It was quite a day in Indianapolis as we got a lot of work done ahead of this Sunday’s Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

We started off with a visit to the Giants media session and then made our way around downtown Indianapolis shooting links for the Super Bowl preview show. Let me be the first to tell you that when you have to shoot a series of links like that, there is not a funnier guy to be around than Cecil ‘The Diesel’ Martin.

The guy is funny on the screen but I can assure you that he is even funnier off the television and had me and Kev rolling around at times. It was certainly lots of fun and we are going to have a blast during our live Super Bowl broadcast on Sunday night.

After the final links were done it was time to head into the Media Center to gauge from those in the know who is going to win this game.

This was one of those afternoons where I have to pinch myself and truly realise how lucky I am to work in this business. In no particular order, I interviewed Jerry Rice, Marv Levy, Dick Vermeil, Takeo Spikes, Mike Golic, Jeff Fisher, Morten Andersen, Rich Gannon, Kurt Warner, Rich Eisen and even Ryan Leaf!

Most involved the quick grabbing of soundbites and I have to admit I was a bit surprised just how many guys were going for the Giants to win on Sunday. Let’s be clear – if the Giants win Super Bowl 46 they most certainly won’t shock the world like they did four years ago.

But with Coach Levy, I got a decent 15 minutes and it was fascinating to pick the football brains of one of the most influential and inspirational coaches of his generation.

Coach was also a true gentleman and a huge fan of the growth of American football in the United Kingdom. That was good to hear and I have to admit that it was a genuine honour to chat with such a legend of the game.

As we chatted about a variety of topics, I was reminded of the famous question Coach Levy asked of his players every time they were about to head into battle on the field. It was a phrase that certainly applied to me on Thursday afternoon.

Where would you rather be than right here, right now?

They said what?

“I want to be out there. I’m anxious to be out there. My goal is to be out there and do everything I can. We’re going to figure it out.” – New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski on ‘The Gronkle.’

It’s true... it’s a Super Bowl Fact!

Two players – wide receiver Jerry Rice and offensive lineman Gene Upshaw – are the only men to have played in Super Bowls in three different decades. Upshaw played for Oakland Raiders in Super Bowls II (1968), XI (1977) and XV (1981). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Rice appeared in four Super Bowls – XXXIII in 1989, XXIV in 1990, XXIX in 1995 and XXXVII with the Oakland Raiders in 2003. Rice is also a Hall of Famer and ended his record-setting career with 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards and 208 touchdowns.

Super Bowl by the numbers

10... The Patriots have won 10 games in a row heading into the Super Bowl. Their last defeat came at the hands of the Giants on November 6.

19... The Giants are playing in their 19th NFL Championship Game – the most in league history dating back to 1933. The Big Blue have won seven NFL titles, including three in the Super Bowl era.

89.2... The Giants had the NFL’s worst rushing attack during the regular season, averaging 89.2 yards per game with an average of 3.5 yards per carry. Despite only scoring 1 rushing touchdown in the playoffs, the Giants are averaging 117.3 yards per game at an average of 4.2 yards per attempt.

The Super Bowl 5 – 5 memorable sights from the Media Center on Thursday

1. Tim Tebow and Joe Montana chatting in the hallway – oh to have been a fly on the wall in that little chat.

2. Dick Vermeil and Marv Levy discussing football and retirement – not a bad couple of NFL coaching resumees there!

3. Philip Rivers and Ryan Leaf sitting at the same table on Radio Row – do you think Ryan was asking Philip how he managed to succeed in San Diego when he couldn’t get it done.

4. Mike Smith showing a quicker pair of heels than Julio Jones when I asked him for an interview on camera.

5. Yours truly interviewing Rich Eisen – now that’s a battle of disappointing hairlines!

Player to Watch – New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80)

If Wes Welker is the best slot receiver in the NFL today then this guy, Victor Cruz, might very well be the second best in the league. Cruz entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and the Giants were the only team to offer him a contract, albeit without a single dollar in the way of a signing bonus. Cruz had his rookie year ruined by injury but he has burst onto the scene this year. Strong against man coverage and with sure hands, Cruz could very well have a big role to play on Super Bowl Sunday. He caught 10 passes during the NFC Championship Game and will relish taking on a New England pass defense ranked among the worst in the NFL. And if he finds the end zone on Sunday, look for Cruz to break out his trademark salsa dancing celebration.

Final Thought

The aforementioned Victor Cruz is the receiver most likely to take over Sunday’s Super Bowl. Before you jump all over that comment – those are not the words of a former tight end in the British Leagues who never caught more than 32 passes in a season! That is the opinion of the man known simply as the GOAT – Greatest of All Time – Jerry Rice. He really likes the Giants wide receivers and feels all three of them can have a good performance against the Patriots. But, according to Rice, it is Cruz who has the best chance of turning in an MVP performance. Given that Jerry knows a thing or two about the receiver position, I’ll take his word for it!