I'm not quite sure which ranks as the more annoying talk as we approach the big game: whether or not a 3rd Super Bowl win in 4 years will cement the 2001-2004 Patriots as the NFL's newest dynasty and perhaps greatest team of all time OR all the will he or won't he never-ending talk about T.O.'s playing status. Still, these topics have a far way to go before reaching the annoying level of entertainment reporters or the use of "baby' in a typical Amazing Race episode.

"Jeff Thomason goes from construction site to Super Bowl site". I'm sure by now you've seen one variation or another of the headline. Thomason, a former Eagle TE, was signed out of retirement to replace injured Chad Lewis. But instead of calling it one of the Super Bowl's most improbable stories can't we just agree that Thomason is essentially just a prototypical CFL player? "The CFL - our players are your construction workers, delivery guys, movers, repo men and other odd job needed to supplement their income".

	Before the hoodies, Belichick was just another coach. (Source: AP)

So what does the NFL's genius accomplish before becoming the paragon of coaching? What great accomplishments did he have before equaling Vince Lombardi's 9-1 playoff record? What kind of record did he build before being allowed to trot out in hoodies and headbands? Prior to joining the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick's biggest claim to fame as a head coach was one winning season. One winning season was all Belichick could muster in his five years as the Cleveland Browns head coach from 1991-95. It's almost embarrassing to think that a "genius" as gifted as Belichick could only muster a 36-44 record during his first head coaching tenure.

What I'd really love to see is Belichick appear on Maury Povich for one of those "Geek to Chic" themed shows, where guests get to confront people who tormented them from their past and show them how hot they are now. Instead of flaunting a boob job, Belichick can strut out there with his Super Bowl rings and berate a dude sitting in a Cleveland Dog Pound mask. Someone needs to make this happen.

To all Canadian viewers planning on watching the Super Bowl from home, be warned, you won't be watching FOX's broadcast. Instead you'll have to endure 4+ hours of Global's coverage. That means not seeing any of those hyped SB commercials but perhaps worse, it means you'll have to sit through endless commercials for Canadian Tire, Train 48 and Global's latest "hit", Falcon Beach. Here's the tagline for Falcon Beach if you're not familiar with it - A drama about young adults in a Winnipeg lake community. A Winnipeg lake community? I can see whatever initial audience this show grabs from its ads receding faster than Donovan McNabb's hairline.

	Don't blame the CRTC for those horrible ads on Sunday. (Source: CRTC.gc.ca)

In case you were wondering, the reason why Global's feed goes out to viewers instead of FOX's is because Global buys the Canadian copyrights for the game and then makes their money by selling the commercial ad space to Canadian companies. It's a common misnomer that CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) purposely sensors the American ads. CRTC receives a lot of flack over the game-day broadcast but in fact all they monitor is whether or not Global maintains at least 90% of FOX's content in their broadcast. Global is given 10% leeway in content, which is mainly used to cover up inconsistencies of switching from Canadian ads back to game coverage.

Despite some people calling this a boring match-up I think it's one of the best match-ups we could have asked for. Anytime the pre-season SB favourites actually end up playing each other it has to be considered a good thing. Granted it would be even more entertaining if Terrell Owens didn't get injured and was at full-strength. There's no question in my mind that T.O. will play and while I don't see him being merely a decoy I also don't see him being a major factor in the game. It's a little too much to ask of a player who hasn't played in seven weeks to step on the field against a well-coached defense that has had two weeks to prepare.

Three reasons why New England will win:

1. The Pretty Boy will stay calm - Tom Brady doesn't put up gaudy numbers like other QBs and doesn't make a lot of highlight plays but he does play smart and conservatively in pressure situations. Driving the Patriots downfield to setup the winning field goal in last year's Super Bowl is just one example of the underrated plays Brady accomplishes each year.
2. Defense forces turnovers - The Pats had three takeaways against the Colts and four against the Steelers in the AFC Conference game. If they continue the trend they'll earn their third SB in four years.
3. The intangible factor - Brady and Belichick always seem to rise to the occasion. It may not always be pretty but you can't argue with the results of a team that has won so many games in recent years in so many different ways.

Three reasons why Philadelphia will win:

1. All-Pro secondary will eliminate the big play - 3/4 of the Eagles secondary made it to the Pro Bowl and if they scouted the AFC Conference final they'll know that Pittsburgh's undoing was the big pass plays given up to Deion Branch. This group is talented enough to handle the Pats' receivers.
2. Philly is able to stop the run - The Eagles D throttled the Falcons rushing attack in the NFC title game holding them to under 100 yards. If they can stop Dillon it will force Brady to take more chances.
3. Brian Westbrook outplays the Patriots linebackers - With or without T.O., Westbrook is Donovan McNabb's No. 1 weapon. Westbrook will line up in every imaginable position and if he can get one-on-one match-ups with the linebackers he'll have a big day.

Prediction: In the end I've got to take the Patriots but I don't think they'll cover the spread.

New England 24, Philadelphia 20