PHOENIX -- After seeing the hype slowly build for Super Bowl 42 since my arrival on Monday, it seems things have reached a bit of a lull before the New England Patriots and New York Giants finally kick things off in an actual football game tomorrow.

I've seen many corporate logos -- from minor to major -- and sports/entertainment celebrities -- from minor to major -- but I haven't forgotten that this week should be about two great teams playing in a great American game.

Plaxico Burress has relished his role in the media spotlight this week, even taking time to predict a 23-17 Giants' upset victory.

Through all the Super madness, there are 12 excellent reasons why the 42nd edition of the greatest American sports event will be the best ever:

1. The Patriots' potential place in history. Forget the 1972 Dolphins. We're talking Secretariat. Or Rocky Marciano. There's a chance to watch the most impressive single-season team in modern American sports complete a perfect run in an era and in a league known for parity. If you're still watching "just for the commercials," what the heck are you thinking?

2. Tom Brady's potential place in history. I've been asked several times about where Brady would fit among the greatest quarterbacks to play the game if he indeed earns his fourth Super Bowl ring at age 30. I thought it would never get better than Joe Montana in the Super Bowl era, and I always have had great respect for Johnny Unitas and how he helped make the NFL popular.

I'm not sure whether Brady is "better" than either of those two, but he's definitely in the conversation and in the top three. His modest regular seasons are no longer an issue -- he put that to bed when he was unleashed for a record 50 TD passes.

3. The underdog Giants' potential place in history. So the Patriots are on the verge of getting on top of the heap; if New York makes them tumble, it should be considered the greatest upset in modern team sports. The Jets earned a special distinction pre-merger with their shocker against the Colts in Super Bowl 3, but the Giants have a chance to equalize -- although Plaxico Burress' guarantee probably won't be remembered like Broadway Joe's.

4. The Mannings are the royal family of the NFL. The Kennedys had their peak with John, Robert and Camelot. Princes Andrew and Charles have faded away, and on our soil, William and Harry just aren't that important. Nope, the siblings everyone can't avoid are Peyton and Eli. Last year was all about Peyton's Colts finally getting the better of Brady's Patriots. It didn't take long for Eli to get a chance to follow big brother's path.

5. It's Red Sox vs. Yankees -- with a salary cap. We know why Boston and New York are always two of the favorites to win the World Series. Their spending makes the Pittsburgh Pirates seem like a developing nation in the baseball world. The Patriots and the Giants play in a league where the Pittsburgh team -- the Steelers -- is very competitive, and where teams are bound by the same financial strictures. So their accomplishment of getting this far isn't about spending bur rather spending wisely.

6. A band called the Heartbreakers is playing. Remember back when the Super Bowl losers were completely forgotten? Tom Petty's backup band has the appropriate name for performing at halftime, as the kinder, gentler, reality-show-loving American has more sympathy for the heartbreak that comes with losing a game this big.

7. There's no better stadium for this game. Once you get past its War of the Worlds spacecraft appearance, University of Phoenix Stadium is one awesome-looking venue. The big games haven't been bad there, either -- remember Boise State-Oklahoma?

8. We know there will be Keys and Sparks before the game, but we don't know what the keys and sparks will be during the game. At least we know Alicia and Jordin are the pregame entertainment. During the game, however, I will be looking for what I call the Timmy Smith factor. (In case you forgot, to cap the 1987 season the rookie Smith came virtually out of nowhere to set a Super Bowl record with 204 rushing yards in the Redskins' victory.) Two years ago it was Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward hooking up. Last year, it was Indy guards Ryan Lilja and Jake Scott and running back Dominic Rhodes who were the stars of Super Bowl 41. The spotlight is on Brady and Manning, but it probably will take a play from an unsung hero to spark the winning team.

9. Bill Belichick is the ultimate Super villain. Whoever wins the Super Bowl will long be remembered as a sports Super hero. That won't be the case for Belichick if he wins. Whether you believe the reports or not, Spygate looms over him. Some see him as a genius, some see him as a criminal mastermind.

10. Everyone either loves or hates the Patriots. Nobody's perfect. At least that's what they say. So when someone gets close to achieving perfection, it's natural to either embrace what they've done or be totally envious. The line is pretty clear here.

11. Have you been to Arizona lately?. After being sent to cover the Packers in Green Bay for two straight weeks, I'm not complaining about the "chilly" temperatures. It's still in the 50s and 60s in February, and the Southwest I'm seeing is a lot prettier than a Georgia O'Keefe painting.

12. The NFL is bigger, brighter and bolder than ever before. The National Football League is the dominant team sports force on the planet. Just fewer than 5,000 media credentials, just fewer than five gazillion star-studded parties and more than a third of the nation watching. That's the real NFL network, even if you are one of the millions who don't get the actual NFL Network. It's only growing, folks, and I'm sure the league even has a few fans on Venus, Mercury and Mars. This is the grandest stage for a glowing game, and boy, am I proud and fortunate to be covering it. If only we had two of these a year. . .

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