Kentucky: Receiving 63 of 65 1^st place votes in this week’s AP poll, the Wildcats continue to reign supreme as the nation’s best.  A 20-point dismantling win over their biggest challenger in the SEC, the seventh-ranked Florida Gators, on Tuesday night was the latest of many victories for Kentucky. The College Gameday crew will be in Nashville on Saturday for Kentucky’s visit to play Vanderbilt.  While there may be some hyped-up fans in on campus cheering for the Commodores in front of a national audience, nothing seems to be stopping Kentucky right now.

Syracuse: The number-two team in the country may not be on this list next week.  They may be the number-two team in the nation, but the foreseeable future in the always challenging Big East could pose problems for the Orange.  Their next three games are against number-11 Georgetown, Connecticut, and number-23 Louisville.  Georgetown has made their way up the rankings as of late and Louisville has streaked into the top-25 recently.  Connecticut is struggling, but Syracuse-UCONN is always a war. Jim Boeheim moved past Dean Smith on the Division I college basketball wins list on Saturday, and Fab Melo is back starting, which is all well and good, but I have them on upset alert this week.

Missouri: Given that they’re moving to the SEC next season, if they never play Kansas at home again, then they sent the Tiger faithful out the right way.  Saturday night, in front of a national audience and the Gameday guys, Missouri took down Kansas in a thriller, 74-71, in a game that was back and forth filled with lead changes. However, Marcus Denmon seemed to knock down many big shots for Missouri, as he finished with six three point field goals in the victory and was the difference maker in the W for the Tigers. They do, however, play Kansas again later this month in Lawrence at Allen Fieldhouse.  On Monday, Missouri won by the skin of their teeth against Oklahoma surviving 71-68 on the road.  This is not cause for concern though they will have to play much better on Saturday when they host the sixth ranked Baylor Bears, a team they beat on the road earlier this year.  Coach Frank Haith didn’t really have this kind of national spotlight on him during his time at Miami so as the going continues to get tough, and we get closer to March, we’ll see if he can keep his team amongst the nation’s elite.

Ohio State: An unconvincing 87-84 home win Tuesday night against Purdue and a 58-52 survival against Wisconsin has Ohio State as the number-one seed most in doubt right now.  With a tough game looming against number-12 Michigan State on Saturday, the Buckeyes still have some work to do before they enter the big dance as a number-one seed.

Bubble Watch

Ole Miss: The Runnin Rebels took a tough loss to last week’s sleeper team, Alabama, falling in double overtime on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.  However, a 14-8 record and 4-4 in the SEC puts them in the mix for at least discussions for a bid.  A win over currently 18^th ranked Mississippi State earlier this season certainly helps their cause and they have a chance to sweep the Bulldogs if they can win on the road on Thursday.  A second good win would go a long way for Ole Miss.  They do have chances against other probable tournament teams, as well, with later dates against Vanderbilt and Alabama as well as a trip to Rupp Arena to play Kentucky.  There’s still work to be done, but Ole Miss is in the mix.

Minnesota: Quietly having posted a 17-7 record, Minnesota is hanging around.  Though this shouldn’t surprise anyone as in their recent NCAA tournament history they’ve gone in as a double-digit seed bubble team.  However, they’re on the bubble yet again and there’s still some work to be done.  They can get to .500 in the Big 10 with a win against number-22 Wisconsin Thursday night.  Following the Wisconsin game they host Ohio State.  If Minnesota is to win their next two games and go to 19-7 and 7-6 in the Big 10, barring a collapse late in the regular season and in the Big 10 tournament, they should be in the field.

Cinderella Chance?

Wyoming: After an upset win over then-number-13 UNLV, Wyoming caught my attention.  They sit at 4^th in the Mountain West conference at 18-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play but have chances to beat all three teams ahead of them before the regular season’s end.  Their next game is Saturday at New Mexico, who is 3^rd in the Mountain West.  On February 22, they travel to number-14 San Diego State to take on Steve Fisher’s first place Aztecs.  Finally, to wrap up the regular season, they have a rematch with now-number-16 UNLV in Vegas on March 3.  Two out of three here would boost them in the Mountain West standings, and if they go in hot and win at UNLV to close out the regular season and then do some damage in the Mountain West conference tournament, they could make some noise in the big tournament.  Bear in mind Creighton, last week’s Cinderella chance team, lost their two games of the week, so nothing is guaranteed in the College Basketball world.

Don’t Sleep on Me

Purdue: While moral victories don’t exist come tournament time, they fought hard on the road at Ohio State and pushed the Buckeyes to the brink of defeat.  They still have some games against nationally ranked teams like Michigan, Michigan State, and Indiana, but that’s not really what it’s about when it comes to the Boilermakers.  Expectations have been high, and in the tournament they have failed to deliver in years past.  Now, with some key departures like Jajuan Johnson and E’twaun Moore, it may be easy to write off Purdue in terms of a team that could win some games in the tournament.  While Johnson and Moore have left the program, during their tenures Robby Hummel was decimated with injuries.  Now that he is finally healthy and has one more year of NCAA eligibility he may be able to led the Boilermakers to a March run.  We’ve seen that they can play with the best as they hung with Ohio State Tuesday night and also hung right in with then number 11 Xavier, eventually losing 66-63 back in December.  Now it’s just a question of if they can beat the best.  Don’t rule it out.

*Wednesday features 3 of the better games we’ve seen all year.  11^th ranked Georgetown visits number two Syracuse, the rivalry is renewed when Duke visits North Carolina, and a rematch of a Big 12 showdown earlier this season hits the national stage as number 10 Kansas heads to Waco, Texas to play number six Baylor.  The Groundhog might have called for six more weeks of winter, but signs of March will be in the air tomorrow night.

Kentucky: The Wildcats are the best team in the country right now.  Their one loss came back on December 10 at Indiana, which doesn’t even look like that bad of a loss now with Indiana ranked 20^th in the AP poll.  But with wins over nationally-ranked powerhouses North Carolina and Kansas earlier this season, this Kentucky team is for real. A 25-point win at home tonight against Tennessee was just the latest of many victories.  They head into Saturday’s game at South Carolina at 22-1 before hosting number-11 Florida next Tuesday.  Florida is probably the toughest challenger in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to Kentucky.

Syracuse: The Big East always seems to be the strongest men’s basketball conference in America, and this year the Orange are front-running in this conference.  Like Kentucky, Syracuse is 22-1 through 23 games however their last three games have exposed some doubt.  A loss at Notre Dame, a team that before that game was not considered an NCAA tournament team, and two single-digit victories against Cincinnati and West Virginia.  However, the Orange have been missing starting center Fab Melo and his return may spark them down the stretch.

Ohio State: The 19-3 Buckeyes have played well enough to earn their way to a projected number-one seed as of now.  All three of their losses came on the road, two of which were in Big Ten play, falling to Illinois and then-number-15 Indiana.  Their third loss came to another nationally-ranked team, losing at the Allen Field house in Kansas.  Another tough road game lurks for the Buckeyes as they head to Camp Randall to take on the 20^th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday.

Missouri: Through 24 games the Tigers have only gone down twice.  A letdown at Oklahoma State a week and a half ago, and a tough pill to swallow at the Octagon of Doom in Kansas State earlier in January were the only two that didn’t fall in their favor.  Led by guard Marcus Denmon the Tigers boast Big 12’s best record after their squeaker against Texas last night winning 67-66.  However, Thomas Robinson and the 8^th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks might have something to say about who the best team in the Big 12 is as they roll into enemy-territory to take on the Missouri Tigers.

Bubble Watch

Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish have gone 14-8 through 22 games and are 6-3 in the Big East.  While there may be lots of teams with similar overall and conference records, what might separate the Irish from the rest of the pack are their recent victories over then number one ranked Syracuse and a road win Sunday at number 19 and defending National Champion Connecticut.    It looks as if right now they’re on the right side of the bubble.

North Carolina State: Whether they get in the field or not, the fact that the Wolfpack are even in discussion for a tournament bid is a bit of a surprise to begin with.  Year after year under former coach Sydney Lowe, the Wolfpack were cellar dwellers in the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC); however first-year head coach Mark Gottfried has changed the culture in Raleigh.  Their next game is tomorrow night in Chestnut Hill against a scrappy, youthful, Boston College team.  However, if NC State is for real they should be able to win against BC.  They’re probably on pace to get left out right now, as they don’t have a signature win at 15-7 overall and 4-3 in the ACC, but there are chances against nationally ranked ACC opponents Duke, Florida State and North Carolina left on their schedule.

Cinderella Chance?

Creighton: Out of the Missouri Valley Conference the Blue Jays are having an outstanding season.  They sit at 20-2 with losses to St. Joseph’s and Missouri State but the 20 games that have gone in their favor have been good enough to make them the number 12 team in the nation.  They do not play a ranked team the rest of the way and if they can survive the remainder of the regular season, and the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, look out for the Blue Jays in the big dance.

Don’t Sleep on Me

Alabama: The Crimson Tide basketball team may not have the National Championship expectations like their football team lived up to this season, but they certainly should be around into the third week of March.  While they have yet to beat a ranked team this season, at 14-7 overall if they continue to take care of their inferior competition the Tide will be in shape for an at large bid.  However, they do have chances against nationally ranked SEC foes Mississippi State and Florida to get themselves on the map.  What is particularly intriguing about this Alabama team is that they were a bubble team left out of the field last season and may have something to prove in this year’s tournament.  Also, they’re coach Anthony Grant led Virginia Commonwealth to a huge upset over Duke in the first round of the 2007 tournament.  He may not have pulled a Shaka Smart run like last year’s VCU Rams, but he knows something about winning in March.

What is Bracketology? Each year around this time, late January-mid March, college basketball gurus break down all angles covering the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament giving their thoughts on who the best teams are, who the bubble teams are, the sleepers and Cinderellas, and the streaking teams.  It’s called Bracketology because it’s the study of the bracket.  The big day for all bracketologists is called Selection Sunday.  The field of 68 teams is announced and placed into a bracket produced by the selection committee, and on Selection Sunday that bracket is released to the public on National TV.  After about a month or two of the college basketball season, around this time of year, bracketologists begin to do their best to break down what fans might see on Selection Sunday.

How are the 68 teams decided? There are 31 conferences in NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball.  Each one of those conferences gets an automatic bid.  All of these automatic bids are determined the same way except for one.  When the regular season concludes, the teams in each conference are seeded and placed into a conference tournament.  The winners of these conference tournaments are placed into the field of 68.  The one exception is the Ivy League.  There is no conference tournament in the Ivy League, and as a result the team with the best record in conference play (games against other Ivy League teams) wins the regular season title, which in turn is a ticket to the big dance (NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament).  The remaining 37 teams receive at-large birds at the discretion of the selection committee.

What is a bubble team? Any team whose tournament fate is unknown as to if they are going to receive one of the 37 at-large bids is known as a bubble team.  Before dissecting the bracket and who they’re picking, most bracketologists focus on the bubble teams and which ones were lucky enough to receive a bid and others that got snubbed.

What is a Cinderella team? A Cinderella team is one who tends to shock the college basketball world and make a run in the tournament.  Often times a Cinderella team comes from a smaller conference unlike the power conferences like the Big East, Atlantic Coastal Conference, Big 12, and Big 10, and didn’t really have their time to shine in the regular season and burst onto the scene in March.  Some of the notable Cinderella teams in prior years have been Virginia Commonwealth Universtiy and George Mason University, both out of the Colonial Athletic Association.  Also, Butler, out of the Horizon League, made the National Championship in both 2011 and 2010.

What is a sleeper team? A sleeper team is one who tends to fly under the radar as many people “sleep” on this team and do not think of them as a contender.  While it may sound like it is a synonym for Cinderella team, not quite.  Sleepers can come out of any conference and can have good seasons in which they received national recognition at one point or another.  The point is that they go into the tournament as a team that isn’t expected to make some noise.

What advantages do the best teams in the country have over other teams in the tournament? The bracket is divided into four sections and the selection committee awards four number one seeds each year.  They pick who they believe to be the top four teams in the country and assign them to a different section of the bracket.  However, hope is not lost for those teams that do not get a number one seed as only once in NCAA tournament history have all four number one seeds made it out of their respective sections and made it to the final four.

*Bracketology for Dummies will discuss all of the aforementioned terms and will be divided into appropriate sections.  New columns will be written every Tuesday night.

The move to acquire Adu was made in order to bolster the Union midfield and make it a MLS cup contender.  It is only the Union’s second year in existence, but the team is pushing to make a playoff run.

Adu was extremely happy to join the team of his former coach, Peter Nowak.  Nowak coached Adu when he was signed to a MLS contract at the age of 14.  Adu did not pan out into the child prodigy he was thought to be, but he is still only 22 and hopefully will be a very worthwhile addition to the Union roster.

Aside from Vince Young, what many people think of when they hear “Dream Team” is the great U.S Men’s basketball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.  Even the fans from other countries wanted to see possibly the greatest collection of basketball players in the history of that sport.

“It was like Elvis and the Beatles put together,” said head coach Chuck Daly of the team that had players like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Christian Laettner, Larry Bird, and Patrick Ewing amongst many other greats of basketball.

In fact, all of the players and 3 out of the 4 coaches are currently in the basketball hall of fame. So if Vince Young was trying to draw a comparison to that team, all many people can say is “yeah right”.

With all of the free agent acquisitions this offseason, the Eagles already have plenty of pressure to succeed, and high expectations to meet. It doesn’t help that many feel that this will be the year that they break their 51 year championship drought, while the rest of Philadelphia revels in the Phillies setting the baseball world on fire. The players, along with Andy Reid, know that they want nothing of the use of the term “dream team”, anymore either.

“Obviously, dreams aren’t reality, so the reality will come when I get my hands on them and we get them into practice and start grinding here like the other guys are grinding. That’s reality,” said Reid.

The players don’t want the added pressure (with the exception of Vince Young, which no one truly can understand why), and Andy Reid surely doesn’t want the pressure. As this is the NFL, no team can truly be a dream team: because no team will beat every opponent by at least 4 touchdowns. The 1972 Dolphins had trouble beating some teams, and the trailblazing 2007 Patriots came one game short. The NFL chews teams up and spits them out fast, so these Eagles have a lot to fight through if they want to be in the same category as these 2 great teams of football’s past.

A funny thought is to think about what Vince Young will say about his “dream team” if he has to start games because of injuries to Michael Vick. Will he swallow his words then? If he plays like he did in Tennessee, he probably will want to. Hopefully for his sake, he never has to experience that ridicule again.  So hopefully, this national ridicule and jokes about this characterization will do something many sports fans want done. That is, put the use of the term “dream team” to bed for good.

“Dream Team” is not a term that can be thrown around to any team that becomes the Super Bowl champions of free agency, no matter if the moves they may were amazing or innocuous. It’s not worth the added pressure, and it’s not worth the extra national media attention and expectations, and the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles have already learned it the hard way (look at their 2nd preseason game). Very few collections of sports talent will ever rival that of the true “Dream Team”, and to even think that one team will get close is about as crazy as saying that Vince Young will lead a team to a Super Bowl. The Eagles may become a better team through the adversity, but the use of the mantra “Dream Team” will hopefully be neutered enough so that it’s rarely uttered and used again.

The survey was completed by 60 percent girls and 40 percent boys.  The percentage of each grade that took the survey is as follows: freshmen, 82 percent; sophomores, 11 percent; juniors, five percent; and seniors, two percent (note that this survey was administered when the Senior Trip took place.) 

Students wrote that they watch and follow the Phillies for different reasons.  Some students wrote that they watch them as a family, or that their relatives got them into watching them. 

 Krystle Carkeek (’13) wrote, “My dad and I like to watch them.”

The Phillies draw people together, and are a source of entertainment for them to enjoy together. 

“It’s fun being together watching the game,” an anonymous student wrote.

Others wrote that the Phillies are “very spirited” and that they are “exciting and fun.” 

Some students purely watch baseball because it is their favorite sport.

Mason Kramer (’14) wrote, ” follow the Phillies because baseball is my favorite sport, and the Phillies are my favorite team.”

For girls, sometimes they watch the Phillies only because the players are attractive. 

Isabelle Frascella (’14) wrote, “I like to watch the Phillies because] the players are hot.”

Whatever the reason is for watching or following the Phillies, it gets East students interested in the hometown baseball team. 

When asked who the best player on the Phillies is, 45 percent wrote that Roy Halladay is the best.

 Jake Siegel (’14) wrote, “Halladay is the best because] he won the Cy Young [award] and had two no hitters.”

Chase Utley is the best player to 12 percent of students, while Cliff Lee is the best to seven percent.  Nine percent of students wrote that Ryan Howard is the best player.

“He is an awesome batter,”Kayla Schorr (’14) wrote. 

Shane Victorino is the best player to seven percent of students, and Hamel, Ruiz, Ibanez, Rollins, Polanco round out 16 percent of students’ favorites.  Some students can’t decide on just onavorite player. 

Jess Brenner (’14) wrote, “I don’t have a favorite because] all are amazing; can’t choose.”

Students at East love watching the Phillies and they have a best player, so it makes sense that 35 percent of them think that the Phillies can have over 100 wins. 

“[I think that the Phillies are going to have a good season] because I’m optimistic,”wrote Sarah Evenosky (’14), who thinks that the Phillies can win over 100 games.  

The rotation is a major advantage for the Phillies, and many people wrote that it will help the Phillies win so many games. 

Dn Fabi (’11) wrote, “Pitching is going to be one of the biggest factors is winning this year.”

Although the pitching rotation is said to be the best in history, being a successful team doesn’t come without hard work. 

Friedman wrote, “[I think that the Phillies will have a good season,] but it won’t be as easy as people think.”

East students love the Phillies and think that they will do well.  Of the 55 people surveyed, 28 of them, or 65 percent, think that the Phillies can win the World Series.  For the next seven months, talk of the Phillies will float throughout the Philadelphia community and inside of Cherry Hill East.

The fieldsmen are psyched and ready to perform.  In addition, Manager Charlie Manuel is set to lead the team to more success, even though Manuel’s contract is yet to be negotiated for the 2012 season.   The team as a whole looks to be the best in baseball and eyeing another World Series. Each player is doing his part, and each is optimistic about the upcoming season.  

With Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels already in the rotation, acquiring Lee just made it better.  These four are all outstanding pitchers, and each one could be number one in the rotation.  Also, the fifth pitcher, Joe Blanton, is comparable to other teams’ second or third man.  All starting pitchers as well as returning relievers look good so far in the Grapefruit League. 

The fieldsmen, novice and veteran, are ready to perform.  Entering into the final year of his contract, Jimmy Rollins is looking for a bounce-back season, after finishing the 2010 season with a .243 batting average, and only playing in 88 games, the fewest in his career.  He is determined to have a successful 2011 season. 

Rollins said, “We’ll win 100 games.  I really plan on going after [the record for wins in a season]…But that requires everybody doing their job.”

Placido Polanco has recovered from his elbow injury after receiving surgery in the off-season.  However, Chase Utley has had knee tendinitis since February and possibly since last year.  This has not alleviated, so on Friday, March 4, he received a cortisone shot.  If the shot does not help after a couple days, the Phillies will see what the next step is.  Utley’s teammates are concerned about his condition. 

Polanco said, “He’s got to be really hurting to not be playing. That’s why I’m a little worried.”

Ryan Howard is ready to re-establish himself as the power hitter he once was, that is, until last year.  By posting very low numbers, with only 31 homers, last year, he struggled. This year, he has adjusted his hitting. So far in Spring Training his batting average is .316, which shows that he has been making things happen at the plate. 

Howard said, “I can’t tell you [what I did to improve]. Only I can know. [It's] for everyone else to just watch, to sit back and watch…it’s a little bit of everything. Some mechanical things.”

Outfielders Shane Victorino and Raul Ibanez are ready for the season.  Ibanez has been training hard this off-season in a Cherry Hill sports facility and is ready to make a mark in the 2011 season.   

Victorino won the Golden Glove award last season and continues to be versatile in center field.  He was not happy with last year’s hitting setback, but knows he and the Phillies need to get over the hump.

Victorino said, “If we go out there and hit, we should be fine.”

One new face added to the roster is Delwyn Young.  The 28-year-old can play multiple positions, which is good in a franchise like the Phillies, although hard often on young players. 

“Sometimes it’s not that good to be that good at everything; sometimes it’s harder to hone one position when the next day you’re here and the next day you’re there,” Young said. 

One question that has been on the minds of general manager Ruben Amaro and Charlie Manuel is the situation in right field.  After losing Jayson Werth to the Washington Nationals, Ben Francisco, Dominic Brown and John Mayberry Jr. have been contenders to fill the right field spot.  Francisco has had a stellar preseason, with a .320 batting average, two home runs and eight hits.  Brown, who has been struggling at the plate, is confirmed to have a wrist fracture and will receive surgery, requiring a four-to-six-week recovery.  Mayberry has a .273 batting average, two homeruns and six hits. 

Staying healthy and meeting preseason expectations will bring the Phillies to another Red October.

Before I drone on about an event that happened a week ago, you may ask how I came into contact with these tickets in the first place. I have my father to thank for that. He works at NFL Films, and most of the crew was going to the Super Bowl anyway. Most employees working there are allowed a few extra tickets, so the two tickets went to my mom and me. I realize that while I am in no way wealthy, I am still privileged, and grateful for that.

The adventure began, as most do, on an airplane. I hitched a ride on a plane on the Saturday before the Super Bowl with Steelers fans surrounding me. After three and a half hours of excessive gum chewing and ear popping, my mom and I arrived in the Lone Star State. Soon after getting lost in the airport, my dad pulled up to the passenger pickup area in his old time Mercury Grand Marquis. Though my dad had only been there a week, his car was already looking like it had been plowing around in the desert for ten years. Still, with a car meant for 80-year-olds, who can go wrong?

We soon ventured over to the NFL Experience, which is like Comic Con for football fans. It was a huge area, filled with exhibits and areas devoted to the game of football. Lots and lots of fans were crowded inside the giant Convention Center, looking for pigskin-inspired swag. That night was Taste of the NFL, an ultra-VIP event mainly for rich people (how we got in, I’ll never know). It’s basically an uber-fancy buffet: each of the 32 teams is represented by a chef from its hometown, cooking up a mini platter of a specialty dish. Also, they had former football players signing autographs all over the place. I got a bunch, but the highlight was Seattle Hall of Famer Steve Largent.

So far, you may ask, “But Jordan, this is all stuff before the Super Bowl. Why should we care about this?” Well, fair reader. I haven’t even begun to mention Sunday, February 6^,  and what happened therein.

The madness began at 9:55, when all three of us (my mother, my father and I) trudged out of bed, got ready and made our way downstairs for lunch. Sometime after scarfing down a mondo-sized burger, we decided to make a pilgrimage out of our hotel and toward the stadium via our own feet. It wasn’t the longest walk, and our travels led us past not only the local Six Flags Park, but the former site of the last major sporting event (The World Series), Rangers Ballpark. Soon, after blending in with a bunch of fans, my dad separated from us to join his crew outside the stadium. My mom and I were on our own in a line full of fans who just wanted a decent bite to eat, let alone to watch a football game.

It took 25 long minutes for us to get through the line of people to be patted down by security. I was one of the numbskulls who, after taking off every piece of metal in their pockets, forgot to take off his silly watch. And had to be searched by a befuddled security guard, only to figure out it was just the watch. Still, after being embarrassed once, we ventured on to try and find the entrance to the NFL Tailgate Party, which we also had tickets to. After following crowds, my mom and I found ourselves lost in crowds of people (who were, again, just looking for some grub), until we eventually found signs leading us to the entrance.

As for the Tailgate Party, I am sorry to say that it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. The food wasn’t as good as we thought, and said food was also kind of cold. There were tons of people huddled near the stage area, where artists like Keith Urban and Maroon Five belted out their hits to a clearly uninterested audience of overweight football fans who had never heard their music before. As for me, all I did was sit around for a few hours with my mom on a comfy couch. And that was nice.

Following the Tailgate Disappointment, we made our way, slowly, into the stadium, past crowds of entering fans through escalators and stairways. (It should be noted through this rampage that my mother and I were incognito, in Green Bay jerseys and hats). We eventually found our seats, and they weren’t bad. We were practically in a corner on the mezzanine level, buried near the Steelers’ end-zone. Next to us were two budding Packer fans and a well-traveled Pittsburgh fan. I remember the Steeler fan muttering to me before the game, “One of us is going to leave happy…” He was right. Still, at no point was there any war between fans of both sides; none have very vicious fan-bases in the first place.

Soon the festivities began, and so did the usual insanity that comes with these things. We all gasped through Christina Aguilera’s drubbing of the National Anthem, we all smiled when Lea Michele of “Glee”sang “America the Beautiful,” and I was the only person who cheered at the marching band playing at the beginning, because that’s how I roll. Also, while there was a huge stir over the fact that many fans were denied seats in the stadium, I was lucky enough to not be one of those fans. Still, being that I was used to insanity, I didn’t pay notice until after the game had ended.

The game began soon after, and while munching on common ballpark food such as soft pretzels and hot dogs, Green Bay scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, making everyone in my row stand up and scream (Even the Pittsburgh fans, but they were screaming against the call). At the end of the half, things were looking good for Green Bay, and not so good for the Steelers.

Now here is where I ramble on about the technically inept monstrosity known as the Halftime Show. However, in the stadium, it wasn’t as bad as everyone watching from home said it was. We could hear Will.i.am, Fergie and the rest belting out their tunes perfectly- maybe it didn’t go too well for the cameras trying to capture their every move. The audience cheered at the entrances of Usher and Slash, as well as the amazing special effects. But still, I would’ve preferred an actual rock band performing at half time… like Green Day, or maybe Bon Jovi. But beggars can’t be choosers.

The game resumed shortly, and the Packers constantly added to their lead, while Roethlisberger’s gang slowly lost interest in winning. As the second half ended, the confetti fell, the streamers flew and the cloud of dust dissolved, revealing the victorious Green Bay Packers with the win. The fans sitting next to me were so happy and were jumping all over the place, figuratively of course. The Pittsburgh fan on my left was angry, but being that his team had won six rings already, he could take it.

After this, neglecting the chance to stay for the trophy ceremony, my mom and I bolted. We soon found that the doors that were closest to us were being blocked by the paranoid staffers who didn’t want anyone to slip and fall on the nearly nonexistent ice. Only a few argumentative fans exited through those doors; the rest of us had to follow the herd of furious Steelers fans as they led the parade out the door.  After the number of fans going our direction slowly diminished, my mom and I found ourselves back at out hotel, after a long day and longer night.

The Super Bowl was an experience I’ll never forget. Not many people can say they’ve been to one, but I fall under the few citizens who have ventured through every obstacle, every temptation… just for football.

5 New Orleans Saints @ 4 Seattle Seahawks 4:30 PM Saturday NBC
Yes, we all know how comical the mismatch is on paper. The Saints are 10.5 point favorites, which is quite a lot for a road team at any time, let alone the playoffs. Take off the 3 points the odds makers give to the home team, the Saints are 2 TD favorites. Is the mismatch as comical as we see it?

New Orleans Offense vs. Seattle Defense:
Yeah, I know the Saints are going to win this battle. But let’s give the Seahawks some credit. They have had their moments this year, and they get a bit of a break with the mounting toll of the Saints injuries. Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory are on IR, and the Saints will have to lean on Reggie Bush, Julius Jones, and DeShawn Wynn to carry the load. But, when have the Saints ever been a running team? It’s Drew Brees, and always will be. As long as he’s playing, I can’t say that New Orleans will struggle on offense. Seattle has some great defenders like Lofa Tatupu, but the Saints are too good offensively for the Seahawks to stop them, and yes, the Saints will run the ball very well.

Advantage: New Orleans

Seattle Offense vs. New Orleans Defense:
The first question everyone is asking is who is starting for the Seahawks? Matt Hasselbeck, but I don’t truly think it matters. Charlie Whitehurst played decently enough to lead Seattle to victory against the Rams, but since Hasselbeck is the starter, it doesn’t matter. Even though the Saints have injuries here too, I don’t think Seattle’s offense, which is off and on more than any other team, can cope with what Gregg Williams will throw at them. The Seahawks cannot run the football for anything, and that will make the Seahawks one dimensional, and so on and so forth. Even with the injuries, I can’t see it helping the Seahawks any.

Advantage: New Orleans
Intangibles: The Seahawks play at the home of the 12th man, in College Station, TX. No, they are in Seattle and that stadium is pretty hard to play in. Don’t underestimate the injuries taking their toll on the Saints, and a cross-country trip on a short week as well. Hey, the Seahawks have something going for them.

Advantage: Seattle

Player to Watch: Reggie Bush
He must have great games for the Saints offense to be as good as it was last season in the playoffs. He gets a good start against the terrible Seattle rush D, dead last in the NFL.
Pick: New Orleans

I just can’t see Seattle winning this game, even under the helpful circumstances for them. Pete Carroll may enjoy being the head coach of the 1st 7-9 team to make the playoffs, but he won’t after this game. Week 11 will repeat itself here.

6 New York Jets @ 3 Indianapolis Colts 8:00 PM Saturday NBC
The last time we saw a rematch of the previous year’s conference title in the following year’s playoffs was after the 2004-2005 season, when the same Colts played New England in the divisional round. It didn’t go well for the Colts. Will the Jets suffer the same fate?

New York Offense vs. Indianapolis Defense

The Jets seem to have the perfect formula to beat the Colts, a great running game, and a QB who can at times play game manager. But, the Colts have now decided to start to stop the run. They stopped Jacksonville, Oakland, and Tennessee, 3 of the best running teams in the NFL, in 3 consecutive weeks. What makes me think the Colts can’t do this again? Well, the Jets have the wrinkles in their offense that the other 3 don’t have, for example, a semi-decent passing game, which the Colts have to respect. If Mark Sanchez plays as he did last season in the playoffs, then the Colts will struggle. Sanchez has had his “bye” week, and he should be rested and ready for the playoffs. The Colts have done a great job in the past 3 weeks, but that will change here.

Advantage: New York

Indianapolis Offense vs. New York Defense
Rex Ryan may think his D is the best in the league, but remember what Peyton Manning did to them in the 2nd half of the AFC Title game last year. The Jets don’t develop a consistent pass rush with their front 3, and that forces them to blitz, very, very, often. Peyton Manning loves to pick apart the blitz. And, he has a running game now to back up his arm. Donald Brown and Joseph Addai are running very well, and the Jets can stop the run, but Peyton can now use the play action to his advantage. The Jets lacked a corner last year to stop Pierre Garcon, and now they have Antonio Cromartie. But, they won’t have enough to stop the mighty Colts.

Advantage: Indianapolis

Intangibles: The Colts are getting healthy at just the right time. The Jets are much better on the road than they are at home. The Colts are great at the “Big Oil Drum”. I like the home team here.

Advantage: Indianapolis

Player to Watch: Jacob Tamme
The Jets couldn’t contain Pierre Garcon because they didn’t have the corner to defend the Colts wideouts. Now, they have 2 of the best, but somebody will be left open. That guy will be Jacob Tamme. Can he step up to the role that Dallas Clark played?

Pick: Indianapolis

Even though the Jets have the perfect makeup to beat the Colts, I can’t go against Peyton Manning right now. He actually has a running game now, and he is red hot. The Jets won’t be able to back up their talk.

5 Baltimore Ravens @ 4 Kansas City Chiefs 1 PM Sunday CBS
The Ravens have won the most road games in the playoffs since 2000, including 3 in the last 2 seasons. The Chiefs haven’t won a home playoff game since Marcus Allen was a star running back in 1993. Young vs. Old, who wins?

Baltimore Offense vs. Kansas City Defense

The Ravens offense may not be the most potent in the league, but they have a consistent QB, a great RB, and a wide-out that can make plays. That’s a pretty deadly combination, in the playoffs no less. The Chiefs D is 14th in the NFL, so they are pretty decent, but can they stop the Ravens O? I don’t think so. Ray Rice can run wild when he has to, and Joe Flacco has Anquan Boldin, who has had the big year we all expected. The Chiefs D is good enough to contain the Ravens to a point, but not enough for an advantage pick by me.

Advantage: Baltimore

Kansas City Offense vs. Baltimore Defense

You will be surprised by what I have to say here. The Chiefs have the league’s best rushing offense, with Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles. The Ravens are 5th in the NFL in stopping the run, so I think the KC potent back tandem can be contained here. But here is where the shock comes. The Ravens are 21st in stopping the pass, and Ed Reed is injured. Matt Cassel has Dwayne Bowe, who had a point in the season where he was the hottest player next to Mike Vick. Cassel also has rookie Tony Moeaki, who can make amazing catches and also make good plays everywhere on the field. Now, the Ravens D has had chokes this season, most notably against the Texans, who became their old selves in order to give the Ravens the win. I think Kansas City can exploit this weakness. Enough to the point where I actually think the Ravens will have serious troubles.

Advantage: Kansas City
Intangibles: The Ravens win on the road in the playoffs. The Chiefs are one of the most dominant teams in the NFL at home. The Ravens haven’t looked so hot in the last 2 weeks, but they’ve at least won, compared to the Chiefs, who got whacked at home by the Raiders. Even so, I still like War Paint and the War Chant.

Advantage: Kansas City

Player to Watch: Matt Cassel
He has to have a great game in order for the Chiefs to win. He has a chance to do that. Will he have games like the St. Louis game? Or games like he did in Indianapolis? That’s the big question surrounding this game.

Pick: Baltimore

Even though the Chiefs may have the Ravens D in problems, I don’t see that having too much effect on the game. Baltimore was my preseason Super Bowl pick for the AFC, and even though I won’t try to weasel them into the Super Bowl, I still think they’ll win this game.

6 Green Bay Packers @ 3 Philadelphia Eagles 4:30 PM Sunday FOX

The Packers beat the Eagles in Week 1. This is a very different Eagles team, and also a different Packers team. Which team wins in this rematch?

Green Bay Offense vs. Philadelphia Defense

Aaron Rodgers didn’t have a good game back in Week 1, but the Eagles were healthy at that point. The Packers were healthier on offense then, but now, I would take the Packers weakened offense over the Eagles weakened defense. Aaron Rodgers has the weapons on the outside to pick apart any defense, let alone an Eagles D which has lost 4 starters due to injury. The Eagles D haven’t looked very good since the Redskins game. If the Packers can hang a 45 spot on one of the best D’s the NFL, hangover or not, that is impressive. They also scored 27 points, albeit against a bad pass D, with a backup quarterback. That’s even more impressive. The Packers can set up everything with Aaron Rodgers throwing, and despite the fact that the Packers can’t run the ball for anything, they still have an offense that can tear apart the Eagles young and undermanned secondary, and line backing corps missing it’s heart and soul.

Advantage: Green Bay

Philadelphia Offense vs. Green Bay Defense

Michael Vick is well rested from his quad injury. The Eagles have a dynamic running back in LeSean McCoy, and speed on the outside that only Al David could’ve wished to draft. The problem for the Eagles is that their offensive line still has some problems. Those problems cropped up against the Bears, Giants and Vikings. It was that the Eagles can’t contain a blitz. Those teams sent the house after Mike Vick, and he struggled against it. When he’s faced with a pass rush like that, he reverts back to the old Mike Vick habits which make us scratch our collective heads. The Packers have the D Coordinator in Dom Capers that can send the house after Mike Vick, and disguise it well enough that Marty Mornhinweg can’t detect it. Mike Vick will have to have the time to make the throws and plays that make us say, “Wow!” I don’t think he will, with Clay Matthews bearing down on him and with the Eagles offensive line issues.

Advantage: Green Bay

Intangibles: The Eagles haven’t been that great at home. The Packers have had to essentially play playoff games for the past 2 weeks in order to get here, and they are the hot team in this matchup. Even though the Eagles are rested, the Packers have a slight advantage here.

Advantage: Green Bay

Player to Watch: Dmitri Patterson
He has been burned by many a wide-out at times this season. If he gets burned like that again, it will be a long day for the Eagles secondary and D coordinator Sean McDermott. Aaron Rodgers and Donald Driver could have a field day against Patterson if he plays as he has in the past.

Pick: Green Bay

Even with Mike Vick being the amazing superhuman that he is, this is the matchup the Eagles feared the most. The Packers are the hot team, and can expose the Eagles weaknesses better than maybe any other team in the NFC. The Eagles haven’t played a complete game since Week 14, and that’s excluding the benchwarmer game last week. Take the amazing 4th quarter against the Giants out of the picture, and they aren’t here right now. The Packers take this one, maybe easier than people expect.
I hope this is enough for you, and hope you take my opinion seriously, as compared to Chris Mortensen, and or Primetime.