Indy's time to shine

Since 1997, I have been a frequent visitor to the capital city of Indiana. As a die-hard Colts fan dating back to the days of "Captain Comeback" Jim Harbaugh, my father and I usually make at least one trip to Indianapolis a year for a Colts game.

I have also been on hand for three Big 10 Men's Basketball Tournaments and the 2011 Drum Corps International show.

But I will be making a special trip down there today for an event that has never occurred within driving distance in my lifetime - that being Super Bowl weekend.

Some of my favorite Indianapolis moments since 1997 include:

Meeting Jim Harbaugh (1997, on field)

Meeting Peyton Manning (1998, in the Hyatt hotel elevator)

Touring the RCA Dome (1998)

Being in attendance for infamous Jim Mora PLAYOFFS???!!! game against the San Francisco 49ers (2001)

Seeing punter Hunter Smith score a touchdown on a fake field goal against the New York Jets (2003)

Seeing Peyton Manning's 48th and 49th touchdown passes, then an NFL record in an incredible come-form-behind overtime win against the San Diego Chargers (2004)

Waiting inside the RCA Dome for the Colts to arrive with the Lombardi Trophy for the Super Bowl Champions rally (2007)

The final regular season game at the RCA Dome (2007)

The first ever game (preseason) played at Lucas Oil Stadium (2008)

Incredible classic comeback win over the hated New England Patriots after Bill Belichick's 4th and 2 gamble (2009)

To the NFL - I can only hope that Lucas Oil Stadium becomes a regular Super Bowl site. Indy has always done a fine job hosting sporting events like the Big 10 Tournament, Indy 500 and also a number of conventions, auto shows, band competitions and the Drum Corps world class finals.

Go Indy, it's your time to shine.

Super Bowl deja vu

Other than the night the Colts beat the Bears in a torrential downpour, I cannot remember being happier about a Super Bowl outcome than when the New York Giants stunned the undefeated New England Patriots and became Super Bowl XLII champions.

Four years later, we get another go-round, and this time it's right in our backyard.

With the Colts bowing out of playoff contention pretty much the moment the season began, all I was hoping for out of the 2011 season was a good Super Bowl match-up that would have story lines galore in Indianapolis.

Well that's exactly what we have - with Eli Manning, Peyton's little brother, attempting to defend the house his brother built against his brother's biggest rival, one Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Can Eli outdo Peyton by winning a second Super Bowl in a stadium with a poster of Peyton on the front?

Will the Patriots avenge a four-year grudge against the very team that prevented their perfection of 2007?

And will Indianapolis, America's best mid-size town, prove that it was a good choice to host the Super Bowl.

Let's hope the answers to those questions are: Yes, no, and yes.

Go Giants!