Super Bowl XLIV: Reggie Bush, Kim Kardashian and Other Interesting Storylines

Super Bowl XLIV is full of interesting storylines—on and off the field.

This year's big game has a little for everybody.

Sports fanatics will enjoy a matchup between the two best teams in the NFL, guided by the two best quarterbacks in the league.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning have top billing in what could become an offensive slugfest.

Girly-girls will enjoy the hearty gossip on the wives, girlfriends and former flames that will be in attendance.

Reality TV stars Kim Kardashian and Kendra Baskett have football connections. Country music star Carrie Underwood, ex-girlfriend of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, will sing the national anthem.

New Orleans is going to its first Super Bowl, Reggie Wayne is enjoying the ultimate homecoming, and Tim Tebow will add his opinion to the mix.

From the serious to the sexy, from endorsements to the actual game, here are a few anecdotes as the biggest sports day in America swiftly approaches.

Stars Collide: Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian

The second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Reggie Bush is coming off his worst season ever—career lows in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and receiving yards in his fourth NFL season.

The New Orleans Saints electrifying running back is scheduled to earn $8 million in 2010 and few think the Saints will pay the embattled and potential-laden gamebreaker more than the $2.585 million base salary he earned in 2009.

Yet, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California has a knack for stepping up in big games. He’s often showcased his talent in the postseason.

In January 2007, Bush broke free on an 88-yard touchdown reception. In this year’s divisional round Bush had a 46-yard touchdown run and an 83-yard touchdown on a punt return.

He’s scored a touchdown in every playoff game in his career, and he’ll be looking to attract the attention of various suitors in the biggest game of his career.

Bush already caught the eye of reality TV star Kim Kardashian. The two have have dated since 2007 and the vixen can often be found cheering on her man at Saints games and doting on him on E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Bush often accompanies Kardashian on the red carpet.

Kardashian’s younger sister, Khloe Kardashian-Odom was able to net NBA star Lamar Odom after the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship in June. A whirlwind romance led to an extravagant made-for-E! TV wedding ceremony in September.

Reggie will be looking to win a Super Bowl ring while Kim may be hoping for another type of ring after dating the running back on-and-off for two-and-a-half years.

Could it be a win-win situation? Stay tuned as the cameras will be rolling on and off the field.

Hank and Kendra Baskett Enjoying the Limelight

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Hank Baskett may not be the biggest star on his team, but he’s not exactly an unknown commodity either.

Talk about your high-profile relationships.

The 6’4” backup married reality TV star Kendra Wilkinson at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion in June. Millions tuned in to watch the couple share their special moment.

Kendra was one of Hefner’s many young, blond girlfriends on the E!’s The Girls Next Door. The blue-eyed bombshell would eventually star in a spinoff based on her life.

The self-titled show follows Kendra and Hank's everyday challenges and featured the birth of the couple’s first child, Hank Baskett IV.

Pictures of the couple have been splashed on the covers of magazines, and both have watched their social status rise along with their popularity.

The fifth-year pro will be focused on the game on Super Bowl Sunday, but the newly-minted husband, father and reality TV star should still have plenty of things to keep him busy in the offseason.

Saints DE Bobby McCray Is Punishing QBs

New Orleans Saints 6’6”, 262-pound defensive end Bobby McCray has been a one-man wrecking crew in the postseason.

His questionable hits on NFL quarterback legends are no longer a secret, and the Indianapolis Colts will have to guard against his devastating hits.

McCray knocked Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner out of the Saints divisional playoff game with a vicious block.

Warner endured a chest injury. Though he came back in the game, the Cardinals lost what would become Warner's last NFL game.

Two of McCray’s hits on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game were declared illegal by the NFL, and McCray was fined. Favre injured his ankle on one of the low hits, but the NFL's Iron Man stayed in the game.

Yet, Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams isn’t publicly admonishing McCray or his defense. He has launched daunting statements about the Saints goals to pressure and attack Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

It's quite possible that Williams is using scare tactics. No quarterback wants to take the hits that Warner and Favre endured.

Years ago, McCray captured a rare and elusive sack on the Colts superstar. He's showing that hard hits can be just as important as sacks.

McCray isn’t a stat sheet monster, but he’s injured two starting quarterbacks in two playoff games. On both plays, when the opposing quarterback was injured, the QB threw an interception to the Saints.

The Super Bowl officials will be on high alert, and there will probably be cameras set specifically to monitor McCray.

No worries though. The Saints defense has been opportunistic all season and won’t let a chance to hit Manning slip away so easily, regardless of the intense scrutiny they’re bound to face.

Passed By: Colts Running Game on Backburner

To call the Indianapolis Colts’ rushing attack an afterthought may be an understatement.

The Colts didn’t have a single player rush for 100 yards in a game this year—including the postseason.

In two playoff games, the Colts have averaged 41.5 passes a game and 24.5 running plays a game.

Each of Indianapolis’ five postseason touchdowns has been through the air.

Yet, running back Joseph Addai and center Jeff Saturday will remember that former Colt Dominic Rhodes rushed for 113 yards on 21 attempts for a solid 5.38 average per carry in Indianapolis’ 29-17 victory in soggy conditions in Miami in Super Bowl XLIV.

The Saints defense—along with almost everyone else—would be in for a huge surprise if the Colts decide to use more balance on offense and mix in more runs in the ultimate game.

The Saints allowed a 70-yard touchdown run to Arizona Cardinals running back Tim Hightower on the first play of their divisional playoff game.

In the NFC Championship game, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson torched the Saints for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.

The Saints have an obvious weakness, but the Colts represent the current trend emphasizing more passing and less running plays.

The Colts are one of the most studious teams in the NFL and they will try to avoid the dreaded “What if we ran the ball more against their porous run defense?” blues.

New Orleans Saints Make First Trip to the Super Bowl

Who dat?

It’s the New Orleans Saints making their first trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history.

It only took 43 seasons and many, many years of heartbreak, including playoff losses, paper bag wardrobes and the team’s other affectionate nickname, the Aints.

Yet, in 2009 the team has enjoyed unprecedented success, starting 13-0 and scoring seemingly at will in its two home playoff games.

It’s too bad for long-suffering fans that Saints all-time passing leader Archie Manning just happens to be the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

The Saints have the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL, exploding for 76 points in its first two postseason games this season.

But New Orleans’ defense will have to find an answer for Manning and the Colts offense if they want to win the Super Bowl ro bring a major sports championship to the Big Easy.

With Mardi Gras on the way, if the underdog Saints can emerge triumphant after 60 minutes of game time on Sunday, the party may not end for weeks.

Reggie Wayne: The Ultimate Homecoming

All-Pro Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne has a unique connection to New Orleans, Indianapolis, and Miami, the site of Super Bowl XLIV.

Wayne was born in New Orleans and spurned a scholarship offer from LSU, among many others, before choosing the University of Miami.

Wayne was a four-year starter with the Hurricanes and helped lead the team back to national prominence.

Selected in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts, Wayne has blossomed into one of the NFL’s best receivers and has supplemented the departed Marvin Harrison as Peyton Manning’s favorite receiver.

A member of the Colts’ 2006 Super Bowl championship team, the star from the Big Easy made it look simple in Super Bowl XLI in Miami. Wayne only had two receptions, but one was a 53-yard touchdown catch that tied the game.

Wayne isn’t the only New Orleans native playing in the Super Bowl—Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is also from New Orleans.

Wayne isn’t the only former University of Miami star playing in the Super Bowl—New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey was Wayne’s teammate with the Hurricanes.

However, as a New Orleans native playing for the Indianapolis Colts in a Super Bowl in Miami, Wayne’s emotions will be all over the place. His hometown fans will be watching and rooting along with Colts fans in Indianapolis and Hurricane fans in Miami.

Saints Opportunistic Defense Needs Turnovers

Cornerback Tracy Porter and the New Orleans Saints defense know how to get their hands on the ball.

Good thing because the Saints defense needs turnovers to win.

This year, opposing teams have obliged as the Saints finished third in the NFL with 26 interceptions and second in taking the ball away with 40 turnovers.

New Orleans’ defense is opportunistic, scoring five times on interception returns and three times on fumble returns.

The Saints were on their heels during most of the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings and were rescued by a fourth-quarter Brett Favre miscue that led to an interception and helped to send the game into overtime.

Although the Vikings lost 31-28, Minnesota outgained New Orleans 475 to 257.

Those fortunate bounces may be hard to procure against the Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning protects the ball and is rarely sacked.

The Saints will be looking to strip the Colts’ ballcarriers and force other Indianapolis players into mistakes.

Peyton Manning Is a Winner on and off the Field

For Peyton Manning, Gatorade is more than a thirst quencher.

With sports marketing king Tiger Woods recovering from the fallout of a sex scandal, Manning may be crowned the new monarch of merchandise.

Manning, one of the most marketable football players in NFL history, has used his highly-likable likeness to the joy of major partners such as Gatorade, Sprint, MasterCard, Reebok, DirecTV and Nabisco’s Oreo cookies.

He has avoided some of the common pitfalls that snare many All-Pro players. In the face of an advertising decline and economic recession, Peyton’s multimillion dollar visage is still a powerful tool.

His well-honed image was nurtured long before the son of longtime New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning entered the professional ranks. He hasn’t slowed down on the playing fields or in the corporate arena since arriving on the scene.

Colts president Bill Polian has already promised to make quarterback Manning the highest-paid player in the NFL by signing him to a contract extension in the offseason.

However, Peyton already stands to make millions of dollars in endorsements off the field. If he wins his second championship in four seasons the four-time NFL MVP will have a lot more to celebrate than gridiron accomplishments.

Peyton, along with his Super Bowl-winning brother Eli, will enjoy the biggest day in American sports in more ways than one.

He’ll be playing for Super Bowl glory and featured in the most coveted commercial time slots of the year.

Drew Brees' Hunger for R-E-S-P-E-C-T

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees can almost taste his first Super Bowl title.

He obliterated opposing defenses in 2008, passing for 5,069 yards, the second-best single-season total in NFL history. He also tied for the NFL lead with 34 touchdown passes.

Peyton Manning has never thrown for 5,000 yards and his highest single-season total is 4,557.

NFL MVP in 2008: Peyton Manning.

In 2009, Brees was even more efficient. The Saints were only 8-8 in 2008 but finished 2009 13-3. Again, Brees led the NFL in touchdown passes.

Manning’s career-high completion percentage of 68.8 in 2009 was stellar, but Brees set an NFL record with a 70.6 completion percentage.

NFL MVP in 2009: Peyton Manning.

Drew Brees has thrown six touchdowns and no interceptions in two postseason games this season.
Peyton Manning has thrown five touchdowns and one interception in two playoff games.

Favored to win Super Bowl XLIV: Peyton Manning.

Manning is a future Hall of Famer and record-setting four-time NFL MVP who has consistently proven he is the best quarterback in the NFL.

Brees may not be looking for adoration, but he probably wants some more respect.

He was a star college quarterback at Purdue whose draft stock may have been lowered by his height— 6’0”—despite his towering college stats.

The Texas native will have Boilermaker fans divided with one of their all-time greats competing against the Colts in the Super Bowl.

But Brees has grown accustomed to proving himself again and again.

After falling to the second round in the 2001 NFL Draft, Brees became the San Diego Chargers starting quarterback in his second season. After Brees finished 2-9 as a starter in 2003, the Chargers traded for 2004’s fourth overall pick, quarterback Philip Rivers.

With Rivers the obvious heir to the position, Brees spent 2004 as a lame-duck quarterback on a mission. Brees led the Chargers to a 12-4 record, an AFC West title and a quarterback quandary.

But after Brees was injured in the 2005 season, the Chargers decided to develop their investment. Rivers became the starter as Brees was jettisoned, eventually landing in New Orleans.

In his first season in New Orleans, Brees built the foundation of a prolific offense and led the Saints to the NFC title game.

Now he has his team in the Super Bowl with the chance to finally savor the just glory and respect due to a NFL champion.