It’s the television event of the year, so big that even the commercials are ranked by importance and influence.  It’s the Super Bowl, and media members and celebrities will flock from all across the country to celebrate the event and root on the two teams participating.

With the spotlight set on Super Bowl XLVI, who should be considered to be the faces of this year’s big game?  The Wife Hates Sports has the answer – ranking this year’s most influential faces of the Super Bowl – in a three-part series.  Chime in on your own personal rankings, and let’s celebrate the New England Patriots, New York Giants and Super Bowl XLVI.

The 46 Faces of Super Bowl XLVI (Part 1 of 3)

46. Josh McDaniels

McDaniels has been around the block more than most of us, spending time as an offensive coordinator and head coach in the NFL, all by age 35.  With Bill O’Brien departing for Penn State soon, McDaniels is back in New England as an offensive assistant.  But as NBC sports recently reported, he’s mostly remained out of the spotlight.

45. Jim Irsay

The owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts is easily the most open and outspoken owner in the NFL today.  Most of his messages are delivered via his Twitter account (@JimIrsay).  Included in some of his recent tweets are ways to win Super Bowl tickets (it is his team’s stadium, after all).  Irsay has also been trying to iron out all the rumors surrounding his relationship with Peyton Manning.

44. Zoltan Mesko

In a game that’s expected to be close, special teams will become a key part.  Mesko had 24 of 57 regular season punts get downed inside the 20.  Steve Weatherford, his Super Bowl opponent, managed just 25 inside the 20 over 82 attempts.  That, plus Mesko’s unique name can easily get mistaken for Zoltar Speaks, the wishing machine from the movie Big.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIxic9cBXU

43. Kelly Clarkson

The 29-year old pop star, songwriter and winner of the first season of American Idol will be singing the National Anthem during the Super Bowl.  Expect a better performance than current Idol judge Steven Tyler could manage during the playoffs a few weeks back.  But don’t expect Steve Carell to scream her name as an introduction…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T2n_n9H67g

42. Chad Ochocinco

His outlandish ways and unique personality left many fans curious to see how Ochocinco would handle playing in New England, especially if he made it to the Super Bowl.  Now, here he is, but no one expects him to make any kind of an impact, especially after the regular season that he had (15 receptions, 276 yards and just 1 TD).

41. Alexa Flutie (Cheerleaders are back!)

Doug Flutie's daughter is a cheerleader with the Patriots

Only a handful of NFL franchises do not have cheerleaders, and last year’s Super Bowl between the Packers and Steelers painfully featured none.  This year, cheerleaders are back, at least on New England’s sideline.  The name many would know is Alexa Flutie, daughter of Doug Flutie.  The rest of New England’s squad won’t be anything to complain about, either.

40. Nate Solder

The Giants will send a vicious pass rush at Tom Brady and the Patriots, attempting to force mistakes.  In order to fend off New York’s talented defensive front, Nate Solder – a rookie playing in his first Super Bowl – will need to avoid jitters and have a great night.

39. Roger Goodell

Last year during this time, the commissioner had to worry about finding ways to avoid a lockout.  This season, he can sit back and enjoy a Super Bowl, further seeking ways to further the growth and health of the National Football League.

38. Ahmad Bradshaw

Bradshaw has battled through injuries, managing just 659 yards on the ground over 12 games during the regular season.  Likely to see plenty of work in the Super Bowl, Bradshaw and the New York running game will need to be effective to keep Brady and the New England offense off the field.

37. Danny Woodhead

The 5’8” Woodhead may have seen a dropoff in production this season, but he still is easily one of the more multi-dimensional players playing in this year’s Super Bowl.  Don’t be surprised to see him not just heavily involved on special teams, but also during run and pass plays, too.

We know you're excited about the return of cheerleaders to the Super Bowl, but this list is just getting started.

36. Brandon Jacobs

Like Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs also missed time during the regular season, posting just 571 rushing yards on the season.  But the 6’4”, 264-pounder is a battering ram, and not an easy man to take down, especially once he’s able to gain any momentum.

35. Aaron Hernandez

Often playing second fiddle to Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez has put up some gaudy numbers of his own (79 catches, 910 yards, 7 TD’s in regular season).  He’s the second part of New England’s two-headed tight end monster, and one of Tom Brady’s many offensive weapons.

34. Justin Tuck

Tuck is yet another member of the Giants that missed significant time during the season.  His regular season numbers (37 tackles, one forced fumble, five sacks) are half of his 2010 production, but Tuck is still a force to be reckoned with in the trenches.

33. Jerod Mayo

Just how good was Mayo on defense this season?  He missed a handful of games due to injury, yet still led the Patriots in total tackles, with 95.

32. Corey Webster

Webster led the Giants in interceptions with six on the season.  That tally was also good for fourth place in the NFL during the regular season.

31. Sterling Moore

Often overshadowed by others on the New England roster, Sterling Moore made a lasting impression when he knocked the ball out of Lee Evans’ hands during the waning seconds of the AFC Championship game.  Moore’s heads-up play, along with Billy Cundiff’s missed field goal, led to a Patriots victory, and a trip to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI.

Sterling Moore, the Patriots defender who knocked the ball out of Lee Evans' hands during the final minute of the 2012 AFC Championship game, became an instant hero in New England

Continued with Part II (30-16)… 

The beautiful and talented Anne Hathaway has been all over the headlines recently, mainly due to the fact that she will be playing Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, the follow-up to the insanely popular Christopher Nolan flick, The Dark Knight.

The hype has been through the roof on Nolan’s third Batman installment, including a lot of attention from the Paparazzi.

Hathaway entertained Conan's audience with a Lil' Wayne style rap

That extra attention has also affected Hathaway, who recently made an appearance on Conan, where she explained just how she helps herself vent off the frustration of life challenges such as the Paparazzi.

The answer: songwriting.

The surprise follow-up to that answer: in relation to the Paparazzi challenges, she wrote a rap song.  Yes, you read that correctly – a rap song that she told Conan O’Brien was “in the style of Lil’ Wayne”.

And as you will see below, the part that she performed on the show was entertaining, comical and borderline brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKvQvWTZFWg

YouTube Video via TeamCoco, featuring clip from Conan on TBS

So how long before we see Hathaway come out with her own rap album?  Hey, stranger things have happened.

Anne Hathaway isn't just an actress. Believe it or not, she can rap, too. Yes, rap.

It’s been two months since The Kev and Rev Show (Sunday Sports Crunch Edition) hit the podcast airwaves, so where the heck have the guys been?  The whereabouts of Kev and Rev have been highly debated since the last show aired.

But let’s debunk the following six-pack of myths over the last few months:

• KEV did NOT hand over full in-house television rights to THE WIFE
• REV did NOT move to Turkey in hopes to see NBA players in action
• KEV did NOT visit a Columbus tattoo parlor, seeking to get Joe Paterno on his lower back
• REV did NOT take on a full-time gig participating in flash mobs
• KEV was NOT named as a PTBNL in the Colby Rasmus deal
• REV did NOT become the new cheerleaders coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (but likely wanted to)

Now that we’ve got that all cleared up, Kev (The Wife Hates Sports) and Rev (Sports Chump) return this Sunday at Noon with the Sunday Sports Crunch Edition of the Kev and Rev Show.  Also returning with us this weekend will be one of our regular guests, J-Dub (Dubsism).

This week’s show will be in our baseball format – nine topics spanning across nine separate innings.  Each segment runs ten minutes or less – and will feature a two-minute warning once/if we happen to reach the eight-minute mark.

Here is some more information about the show, if you want to call or listen in:

Rev has been busy, but he hasn't been coaching hot NFL cheerleaders over the last few months

THE KEV AND REV SHOW

Listen: Either through the TalkShoe website or podcast player at The Wife Hates Sports

Call During Live Show: (724) 444-7444 – Call ID: 97999

Episode #5 Airs Sunday July 31, 2011 at 12pm Eastern

Barring any breaking news, this week’s topics are set and will be as follows:

THE KEV AND REV SHOW: Episode #5

Pregame – The Latest from Kev (The Wife Hates Sports) and Rev (Sports Chump)

1^st – NFL Lockout Ends; Football is Back

2^nd – NFL Free Agency Frenzy (and Trades, Too)

Nnamdi Asomugha, Kevin Kolb, Vince Young, Winners, Losers and more…

3^rd – Fantasy Football Chatter

Who would you take with the first overall pick?

4^th – MLB Trade Deadline Discussion

Good deals, bad deals, Beltran, Pence and more

5^th – MLB Extras

Playoff Chase, Instant Replay Discussion and more

6^th – Latest from the NBA

NBA Lockout, Players Heading Overseas and more

7^th – The Tiger Woods – Steve Williams Split (plus Tiger’s return and future)

7^th Inning Stretch – What’s eatin’ ya?

8^th – Latest from College Football

Media Days, Teams in Trouble, Paterno to 90, Boise State Blue, Longhorn Network

Time to bring in the closer…

9^th – Entertainment, Movies, Relationships, New Wives and More

Ben Roethlisberger, Roy Williams, Jay Cutler, among others

Postgame – Concluding this edition of The Kev and Rev Show

We hope you will get the chance to listen in, whether live, or later in the week – as the show can be heard through the Talk Shoe podcast player on the right side of the Sports Chump or TWHS home pages.

Thank you for supporting THE WIFE HATES SPORTS and SPORTS CHUMP!

After a slower than molasses stretch fueled by two separate lockouts, the sports world has been hit with a kick in the pants that a lifetime supply of Five Hour Energy couldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.

The resurgence has of course been a direct result of the NFL’s return, as well as as the upcoming trade deadline in Major League Baseball.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and more sports frustration emerges.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: July 27, 2011

Target: The Donovan McNabb Trade

It appears that the one-year experiment of Donovan McNabb in a Redskins uniform is all but over with, and after a subpar 2010 campaign, die-hard Washington fans could let him go faster than the Eagles’ front office could say, “I told you so”.  But wait, there’s more…

Sub-Target: Washington Redskins

Donovan McNabb appears to be headed to Minnesota

It’s understandable that McNabb’s contract situation – and the fact that they were publicly displeased with his performance in DC – likely added to the challenge in obtaining a significant return, but a maximum of two 6^th-round draft picks?  That’s it?  Something tells me a team like the Patriots would have managed to get a better return from a player of McNabb’s caliber.

Sub-Target: Redskins Fans

Currently, the roster will now be left with a QB depth chart featuring John Beck, Rex Grossman and Kellen Clemons – certainly nothing to write home to Mom about.  Then again, perhaps Beck can prove people wrong.  After all, he’s had a great attitude and is highly motivated.

Innocent Bystander: Minnesota Vikings

I actually like the deal for the Vikes.  With the departure of Brett Favre, it was clear that Minnesota needed a veteran presence at the QB position – and with so much talent on that roster, the Vikings have the pieces in place to make a run.

Target: Hanley Ramirez

Once again, the Marlins superstar – and one of the best shortstops in baseball – is in the headlines for negativity and controversy.  Ramirez responded to Jeff Conine’s radio show comments – where Conine suggested that he would trade Ramirez if in charge – by calling him a “chicken”, and saying that the former Marlin should “come over and talk to me like a man”.

But here’s the thing: While Conine could have chosen a better avenue to express his thoughts, Hanley further proved that Conine is indeed correct with what he said.  Ramirez is a streaky player that often causes too many clubhouse issues, and with the Marlins being a young team that needs another year to grow and compete, Florida could pull a major return from a team looking for a bat like Hanley’s.

Innocent Bystander: Chickens of the World

Oh, the poor chickens, what did they ever do to be used as such a negative comparison?  Take these tasty, I mean, cool fellows:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2_EJogf2A

Target: Jay Cutler

The latest news involving Cutler is the fact that the Chicago Bears QB reportedly got “cold feet” and called off his engagement with actress Kristin Cavallari.

The beautiful Kristin Cavallari is reportedly no longer engaged to Jay Cutler

This most certainly opens up a whole new can of jokes on Cutler, many of which can be linked back to his second half absence in last year’s NFC Championship game.  But dropping Cavallari faster than Braylon Edwards can drop a deep ball?  C’mon Jay, that’’s just crazy – she’s beautiful and talented.

Innocent Bystander: Kristin Cavallari

Again, getting dumped on a national stage – it’s a shame, but not to worry, there will be plenty of men waiting in line.

Target: Seattle Mariners

Sure, Seattle finally broke its 17-game losing streak, and that was mostly thanks to ace Felix Hernandez, who shut down the Yankees on Wednesday.  But that doesn’t mean that the team didn’t earn this barrage of red fruit, because the Seattle’s play in July should have been set to the theme of The Benny Hill Show.

Target: Jerry Meals

He’s the umpire who blew the call during Tuesday night’s 19-inning extravaganza between the Pirates and Braves.  Meals later admitted to blowing the call, but if you haven’t seen the mistake, it was a major one – and it cost the upstart Pirates the game.

Innocent Bystander: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates clearly suffered a blow during this loss.  We’re talking a 19-inning game loss on a painfully bad call – the worst of the year.  It’s a situation that can send a team into a downward spiral, especially a group that hasn’t been in that position, well… ever.

Jerry Meals' botched call in the 19th inning of the Braves-Pirates game Tuesday night was the worst of the year

Target: The Colby Rasmus Trade

Early Wednesday, the first major deal of the week dropped, when the Blue Jays, White Sox and Cardinals got involved in a trade that sent Cardinals OF Colby Rasmus to Toronto, SP Edwin Jackson to St. Louis and more.

Sub-Target: St. Louis Cardinals

If the reports of a stressed relationship between LaRussa and Rasmus are true, then it’s not a shock that the young star was dealt.  And while it’s clear that the Cardinals needed pitching, it’s disappointing that arms like Octavio Dotel and Edwin Jackson were all the Cards could reel in for a 24-year old player with tons of talent.

Innocent Bystander: Toronto Blue Jays

The deal is a good one for the Jays, who clearly take on a talent that could flourish in an offense featuring a number of young stars.

And finally, the current faces of team frustration in sports:

Tampa Bay Rays – Losers of 7 of 10, the Rays have fallen 11 games back in the division race

Seattle Mariners – Again, 17 straight losses, and only five wins in July to this point

Houston Astros – 34-70 and 8 games worse than any other team in baseball

This has been Throwing Tomatoes, where the red fruit doesn’t taste like chicken.

Throwing Tomatoes is a feature that Kevin Paul started five years ago when blogging in the Fox Sports community.  It has been featured numerous times, including on the Fox Sports home page on several occasions.

Having trouble following the Southern California baseball mess that is the Los Angeles Dodgers?

You’re certainly not alone there.

Three movies best describe the mess that Frank McCourt is in with the Dodgers

With the countless twists and turns that continue to be generated by Frank McCourt and Major League Baseball – from divorce to debt, conspiracy, bankruptcy, potential ownership shifting and more – it’s quite obvious that the common man (and WIFE) can’t keep up with every last nugget, and understandably so.

But not to worry, the whole Frank McCourt debacle can clearly be summarized in the form of three classic movie comedies.  Yes, you heard that right.

McCourt’s purchasing of the Dodgers came back in 2004, but the real news of his ownership came in October of 2009, when it was announced that he and wife Jamie were getting divorced – which leads to major point one: DIVORCE.  One could only imagine that from all the stories that have hit the headlines, the drama unfolded something like this…

Wedding Crashers (Clip via YouTube – Warning: Clip contains language offensive to some)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLWTFhiqYog

The divorce proceedings – among many other things – led to debt for McCourt, to the point that the team has had trouble making its payroll during the 2011 season, and still owe millions and millions of dollars to players not currently on the roster, such as Manny Ramirez and Andruw Jones.  McCourt’s financial situation – also fueled by careless spending – leads to point two of the Dodgers Saga: DEBT.  One could easily picture McCourt leaving himself to offer up payment in this manner…

Dumb and Dumber (Clip via YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GSXbgfKFWg

The divorce and the debt have led to one hot mess, where it’s clearly become a “take no prisoners” situation.  Major League Baseball has taken a stranglehold on the Dodgers, while McCourt has filed for bankruptcy.  Will McCourt find a way to remain the owner of the Dodgers, or will we finally see a situation where baseball may let a guy like Mark Cuban step in and own the team?

All in all, the state of the Dodgers has hit its third stage: DISASTER – where you see a man quickly go from rags to riches, all the while fighting against a higher power and trying to get the best of them.  But how will it end, with McCourt “trading places” with another?  That takes us to…

Trading Places (Clip via YouTube – Warning: Clip contains language offensive to some)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gekaEzqj5g

Now that you’re up to speed on the Frank McCourt – Los Angeles Dodgers situation, we can move on to bigger and better things.

By the way, the New York Mets called – they could use that Trading Places dollar towards its ownership situation – but that’s a story for another day… or a movie clip.