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From Other Guides • All About the Super Bowl

Everyone is a football fan on Super Bowl Sunday! Or at least that's what they tell the advertisers who pay millions of bucks for commercial spots. If you haven't been watching the Patriots all season, it's catch up time! Here are some Patriots Basics that will help you to sound like a knowledgeable fan. If you really want to sound authentic, brush up on how to talk like you're from Boston with this guide to Boston pronunciation from Boston Online.  

The 2003-2004 Patriots Season

The Patriots are headed to Super Bowl XXXVIII after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 24-14 on Sunday, January 18, to win the AFC (American Football Conference) championship. This victory capped a phenomenal season. Here are a few highlights:

- The Pats lost their opening game to the Buffalo Bills by a score of 31-0.

- After that, they had only one other early season loss on September 28 to the Washington Redskins.

- The Patriots went on to win the next 12 consecutive regular season games and did not lose at home all year.

All About Bill Belichick

Many analysts are giving Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick a lot of credit for his team's success this season. Belichick has been with the Patriots since 2000 and has led New England's team to the Super Bowl in two out of the last three years. With the current competitive level of the NFL, that's already considered a "dynasty." Sporting News named Belichick the 2003 Coach of the Year.

Learn More About Bill Belichick by visiting these sites:

Bill Belichick Profile from Patriots.com

All Things Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick's Coaching Record from Pro-Football-Reference.com

All About Tom Brady

You have to give a lot of credit to Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady this season, too. During the 2001-2002 season, Brady (#12) started the season as the team's third-string quarterback and ended the year as the Super Bowl MVP when the Patriots upset the St. Louis Rams 20-17. This season, Brady has proven that his rise to elite status in the NFL is no fluke. NFL.com National Editor Vic Carucci wrote in a recent article that while Brady may not have the league's best stats, he knows how to win, and that makes him one of the top quarterbacks in the game.

Learn More About Tom Brady by visiting these sites:

Tom Brady Profile from Patriots.com

Absolute Brady (fan site)

Tom Brady Online (fan site)

All About Ty Law

Patriots Cornerback Tajuan "Ty" Law (#24) is another player to watch in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Law has come up with big plays all season including three interceptions against Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in the AFC championship game. 

Learn More About Ty Law by visiting these sites:

Ty Law Profile from Patriots.com

Ty Law Player Page from ESPN.com

All About Super Bowl XXXVIII

That's Super Bowl 38 for the Roman Numeral challenged! The big game will be played on Sunday, February 1, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Game time is 6:25 p.m. EST, and the game will be televised by CBS. 

The Patriots' opponent is the Carolina Panthers. If you ask me, they don't stand a chance!

According to Nielsen Media Research, 88.6 million people watched the Super Bowl last year.

The average cost of air time for a 30-second ad for the 2004 Super Bowl is $2.3 million. That's $76,667 per second! And that doesn't include creative development and production costs.

Country music superstars Toby Keith and Willie Nelson headline the pre-game show. Houstonite Beyonce Knowles will sing the National Anthem. Josh Groban will sing "You Lift Me Up" in tribute to the crew of space shuttle Columbia; the Super Bowl coincides with the one-year anniversary of the loss of Columbia. Halftime Show performers include Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Kid Rock and Nelly.

Learn more about Super Bowl XXXVIII by visiting:

SuperBowl.com

Super Bowl Headquarters at About.com 

Showdown in Houston from The Boston Channel

Related Resources: 

New England Super Bowl Headquarters

New England Patriots for Kids

New England Super Bowl Recipes