2/6/2010 9:58:00 PM
Saints or Colts?: Locals weigh in
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| David J. Phillip/The Associated Press |
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PRESCOTT - Collin Covault wasn't too keen on football as a child, but that all changed after he watched the dynamic Peyton Manning play quarterback for the University of Tennessee in the late 1990s.
When the Indianapolis Colts drafted the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Manning as the first overall pick in the league's annual draft in 1998, Covault kept a close eye on No. 18 and has been hooked on the pigskin ever since.
Sunday afternoon, Covault of Prescott will be glued to his TV as Manning and the Colts battle the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, the NFL's championship game, in Miami (4:25 p.m., CBS). Indianapolis is a five-point favorite to claim the title.
Early Saturday afternoon, Covault visited Gateway Mall's Just Sports apparel shop to buy a couple of Colts items, which are slightly difficult to find in this neck of the woods.
Sunday, Covault, originally from Colorado, said he would sleep in and not watch too much of the pre-game coverage on the tube. But he will join in on a Super Bowl party at a friend's house about an hour before kickoff.
"I always wear my Manning jersey, no matter what, and a Colts hat," said Covault, who's predicting a 31-28 Indianapolis victory. "If the Colts lose, I'll be upset, but not too upset because it would be a big win for New Orleans if they do win. It's going to be huge for that city with everything that's happened (after Hurricane Katrina in 2005)."
Covault said he's concerned about how the game will turn out if Indianapolis has to play without star defensive end Dwight Freeney, who missed practice on Friday and Saturday with a torn ligament in his right ankle.
Without Freeney, one of the NFL's best pass rushers, the Colts might have trouble putting pressure on standout Saints QB Drew Brees - the leader of the league's top-rated offense. But Indy's offense is just as solid. This season, Manning threw for 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns.
"Dwight's a huge impact player on our defense," Covault said. "If we can't get to Brees, it's going to be a shootout."
Nearby, Gordo Douglas, 57, of Chino Valley, who was window-shopping at the mall Saturday in his Chicago Bears sweatshirt and cap, said Sunday's contest will be high-scoring - 31-17 - with the Colts prevailing because of their past playoff experience. In Super Bowl XLI (2007), the Colts and Manning beat the Bears by a similar margin, 29-17.
The Saints are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time since the franchise's inception in 1967. Douglas still holds a grudge against the Colts for beating his beloved Bears, but he did not let that sway his prediction.
"You'll see that the AFC (American Football Conference) is a tougher division, and it will show in the results," said Douglas, a Chicago native who sports a tattoo of the Bears' logo on his left lower leg. "As long as the Colts take care of the ball and not turn it over, they'll win."
Ann and Alan Elms of Lake Havasu, both in their late-30s, are longtime Dallas Cowboys backers who give a slight edge to the Colts, 35-28.
Alan thinks whichever team gets the ball last will win.
"I chose the Colts, and that was because I was outnumbered in our family," Ann said. "I did it to keep peace in the house."
Carol Patterson, 61, of Phoenix is an Arizona Cardinals fan who has had season tickets for the team since the franchise moved from St. Louis to the desert in 1988. She favors the Colts, partly because she didn't like the way New Orleans beat the Cardinals in the divisional round of the National Football Conference playoffs last month.
"I'm hoping Indianapolis wins because I very much disliked some of the hits and some of the attitudes of the Saints players when they played the Cardinals," she said, predicting a 31-21 Colts victory Sunday. "Even though you like the idea of New Orleans winning for the city, I put fair play ahead of that."
Later in the afternoon Saturday, Steve Ochoa, 48, of Dewey-Humboldt, a Minnesota Vikings fan since the 1970s, was browsing around Just Sports for NFL player figurines, which he has collected for the past nine years.
He said he wants the Saints to win, even though in his heart of hearts he believes Indianapolis will come out on top. Ochoa likes Drew Brees and even has his autograph.
Despite the fact that the Saints narrowly beat the Vikings in the NFC championship two weeks ago, putting the former in the Super Bowl, Ochoa isn't bitter.
"It's the first year for Drew Brees going to the Super Bowl, so I'm pulling for him," said Ochoa, who used to live in San Diego, where Brees began his NFL career with the Chargers. "But Manning's going to be tough to beat. He does it all."
Ochoa added that Sunday's game will be close, but high-scoring, and a turnover will make the difference in the fourth quarter.
"I think most of the country wants New Orleans to win," he said.
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Posted: Sunday, February 07, 2010
Article comment by:
I care!!!!!!!!
Looks like they need to pull the plug Life support. Not much air getting to that brain.
Posted: Sunday, February 07, 2010
Article comment by:
Life support
WHO CARES?!?!?!?! Life has many other things going on...If big business wants to make millions, no billions, of your dollars then promoting something as big and "glorious" as the Super Bowl is what they need to do.
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