Super Bowl 2012: 5 Things That Will Make the Game Unforgettable

Every year, there are at least a few memorable things that we can take away from the Super Bowl. Even if the game isn't good—which will not be the case with the New York Giants and New England Patriots—there are water cooler moments that get fans talking. 

The Giants and Patriots are going to put on one of the most unforgettable games in NFL history at Super Bowl XLVI, but what will be the best of the best of the best?

Here are five things to look for this Sunday that will make this Super Bowl unforgettable. 

5. Madonna's Performance

I will admit, I have almost no interest in Madonna as a musician, and even less as a halftime act at the Super Bowl. 

However, she has been popular for nearly 30 years thanks to her ability as an entertainer (it certainly isn't her singing). She is going to do something that makes everyone do a double-take at their television sets. 

It's not going to be as provocative as the Janet Jackson incident, or Prince, for that matter. But there will be something she does that has the country talking the next day. 

4. Tom Brady's Quest for Immortality

Who would have thought that 10 years ago, when a baby-faced Brady engineered the final drive that would get the Patriots their first championship, that we would be talking about him as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history?

Yet here we are, with him one win away from tying Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for the most Super Bowl wins by a quarterback. He is also trying to get his postseason career back on track. 

It is no secret that Brady has not been the same player in the postseason the last few years that he was from 2001 to 2004. He needs this game to prove that he still has what it takes to lead a team to the promised land. 

3. Tom Coughlin vs. Bill Belichick

Coughlin was supposed to get fired a long time ago, but the Giants kept bringing him back. How smart does that look right now?

Despite not getting the credit that he deserves, Coughlin has established himself as one of the best coaches of this generation. He is tough, hard-nosed and is not afraid to tell his players exactly the way things are going to be. 

Belichick is the premier coach of this era. He rarely allows himself to show emotion on the field or during interviews, yet he always knows what to do in order to get his team to play up to its full potential. 

This is going to be a chess match between two of the best in the business, and whoever blinks first will end up losing. 

2. Eli Manning's Legacy

There was a time, not that long ago, when we had no idea what to make of the younger Manning. He put up solid overall numbers and threw a game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII, but how good was he?

This postseason has done wonders to silence all of his critics and reinforce his own personal stance that he is one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL today. 

Who knows what will be said about him when he retires, but another championship will go a long way towards cementing him as an icon in the state of New York. 

1. Peyton Manning

This may seem an odd choice, but look at everything surrounding this game and it becomes clear that Peyton will be the focal point of everything that happens. 

His biggest rival throughout his career has been Brady. His brother has a chance to eclipse him with his second championship. He got the clearance to resume his career, though where that happens remains a mystery. 

Add to that the fact that this game is being played in his stadium, and he casts a larger shadow over Super Bowl XLVI than anyone or anything else that will happen in this game. 

He is going to be featured and talked about before, during and after the game as much as anyone on the field.

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