Congratulations to the Panthers and Broncos, the teams that will play in this edition of biggest game in American sports.
Until there’s an NFL champion crowned, nobody knows whether it will be best Super Bowl ever played. But before then, Super Bowl 50 should at least be the best one ever hyped.
No other Super Bowl has provided this many simple reasons to get excited.
- Cam Newton — If only the rest of the world would take a moment out of each day to dab and give a football to child, what a wonderful world it would be.
2. Peyton Manning — He just won’t quit, and we won’t quit him.
Newton’s arm — Holy lasers, Superman.
Manning’s legs — There are a lot of 39-year-olds who don’t move as well. This reporter included.
Newton’s legs — He can run a little bit, too. Or so we hear.
Manning’s neck, foot, back and miscellaneous body parts — He has fallen more of late, but we love how he keeps getting up.
Newton’s smile — Cam is to the Super Bowl what a kid is to Christmas morning.
Manning’s humor — We needed one more Super Bowl week with it.
Manning goes for two — There’s something about wanting seconds a third time.
Newton goes for one — There’s something about never being here before.
Ron Rivera — Part Riverboat, part Ditka, all heart. Coach of the Year in every way.
Gary Kubiak — As usual, he had John Elway’s back all the way.
Thomas Davis, linebacker — He has waited so long for this. A broken arm isn’t about to get in his way.
Thomas Davis, man of the year — He challenged us to be better, and now we shouldn’t mind rooting for him to be the best.
DeMarcus Ware — All those years with the Cowboys, and he has finally ridden the right horses to get him here.
Luke Kuechly — He’s blockbuster worthy of the Star Wars name. The force is stronger with him in coverage.
Josh Norman — If Childish Gambino were a shutdown cornerback, he would be Norman.
Von Miller’s pass rush — One pick separated Miller and Newton in the 2011 draft. Now he should try to get a lot closer to Cam.
Von Miller’s sack dance — It’s a jump to the left and a step to the right. With his hand on his hips, he brings his knees in tight. But it’s the pelvic thrust that really drives him insane.
Wade Phillips — We’re for anything to prompt more magical tweets from @sonofbum.
Mike Shula — The son of Don has more than staked his claim to the family name.
City by the Bay — A journey that’s well worth it.
Bey by the Bay — Why is Coldplay there again? Just try to leave the lights on this time.
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Super Bowl host with the most — It’s hard to imagine this game becoming what it is without memories of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice.
Vernon Davis — He got out of that 49ers mess, and now he’s playing for another Super Bowl in the 49ers’ stadium.
Greg Olsen — He’s a Panther with the mane and courage of a lion, on and off the field.
Chris Harris, Jr. — From undrafted, to two Pro Bowls, to now two Super Bowls. And he’s still underrated.
Jared Allen — There’s one big game he still hasn’t hunted. Here it is.
Peanut Tillman — He finally gets to Bear down, too.
Owen Daniels — He’s been loyal to Coach Kubiak all these years, and they got here together.
Ryan Kalil — A center who’s been worthy of your attention for a long time.
Shiloh Keo — Anything can happen, if you tweet your mind to it.
C.J. Anderson — What a homecoming for Cortrelle Javon.
34. Jonathan Stewart — He has done big things, and now he can keep singing for that big ring.
The Chicago way — There’s something 1985 Bearsy about Rivera and the 2015 Panthers.
The Denver way — There’s something 1998 Broncosy about Elway and the 2015 Broncos.
Demaryius Thomas — Let’s see him bring it against Josh Norman.
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Ted Ginn Jr. — Catch him if you can, Broncos.
Emmanuel Sanders — Catch him if you can, Panthers.
Shaq and Shaq — Barrett and Thompson, two young linebackers you should start to love.
Star and Short — And the Broncos pray for snort.
Brock Osweiler — The future of a franchise that gave its soon-to-be past a present.
Kurt Coleman — A reminder to keep battling.
Cortland Finnegan — A reminder to stay humble.
Roman Harper — A touch of gray, and more than a touch of Super Bowl class.
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#BroncosCountryPlayoffs — Always Orange Crushing it.
#KeepPounding — Who wants to bang the drum slowly?
The best offense — That’s the Panthers, what the Broncos were in XLVIII.
The best defense — That’s the Broncos, what the Seahawks were in XLVIII. Those teams are 9-2 in the Super Bowl.
It’s the last NFL game for a while — Before you know it, we’ll be thinking of 51 reasons to love LI a little more.
