Yahoo! News - Panthers and Patriots Set for Super Bowl Battle
This Super Bowl should not be viewed by the faint of heart as two teams who live and die by the play of their ruthless defenses battle for American sport's biggest prize in front of a worldwide television audience of nearly one billion people.

GO PANTHERS!

My friend Natalie is a HUGE Panther fan. Panther glasses. Panther clock. Panther mobile hanging from the ceiling. Panther throw on the couch. A life-size Spuds the dog is decked out in a Panther shirt and hat, a Panther pillow at his feet. Football cards of the Panthers hanging on the wall. Getting the picture?

The girl has a Panther logo tatooed on her chest.

THAT big of a fan. One cannot get anywhere near Natalie without some of it rubbing off.

As a result, this "football bud" caught Panther fever a few years back too. Before my first trip to Florida where I fell in love with the Bucs, I bought and wore Panther stuff. Three Panther hats, four sweatshirts (one of which I don't have anymore, but it was cool), one t-shirt, and one throw that has adorned my bed ever since I painted the room blue. So, I am decked out for today.

Makes it impossible to be objective about who will win. I could not bet on this game because I want the Panthers to win so badly that I would bet for them. To bet against them would somehow precipitate their doom, and be disloyal to my friend to boot.

This is why I don't gamble.

I'll stick with Panthers by 4.