bowl XLI Preview: Indianapolis vs. Chicago


NFL.com wire reports

(Feb. 04, 2007) -- Never shy in front of the camera, Peyton Manning seemed to enjoy Tuesday's Super Bowl Media Day, joking and mostly enjoying the circus-like atmosphere.

The Indianapolis Colts superstar quarterback, though, never lost sight of what being able to attend that occasionally bizarre press conference meant to him.

"I know how hard it is to get here," he said, "because it has been."

The two-time MVP and perhaps the NFL's most recognizable player has finally reached the league's championship game, looking to help the Colts complete their unlikely run when they face the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in Miami on Sunday.

Manning seemed unlikely to make it to the Super Bowl again this year after Indianapolis lost four of its last seven games following a 9-0 start, failing to earn a first-round bye despite going 12-4 and winning the AFC South.

Unlike the disappointments and near-misses of past postseasons, though, Manning, along with a suddenly tough defense, led the Colts to three victories -- including one over the team's playoff nemesis -- as the franchise reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 1971.

Indianapolis completed its run to Miami, and advanced to the championship game for the first time since the team's underhanded 1983 move from Baltimore, with a thrilling 38-34 victory over New England in the AFC title game. Manning rallied his team from a 21-3 deficit for the biggest comeback in conference championship game history.

Manning threw for 349 yards and a touchdown, Joseph Addai capped the quarterback's late drive with the winning score with 1 minute left and Marlin Jackson intercepted Tom Brady on the next drive to seal the win and send the RCA Dome crowd into a frenzy.

Too nervous to watch on the Patriots' final possession, Manning ripped off his helmet in celebration as the game ended. New England beat Indianapolis in the playoffs in 2004 and '05 en route to Super Bowl wins -- frustrating and containing one of the most prolific passers in NFL history in the process.

Those memories make Manning, the top pick in the 1998 draft, appreciate the chance he and the Colts have even more.

"You feel a small window of opportunity," he said. "While we're here, we sure want to go ahead and win it."

To do that, Manning will have to apply his famously obsessive game preparation to solving the Bears, owners of the NFC's top defense during the regular season.

Chicago (15-3) surged into its first Super Bowl since 1986, and is confident it can add another championship to that one after a dominant performance in the conference title game. Frustrating the NFL's passing yardage leader this season, Drew Brees, the Bears rolled past the New Orleans Saints 39-14 at a raucous Soldier Field behind a characteristically aggressive and opportunistic defense.

The Bears intercepted Brees once, sacked him three times and forced him into a 27-for-49 performance. Chicago pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring New Orleans 21-0.

"We gave up some big plays," linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "But we never put our heads down."

Chicago's convincing win, along with Indianapolis' tight victory, gave the Super Bowl its first two black head coaches. Lovie Smith has the Bears in the title game in just his third year, while his good friend, Indianapolis' Tony Dungy, has taken a long road to Miami, reaching the Super Bowl in his 11th season as a head coach.

"It means a lot," Dungy said. "I'm very proud to be representing African-Americans. I'm very proud of Lovie."

Dungy is in his fifth season with the Colts since being fired by Tampa Bay, and he's overcome recent tragedy to get here. His 18-year-old son, James, was found dead after an apparent suicide 13 months ago.

Both men are known for their low-key and dignified approaches, and it's almost certain neither coach will be seen losing his temper Sunday -- regardless of their teams' play on the national stage.

"There is this stereotype of how all coaches have to behave, what you are supposed to be and that isn't the case," Smith said. "I just think guys should be who they are. You can win a lot of different ways and whatever your approach is, just believe in it, get the guys to buy into it and of course you can accomplish anything."

Now Smith, a former defensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams, and current Bears defensive coach Ron Rivera will need their players to fully buy into the scheme they come up with to contain Manning and disrupt the Colts' frequent use of the no-huddle offense. The Bears may try to apply heavy pressure, something they did successfully against Brees, drop more defenders into coverage, as the Patriots often did against the Colts in the playoffs, or give Manning several different looks.

Whatever the Bears do, they'll have to be more effective than they were in the teams' last meeting -- a 41-10 Colts rout on Nov. 21, 2004, when Manning threw four touchdown passes and Indianapolis finished with a 486-224 edge in total yardage.

That Bears team had Craig Krenzel at quarterback and finished 5-11 for its third straight losing season. Urlacher was injured and didn't play in the matchup.

"You are not going to fool Peyton Manning. He knows where to go with the football before it's even snapped," Urlacher said.

Urlacher and the Bears defense could get a boost from the availability of defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who was granted permission by a judge to leave Illinois as he awaits trial on gun possession charges.

While Manning's ability to complete passes to 1,300-yard receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne against the formidable Bears defense will go a long way toward determining Sunday's outcome, the performance of Chicago's overlooked quarterback could be a major factor.

Overcoming criticism and the intense pressure of playing in a football-crazed city, Rex Grossman has provided his team with enough big plays and solid football to help guide Chicago into the Super Bowl. The fourth-year player survived calls for his benching from fans and local media after several poor games this season, and directed the Bears on the winning drive in overtime to defeat Seattle in the divisional round.

In the conference championship game, Grossman was just 11-of-26 for 144 yards, but didn't make any mistakes.

"This is great and all, but we have one game to go," Grossman said.

The Bears don't expect their young quarterback to carry them, and Grossman probably won't have much success moving the ball if Chicago can't establish its running game led by Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson. That, however, is something Indianapolis' three opponents in this postseason have failed to do.

The Colts held Kansas City's Larry Johnson to 32 yards rushing in the first round; limited Baltimore's Jamal Lewis to 53 yards the next; and allowed only 93 rushing yards to New England as a team.

"You need at least two good running backs to make it through a season," said Smith, whose team rushed for a season-high 196 yards in the NFC title game and has averaged 145.5 in its last six contests. "We are a running football team. We get off the plane running the ball."

Smith's team also could have an advantage on special teams, with the dangerous Devin Hester a threat to turn any punt or kickoff into a big play. Hester scored three touchdowns on punt returns this season, and averaged 26.4 yards per kickoff return -- fifth in the NFL.

While the Bears have the better return game, the Colts can feel comfortable turning to kicker Adam Vinatieri if the game is on the line. Vinatieri has kicked four field goals in the Super Bowl -- three of which gave New England victories.

Signed away from the Patriots in the offseason to replace Mike Vanderjagt, who often struggled in big spots, Vinatieri has lived up to his clutch reputation in this postseason. He's 11-for-11 on field goals in these playoffs, and accounted for all of the Colts' points in their 15-6 victory over Baltimore in the divisional round with five field goals -- three from 42 yards or more.

Vinatieri is one field goal shy of tying Ray Wersching for most in the Super Bowl.

Like the Bears, the Colts will also be looking for their second Super Bowl title. The team, then based in Baltimore, defeated Dallas 16-13 in Super Bowl V.

INJURIES: Indianapolis

QUESTIONABLE
CB Nicholas Harper (Ankle)
LB Keith O'Neil (Rib)
FS Bob Sanders (Knee)

PROBABLE
CB Jason David (Abdomen)
DE Robert Mathis (Back)



INJURIES: Chicago

QUESTIONABLE
LB Rod Wilson (Hamstring)

www.nflspain.com

Super Bowl XLI is under way.
[Edited 2/4/07 16:12pm]

I threw paper!
I threw rock!

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

Let the rain come down let the rain come down down.

Super Bowl XLI Chicago Bears 14 Indianapolis Colts 16. Midway.

Prince Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show
















[Edited 2/4/07 23:00pm]

Indianapolis Colts Win Super Bowl XLI 29-17

[Edited 2/4/07 19:27pm]

[Edited 2/4/07 22:59pm]

[Edited 2/4/07 23:01pm]

see you in September guys....

lilgish said:

Thanks for keeping track of everybodys game picks. It was a lot of fun choosing each week.

Indianapolis wins battle in trenches with dominant performance

Feb. 4, 2007

MIAMI — Playing in the Super Bowl for the first time since the franchise had moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984, the Colts displayed the poise emblematic of their head coach, Tony Dungy, defeating the Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI.

Despite falling behind early to Chicago in Super Bowl XLI, the Colts kept their composure in the steady rain at Dolphin Stadium, just as they had in their record-setting comeback win over New England in the AFC title game. Although they had a difficult time putting the Bears away, the Colts completely dominated the final three quarters. Their much-maligned defense held Chicago to two first downs combined in the second and third quarters.

Contrary to most predictions, Indianapolis, not Chicago, controlled the line of scrimmage. The Colts ran 81 plays to the Bears’ 48, and Indy had a huge advantage in time of possession, 38:04 to 21:56. The Colts pounded the ball, winning the battle in the trenches and outrushing Chicago 191-111. Dominic Rhodes was the leading rusher with 113 yards on 21 carries, with one touchdown, and teammate Joseph Addai added 77 yards on 19 carries. Meanwhile, Thomas Jones led the Bears 15 carries for 112 yards, including a 52-yard run. Cedric Benson injured his knee on his second carry of the game and didn’t return. The Bears' 19 rushing plays marked their lowest total since their Week Six win at Arizona.


The constant rain and wet footballs contributed to the eight turnovers in the game, five by Chicago. Nevertheless, Peyton Manning, getting the last laugh on critics who felt he couldn’t win the big game, completed 25-of-38 passes for 247 yards. His counterpart, Rex Grossman, had considerably more trouble, underthrowing several receivers, fumbling twice and getting intercepted twice. Most of Grossman’s 165 passing yards came in hurry-up mode late as the Bears were trying to narrow the deficit.
Devin Hester staked the Bears to an early lead with a 92-yard return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff, but the Colts patiently played their game and gradually took the lead. Perhaps the key play came early in the fourth quarter when second-year CB Kelvin Hayden, filling in for an injured Nick Harper intercepted a pass intended for Muhsin Muhammad near the sideline and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. That turned a five-point deficit into a 12-point gap, not a promising scenario for a Bears team that isn’t geared to overcome big deficits.

Dungy becomes the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl, beating his old friend Lovie Smith, who worked for Dungy in Tampa Bay from 1996 through 2000.

Following is a quarter-by-quarter recap:

First quarter

Bears RS Devin Hester picked up where he had left off in the regular season, taking the opening kickoff up the middle and bursting free from a pack of Colts en route to a 92-yard touchdown return. It was the first time in Super Bowl history that the opening kickoff had been returned for a touchdown.

On the Colts’ first possession, Bears SS Chris Harris intercepted a Peyton Manning pass intended for WR Marvin Harrison near the sideline. After a four-and-out by Chicago, Manning directed a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 53-yard pass play to WR Reggie Wayne. On the play SS Harris was moving toward the line of scrimmage, leaving the deep half of his side of the field vacant as no Bear was within 10 yards of Wayne. Holder Hunter Smith mishandled the snap on the extra point, leaving Indianapolis down 7-6.

To avoid a rerun of the game’s first play, Adam Vinatieri kicked short, and Robert Mathis, playing on special teams, jarred the ball loose from Gabe Reid and the Colts’ Dylan Gandy recovered. However, on Indianapolis’ first play, Manning’s handoff to Joseph Addai was botched, and Bears DE Mark Anderson recovered at the Chicago 43. Thomas Jones burst over left guard for 52 yards, and three plays later, Rex Grossman drilled the ball in traffic to veteran WR Muhsin Muhammad for a four-yard TD pass.

Bears RB Cedric Benson fumbled on his first carry, and Dwight Freeney recovered, giving the Colts ideal field position at the Chicago 43. Nevertheless, the Bears’ defense stiffened, forcing a punt. Benson injured his knee on his second carry, ending his day.

Score: Bears 14, Colts 6

Second quarter

Vinatieri’s 29-yard field goal early in the second quarter narrowed the Colts’ deficit to 14-9. On Indy’s next possession, it drove 58 yards in seven plays to take its first lead of the game, 16-14, as Dominic Rhodes ran it in from one yard. Key plays in the drive were a 22-yard pass to Harrison and a 17-yard pass to Dallas Clark.

In the final two minutes of the half, Colts TE Bryan Fletcher fumbled and Bears CB Charles Tillman recovered, stopping an Indy drive. But Grossman fumbled the snap on the next play, and Colts DT Raheem Brock fell on the ball at the Chicago 35. It went for naught as Vinatieri hooked a 36-yard FG attempt wide left.

Two Colts starters, ORT Ryan Diem and LCB Nick Harper, left during the first half because of injuries, as did Benson.

Chicago’s offense was stymied much of the second half, with its last five possessions resulting in three punts and two fumbles lost and only one first down.

Score: Colts 16, Bears 14

Third quarter

The Colts took the opening kickoff 56 yards in 13 plays, capped by Vinatieri’s 24-yard field goal for a 19-14 lead.

A sack by Booger McFarland and a fumbled snap by Grossman torpedoed another Bears possession. On the ensuing Colts drive, Rhodes’ 36-yard scamper off left tackle set up another Vinatieri field goal, this time from 20 yards, as Indy took a 22-14 lead.

An unnecessary-roughness penalty on Mathis following a short kickoff gave the Bears a first down at the Colts’ 40, and they capitalized with a 44-yard field goal by Robbie Gould, cutting the deficit to 22-17.

Score: Colts 22, Bears 17

Fourth quarter

With Chicago trying to mount a go-ahead drive early in the fourth quarter, Muhammad tried a double move along the right sideline on second-year CB Kelvin Hayden, who had replaced the injured Harper. However, Hayden wasn’t fooled at all, and he intercepted the pass, returning it 56 yards down the sideline for a touchdown after Muhammad had initially failed to drag him out of bounds after the pick.

On the next Chicago possession, Grossman had WR Bernard Berrian open deep down the middle, but the pass was underthrown, giving FS Bob Sanders time to pick it off. It was the fifth Bears turnover of the game.

They wouldn’t mount another threat the rest of the game.

Final score: Colts 29, Bears 17
[Edited 2/5/07 16:43pm]