Need a reason to watch Super Bowl XXXVIII?
The Saints won’t be there but there will definitely be a Louisiana flavor Sunday at 5 p.m. in Houston’s Reliant Stadium when New England takes on Carolina for the NFL championship on a CBS telecast.
If you’re a diehard Tigers fan, then New England is the team for you. The Patriots have four former Tigers on their squad, and three of them will probably make some kind of impact in the game.
You’ll see former Tigers running back Kevin Faulk as a triple threat for the Patriots as he is playing in his second Super Bowl. Splitting time at tail back with Antowain Smith, Faulk is the second leading rusher on the team with 638 yards rushing on 178 carries.
He is fourth on the team with 48 receptions for 440 yards and third in returning yardage with a 20.7 average on kickoffs and a 13.2 yard average on punts.
If you’re defensive-minded, lookout for former LSU defensive end Jarvis Green on the Pats defensive line. In just his second year, the Thibodeaux native has gotten significant playing time with 17 tackles, including two sacks.
You won’t see the other two Tigers too often.
Former Tigers quarterback Rohan Davey will play behind starter Tom Brady and second-string quarterback Damon Huard. If Davey plays it’ll be bad news for the Pats. After all, Brady got the nod and led the Pats to a Super Bowl title in 2001 after Drew Bledsoe was injured during the season.
Davey and Green already know what it feels like to win a championship after helping the Tigers to the Southeastern Conference Championship against Tennessee in 2001.
It’s almost a sure thing that you’ll see former Tiger Brian Kinchen. The 38-year-old veteran is the oldest player on the New England roster and handles longsnapping duties. So if there’s a punt or another game-winning field goal by Adam Vinatieri, it all starts with Kinchen.
And if you like Nick Saban’s style of coaching, watch his mentor Bill Belichick roam the sidelines for the Patriots. Is it a coincidence that both coaches are competing for their league’s ultimate prize? I don’t think so.
If you’re Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who didn’t manage to show up for LSU’s national championship celebration and is partial to Lafayette, then maybe you’ll want to watch Jake Delhomme. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback by way of UL-Lafayette will be the starting quarterback for Carolina.
Former XFL star Rod Smart isn’t from Louisiana but this Panther sure is spicy. Saints fans know what his nickname, “He Hate Me,” means. Smart returned 41 kickoffs for a 23.1-yard average, including a 100-yard punt return for his only touchdown of the season against New Orleans on Oct. 5 in a 19-13 Carolina win.
If football isn’t your cup of tea, there’s plenty of entertainment. Janet Jackson will be the featured halftime performer. But don’t worry there’s plenty more celebrities with weird family members and ex-partners. Kid Rock, P Diddy and Nelly will all join Jackson.
And who can forget the commercials. Kentwood native Britney Spears and Beyonce Knowles will appear in a Pepsi ad. It’s always interesting when Spears is in the lineup. Do you remember what happened the last time she was before a national audience in a major event?