10 Things Fans Want to See in Super Bowl XLVI

Twenty weeks of football, and finally the matchup is set. In a rematch from Super Bowl XLII, The New York Giants will line up against The New England Patriots.

The Super Bowl has become such a substantial part of our culture that thousands of people who don't even know what football is will feel inclined to tune in.

Twitter will probably shut down for a four-hour period, considering that the server has already been shut down by Tim Tebow's overtime touchdown pass in the first-round playoff game and Lawrence Tynes' game-winning kick that sent New York to the Super Bowl.

The betting lines will be flooded, with gambling addicts betting on such ludicrous things as the length of the national anthem and what color Gatorade will be poured on the game winning coach.

It's Super Bowl season, and here are 10 things we want to see.

1. A Good National Anthem

Remember how I mentioned that you can bet on the length of the national anthem? Well last year I had a cool hundred on the over, which I lost by one second.

Maybe if Christina Aguilera hadn't forgotten an entire verse, I would have cashed in big time.

On the brink of Steven Tyler performing perhaps the worst rendition of the "The Star-Spangled Banner" ever, please Kelly Clarkson...all eyes are on you to perform.

2. Erin Andrews

Sideline reporters have a fairly easy job to do, and no sideline reporter will excite the male audience more than Erin Andrews.

As a football fan I can tell you that Tony Siragusa was a hell of a player, but I'd much rather watch Erin Andrews tell me that Tom Brady told her he really wants to win this game.

I mean look at that picture...hot damn.

3. A Successful Trick Play

The only thing I remember from Super Bowl XL when the Steelers beat the Seahawks is the trick play they executed for a touchdown.

Randel El to Hines Ward...it was a thing of beauty, and something that is rarely attempted on a stage as big as the Super Bowl.

These types of gadget plays are what make ordinary people watching the game get excited, and who doesn't want to see that? 

4. Hysterical Commercials

It is no secret that the Super Bowl is almost as known for its commercials as it is for the game itself.

There's nothing better than getting a heartfelt laugh from an advertisement and then telling your buddy, "there's still no way I can ever drink Budweiser Select."

5. Terrible Commercials

On the other end of the spectrum, it's usually just as fun to laugh in a company's face because they spent a million dollars for a 30-second time slot that was an absolute waste of time.

My personal least favorite? Flo. The woman with the awkward hair from the Progressive commercials.

Nationwide is on my side.

6. A Watchable Halftime Show

Madonna is headlining the halftime show? Well I guess that means I'll be playing beer ball with my roommates until the third-quarter kickoff.

But to all of you who have the plan to stick it out and watch her...I hope for your sake that it is watchable. I think expecting anything great is just asking too much.

She's a legend in the industry, don't get me wrong. But its 2012...I mean she is 53 years old. Come on!

7. Offense

If the BCS National Title game this year proved anything, it's that the majority of fans don't like watching defense.

People want to see two explosive offenses go toe-to-toe for 60 minutes, not a game with the excitement of paint drying.

Hopefully the punters will get a bit of a break on Super Bowl Sunday.

8. An Unlikely Hero

The last time these two teams met, the unlikely hero was David Tyree. No one expected anything substantial out of him, and yet he ended up making one of the most memorable catches in Super Bowl history.

My guess for this year's unlikely hero? I'm going to go with BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

9. Overtime

I say this for one reason: the NFL is getting closer at what in my mind exacerbates a fair overtime system. However, they are not there yet, and an overtime game on the biggest stage of the year could prove that.

Imagine this—the game goes into overtime, Lawrence Tynes kicks it off, and Julian Edelman runs it back for a touchdown. The game's over. Just like that.

No Brady, no Manning. Just like that, it's over.

It just doesn't seem right. I'm all for last-second heroics, but the fact that there is no guarantee that both sides touch the ball is ridiculous.

10. Friends, Family and Beers

This one will not be decided between the two teams on the field, this one is up to you.

If you're a college kid like myself, Super Bowl Sunday is one of the best nights to kick back with your friends and enjoy some beverages while continually procrastinating on school work.

I also know that my parents use the game as a way to get all of their friends together and enjoy one of America's greatest traditions. There is a reason why the game is more about our country's culture, than it is about football.

So enjoy yourselves, drink responsibly, and if you have no preference on who wins, root against the team your spouse wants to win.