It’s all about matchups.
Picking the Super Bowl XLIV winner is easy — Indianapolis 31, New Orleans 24. Go under 56 1/2 combined points.
The real intrigue is individual matchups. It always starts with quarterbacks. Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning and New Orleans’ Drew Brees are the NFL’s top two passers. Everyone says the NFL is a passing league. Sure, until a great runner comes along again.
Manning is the ultimate counterpuncher. Brees has great accuracy, but Manning controls the game. He grasps a defense at the line and adjusts.
Which brings the second matchup — Manning vs. New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the former Washington assistant head coach who was passed over for Jim Zorn. It really reminds you how Redskins owner Dan Snyder wrecked the franchise.
Williams thinks he’s the smartest person in the room. Manning comes off as a rube through his self-effacing, humorous TV commercials, but actually graduated from college a year early. The bet here is that Manning outsmarts Williams and outplays Brees.
But enough football already. Bourbon Street vs. South Beach (sorry, not even putting Indianapolis in this equation — nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to party there). Now, if you’re deciding between the hot spots of New Orleans and Super Bowl host Miami, the latter wins. Bourbon Street is the wildest partying spot on the planet, but Miami is a combination of insanely beautiful people on the beach plus plenty of drinking. If I have one night left on the planet, I’ll spend it at the Clevelander bar at South Beach.
Buffalo wings vs. chicken tenders. Around Washington, Super Bowl parties match Christmas as the highest caloric meals of the year. This is a tie because they both use blue cheese.
Gumbo and jambalaya vs. elephant ears at the Indiana State Fair and sweetbread (cow brains) sandwiches. Now you know why Manning is always licking Oreos.
New Orleans natives Truman Capote and Ellen DeGeneres vs. Indianapolis’ David Lettermen and Jeff George. Yes, that Jeff George who the Redskins couldn’t dispatch quickly enough. Lettermen is funnier than DeGeneres so go with Indy.
Indianapolis 500 vs. Mardis Gras. Both are a roaring good time, but while the car race only seems to go on forever, Mardi Gras parades last for weeks.
New Orleans vs. Indianapolis museums. They’ve actually bet the use of paintings for three months on the outcome. Man, those people can party.
Cow tipping vs. shrimping. Forrest Gump chose the boat and that’s good enough for us.
New Orleans wins life off the field, but Indianapolis takes its second title in four years.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
