Suddenly, Kim Kardashian and Archie Manning have something in common.
Both are guaranteed to get some face time on Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast.
Before this meeting between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, clearly there wasn't much to connect the reality TV star to the former quarterback.
Once the game starts, after a record amount of pre-game hype, CBS will surely be hunting down reactions from both Reggie Bush's girlfriend and Peyton Manning's father.
Such is life on a broadcast where no stone is left unturned.
CBS is expecting record viewership for Super Bowl XLIV, and certainly, the storylines have plenty to do with that.
Archie Manning is torn between the team he played with -- the Saints -- and rooting for his son's Colts.
Then there is Kardashian, who is a celebrity because she's famous. Will she be a Jessica Simpson-like distraction, or will she and Bush enjoy an emotional embrace afterwards?
New Orleans is a central figure in the TV coverage due to the tragedy of hurricane Katrina and how the city rallied around its football team.
In fact, the word 'Katrina' might be thrown around more than 'first down.' CBS will dedicate a large portion of its four-hour pre-game show to New Orleans, and they will get many of their usual panellists involved.
Host James Brown takes a long look at the city four-and-a-half years after the storm, with interviews with everyone from Governor Bobby Jindal to Peyton Manning, who grew up cheering for the Saints.
Meanwhile, network anchor Katie Couric, who will interview U.S. President Barack Obama before the game, takes a tour through New Orleans with Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife.
Somewhere in there, Shannon Sharpe will interview Bush about the running back's impact on the community.
CBS went a bit hardcore by sending coach-turned-commentator Bill Cowher to prison, where he interviews one of his former players, receiver Plaxico Burress, who is in the middle of a two-year sentence for gun possession.
Even when the story shifts to the Colts, New Orleans is a big part of the story, such as Dan Marino's feature on Manning, which delves into his life growing up in the area.
Manning's legacy will be a prevailing storyline throughout the day, and it's been talked about heavily leading up to big game.
In all the pre-Super Bowl talk and predictions, it seems clear the Colts are the favourites, but the Saints are the sentimental choice.
Canadian viewers can see all the CBS coverage on CTV, while anyone tuning in earlier and looking for more can flip over to TSN2 for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, which has another four hours of features. The most interesting piece provided during that show might be Kenny Mayne's spoof called Last 'Baghead' Standing.
If the CBS viewers aren't exhausted by kickoff -- after four hours of pre-game and an additional two hours of Road to the Super Bowl and Phil Simms All-Iron Team -- at least there will be star power to keep the interest.
Country singer Carrie Underwood will sing the national anthem, while Queen Latifah sets the stage with America the Beautiful.
As for the game broadcast, expect a straight-up football matchup with Jim Nantz handling the play-by-play for the second time. Simms jumps on board for his sixth time doing colour commentary.
Sideline reports will come from Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots, and the panel of Brown, Marino, Sharpe, Cowher and Boomer Esiason will break down the action.
Of course, old-time rockers The Who get wheeled out for a halftime performance that might ask a question pertinent to the crowd shots.
'Who Are You?'
IAN.BUSBY@SUNMEDIA.CA
