But all of the endless talk is just going in circles. These are the two best teams in football playing at the very top of their form. Both coaches, Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy, are at the top of their profession. Each roster is complete with some of the finest athletes in the NFL, from Peyton Manning and Tom Brady down to the waterboys. (Oh don’t underestimate the value of a great waterboy; in a tight game they can be a difference maker.) We will see on the field come Sunday, unless you live in Houston or Oakland.

One thing is for sure, though, the post-game press conference of the victor will be very different depending on the winner of this game. If Manning and the Colts emerge victorious, I predict coach Dungy’s presser will go something like this:

“Well, they said it would be an exciting game and it sure was. The Patriots are a great team and they played a good game, but our guys fought hard and played all sixty minutes. I’m real proud of those players in the locker room, they deserve all the credit. Now we have to get ready for another tough game next week against San Diego.”

Now if on the other hand, the Patriots come out of this on top, I expect coach Belichick’s comments to be something like this:

“Well, they said it would be a tough game and they were right. The Colts are good team and they played well, BUT WHO’S NUMBER ONE NOW MUTHAFUCKAS! YEAH YOU CAN ALL EAT MY DINGLEBERRIES YOU DOUCHEBAGS, ‘CAUSE I’M THE BADDEST MOFO IN THIS LEAGUE. ROGER GOODELL CAN GO FUCK HIMSELF WITH HIS FINES AND SHIT ‘CAUSE NOTHING AIN’T STOPPING US NOW. JUST HAND OVER THE TROPHY YOU SACK OF SHIT CAUSE IT’S OURS! (flips off cameras) SUCK IT!”

I’m not a big fan of New England or anything, but I sure would like to see that last one on live national TV.

First he was knocking boots last year with Jessica Simpson, then there was the fling with country starlette Carrie Underwood. Now this past week, el Romo was spotted around town making googly eyes with the very lovely Sophia Bush before jet setting out to LA for a little quality time with Britney Spears’ vajayjay.

I bet Jerry Jones is quite proud of his phenom QB. That’s a lot of quality tail (and one nasty trailer park skank) to be chasing around in such a short time as an NFL starter. I mean when was the last time the Cowboys had such a playboy calling signals? Drew Bledsoe was hardly a man about town in Dallas, and Vinny Testaverde was more prone to being sacked than getting anyone in the sack. Quincey Carter? Puh-lease. And Troy Aikman was practically the chior boy on those 90s Cowboys squads. Heck, you probably have to go all the way back to Dandy Don Meredith to find a Cowboys QB catting around like Romo.

And while most of the time we try to please the customer, we feel it is our duty sometimes to give you the information you need, like an edumacation on Alex Ovechkin who last night scored his 200th point as an NHLer.

Did you know, for example, that Alex was born in Moscow and that his mom is former Soviet Olympic basketball player Tatyana Ovechkina? I bet you didn’t know he played for HC Dynamo Moscow as a youngster and was named Best Left Wing in the Superleague when he was 16-years old. He donates eight Capitals season tickets to soldiers and needy children through his charity organization, because he’s a swell guy like that. Of that I am sure you were unaware. You probably also did not know that Ovechkin listens to hip-hop and R&B music and likes video games.

Would you like to see Ovechkin in action? Here’s a video of one of his goals from 2006 that Bill Clement called “one of the greatest goals of all time.” It’s pretty amazing:

See, there’s a lot about Alex Ovechkin you didn’t know. Until now. So start watching hockey.

(Note to Gary Bettman: This is just one of the many ways you and your highly paid staff of marketing “experts” can get the word out about hockey to an apathetic US audience. It’s pretty easy, no? I’ll be expecting a check in the mail for consulting services rendered.)

Keep an eye out for Tavares who will sure to break more records the next couple of years.  Especially considering he can’t even be drafted for another 2 years.   Crosby who?

NHL players will be playing with pink hockey sticks on March 16, 17 and 18th to support Breast Cancer awareness and research. The players will sign their respective stick and it will be auctioned on Ebay with the proceeds going towards Breast Cancer Research. Last year they were able to raise $176,000 and Sidney Crosby’s stick fetched (no-pun intended) $3,200.

I wonder if Ryan Hollweg who took a nasty stick to the face by Chris Simon on Thursday night would have a pink-smear on his face?

In a league with too little coverage and where the players are finned for speaking out this provides great media attention. And the players were able to speak their mind without being fined. How great! So, some quotes that followed today:

Ray Emery (Goalie, Ottawa Senators) - “If the lady is attractive it might be a nice tradition instead of hats”

Alain Vigneault (Coach, Vancouver Canucks) - “I saw it and I don’t know what I’m supposed to say about that, I usually got something to say about everything, but that one, I’m not sure.”

And best of all

Craig MacTavish - “I heard that they were trying to win a couple of cups out there”

While we might not be so skilled at the movie making, some people do have some mad skills. Napoleon Dynamite and Pedro certainly do. Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi have mad Jedi skills. And then there’s Peyton Manning, who’s headed to his first Super Bowl appearance. Now Manning’s mad football skills have and will certainly be enumerated and celebrated elsewhere, so we would like to spotlight Payton’s real area of expertise: Dance.

Who else has done so much for to advance modern dance than Manning? All those gyrations, gesticulations, and gesturing right before the snap, he is truly a master of rhythmic expression.

So without further ado, we present our tribute to Payton Manning, the dancer.

OK, so maybe that wasn’t so good, but The Trashmen doing Surfin’ Bird? You gotta admit that’s super sweet.

Can you think of a better way to motivate a hockey team than to make them wear sweaters with a butt-ugly logo? They either win or the rest of the league just stands around pointing and laughing. And no one wants to pointed and laughed at, believe me. (Why do you think we try so hard here at oddsnark?)

The power of the Swooshalo will not be denied.

In the ladies semis Maria Sharapova looked sharp (and hot, natch) in the winning the 1st set from Justine Henin-Hardenne. The Belgian and her pretty backhand came back to take the match (4-6, 6-1, 6-4), looking strong in earning a trip to the finals. They won’t be serving pomme frites and singing La Brabançonne, however, because her fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters retired in the middle of the 3rd set against Amelie Mauresmo, advancing Mauresmo to her first Grand Slam final since the 99 Australian. Clijsters had won the 1st set 5-7, but Mauresmo took the next won 6-2 and was up a break in the 3rd when Clijsters tore her ankle all up.