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.

The wife hates sports, but she loves charity – and that’s why TWHS and Kevin Paul are proud to announce a new partnership with Muze Clothing – a stylish brand with a “philanthropy-based business model”.

Recently, I met Michael Kalil, the Director of Marketing at Muze, and was impressed by how they partner up with many sports celebrities to not only design cool and hip t-shirts, but also donate all proceeds to that celebrity’s preferred charity.

On top of Muze’s charity options, they also have shirts featuring quotes from some of the greatest movies of all time, from classics such as Coming to America, Wedding Crashers, Airplane, The Hangover, Star Wars and more.

That’s why it was a no-brainer for me to promote Muze on TWHS, and I encourage you to click on the links throughout our site, and help promote their cause.

Here is some more information on Muze:

About Muze

Muze Clothing is a lifestyle brand born out of an appreciation for classic movie quotes.  A great movie line is the perfect means of personal expression, as is a great T-shirt, and the company has built a reputation for designer clothing with compelling graphics.

This brand provides botha  physical and digital identity to the vast number of people who use movie quotes to express themselves.  The high-quality, premium shirts are made in the USA, are worn by several A-list celebrities as their personal statements, and are sold at www.muzeconnects.com.

Driven by a philanthropy-based business model with the belief that ‘to wear is human; to give, divine,’ Muze has partnered with several celebrity icons to leverage the power of the brand, and empower consumers to make a philanthropic impact.  Muze does not profit from the sale of these shirts, as all proceeds are donated to the celebrity’s preferred cause.

Current Partnerships

- Ray Allen, Boston Celtics            Ray of Hope Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

- Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox            Josh Beckett Foundation and Children’s Hospital Boston

- Jeremy Roenick, NHL Legend            Wounded Warrior Project

- Cam Neely, NHL Legend            Neely House and Tufts New England Medical Center

- Micky Ward, Boxing Legend            Micky Ward Charities

- NFL Players Association                        Sports Legacy Institute and Sports Concussion Crisis

The investment team for Muze features several business notables including the Executive Chariman of PetSmart, the former Chairman of Central Newspapers, the owner of the New Jersey Devils, and 17 professional athletes.

Thank you for your support, and as always, thanks for reading The Wife Hates Sports.

Kind Regards,

KP – The Wife Hates Sports

By now, visitors to The Wife Hates Sports know that this is a sports site with a tendency to dabble in the entertainment world from time to time.

Nothing symbolizes Hollywood more than the Oscars, which is why – like last year – yours truly will go head-to-head against the wife in hopes to achieve gender domination for one evening.

It’s time to post some award predictions for the Oscars.  Feel free to chime in with your picks.

83^rd Annual Academy Awards: Oscar Predictions

Music (Original Song)

The Nominees Are: Country Strong (“Coming Home” – Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey), Tangled (“I See the Light” – Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Glenn Slater, 127 Hours (“If I Rise” – Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong) and Toy Story 3 (“We Belong Together” – Music and Lyric by Randy Newman)

KP’s Prediction: Toy Story 3 (“We Belong Together” – Music and Lyric by Randy Newman)

The Wife’s Prediction: 127 Hours (“If I Rise” – Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong)

Music (Original Score)

The Nominees Are: How to Train Your Dragon (John Powell), Inception (Hans Zimmer), The King’s Speech (Alexandre Desplat), 127 Hours (A.R. Rahman) and The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)

KP’s Prediction: The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)

The Wife’s Prediction: Inception (Hans Zimmer)

Directing

The Nominees Are: Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky), The Fighter (David O. Russell), The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper), The Social Network (David Fincher) and True Grit (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen)

KP’s Prediction: The Social Network (David Fincher)

The Wife’s Prediction: Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky)

Costume Design

The Nominees Are: Alice in Wonderland (Colleen Atwood), I Am Love (Antonella Cannarozzi), The King’s Speech (Jenny Beavan), The Tempest (Sandy Powell) and True Grit (Mary Zophres)

KP’s Prediction: The King’s Speech (Jenny Beavan)

The Wife’s Prediction: The King’s Speech (Jenny Beavan)

Cinematography

The Nominees Are: Black Swan (Matthew Libatique), Inception (Wally Pfister), The King’s Speech (Danny Cohen), The Social Network (Jeff Cronenweth) and True Grit (Roger Deakins)

KP’s Prediction: Inception (Wally Pfister)

The Wife’s Prediction: Black Swan (Matthew Libatique)

Animated Feature Film

The Nominees Are: How to Train Your Dragon (Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois), The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet) and Toy Story 3 (Les Unkrich)

KP’s Prediction: Toy Story 3 (Les Unkrich)

The Wife’s Prediction: Toy Story 3 (Les Unkrich)

Actress in a Supporting Role

The Nominees Are: Amy Adams (The Fighter), Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech), Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) and Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)

KP’s Prediction: Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)

The Wife’s Prediction: Melissa Leo (The Fighter)

Actress in a Leading Role

KP and The Wife think Natalie Portman will take home the Oscar for her performance in Black Swan

The Nominees Are: Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), Natalie Portman (Black Swan) and Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

KP’s Prediction: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

The Wife’s Prediction: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

Actor in a Supporting Role

The Nominees Are: Christian Bale (The Fighter), John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone), Jeremy Renner (The Town), Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right) and Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech)

KP’s Prediction: Christian Bale (The Fighter)

The Wife’s Prediction: Christian Bale (The Fighter)

Actor in a Leading Role

The Nominees Are: Javier Bardem (Biutiful), Jeff Bridges (True Grit), Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) and James Franco (127 Hours)

KP’s Prediction: Colin Firth (The King’s Speech)

KP picks darkhorse The Social Network to steal Best Picture from The King's Speech

The Wife’s Prediction: Colin Firth (The King’s Speech)

Best Picture

The Nominees Are: Black Swan (Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin), The Fighter (David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg), Inception (Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan), The Kids Are All Right (Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray), The King’s Speech (Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin), 127 Hours (Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson), The Social Network (Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Cean Chaffin), Toy Story 3 (Darla K. Anderson), True Grit (Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen) and Winter’s Bone (Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin)

KP’s Prediction: The Social Network

The Wife’s Prediction: The King’s Speech