For the first time since 1994 the two top seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl. Cinderella stories are all well and good, but there is something to be said for the Colts and Saints, the Leagues two best teams from day one, going at it in the grand finale. This is Celtics-Lakers, Red Sox-Yankees, Ali-Frazier. It is one for the ages. A future ESPN Classic classic. If ever there was a time to make the Super Bowl trek, this is it.

9. Manning vs. Brees

2009 was the year of the quarterback, with ten of twelve playoff QBs being current or past Pro Bowlers. As such, it is only fitting that the two best signal callers, at least this season, will square off in Miami. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees may wind up together in Canton, Ohio one day, but on February 7th they will be
on opposite sides of one of the most anticipated Super Bowl match-ups in recent history. Brees and Manning were 1-2 in the league in touchdown passes (Brees 34, Manning 33) and completion percentage (Brees set a single season record with 70.6%, Manning no slouch at 68.8%). And, while Brees had the higher passer rating, anyone who saw Manning carve up a tough Jets defense knows that this is a great player at the top of his game. With Vegas already posting the highest over/under total in Super Bowl history, indications are this could turn into a classic shootout with the best QBs in the game going toe-to-toe.

8. Miami: Tropical Climate

It is a simple equation, really. Let A = temperature in Miami on February 7 (average high 77). Let B = temperature where you live on February 7. Now subtract: A-B = Why you should be in Miami on February 7.

7. The Coaches

The personality of the coach often sets the tone for the team. Indy’s Jim Caldwell is as stoic as they come, but the Colts have adopted his air of tight discipline and mental toughness. Saints smkipper Sean Payton is an offensive genius, prowling the sidelines and barking out instructions while referencing his color-coded list of plays and formations as if it just may hold the key to the universe. So far for the Saints it pretty much has. It will be interesting to see whether Caldwell’s speedy defense can slow down Payton’s complex and dynamic attack. Conversely, one wonders whether the opportunistic Saints defense will be able to induce some istakes from a regimented Colts offense predicated on timing and precision.

6. The Parties

You like to party? You cannot do much better than Super Bowl week in Miami. All due respect to your cousin Bob or the guys next door or whoever is throwing the Super Bowl party in your neighborhood, but on-location Super Bowl parties are strictly of the world class variety. There is the Maxim party, ESPN, the NFL Alumni party (Buy NFL Alumni Super Bowl Party Tickets), and Leather and Laces Party, home of something called National Hottie Search 2010 that purports to identify the hottest woman in America. Sign me up. For the party, I mean. Not the contest. Here is the list with all the major parties in and around Miami.

5. The Fans

Considering that this is the first ever Super Bowl appearance for the Saints, and that Miami is drivable distance from New Orleans, we can surmise that South Beach will be saturated with black and gold come game weekend. And that is a good thing. Is there really another NFL fan base that you would rather embark on a 72-hour party binge with? And lets not sell the Colts fans short either. This will be a classic American bar mix: the Bayou meets South Beach with a twist of Midwest conservatism, a Hurricane Mojito with a beer chaser. Feel free to knock back a few and make some new friends. You may never see them again but, hey, you will always have Miami. Seize the day.

4. Star Power

Rumor has it Reggie Bush has promised Kim Kardashian he will propose if the Saints win. The Leather and Laces Party, hosted by Kim, may be your last chance to see her out as a single woman. Okay, no big deal. But if star sightings are your thing, Super Bowl week is a veritable nirvana. They will be there from all walks of celebrity life: jocks, rappers, movie stars, rock stars, reality TV, the cooking channel. Whether it is Taylor Lautner that sends a tingle up your leg or Paris Hilton, your chances for a close encounter won’t get any better than next week in Miami.

3. Halftime Show: The Who

Where else can you get a concert from one of the great bands in history wrapped inside the biggest football game in the world? It is all included in the price of Super Bowl admission. If the Colts and Saints have not got you sufficiently pumped, perhaps a little Baba O Reilly or Wont Get Fooled Again might do the trick. With millions watching, expect Townshend and Daltrey to rekindle the old magic and put on a great show – The Who!

2. Miami: Sexy Town

Did we mention that the Super Bowl is in Miami this year? Latin influence. Art Deco. Fashion moguls and super models. It is a sexy town, Miami. And you are a sexy person. Okay, maybe not. But you like hanging out with sexy people. Here is your chance.

1. Two Words: Bucket List

Sky diving? Running with the bulls? Overrated in my book. The idea is to do fun things before you kick the bucket, not create new opportunities for kicking the bucket. The Super Bowl is much safer. Salsa lessons? Too much potential for public humiliation. Once again, the Super Bowl is safer. If you have never done
it, this is your time. If you have done it before, we do not have to sell you on it. This years edition has it all: great teams, a pair of hall of fame quarterbacks, tropical weather, the parties, the fans, there is only one thing missing: YOU.