PREGAME OPEN THREAD

Since the Cover It Live live-blogging software doesn’t work on Macintosh computers, we’ll open a thread for random pregame observations. Hit F5 (or Command-R on your Mac) repeatedly to get the latest stuff. Andy Rooney is two rows down from me at the Auxiliary Tables. (Doesn’t he merit a spot in the “real” press box?) I just met McLovin, Dan Patrick’s blogger. Chris Berman was holding court in the club-level lounge. A “Let’s Go Cardinals” chant broke out in the pirate ship end zone. More ‘Zona fans are attending than expected. Sports By Brooks has the Springsteen set list: Tenth Avenue Freeze Out; Born To Run; Working on a Dream; Glory Days. (4:30 p.m. EST) The teams are on the field working out in shorts and T-shirts. Springsteen explained at the Thursday press conference that his halftime show will be the equivalent of showing up three hours and 48 minutes late to his show. I’ll be the last 12 minutes of a “normal” Springsteen concert. Nice touch with the fireplace. Said another member of the media at the auxiliary tables, “He’s FDR.” They’re handing out free Pepsi products. (Did we mention Pepsi?) The wireless Internet at the stadium is ssssssslow. (It must not be Sprint.) We’re picking up unconfirmed reports that Joe Namath was “feeling good” during an NFL Network appearance. (We don’t know whether he tried to kiss Rich Eisen.) UPDATE: Other readers dispute the notion that Namath was in the bag or off the wagon. (Or is it on the wagon?) I took a photo of my work area at the game (with Pepsi product placed in the screen), but when I tried to send it to the official PFT laptop via Bluetooth, about 500 “unnamed computers” showed up on my Sprint phone as potential destinations. Just posted on the Super Bowl inactives and the curious absence of Emmitt Smith. (5:00 p.m. EST) Matt Lauer is interviewing the president on the pregame show. The kickers are banging field goals in full dress. There’s a cluster of Cardinals fans beneath the auxiliary press area. The Prez just compared his Blackberry to Inspector Gadget. (There are small monitors stationed along the auxiliary tables.) The Cardinals entered at 5:25 p.m. EST, only minutes after a sea of Terrible Towels confirmed the heavy presence of Steelers fans. At 5:38 p.m. EST, the Cardinals are stretched just down from where I’m seated. The Steelers are warming up at the other end. Both sides seem loose but businesslike. The “Let’s Go Cardinals” chant continues to break out from time to time. As of 5:50 p.m. EST, the Steelers are in the locker room, but the Cardinals are still out on the field. The Cardinals finally cleared out at 5:53 p.m. EST. Rodney Harrison just picked the Steelers to win on NBC. A huge band just ran out onto the field. It’s the Bethune-Cookman marching band. Tony Dungy picked the Steelers, too. The Big Show picked the Cardinals. Awesome, awesome band. A very loud chant of “Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go” broke out before the band started playing. It’s getting a little chilly in Tampa. (6:00 p.m. EST) They’re getting the stuff in place for the pregame festivities. The Cardinals appear to be heading out to the field. Steelers are still in the locker room. Lots of freaking Terrible Towels. Somewhere, Myron Cope is saying, “Double Yoy!” We’ve got the monitor with the NBC broadcast on high volume and can’t hear a freaking thing. Steelers are heading up the tunnel. Mike Tomlin isn’t wearing his Costanza-style Gore-tex coat. Here come the Steelers. And the Cardinals. Damn 2001 Patriots screwed up the whole player-by-player introduction thing. The crew is getting stuff in position on the field. I’m going to open a game thread in a minute. Hell I’ll just do it now.