Super Bowl XLV Can't Come Soon Enough

It's been 13 years since my favorite football team played in a Super Bowl. In those years, this event has apparently become an insufferable, never-ending hype fest.

For Packers and Steelers fans, Sunday can't get here fast enough to satisfy.

Both teams are practicing indoors in preparation for Sunday's game. This alone has become a ridiculous story, in that the freaking game is being played indoors. Why wouldn't you want to practice inside for a game that is inside? Seems so simple to me that I can't believe the media is making such a big deal out of this.

The Packers and Steelers play similar 3-4 defenses. Dom Capers used to work for the Steelers. Mike McCarthy is from Pittsburgh.

Did you know Brett Favre used to play for the Packers?

Planes landed Monday with the teams on board. Players got off the plane in cowboy hats with jeans on and occasional belt buckles. NFL Network on-air people seemed surprised to see Charles Woodson get out of the Packers plane.

"Oh, there's Charles Woodson!"

Of course, it would have been news if Woodson hadn't been in the plane.

The point of this rant?

Nothing, really. Just pointing out that the media -- largely ESPN and NFL Network -- will make you loathe the biggest event in sports if you allow them to.

I haven't said much about this game for a couple reasons. For starters, I didn't think the Minnesotans who read this blog needed two weeks of reminders about how the Packers are going to take a shot at their 13th world championship. Secondly, I've been trying my damndest to avoid getting too excited about this game before it was actually close.

Now it's close, and I can't stand the hype!

On the bright side, it's close.

That means the hype will end, and the game will be played. Consider yourself guaranteed of one thing: One of the biggest factors in this game will be something no one has given nearly enough publicity to in the run-up. We're all talking about the quarterbacks and the defenses, and while they're important, it virtually assures that someone like James Starks, Rashard Mendenhall, Tim Masthay, Jeremy Kapinos, or Mason Crosby will play a huge role in determining the outcome.

Look at last year. Everyone worried about the Saints slowing Peyton Manning down, and the biggest moment in the game was determined by the size of Sean Payton's stones.