This may be the first super bowl where I'm actually rooting for both teams. Usually there's a clear favorite for me but I like a lot of players from both teams. Cam has more time left in his career obviously but you also have to seize the moment because you may never make it back. Ask Dan Marino about that...

pretty amazing that brady was able to hang in there and make those plays at the end. I know just about next to nothing about their o line, not sure if it is terrible or if just that ware and miller are just that good but how can you not let the pressure get to your head. Im not a tom brady fan but respect the hell out of him for hanging in there and making those throws. I could not imagine standing there with a huge fast dude coming from my blind side and throwing that 4th down ball especially after how much he was hit all game.

Why is everyone assuming Manning will retire? Am I missing something? I assumed he would play until nobody would hire him so he could pad his stats like Favre.

^ Because he admitted to losing feeling in his fingers and essentially being broken by the sport of football. He needs help getting his pads off of him after every game. I love the guy, but his body just can't take much more.

Well then I hope he is done! Goodness, that's sad. I'll root for the Broncos since Cam is too cocky for my tastes. But I'll also be putting my money on the Panthers.

If Denver loses I could see him going to a contender on a 1 year deal, maybe Houston or somewhere. But if he wins I have to imagine he'd retire.

Nobody would take Manning at this point, not even Houston. MAYBE the Rams, given their current situation, but Manning is clearly cooked and he won't be getting better at this point.

He took the most QB hits in a game since 2006. Perfect combo of the best DL unit and a bottom 10 OT unit, plus crowd noise and a great secondary. That game actually reminded me a bit of the Bountygate NFCCG game on Favre.
 

Ill take peyton as a backup on dallas for 1-2 years

Manning is too much of a competitor though. Id imagine if hes not starting he idnt going to play. Teams that need a qb like the texans, eagles, browns, rams wouldnt want a 40 year old stop gap and be 8-8. My guess is hes done regardless of the superbowl outcome. Manning isn the same as favre. Manning isnt effective like favre when he gets roughed up. Favre was a tough son of a bitch.

Patriots 42 different offensive line combinations this year. Nuts. They need OL stability.

Where have you been? Manning is all banged up.

I have a bit of a dilemma in that I was born in Denver, been a Broncos fan my entire life (even after I moved to North Carolina in 1997), but have supported the Panthers since 1997. I never imagined in a million years the two teams would face off in the Super Bowl, so I figured it would be safe to support both, which has worked out for nearly 20 years.

I have to say though, I've decided to cheer for the Panthers despite my loyalty to the Broncos for 40+ years.

Cant do that. Gotta go broncos. First team comes first.

Totally rooting for Denver - manning to get one more ring and be done with the game ( as far for a player )

I do like both teams too this time
Cam and his team are riding a good season into the SB , think about it , just about a undefeated regular season to get to this point.

If denver's D can contain NC young gun attitude - it will be a game

Sucks that outta of the bands in the world, Coldplay is doing half time ..... Wtf with that

Haha, well, then the alternative is to cheer on EVERY play! Heck, I may just do that anyway....

 

I agree I don't have any real hope for Denver to win.  Thinking just maybe, that defense can slow down Cam Newton enough, and just maybe Peyton can light it up the way he could 2 years ago.  If the stars align then Denver can win it.  I wouldn't put any money on it though.  I don't dislike Carolina, but I do dislike Newton's celebrations after scoring.  If you score and have a "F*** Yeah!!" moment then I'm cool with that.  Having a "look at me" routine makes it hard to watch.  But all in all, I'm ok with Carolina if they win.
 

I think you'll find that during the game you'll find out where your heart lies.  Can't go wrong either way.  No shame in your situation.  My bro-in-law claims to be a Packers fan, but I've seen pics from his teenage years in a Cowboys jersey.  That type of fan gets no respect no matter who he claims at the given moment.
 

 I think the guy feels he needs one more SB victory to validate his career.  Probably the reason he didn't retire with Indy a few years ago.  So much talk about him not being able to get it done at the end.  Another SB win and he can say F*** You to everybody, inluding Eli.

Having been in a similar situation, I bet you find yourself cheering for whichever team is behind in the game. I grew up in st. louis and love the cards, but I was also a life long detroit tiger fan. My dad grew up there and I loved the tigers from a young age. I went to Michigan State and spent my college and law school years loving watching the Tigers every day. I always had my AL team and my NL team and with the Tigers being a losing team for the first 20 years of my life, I never saw it being an issue. Then came the 2006 world series. My stl friends said I was a tiger fan first. My michigan friends said I was an stl fan first. Everyone hated me. I thought the tigers would run over stl. I started out rooting for the cards just hoping they wouldn't get swept (that tiger team should have swept them), but when they got ahead in the series, I hated to see the Tigers lose when their fans needed it more, so I cheered for Detroit. When the cardinals kept winning games, my michigan friends threw flip flop sandals at me - literally. 

Point is, its crappy watching a team you love lose in a huge spot - even if its against another team you legitimately love. No matter who is losing, you will be miserable. Some call it a win win - from my experience, it was a lose lose. Hopefully your experience with two teams you love in the championship is more positive than mine was. 
 

I'd like to count Denver out, but in the Super Bowl, anything goes. I was very confident in the undefeated Pats rolling the Giants, but they lost, and two years ago, I really thought Denver's high octane offense would roll through the Seahawks that were inexperienced (Hawks demolished them). A lot of that Denver team is back, and even though Manning is clearly not himself anymore, that team should be hungry.

I will say this, Denver has got to score first. No more of this Carolina going up by 2 or 3 scores in the 1st quarter nonsense. If Carolina gets out to that kind of lead there's simply no way Denver can win with Peyton's noodle arm and the Panthers secondary.

Ether way you look at it, you win!  Soo.... go teams! hahaha

I would like to see the Panthers win it, they are long overdue for a Lombardi trophy, and Cam is a classy guy.

Go Panthers!!!!!!  I wish the game was up the road an hour and a half away like all the other games.

anyone see the clip of manning talking to belichek after the game? he said, "this is probably my last rodeo, and it has been a pleasuring being in the league with you"

Manning is definitely done after this season regardless.

I would like to believe him, but remember that guy...Brett Favre?

I laughed probably too hard at this