Super Bowl

And we're down to the biggest game of the year or at least the last one. In just a few hours, we'll have a champion for the 2009 NFL season. (Or will we?) Time for me to put some picks out there so I can look foolish later tonight.
In many ways, this is a tough game to pick. On paper these are two of the closest matched teams in the league this year. Through their first thirteen games they were a combined 26-0. They only had one game between the two of them where they played full out starters and lost (Dal 24, NO 17). A couple of different bounces and the will to win each game and we could honestly have seen two teams going for an undefeated season.
One oddity that I haven't seen mentioned is how different each teams march to the Super Bowl has been. The Saints faced two teams with the most veteran QBs in the league, combined age of 78 and an incredible 31 combined seasons. The Colts also faced two teams but theirs had the youngest QBs available, combined age of 48 and only three combined seasons. Of course, each team will be facing one of the top QBs in the Super Bowl...
The Colts are favored by 4.5 points and the analytical part of me thinks that's too much. Both teams are very even and the recent history of the Super Bowl has been for close games. It's not hard to see the Colts only winning by a field goal or an outright Saints victory. But I think I'll go the over and pick the Colts anyway. I just think that no one can really compete with Peyton Manning right now. He's the best QB of this season and possibly this generation.
The coin is an incredible 8-2 through the playoffs. (My record is something like -3-13.) Might need to hang on to this one for toss-up games during the 2010 season. It is going with . . . the Colts too.
But, even though I didn't pick them to win I'm going to be cheering for the Saints to win. I mentioned this at work on Friday and was roundly criticized but I have my reasons.

• New Orleans, the city, has gone through some pretty bad stuff and I'd love for them to be happy here. I'd rather my Vikings would have beaten them last week but they didn't and that's that.
• I don't have any ill will toward them left over from the NFC championship game. They played a tough and physical game and some of the hits were questionable but the reason the Vikes are sitting at home has to do with the endless fumbling. Sour grapes aren't enough reason for me to root against them.
  
• The Saints have never even been to the Super Bowl let alone won it. I like to see different fans get a chance at that championship happiness. It's too special to be hoarded (unless my team is somehow doing the hoarding.)
• I like New Orleans as a destination more than I do Indianapolis.
  

Mostly I just hope for a good game and some great commercials.