Today is THE day for football fans!
It is estimated that as many a 300 million people, world wide, will watch Super Bowl XLIV.
And, these folks will enjoy a few beverages, along with many different types of food.
Another estimate is that some 375,000 cases of beer will be consumed: Along with wine and, yes, perhaps, some hard stuff.
A few other guesstimates: Half a million bags of potato ships, thousands of pounds of celery, 450,000 hot dogs, 150,000 hamburgers, among other goodies.
Plus thousands of bottles of aspirin, Rolaids, Alka Seltzer and other such things will also be consumed, especially on Monday mornings
Now here in New Orleans, we do not need those things. We simply have a few morning after pick-me-ups. Hey, this is Naawwwwwleeens.
However, over 100,000 people are expected to have come down with a cold or flu, and miss work.
I received a number of emails from fans from other cities, all saying that their team’s fans are either better or at least equal to the Saints.
My response was brief. “Sorry, no way. You have no idea, and I cannot put it into words. You have to be here.”
Proof of this is the TV coverage in Miami of fans. Perhaps 15 minutes total coverage goes to Colts’ fans. Many hours revolve around Saints fans.
The media estimated there Saints fans out number Colts’ fans, 40-7!
I was home most of last week, so I watched the NFL Channel (they had 16 hours daily from Miami), and I would guess that perhaps 50% of their coverage revolved in some way around Nawwwwleeeens folk!
It is guestimated that some 50,000 to 75,000 Saints fans were in Miami all week.
Only about 25,000 of them had tickets. The ones who did not?
“We don’t care. We just want to be here. To enjoy this event.” Many also said, “this is the greatest thing ever to happen to (us).” PARTY TIME, BABY!! THE BAR IS OPEN.
The N.O. influence hit South Beach. The bars there do not have a go-cup option. Never have. Until now! For this week, all bars had stacks of go-cups as you walked in. Grab one, and it’s now the New Orleans way.
Some bar owners said they may look to do this on other occasions.
New Orleans? Hell we don need no stinkieeng reason.
As I said last week, and again here, “You must be here to see it.”
Just some random “it happens” things.
Archie Manning was the QB for the Saints for 14 years, during which, he had only 9 games, out of 96, that his team won more than they lost!
While he was often brilliant, the team totally sucked. With his charismatic demeanor, he became “Mr. Saints.”
NOTE: It was during this time that the GREATEST football banner ever was born. Hanging in the Super Dome’s south end zone, 2nd deck, the 10 foot long by 2 ½ high said: NEW ORLEANS: A DRINKING TOWN WITH A FOOTBALL PROBLEM!
Now, Archie is the Sacred Saint of New Orleans. With all the charity, etc., the family is “The First Family.”
So with all the dreamy, black and gold insanity running through their veins, there is one very unique something that has never happened before in SB history! And likely never will.
“Mr. Saint, Archie, will not be rooting for his old team. Because his son, Peyton is the QB for the Colts.
Either way, though, he is in a win-win situation.
Now, the TV networks and other media, finally woke up after the Saints beat Minnesota. To paraphrase Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, “Who are those guys?”
Not quite that bad, but, honestly, they have been ignored, for the most part.
Suddenly the NFL and the media woke up and “discovered” the Saints.
Even the NFL head offices discovered them. Someone in their New York headquarters tried to make some extra money by telling the Saints that they (NFL) owned the logo, “Who Dat.
Now usually, when the mighty NFL proclaims something, it happens. NO WAY here. There was immediate , and big-time rebuttal to same, and within 3 days, they had backed out. Frickin greedy bastards.
The game:
Obviously, if either of the two QB’s are injured, game over.
Many people have asked me who will win. Answer: How the hell do I know!
Arguably, the top 2 QB’s in the NFL.
The Saints D, coached by aggressive Gregg Williams, needs to get to Manning, and hit Manning as much as possible. NOTE: Peyton is well known to fall down when a sack if inevitable, thus no shot to his chest.
You can’t stop him, just slow him down.
The KEY: Peyton reads the defensive sets and unless the Saints D can react in a split second of the snap, nice gain.
All of his gyrations, motions and running up and down his line, are SOLELY intended to make defenses tip their hand, i.e. move into the coverage they will stay in, and if you do rest on one too early, you just told Manning what he can do!
Not trying to get too technical, but say the Saints show a Cover Two, and change as the ball is snapped, instantly moving to another coverage, say man-to-man.
In order to do this, middle LB Jonathan Vilma MUST, in the last split  second before the snap, read, then change or not, which translates to live or die.
As Manning sits back there, especially in his preferred shotgun, he will be have a steady eye by reading Vilma! And, vice versa.
Making this simple, Vilma is the Drew Brees of the defense! Yes, he, basically will be just as important to the D as Brees is to the offense!
As Vilma waves his hands, so does Manning. Game within the game).
Finally, perhaps never before has a SB been SO much about the QB’s!
Arguably the top 2 in the league.
Both will be in a true zone. Having been in a locker room of a team just ready to go out to play the SB, I’ve seen someone ask the QB a question – twice. He simply gave the “vacant” stare. He never heard the Q!
Which one, or both, will be “the man” today?
Virtually all media say Manning.
As I noted above, he watched over 100 hours on the Saints D in the last 10 days, and he knows every D set-up possible. He has a photographic memory, So Vilma, it’s on your back, like it or not.
All I can say is if Brees can get in the same “mood” he was in when they played the Patriots, advantage Saints.
But with being labeled the “better” of the two, comes the most pressure.
Thus, Manning stands to lose more than he gains.
Brees? His chance to tell the world, “Let me show you who Drew Brees is.”
But Manning is not playing just any QB.
Manning is a 4-time MVP. Brees is a 4-time Pro-Bowler. Offensive player of 2008. Named so over Manning.
Thus, the pressure is greater on Peyton. He has been the fair haired QB for 10 years! He is the New York Yankees of the NFL.
But, until he “finally,” as some said, won a SB, he carried the logo, “…can’t win the big one.”
Thus, the media and, of course, Colts fans, EXPECT Manning to win this SB.
For Brees? “Who’s he,” say much of the media!
Thus, should Manning win, well, he was expected to. For Brees, this would be his “coming out” party, proving he belongs at the highest level.
However, while some 300 million are expected to watch the game, world wide, possibly a billion are expected to “make a bet.”
Yes, many of you will place of few bucks on the game. I will.
However, in Las Vegas, you can place a bet on nearly 1,000 options!! Yes, 1,000 possible bets.
As I did a few years ago, I contacted Jay Kernigan, who is the head of sports betting for the Las Vegas Hilton. THE guru of sports wagering.
NOTE: You can quickly speed read much of this, so as to not send your head spinning. After all, enough beer or spirits can do that.
But for those of you that do read it, it will truly AMAZE the sensibilities. Jay and his merry band of 11, get together just hours after the teams are announced, then literally ensconce themselves for close to 52 hours, so as to get these odds out ASAP. Because, this is how the bookmakers make their big bucks. And the waiting wager folks are salivating.
Thanks again, Jay.
Yes, you can wager on ALL the usual aspects –winner, number of rushes, passes, completions, fumbles etc. And this can apply to every player on both teams.
But let’s get to s few “kinky” ones. Note: there are a total of  867 bets you can chose from!

• Will Dwight Howard of NBA’s Orlando Magic have more/less points than total Saints points scored. Or Colts. Or combined.
• Which player will: catch a pass, drop a pass, runner to gain more than 10 yards, runner to fumble. Add 20 more.
• Bet on, who will gain the most yards or Marques Colton’s receiving yards.
• In college hockey, will the total combined number of  goals by Michigan & Michigan ST. be more/less than total TD’s by Saints plus Colts.
• Golf; Who will have more? Phil Mickeleson’s total number of birdies in round four, or, will Manning have more TD passes. Add Mickelson’s total 4th round score vs. either Saints or Colts’ longest TD pass.
• Going to European soccer, in the Barclays Premier League, will Arsenal + Chelsea have more goals than Brees has TD passes.
• Will Reggie Bush have more/less first quarter points than Bruins’ Michael Cammaleri’s total shots on goal.
• NASCAR, baby: Will the number of the winning car at the Bud Shootout be higher/lower than the total number of  points scored in the first half  by Saints and Colts COMBINED.
  Hey fans, we’re just getting started here. Wait for some of the REALLY wild/funny ones!
• And of course, you can take any one of 19 players from either team, or no one or all others as to who will score first TD.
• Or same above but for LAST TD of game.
• Pick final amount of points by Saints or Colts.
  •I like this one. Who will have more? NBA’s Sacramento’s Tyreke Evens VS. Marques Colston’s number of catches.
• Love this one. It’s simple. Who will score more points. Kobe Bryant or Colts.
• Will Kobe score more points than Reggie Bush will have receiving yards.
• I’m listing numerous ones here. Will any team score 3 straight times. Or, will a team score in first 3 ½ minutes of game. Add about 20 other times, which quarter, et all, etc.
• Most penalty yards. Number of QB sacks – each team or both combined. Which team’s coaches will throw first challenge flag. Take any player and an over/under bet on yardage of most every runner on either team. Same with receivers.  AND, of course, you can parlay any one of these wagers to another. Get more odds.
  Bet any receiver’s first catch is over/under a certain number of yards. And, did he get a TD on same. Same for RB making his first run over/under set amount.  Parlay two. Or three.

Note. If you add up all the RB’s, WR’s, QB’s and others, you have a choice of 77 combos right there. And of course, you can parlay.

• You can bet on which team punts first. And/or, distance of punt.
• Which team will get a first down, which player will score the first points. First fumble, first interception, first gain of 10,20, etc yards.
• Here is one of my personal FAVORITES. Will the coin toss be heads or tails?! Who will win the coin toss.
• You can bet on nearly longest anything; pass, run, interception, FG, rush TD, pass TD, etc
• First penalty, was it declined or accepted. Will team scoring first win/lose the game. Will there be a safety. A 2-point conversion. First turnover, and will it he a fumble or INT. Total turnovers.
• Will the last score of the game be a TD, or “Other.” Will at least one quarter be scoreless. Which player will score first running TD, Passing TD – QB and receiver.
• Will the score be tied and the end of any quarter. Will game go to overtime.
• Boring ones are total yards of rushing and/or pass receiving yards by every and any player. This means you pick the player.
• Will there be a turnover. If so, which team. Will it be an INT or fumble. Team and player with first sack. Person sacked.
• Bet on any defensive player making a sack, tackle, Int, fumble recovery.
  You can bet the over/under of the point total of each team.
   

Well, I think you get the idea! Likely that you threw this away long before you got halfway down this page.
I took the time to count the actual total number of bets you could you make.
There are 867!! Then you can parlay each/any of these, resulting in an infinite number.
Just to let you know how large the amount of money is legally wagered in Vegas )roughly 87 million). When you make a guess as to the amounts wagered through off-shore gambling spots, this is where the dollar amount can go into many millions
Jay Kernigan guessed it to be around 300 million.
Well, I am pretty sure none of you have taken it to this level, but just goes to show how many do, and thus part of the WHY the SB is THE event.
Make a friendly little wager with someone. It really WILL make the game more interesting.
Regardless, enjoy the game, and I say it will NOT be wrong to ask the Lord for a little help here.
You can use your own, but here is my talk with God.
God, I know I am undeserving, but hey, this team is due. They have overcome so many adverse happenings.
And, God, the name of our team is the SAINTS!!!
PS. If you wish tell me and I’ll place a little bet for you.
ENJOY!!
Saints 34, Colts 31.
Then, the Saints will truly have led all of us to the promise land. This celebration will out do Mardi Gras.
And likely, an entire bottle of Single Malt will be shared with friends.
 

Note if you prefer to read this column as a printable PDF version, CLICK HERE.

KERRY SCHMIDT