Time 2011. Super Bowl Sidebars Steal The Show : NPR Read.

Super Bowl 45 is billed as a strife between two noteworthy franchises, but the big story, at least until the contest starts, has been the weather. The other attitude hanging over this Super Bowl is a labor discord that could record this the persist NFL prey we determine for a while. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR sports newspaperwoman Mike Pesca. Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®.

For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, latest licence required. SCOTT SIMON, host: This is Weekend Edition from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon.

Super Bowl 45 on Sunday billed as a question between two fabled franchises -the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It'll be at least that. But the big tidings during the run-up to tomorrow's spirited has been the weather. Dallas, where the devil-may-care is being played, has felt more liking for Green Bay or Pittsburgh than, you know, Texas. NPR's Mike Pesca joins us from a snowy Dallas. Mike, thanks for being with us. MIKE PESCA: Oh, you're welcome.

SIMON: In adding to the weather, another flow hanging over the also tourney is the during labor dispute, which makes some commonalty seem this could be the up to date pro football artifice we brood over for a while. PESCA: The gismo to recollect about this - and their arrangement will end on March 3 - so the Super Bowl marks not only an in reality event but the begin beau for humourless negotiations. And both sides - it's in both sides interests to frivolity it up in the same way as we're miles separate and we're not budging. But in fact there's so much affluence out there.

The NFL and all the combine and all the teams made $9 billion definitive year. And the exit is very how to break up it. The owners had been irresistible a billion off the top. And then the players had been getting open 60 percent and the owners 40 percent.

And the owners want more than their 40 percent, after they already get the billion. How will this pretend fans? Pretty much in two ways. Assuming that there is no charge stoppage, what could be negotiated, and quite will, is two more games in the equal-angled season.

That could be superb for fans, unless it causes more injuries to your favorite players. SIMON: I was about to for an illustration it would be 50 concussions. But go ahead. Yeah. PESCA: Right.

And the other originate which would be sizeable for fans but substandard for a combine of expensive describe rookies is a rookie pay cap. And honest now you have a site where guys who've never played a down are some of the highest paid players in the NFL. So those are two palpable ways. But I exceptionally do expect that there's so much the ready there that it is within both sides dispose to get a deal done.

Who knows? There's also so much riches there that by entirely acting adamant perhaps one of the sides could get many more billions of dollars. SIMON: OK. The lettered guys in Vegas predict it's accepted to be very close.

What do you ascertain happening? PESCA: Well, the intelligence that we would assume it would be close, if you appearance at the teams records the Steelers have a better record. And if you look out on at their seeding the Steelers were seeded higher. But the Packers have been playing so well in the postseason. And the Packers discrete elegance of engage seems to be, A: well-suited to the arena that they're playing in.

Which is to reply even though we dream of the Green Bay Packers as this great common cold condition team, they're in actuality a very like a bat out of hell band who can benefit from the act that they're playing on in artificial come up indoors because they want to throw the ball around. And the younger thing that - why that smartness of play is good for the Packers is the Steelers seem to have a very devastating time stopping that. So from a revelry perspective, from a treatment of play perspective that is indubitably why the Green Bay Packers are a little favorite.

If you look at the footmark records coming in, I would as the Steelers come from the tougher conference. And they also had a tougher freeway in the playoffs. The Packers having tack the Eagles, Falcons and Bears, maybe not as stirring as the Steelers beating the Ravens and the Jets.

SIMON: Got to petition you something in conclusion. PESCA: Yes. SIMON: Quarterbacks getting a lot of attention. Aaron Rogers of the Packers might be - and I'm not forgetting Tom Brady - the hottest quarterback in pro football true now.

Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh quarterback was suspended betimes in the ripen after being accused, but not charged, with propagative assault. It's successful to be verifiable for some individuals to rummage for him. PESCA: I of it's an impressive mystery when you say, oh, they won't be able to tap root for Ben Roethlisberger.

I mean, the rationale the Super Bowl is such a big deal and the reasoning we custody so much about football is that we take effect it as more than a game. Is that we look at especially the quarterback locate and impart virtue on these guys. The couch around Roethlisberger all week, because he has been a over-nice guy to the media all year, is the dialogue redemption.

And I don't discern how you use that word. You know, redemption in whose eyes? If he letter for letter didn't perpetrate that animal assault - he wasn't charged - then there's not much it is possible that to be redeemed for. Other than, you know, being gentle of a jerk.

But that's not the pandemic redemption we're all demanding. And if he did, in fact, entrust a heinous crime, well, then the redemption would be between him and his victim. So how could anything he does on the football specialization enunciate to redemption? Luckily, you know, if you get lifetime that, the round itself should be a uncommonly full game. SIMON: NPR sports journalist Mike Pesca in Dallas for Super Bowl XLV. Thanks so much. PESCA: You're welcome. Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved.

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Alamo. Reliant Stadium's Texas Bowl lands Baylor, Illinois News.

Baylor and Illinois, who combined to use six of their behind eight games, will adjudicate to termination the 2010 ripen on a perfect note when they defray in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m. at Reliant Stadium. Although they distraught their end three games, Baylor (7-5) smite Texas this year and is headed to a basin also meet for the first time since they played in the Alamo Bowl in 1994.

Illinois (6-6, 4-4 in conference) tied for fourth in the Big 10 Conference. The bona fide notice will be made later this evening, but the Chronicle confirmed the teams with a man with apprehension of the Texas Bowl's plans. After beating Texas in their terminating line of October, the Bears mislaid three consecutive games against the Big 12 South co-champs - Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Illinois was 5-3 before losing a heart-breaking three-overtime thriller 67-65 against Michigan on Nov. 6, beginning a extend over of three losses over their ultimate four games.

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Rice tames Broncos at Texas Bowl RICE 38, Western MICHIGAN 14 News.

Casey sprinted in obverse of Dillard and grabbed it for a 45-yard touchdown that gave Rice a 24-0 improvement last in the premier half. Casey and Dillard laughed about it afterward, because it was that serenely for them all evensong -- all season, really. The pass-catching duo and Clement had their street with the Western Michigan defense in a 38-14 whipping Tuesday nightfall in the Texas Bowl at Reliant Stadium.

Casey has a single-season Conference USA-record 111 receptions this year, including seven for 112 yards Tuesday. Dillard has an NCAA-record 60 touchdown catches in his career, including one against Western. The two combined for 198 catches for 2,639 yards and 33 touchdowns this season. Clement, who earned MVP honors, went 30-for-44, hasty for 307 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, and had 10 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown. He also had one surprise for 13 yards and a touchdown.

"That quarterback is a severe kid," said Broncos train Bill Cubit, who agreed to a five-year deal widening before the game. "I give heed to a lot of guys get more notoriety, but I don't have knowledge of if there's anybody that has the crash he has for his football team." The Texas Bowl started promisingly for Western, which appeared in its secondly trundle in three years and is now 0-4 all-time in wheel games. The Broncos (9-4) started their basic byway at the Rice 29-yard line.

On their firstly foul play, quarterback Tim Hiller found Jamarko Simmons (Flint Central) on a 9-yard completion. It was Simmons' single-season day-school chronicle 99th twig of the year. But two beginning downs later, Juan Nunez dropped what would've been a totally thrown 38-yard TD. Three plays later, a 51-yard realm end have by John Potter (Grand Haven) prostrate detail short.

Then Rice (10-3) scored the next 38 points: Clement on a 26-yard run, a 30-yard territory goal, a Clement-to-Toren Dixon touchdown, the Casey touchdown, a Dillard-to-Clement knack conduct provocation and then a Clement-to-Dillard touchdown. Dillard became the ahead actor ever with two seasons of 20-plus touchdown catches. Rice was 13-for-20 on third downs. Western was 3-of-14.

"They were a great offense," WMU cornerback E.J. Biggers said. "We had a accidental to get off the field, and we didn't do that.

" In the fourth quarter, Hiller threw touchdowns to Kirk Elsworth (Goodrich) and Schneider Julien. Hiller finished the opportunity with 36 touchdown passes and 3,725 yards, both single-season credo records. Simmons had six catches for 92 yards.

His 104 catches this condition and 260 catches in his speed are both philosophy records.

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