Hardball Heaven

In one of the sloppier, duller Super Bowls ever - played in a constant pelting rain - Peyton Manning and the Colts (and Bill Polian, ugh) finally won the Big One, 29-17, over an overmatched Bears team. Peyton also took home the MVP for his troubles, mostly because they couldn't well give it to a no-name safety (I still can't remember his name) who made the biggest pick of his life against Rex Grossman as the Bears were driving and trying to take the lead. The other standouts for the Colts were the two running backs, Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes.

This was one strange game. The Colts completely dominated in plays run, time of possession and total yardage, and yet Chicago was somehow still in it until Grossman threw his fateful interception to Kelvin Hayden, who promptly raced into the end zone to seal the deal. When we think about this one 20 years from now, we won't remember any Manning heroics. There was no glorious Adam Vinatieri field goal to bring confetti from the roof. We'll remember the two Colt RBs, we'll remember Devin Hester's electric TD on the opening kickoff, and most of all, we'll remember the rain. And maybe Prince. And, okay, his dancing Twins.

For those of us still smarting that the Patriots lost - and the gnawing thought that they easily would have won another Lombardi for the trophy case at Gillette Stadium - remember this. Brady 3, Manning 1. And we of course can't wait to see LaDainian Tomlinson play for Bill Belichick in the Pro Bowl soon.

After that, all eyes turn to baseball.