Fox, Phoenix Super Already

With scripted shows stalled, sponsors bet on only game in town

(NEWSER) - Advertisers are betting big to get their messages across during Sunday's Super Bowl, and the renewal of the annual competition for viewers' eyeballs is especially fierce this year because of the Writers Guild strike, reports the AP. With scripted shows in reruns, advertisers are feeling pressure to get the most out of their spots during, literally, the only game in town. More»

Prognostications out in from informed and clueless alike

(NEWSER) - Seems everyone has an idea about how things will go down tonight in Phoenix. The Vegas line currently hovers around 12 points in the Patriots' favor, but the Giants' Plaxico Burress has already promised a 23-17 upset victory by his team. ESPN's experts don't have a consensus prediction, although the overwhelming favorite seems to be the Pats. More»

Patriots mastermind carries legacy of 12 years with Giants

(NEWSER) - In the final game of a historic season, it is a remarkable irony that Patriots coach Bill Belichick must defeat the team he once helped lead to greatness: the Giants, with whom he won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells. Though he has won three more with New England, Belichick's New York defenses remain his bellwether of excellence. More»

Super Bowl ratings would be even better than normal

(NEWSER) - Sorry, San Diego, but the NFL is rooting for the Patriots. New England and its pursuit of perfection have racked up historic ratings all season: the Patriots' final regular-season game was the most watched TV program of the season, and the highest-rated NFL game since 1995. If they beat the Chargers, Fox might wind up with the most watched Super Bowl of all time, MarketWatch reports. More»

But in Super Bowl XLVI, Manning made a hero of himself

(NEWSER) - Last night's big game was intensely fought, undeniably exciting—and a little mystifying, thanks to Eli Manning's unusual brand of heroism. Analysts weigh in on the game's place in football history:

• Last night brought us "the most Eli Manning moment of Eli Manning’s career." During the game-winning touchdown, we saw "a hero shot in which the conqueror looks totally confused by his conquest," with "arms half-raised in quasi-triumph." His quiet humility was the polar opposite of Tom Brady's "aggro posture," but it remains "difficult to understand," writes Josh Levin at Slate .