SO often the Super Bowl ends up being bigger than sport itself.
There’s the commercials and the halftime show and monstrous television ratings and gargantuan ticket prices for a seat in a glistening new stadium that cost the GDP of a small country to build.
But when you get down to it, none of that really matters.
This should be all about New England, aka the Evil Empire, versus the Philadelphia Eagles and their army of rampant, raucous fans. Both teams have shots at NFL immortality.
The Patriots can extend what is already the greatest winning run in the history of the sport, while the Eagles can take the Lombardi Trophy to the City of Brotherly Love for the first time.
Camera Icon US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is hosting the big game. Picture: AFP
New England have the pedigree, the experience, the composure of being there before.
This will be quarterback Tom Brady’s eighth Super Bowl and coach Bill Belichick’s 11th.
Brady’s five Super Bowl wins is tied with Charles Haley for the record, while he’s already beaten Joe Montana’s record for quarterbacks (four).
Last year he led the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history when the Patriots recovered from a 28-3 deficit against Atlanta to win in overtime.
Against Jacksonville in the AFC championship two weeks ago, the Patriots fell behind 14-3, then 20-10, before prevailing 24-20.
Brady turned 40 last August but bristles at questions about retirement plans.
“Why does everyone want me to retire so bad?” Brady replied last week. “I don’t get it. I’m having fun, the team is doing good.
Camera Icon Ageless Pats champion Tom Brady is eyeing his sixth Super Bowl title. Picture: AP
“I know I am little bit older than most of the other guys but I am really enjoying it.’’
Everyone hates the Patriots. There’s no other way to put it.
Five Super Bowls in 18 years — with the prospect of a sixth.
The constant victories invite scorn rather than admiration. A handful of cheating scandals are easy fodder for those who would disparage the dynasty.
But the stats don’t lie and neither does the scoreboard.
The Patriots might be unlikeable and cold and robotic but they win and win and win some more.
Philadelphia have never won the big one, despite being one of the NFL’s marquee franchises.
The fact they’ve made it this year is an achievement in itself.
After MVP candidate Carson Wentz fell to a knee injury in the waning weeks of the regular season their nascent championship hopes looked shot to bits.
Camera Icon Hal of fame-bound New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Picture: AP
But the Birds have rallied around their tough defence, led by imposing tackle Fletcher Cox, a strong running game and born-again quarterback Nick Foles.
He took some time to get going, but Foles is coming off the best game of his life in the NFC Championship game against the Vikings.
“Any time you step in for a guy who’s injured, it’s tough,” Foles said. “You never want to see anyone get injured. And I worked with Carson every day.
“And we’re people — it is a game but we’re people, and we care for one another.”
The Eagles aren’t exactly the people’s champions either. Philadelphia crowds are known for being abrasive at best and downright horrible bastards at worst. They’ve literally booed Santa Claus in the past.
Camera Icon Phillie’s back-up quarterback Nick Foles has stepped up for the Eagles. Picture: AFP
Police tried greasing light poles in Philadelphia before the Vikings game two weeks ago, but fans managed to climb them anyway.
The match shapes as a battle between Philadelphia’s robust defence and New England’s meticulous offence.
Can Brady manage the powerful Eagles pass rush?
Will the Patriots fully unleash the dynamic and ridiculous Rob Gronkowski? Can Foles take the final step into football history?
For all the other stuff that muddies the waters around the Super Bowl, only the game itself can decide.
WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THE PATRIOTS
1. Federer … Jordan … Brady. Despite controlling a team derided as the Evil Empire, Tom Brady has earned his place among sport’s greatest-ever performers. Watching a legend still at his peak at 40 is a treat sports fans should embrace. His unflappable leadership in tough situations is unmatched. Oh, and he’s doing all right off the field, having married Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen in 2009.
Camera Icon New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is one of a kind. Picture: AP
2. If you like your sports stars old school, Rob Gronkowski is your man. Call him a meat-head, a jock or just a fun-loving dude, Gronk has an out-sized personality that endears him to Patriots fans. He’s fought at Wrestlemania, appeared in the Entourage movie and partied like it’s 1999. The explosive tight end has been cleared of concussion and is right to wreak havoc on the Eagles.
3. The coach. Bill Belichick is the Wayne Bennett of the NFL — only with a much better record. The grumpy genius doesn’t waste time on niceties with the media, instead he devotes his time to discovering every minute edge that can deliver success. His coaching tree is phenomenal — seven of his assistant coaches have gone on to become NFL head coaches, and another seven have become Division I college coaches.
WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THE EAGLES
1. Nick Foles. What a story this is. A back-up quarterback battler who had bounced from the Eagles to the Rams, the Chiefs and then back to the Eagles, Foles was thrown in the deep end when Carson Wentz went down in the 13th games. Oh, and he’s facing the ultimate mismatch against the greatest quarterback of all time. If they’re looking to reboot the Rocky franchise, Foles could be the star.
Camera Icon Eagles defensive star Fletcher Cox speaks to the media. Picture: Getty Images
2. Defence. The old cliche that defence wins championships still holds true, and the Eagles’ line has been ferocious all season. They’ve given up just 17 points across their two post-season matches. Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who wore a wrestling mask during his hour-long media session this week, is their beacon. Watch out for how they plan to slow Brady — it could be brutal.
3. The fans. To say they’re passionate is like saying Winx has hit a bit of form on the track. Sure, they sometimes go overboard, like the bloke who punched a police horse after the Vikings match. And then there was the fan who ran into a subway pillar while screaming support ... and that was before a game. Fans have gotten Eagles haircuts, held up signs on the top of Mt Kilimanjaro, and taught parrots the E-A-G-L-E-S chant. Philly’s own Will Smith has also written a poem for the Eagles.