Super Bowl XLV Preview

Here is a list of my top five least favorite NFL teams in particular order.

5 Denver Broncos
4 Green Bay Packers
3 Oakland Raiders
2 Dallas Cowboys
1 Pittsburgh Steelers

I also must note that the New England Patriots are extremely close to the Denver Broncos. It really is a toss up for number five.

So looking at that list, one who knows of my sports fandom could come to three obvious conclusions.

1. Three of those teams had (one still does) very heated rivalries with my favorite team the San Francisco Forty-Niners in the 90's. (or I should say ... when the Niners were good). The Oakland Raiders being the cross-the-bay rival with the Niners will always remain as said status. So basically that was the high point of the season for me in 2010 ... beating the Raiders.

2. The fans of all of those teams are the most annoying fans in the NFL. The sun shines out of Denver's rear end (It must be the Mile-High elevation ... close to the sun perhaps). Oakland is one of the most evil places on earth on the Sabbath day (see picture to the left). Cheese Heads ... enough said. America's team? You wish Jerry Jones and your 1-billion dollar stadium (How much was the scoreboard?)  Cocky little buggars. And lastly, the biggest bandwagoners in the country ... just like Los Angeles Lakers fans in the NBA. Also, what's with the logo on only one side of the helmet? I've never understood that one.

And 3. This is my least favorite Superbowl matchup of my entire life since the 1996 Patriots/Packers match up. That was the only time I ever rooted for New England. I actually liked Bill Parcells and Drew Bledsoe. Ironically like '96 this year will be the first time I ever root for the Packers. Here's a little preview of Superbowl XLV (45 for those who remain annoyed by Roman Numerals such as myself).

Back in my elementary school days I was known for my 49er fandom as I often wore a Steve Young jersey and my Niners winter coat. A fellow student was the same with the Packers and we'd heckle each other all the time stealing the other's beanie and hiding it (often in the garbage can). Naturally I hated Brett Favre and Antonio Freeman. Just the site of green and yellow made me want to ... well add to it and puke. One of my favorite Niner moments was the Young to Terrell Owens game winning touchdown in Lambeau field in the 1998 NFC Wild-Card game. Green Bay had beaten San Francisco five times previous to that. Getting the win in Lambeau felt awesome.

Brett Favre has since retired (I think ... no one really ever knows) and that rivalry has kind of diminished. In 2005 both the Niners and Packers drafted Quarterbacks. SF went with Alex Smith of Utah with the first overall pick (don't even get me started on that one) while Green Bay went with Aaron Rodgers of Cal much later in the first round. Six years later Rodgers is an elite and Smith has yet to do much with his career and very well may not be in a 49er uniform next season (PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!). Rodgers now seems like the franchise piece to fill Favre's shoes and here he is playing in a Superbowl.


Brett Keisel's beard has become a
symbol of victory for Pittsburgh.



The Steelers won the Superbowl two seasons ago and I'm pretty sure their fan base has doubled or tripled since then. Ben Roethlisberger is hardly a role model and Troy Polamalu could probably live the rest of his life financially set on his Head-n-Shoulder's campaign. All joking aside I'm not really sure why I just cringe when I see the Steelers logo or hear about them being victorious. Mike Tomlin was the youngest head coach to win a Superbowl and a Pittsburgh win would just add to their great dynasty with a seventh Superbowl victory. No other team has that many. Perhaps it's their success that makes me despise them ... who knows. (Although I must say I'm loving the press that former BYU Cougar Brett Keisel is getting for his beard...Go Cougs). Whatever it is, I will be cheering for Aaron Rodgers. He's very likable, a true competitive athlete who's yet to cause any trouble off the field. (Perhaps a win would lead to that??) A solid person who you'd want to be leading your team. That's who I'd rather be playing for this Sunday if I was in the NFL.

Since Superbowl XXIX (29 ... did I do the RN's correctly) I've had to choose the week of which team I'd be rooting for in the big game. I hope that someday, again in my lifetime I won't have to be making that decision. But this year I can't help but question ... What if the Forty-Niners drafted Aaron Rodgers instead of Alex Smith? Gore, Crabtree, Davis, Rodgers? Boy I'm sure we'd be winning many more games. A guy can hope ... and I will continue to do that. Until next season ... Go Packers.