The Sports Socialite

Here it is… Sunday,February 7, 2010, Super Bowl XLIV. The Colts versus the Saints.

Indianapolis vs. New Orleans – Saints

There is plenty to be said about the injuries, the Haitian ties, the team that has never been, and the team the has recently won.

My advice for today is to play your game, and let it rip…. the only thing to force out there are fumbles.  The rest should just come. 

It would be a great story for the Saints to return to New Orleans, the city that was to host the Super Bowl this year, as Champions.

As for the halftime entertainment, CBS chose TheWho… and The Who’s music is featured as the intoduction for the 3 CSI shows that are on CBS… connect the dots people.

Welcome to the end of another week…with the rain beating down on Los Angeles again on this Friday, nothing is more appropriate than Chinese food, wine, and a movie.

Tonight, we will venture out to see From Paris With Love because one of my besties and I <3 Jonathan Rhys Meyers.  We watch The Tudors constantly… we will watch the episodes over & over again.

It is widely reported that this movie isn’t that good… John Travolta is in it.  Not sure what to really make of that.  I think I am more upset about the upcoming season of The Tudors being the last, darn you Showtime.

There may be some dancing, and additional drinks after, depends on the rain… no body walks in L.A.

In a stunning turn of events, Michigan State University has decided not to revamp their logo.

The new logo was revealed mid-January, and met with criticism mostly… the public wondering why.  The changes were mostly minor in theSpartan’s helmet.  There really seemed to be no point.  It seemed like just one way to have people buy new stuff.

Cheers to MSUfor figuring it out.

The fact that Drew Brees went to Purdue and the Colts are Indy’s team has finally drawn some attention to the lay person, or the Chicago Tribune, which I didn’t know was still a paper.

Let me draw you a comparison:

Drew Brees – raised in TX, recruited to Purdue (West Lafayette, IN, 60-ish miles north of Indianapolis) to play QB, wore #15, went to bowl games in each of his 4 years at Purdue, and capped it off with a trip to the 2001 Rose Bowl… now QB of the New Orleans Saints, wearing #9

Colts – started off in Baltimore, in 1984 the Colts moved to Indianapolis.

So, Drew led Purdue to football success, which included a trip to the 2001 Rose Bowl.  Yes, he is an icon at Purdue, he has his name on a building and a street, I think.

Here’s the issue, if you grew up in Indiana, and the Colts are your team, and you went to Purdue or are a fan of Purdue, who do you root for? 

There are a variety of ways to look at it, but I didn’t grow up in Indiana.  I grew up in LA.  I am not a Raiders fan, or a Rams fan.  I was a Chargers fan, but then they let Drew go… so now I am a Saints fan.  But as you may know, I kinda like those Cardinals.

I don’t hear the media making a big deal out of the other Purdue player that will be on the sidelines come Sunday – Curtis Painter.  So either way, another Boilermaker will be getting a ring, whether it is earned or by default is to be determined.

I’m not sure why the Super Bowl is being advertised as being in “South Florida” instead of “Miami”, but one reason may be trying to make the game seem like it is taking place in an area that may be not as expensive to be a tourist in, easy to get to, and not as exclusive, in hopes to lure more fans to the site.

In any regard, today is media day.  Seems like in order to celebrate Media Day, some of the Saints players hit up the night-life Monday night since all they would do today is answer a few questions with the likes of E! News, random radio guys, amongst others.  I know the game is still 5 days away, and you may go out on a Monday night during your normal playing schedule, but, this is for THE SUPER BOWL… not week 8 game versus random scheduled opponent. 

Is it me, or does Reggie Bush just seem to stand out and draw the other not-as-well-known players attention in a situation like going out until 3:30am?

With the Senior Bowl scheduled for January 30 out of Mobile, Alabama, many folks are wondering if this game will really raise the NFL draft value of some of these players. 

Most 3 & 4 year starters decline to play since there is so much film on them as it stands.  Also, there is always the risk of injury, and as a player, what can you really learn from the staff of the Detroit Lions?

During this week, plenty of NFL scouts, coaches, and owners come out of the woodwork.  For the measurement portion of this exam, this is what the room looks like.

http://www.seniorbowl.com/2010_week_files/16.jpg

People continue to talk about Tim Tebow… the main talk now, besides his anti-abortion PSA slated to air during the Super Bowl, is that he can’t take the ball from under center, that his 3 & 5 step drop is not NFL grade, an tht arrivingat the Senior Bowl is showing people more of what he can’t do.

Who I have heard nothing of is Stafon Johnson, the USC running back who suffered a critical injury in the weight room before the fifth game of the season.  This is the first playing action he has seen since.

And exhale…

It is sad to know that there is really only the Super Bowl left after today.  Those games last weeknd were 3/4 lack-luster clinics.  It s great to know that Jets Coach Rex Ryan gave a game ball to Marty Schottenheimer.  If you remember, whn Marty was coaching the Chargers, the Jets beat them back in 2004 during the Wild Card round.  This was the game that got Marty fired.

NY Jets @ Indianapolis – Colts

Minnesota @ New Orleans – Saints

The Colts have statistics on their side, winning 2 of 2 AFC Champtionships when played at home.  The Jets have a rookie in Mark Sanchez that relies on the run.  Look for a rested Colts defense to stimy the run and force Sanchez to the air moreso than Rexy would like.  If the Jets can pull off a win in the Colts new stadium, everyone will question how the Colts took time off the last 3 games.

The Saints have a tough opponent just in the fact that this game is the last stop before the end result that Brett Favre was looking for when he came back to football, again.  He knew he could sill win, he just needed the right personnel around him to do it.  Drew Brees has been to this game before, and lost to the Bears.  Look for the eadership of Drew Brees to be a large factor, as well as the injury to Jeremy Shockey.  Granted, Drewhas spread the wealth when it comes to receptions & scoring, but you can never go wrong having a guy you can dump it to in the flat who has good size a muscle to get short yardage.

With the new year upon us, I forgot about the Australian Open. It’s already the 3rd round. As I watch tonight, Andy Roddick is 2 points in a tie break away from the next round.

it’s on ESPN2 right now and looks great in HD.

Update: Andy just beat Lopez to advance to the round of 16 with 29 aces in 4 sets. Roddick did drop the 1st set of the match.

In case you have yet to see LaDainian Tomlinson’s music video, check it out!

Here we sit at the last great weekend of NFL action… 2 games on Saturday and Sunday, back to back national coverage, no black-outs… the 2nd weekend that the other 24 teams hate.  24 teams filled with players, coaches, and personnel who are already on vacation, or fired.

The Cardinals are my favorite west coast team; true theyare not on the ocean, but they are a 1 hr. flight from my 10 minute drive to LAX, while the Chargers are a 2 hour 30 minute or more drive to San Diego.  The Saints are mannedby Purdue Alum Drew Brees, and hat will trump my fondness for jet-setting to PHX.

Speaking of San Diego, no one has yet talked about the pending rain due for Southern California on Sunday.  The Jets are familiar with cold and snowy, but not rain.

Saturday

Arizona @ New Orleans - Saints

Baltimore @ Indianapolis – Colts

Sunday

Dallas @ Minnesota – Vikings

New York Jets @ San Diego – Chargers

Going bak to the Saints, I am concerned with the loss of momentum leading up to today’s game… in the last 4 weeks, they have had 3 losses and 1 weekend off… it doesn’t sound like they may be playing ready, but they are most likely at their healthiest all season.