Here’s the problem with the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, we forget what we know. We knew that New Orleans was really, really good, but 14 days of talking heads filling us with “Peyton Manning is a deity” talk gets a hold of your cognitive thinking skills and makes you forget what you already know.

I knew New Orleans was a scoring machine. I knew that the Saints’ defense was opportunistic. I knew that Pierre Thomas and those receivers were all playmakers, and that Drew Brees is a machine.

But the talking heads convinced me that this game wasn’t going to be close. I kept saying I was rooting for the Saints, but didn’t think they could win, because they had me convinced. Instead of going by what I knew, I went with what they told me to think.

I’m ashamed.

I’m also pretty freakin’ happy that the Saints got the job done. After falling behind 10-0, and let’s face it we were all worried about a blowout at that point, they dominated and outscored Indy 31-7 the rest of the way. It was pretty darn impressive.

Other Super Bowl thoughts

** The commercials weren’t very good. The Simpson’s Coke ad wasn’t bad, and Betty White and Abe Vigoda playing football was funny, but other than that they were a bore. The Green Police ad just scared me, thanks Audi.

** The game turned on the onside kick. Eagle One and I exchanged some texts during that part of the game and let’s just say that we are in agreement that Sean Payton has marbles.

*** I hate Peyton Manning. He cost me $100 in Super Bowl squares. If he had not thrown the TD with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, I win the first. If he had scored the meaningless TD at the end of the game, I win the fourth quarter. Thanks for nuttin’ Manning, glad you lost.

*** By the way, Manning is just 9-9 all-time in playoff games. It’s worth mentioning. Not exactly fear-inducing is it?

*** Kudos to Mrs. Maclone for the unreal spread. Spinach-cheese-bacon calzones, home made fried chicken, home doughnuts (we borrowed my mom’s fry-o-lator) and club soda/cranberry juice for me. That’s good eatin.

*** Bad job by my mom, other than hooking us up with the cooking device. Bad form calling in the second quarter and then talking with everyone for like 20 minutes with the year’s biggest game on.

*** I’m sad. I wish Punxsutawney Polamalu really could grant us six more weeks of football. The next month is pretty horrible as far as sports go, until the conference tournaments start in NCAA hoops.

*** The Bruins are horrible. Who cares that the losing streak ended, they lost 10 in a row. Why do people pay to see that team every night? They might as well throw $80 out the car window instead.

*** The itty bitty crack in my windshield, from a rock that hit it about three years ago, finally decided to crack away. Pretty impressive that it went from nothing, to about four inches, to halfway across the driver’s side in the matter of days. It’s getting pulled out tomorrow.

So it’s finally here, The Big Game, the Super Bowl, the championship, the Vince Lombardi Trophy game. It’s enough to make a guy feel pretty melancholy.

Melancholy?

Yes, melancholy. See with the biggest day on the football comes the end to it all. No more glorious NFL Sundays. No more pizza, chips and general laziness and gluttony to close out the week. No more Red Zone channel. No more fantasy football. No more NFL, it’s sad.

So, on to the game. Here’s the deal, I’m rooting for the Saints. I’d love to see those people get to celebrate down on Bourbon Street. I’d love to see Drew Brees take his place with Manning and Brady at the top of the NFL quarterback tree. And, I figure too many shots of Chloe Kardashian beats too many shots on TV of Archie Manning, so that right there is enough to root for New Orleans to win.

Yes, I’m rooting for the Saints.

The Colts are going to win, though. They’re a machine and Manning is the best there is right now, as much as that pains me to admit. He can’t be fooled or tricked by a defense, throw something at him and he’ll figure it all out. He’s the premier signal caller in the game and he gets the job done.

I think both offenses can score a ton. I think both offense will score a ton, but in the end I think that the Colts have too much on both sides of the ball. I hope I’m wrong.

The score: Indy 41, New Orleans 31.

Last night I was on my way to the Bourne-Falmouth girls’ basketball game and hit shuffle on the old iPod and had one of the sublime conglomerations spit out by my mp3 player. I got in six songs on the drive back and forth (I also listened to a bit of the Celtics-Wiz game) and the songs thrown out were great. I thought it might be fun to delve into the shuffle every now and then as a change of pace. So here goes …

1. Everlong by Foo Fighters: So funny because I was watching Storytellers on Paladia the other night and caught the performance of this song and remembered just how much I love it. This version on my iPod is the acoustic version, I think from the Howard Stern Show a few years back. Played this way it really becomes a pretty cool love song and a reminder that Kurt Cobain was not the only talented member of Nirvana. Who knew when that band was blowing up that it would be the guy behind the drum kit that would be making meaningful music for the longest time? A great gem to start the ride with.

2. Porch by Eddie Vedder: It’s a Pearl Jam song, but this was from a bootleg of one of Ed’s solo gigs from last year. I love the way he plays it live by himself with just a guitar and it just builds to a crescendo. Hard to believe it’s a protest song, because it feels like a relationship song.

3. Sometime Around Midnight by The Airborne Toxic Event: I remember Jimmy Kimmel saying he had this band on one night last year and I said I’ve got to see what these guys look like, figuring they’d be outcasts from Ozzfest. Instead of looking like Slipknot, they looked more like a throwback to The Talking Heads and this song they played was amazing and haunting. It’s a tune about a dude that catches a glimpse of his dream girl at a bar late at night, but she’s with someone else. There’s been a break-up.

And she leaves…
with someone you don’t know
but she makes sure you saw her
she looks right at you and bolts
As she walks out the door
your blood boiling
your stomach in ropes
and when your friends say what is it
you look like you’ve seen a ghost

Probably my favorite discovery from last year, just ahead of Phoenix’s “1901.” It’s really great story-telling.

4. Undone (The Sweater Song) by Weezer: Just a fun song, although i could do without the talking over in the beginning that’s inserted to the album version. This tune always makes me laugh because I can picture my kids singing it in the backseat “watch me unravel, I’ll soon be naked, lying on the floor, lying on the floor, I come undone.”

5. My Name Is Jonas by Weezer: For some reason the iPod wanted me to have a double shot of Rivers and the boys. I got this at the end of the work day, which was perfect because it’s kind of an anti-work song.

6. Champagne Supernova by Oasis: One of the brats’ biggest hits, it’s trippy and nonsensical, but I still enjoy it. My favorite rendition I’ve heard was done by Hootie and the Blowfish at the Melody Tent back in 2008, it was a fun encore tune they threw in. Darius Rucker nailed it.

It’s finally here. We’ve been waiting impatiently for about nine months to see what has happened to the passengers of the Oceanic flight 815 people on the Lost island, and finally, on Tuesday, it will be here.

At The Enterprise that means that Wednesday morning will be pretty fun. There are a good number of us that are devotees to the show and can’t wait to discuss all of the minute details of what’s going on.

Somehow I’ve stayed completely spoiler free to this point, and don’t plan on changing that between now and Tuesday evening. I’m psyched.

Not exactly the most exciting of times right now is it? We got the Super Bowl match-up we wanted, well at least the one I wanted, and now it’s on to the waiting, two weeks of excruciating waiting. During this time we’ll learn everything we always wanted to know about the Saints offensive line but were afraid to ask, plus what kind of shoes each kicker wears. No angle will go un-covered.

So let’s hit some other quick topics while we’re here.

** Loved watching Brett Favre implode. I asked this question to some colleagues at work. Let’s say you’re in Vegas and are prop betting. How much would you have put on “Brett Favre will throw an INT in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter?” I said at least $50, maybe $100. We were trying to figure out what the odds would be, and I can’t think it would pay better than 3-to-1.

** There are some stories that just never would have happened 20 years ago, and they almost always sound a lot like Greg Oden having naked pictures of him leak on the internet. Ahh, the internet.

** Baseball’s only a few weeks away. Can’t wait, for pitching and defense.

** I’ve been working on a Cody Murray story for the paper on Friday. I’m rooting for that kid to heal and play again. Had a conversation with a copy editor at work who thinks its crazy that he’ll try to play sports again after his knee injury. I told her she just didn’t understand athletes. “It’s in his heart,” I told her. “You can’t make that go away, you have to at least try.” She said she understood, but still thought it was crazy. Maybe it is, and that’s part of what makes it worthwhile.

** I still find it ironic that I love the game of hockey, but hate hockey rinks. I’m just saying, it’s kind of weird.

** I was all for the excitement that swept through MA the last couple of weeks for the Scott Brown run to the senate. It was a great story, even if you don’t like his politics. What I didn’t like was that WEEI became a political station for about a week. I tune into sports radio to hear about sports, not the senate race. On top of that, I really hated that they fired Pete Sheppard last week, he was the best part about The Big Show. He’s also a big friend of the Cape League’s, and I’m hoping he’ll be back a the first pitch brunch this year.

** You might remember that I wrote about my friend Charlie Hibbert, who died a little over a week ago. I’m happy to say that a group of us got together during the NFC Championship game to trade Charlie stories and toast him at halftime. With phone calls at halftime we were able to get 8 of the 11 remaining guys together for it. We also promised to make getting together as a group a more important thing in the future, and I think we’ll actually do it. I hope so.

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I don’t know about you, but now that the NFL’s Final Four is set I’m a little bit frustrated. I live in a house where I’m reminded, both by my wife and my kids, that “hate” is a strong word. Also, being a Christian, I’m reminded at church that we’re not supposed to hate.

So I can’t say that I hate the teams that are left, but I can say that I’m not a big fan, of three of them at least.

First, I strongly, strongly dis …. ah screw it … I hate the Jets. I’m sorry, I just do. Can’t stand the coach, can’t stand the franchise, or the Sanchize. Nothing about the NYJ’s do I care for. So, I won’t be rooting for them next weekend.

But … I can’t stand the Colts either. They’ve just played far too many meaningful games against the Patriots over the years to hold them in any kind of reverence. I like to see them lose. I enjoy some of Peyton Manning’s commercials, but his constant ADD at the line of scrimmage is annoying.

People say that they’re a machine, and I guess that is correct because electronic devices lack souls, and that’s how I feel about that team. Sure they’re good, but they they never seem like they enjoy what’s going on. It’s all too rinse, repeat for me.

Then on the NFC side we’ve got the Vikings. Normally I’d be all aboard on the Vikes’ bandwagon. They’ve never won a Super Bowl, people from that area seem nice, they’ve even got Prince at the games rooting for them, and anything that brings reminders of the skins v. blouses game from The Chapelle Show is a good thing.

But, they’ve got Brett Favre, and I’ve disliked Favre for a long, long time. Even before he retired, and unretired, and retired, and unretired he was on my list of athletes I wished would go away. I like Percy Harvin. I think Sidney Rice is one of the biggest stars on the rise in the league. Adrian Peterson is awesome. Jared Allen is a play-maker and fun to watch.

But they have Favre, and they also wear purple. Those are two mighty big strikes against in my book.

Which leaves us with the Saints. Ever been to New Orleans? I have, it’s a fun city. You walk around there and you feel like you’re somewhere special. I hate to steal from another writer, but Bill Simmons has said it’s one of those cities that makes you feel like you’re in a movie, and that’s true. It almost doesn’t feel American, in a good way.

And that city has been through so, so much over the last few years. Katrina is still a daily life factor there in many ways. They’re still cleaning up and it will take a long, long time to get back to normal, and there’s always the chance of another storm doing it again.

But the people have overcome so much, and they love that football team. What a home field advantage that place has been this year. Sure the Saints slowed down a bit late in the season, but they had very little to play for at that point. Now they seem to be revving it right back up. That game against the Cards was a shocker. They gave up a first play touchdown of 70-plus yards on the ground — sound familiar Pats fans? — and came back to beat Arizona 45-14.

Drew Brees is so impressive, and so is that offense. They have weapons all over the place and they know how to use them. Rooting for the Saints in the postseason is rooting for everything that’s right with the world. That team is a part of the rebuilding process in New Orleans and I, for one, hope they are partying with the Lombardi Trophy on Bourbon Street in a few weeks.

I joined the Cape Cod Oblong League, our fantasy football league, so long ago that I couldn’t give you an exact date. It was at least a decade ago, if not more. Some of the other guys in the league have changed over the years, but there’s a core that’s been there since I joined: myself, Geoff “The Commish” Converse, Tim Oliver, Sean Polay, Dave Pare and Charlie Hibbert.

We only get together as a group once, maybe twice, a year. We trade emails all the time during football season, make fun of each other, you know, guy stuff.

Seeing Charlie always makes me smile. The guy is just sweet-natured, witty and fun to be around. I can picture him at this past draft, sitting with a beer by himself at a table with his notes in front of him and a smile on his face.

Charlie died last night. He had a stroke an didn’t make it. Eagle One called me yesterday morning to talk about it. I hadn’t read my email yet. Geoff passed along the news to all of us. Everyone sent their prayers for recovery, but that didn’t happen. He was taken off life support.

He had worked at the Cape Cod Times for years and years — he taught me how to paste up copy when I was an college intern — and the people over there are just torn up. All of his friends are. They’re in shock. It sucks, it really, really sucks.

I only knew him as one of my favorite guys in the fantasy league. His team name, The Sunday Comics, was perfect. He was a dad, a co-worker, a buddy, a husband. He was an all-around awesome guy.

I wish I could think of some great eloquent words to sum up what he meant to everyone, but I can’t. People mean different things to different people and it would lessen what he was if I tried.

I know this, he’s going to be missed is many ways. There’s going to be an empty seat at our draft in September and 11 guys that miss their buddy. We’ll toast his memory, and tell stories, and miss him. And we’ll miss him every time we do it.

Godspeed Charlie. We miss you already, and always will.

Talk about bummed out. I mean, you knew it right away, didn’t you? No contact from any Houston players, the knee went sideways.

Over.

The Patriots will most likely continue to just list Wes Welker’s status as doubtful-knee, but several reports stated that WW tore two ligaments in his left knee. He’ll miss the playoffs, and probably a good portion of next year as well.

You could see him crying on the sidelines. His teammates tried to console him, but he knew. No more football for a long time, and when you’re the biggest over-achiever in all of pro football, that has to hurt, even more.

My favorite player — I have two No. 83 jerseys, a white one and a red one — had a remarkable season. He grabbed 123 balls, the most in the NFL, and finished second in receiving yards with over 1,300. Not bad for a guy that missed two full games, and then most of today’s as well.

Without question Julien Edelman will do everything he can to fill the hole. He was great against the Texans and plays a whole lot like Welker. But, despite the fact that they look alike, and play alike, Edelman is not Wes Welker.

Nobody else is. He’s going to be missed immensely, let’s just hope he’s back sooner than expected.

There’s always the chance that something strikes me tomorrow to blog about, but I highly doubt it, so let’s just take a quick look around and hit some quick stuff.

** I don’t care if the Patriots play the starters this weekend or not. Really, they’re already sewn up as the division champion, and there’s not much difference between playing the Jets, or the Ravens, or someone else, at home. Any way you look at it they have to win that one, and then go to either San Diego or Indy, and I think I’d rather go to Indy than SD at this point.

** My early Super Bowl prediction, San Diego versus Philly. San Diego is the best team in football right now, I would want no part of them.

** Last night’s MNF game was awesome. Lyra was watching a movie so I didn’t throw it on until late in the fourth quarter, and it blew my mind. I had last checked in at 16-0 Chicago, and figured it was over, but what a comeback by Minnesota. That catch by Sid Rice was as good as anything you’ll see.

Minnesota could have won, but the story that no one talks about is what bit them in the butt, and that’s that despite his running prowess, Adrian Peterson is, at times, a lot like Laurence Maroney in that he has a bad case of fumblitis, and it pops up at bad times.

If Peterson doesn’t fumble that ball, Minnesota probably drives down to win it. Instead he coughs it up and then Jay Cutler threw a perfect strike for the win.

Speaking of Cutler, has there ever been a pro athlete that looked so miserable after a big win? That guy looks downright depressed all the time.

** Saw The Mighty Mighty Bosstones with Eagle One the other night at the House of Blues and had a great time. I’ve been a fan of the Bosstones since my college days, but just a casual one, but man can those guys play. They only were on for about 80 minutes, but it was a very enjoyable show. They were awesome. I wish I could go to the final show tonight, but alas I have to be in Bridgewater for a basketball game.

** Christmas was fun, with the exception of some family stuff. My grandmother fell down the stairs last week and is in the hospital, and it broke my heart to have to visit her there instead of at the usual Christmas gathering, but her spirits are high and she’s doing much better.

As for gift-giving, and getting, the older I get the more and more its easier to accept that it’s not about the adults, but all about the kids. I got some fun stuff, but nothing huge, and I’m cool with that. I do have some gift cards to get through at some point, but nothing is coming to mind.

** Can’t wait to see the Winter Classic at Fenway on Saturday, on TV. I’m no fan of sitting through the cold anyways, so I don’t mind that I’m not going. We saw the rink set up at Fenway on Saturday night, looking through the grate at the Bleacher Bar on Lansdowne, and it looked pretty cool. I’m hoping it snows a little bit, that would be awesome in HD.

** I’ve got a fantasy football blog coming soon. It will make you laugh, I promise, but I’m not quite ready to put all my thoughts down just yet.

By the way, Money Matt owes me a cut of his championship. Yes the Stumblin’ Irish had the worst season in the history of fantasy sports, but without the most clutch tip of all time he would have finished third in the championship round instead of winning it all. I think that’s worth a burger at next year’s draft, at least.

** I’m hoping to get to the movies sometime soon to see Avatar. I’ve heard mixed things. Movie snobs keep saying how the story is lacking and it’s all about the CGI, and it feels flat. Regular people seem to really dig it and rave about it.

Unfortunately the only movie I’ve seen since The Blind Side — which is not a football movie by the way, it’s a disguised chick flick, albeit a good one, but still — the only movie I’ve seen is Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Squeakwel. Oh the joys of parenthood.

So a few weeks ago I took the kids in to sign up for youth basketball, late as always, and of course they needed a coach for Rye’s 2nd grade team. Seeing that coaching at that level doesn’t include teaching the intricacies of the match-up zone or breaking a zone press, I agreed to do it. It’s fun to spend time with the kids, and you do save the $25 entry fee to the Falmouth Rec Dept. when you coach. We’ll call it a win-win.

There was just one thing about the whole scenario that rankled me, and still does. It went something like this.

Rec Dept. Director: Okay, this is your team (points to list), and you guys are going to be the Lakers.

Me: Lakers?

Rec Dept.: yes, the Lakers

Me: Great (sarcastically)

The only thing that I could think of that could be worse is coaching a youth baseball team named the Yankees. I don’t think my boy would ever put on that shirt if he played for that team.

Our shirts don’t read “Lakers,” they’re just purple T’s with “Falmouth Recreation Basketball” on them. And the kids don’t care that they’re on the Lakers, they just like playing. But trust me, all of the other coaches give me a hard time about being the Lakers. It’s a weird feeling, and I don’t recommend it.