SUPER BOWL XLIII 43 IN TAMPA FL - TRAVEL GUIDE - SUPER BOWL TRAVEL TIPS ON HOTELS, FLIGHTS, CARS, ETC!

Hello,
Thank you for visiting Superbowlexperts.com, we are busy this year planning our trip to Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII and would like to share some tips we come across along the way. we have traveled to the Super Bowl for seven years in a row now and each time we research how to get to the Super Bowl as quickly, as easily, and most important - as cheap as possible! Now that we have finished all of our reservations, here is a guide on how to best save money at the Super Bowl this year in Tampa.

SUPER BOWL XLIII TICKETS

Superbowl tickets are nearly impossible to come by and very few if any wind up in the hands of the public. We have gone to the Super Bowl for seven years in a row and not once were we able to buy them for face value. By this time we have realized that our dream of attaining Superbowl tickets in advance are just impossible.

Back in the day, finding tickets for anything required making several phone calls just to find someone who might have tickets. With today's technology, it can be as easy as if you click through the Internet to find your tickets. Before you buy your tickets from just anyone there are a few important things you need to know. Here is a quick rundown of safety tips for buying Super Bowl tickets for as cheap as possible.

1. Do Not expect to buy your tickets on the streets the day of the game. While some people are able to find cheap tickets this way, we have heard of just as many people getting ripped off by fake tickets.

2. Along the same lines, avoid strangers selling directly on Craig's list. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events of the year, if a seller is not a licensed broker with their own website and dedicated phone number, you should not bother. There are always hundreds of counterfeit tickets floating around, so make sure you know who you are buying from and will be able to contact them. Be careful with ebay as well.

3. Superbowlexperts.com recommends buying tickets from reputable sellers, sellers who have a website and a dedicated customer service line, where you know you can reach them. Stubhub (as well as RazorGator) work great but you have to watch out for the 10% service charge, as that can really add up when you are buying Superbowl tickets. Large ticket broker sites are good as well, just once again be careful sites that tack on extra "service" charges before you check out.
Superbowlexperts.com has recognized Crosstown Tickets as our most reliable ticket seller. They always come through, their customer service is quick, and most importantly, the price you see is the price you pay.

http://www.crosstowntickets.com


SUPER BOWL XLIII HOTEL RESERVATIONS

This is usually the most frustrating part for a lot of people. even if you plan on saving money by driving to Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII, you are still going to have to stay at a hotel in the Tampa area for at least one night. We have seen people look around for days and by the time they finally make a decision on a hotel, it is sold out. Once the two Super Bowl teams are determined you have very little time to book your hotel. Any Super Bowl hotels that do have rooms available usually jack up the price as they know the demand will be high during the Super Bowl.
There is a solution to this problem, luckily sites like CheapSuperBowlHotels.com have Super Bowl rooms already booked in advance. You can find rooms on their site for much less than what the Tampa hotels are selling for. We have gotten our Super Bowl hotel reservations from this site for the past two years and have been quite happy, and is one of the best secrets to saving money on your Super Bowl Hotel.

http://www.cheapsuperbowlhotels.com



SUPER BOWL FLIGHT RESERVATIONS
This one can be the trickiest, as there is really no shortcut or easy way to find a cheap flight. Some tips we can offer for anyone trying to find a cheap flight, whether it be to Tampa for the Super Bowl, or anywhere.
1. check all surrounding airports, at both departure and arrival destinations. We've see a lot of people desperately trying to fly into Tampa Bay international, while it is probably easier to just fly into the St. Petersburg airport which is less than 15 miles away.
2. we usually book our flights through hotwire.com, as they are the cheapest of all the ajor travel websites.
2. Check for cheaper deals flying to other cities, even if they may be 60 miles or more away. for instance, you may save $100 on your flight by flying into Sarasota, FL instead of Tampa, FL. while this may be inconvenient, you may also save money buy reserving a rental car from a further out location as well and driving in for the game. Which leads us to our next point...

SUPER BOWL CAR RENTAL
While not everybody needs to rent a car to enjoy their stay for the Super Bowl, it does allow the added freedom to travel to other tourist destinations, like the beach, etc. the cheapest way to rent a car during the Super Bowl is to rent them from rental centers at further out airports. This may pose a problem logistically, as you have to find a way to get out there to pick up your car, sometimes it is the only option, as car rentals sell out quickly.
We suggest booking your car rentals online - and be sure to search online for online coupon codes. We were able to find a code for enterprise for a free upgrade car.

---

One last thing, please be safe in all of your travels. While it is important to book everything as cheap as possible, do not do anything that will put you at risk.

Enjoy your stay in Florida for Super Bowl XLIII!

THE STEELERS ARE EARLY FAVORITES TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIII

Super Bowl XLIII Odds have been posted, and it looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers are early favorites. As of right now, the Steelers are a -7 points against the spread, and -270 on the money line. with an over under of 47 points, many people are predicting this will be a high-scoring game.



I think it will be an exciting, close game and I cannot wait to to be down in Tampa to see it.

Super Bowl 43 Here we come!

WELCOME TO THE SUPER BOWL - ARIZONA CARDINALS VS PITTSBURGH STEELERS - SUPER BOWL XLIII

Hello,
It is finally that time of year, to the Super Bowl matchup has been determined and it is time to start getting ready for the game. Here is a preview of the two teams playing in Super Bowl XLIII - The Arizona Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Steelers




PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers have the Terrible Towel. The Cardinals were supposedly the terrible team from the terrible division, the NFC West.

Super Bowl XLIII is a game that should please everyone. The Cardinals are the ultimate underdog; they were the first No. 4 seed to host an NFC Championship Game. The Steelers are a proud franchise trying to win their sixth Super Bowl.

Ratings should be strong because the Steelers are one of the better draws in sports. But the Cardinals could be the more fascinating story. Their owner, Bill Bidwill, has long been criticized for the way he's run his franchise. The Steelers were criticized in a similar way until they won four Super Bowls for owner Art Rooney Sr. during the 1970s.

From the NFL's standpoint, it's a retro type of game featuring two families who have a long history of ownership in the NFL.

"If you win six, nobody else has ever won six,'' Steelers owner Dan Rooney said. "We're going to play it how we see it. We're going into Tampa with the idea of playing well and having fun.''

Here is the first round of questions heading into two weeks of Super Bowl hype.

[+] EnlargeEdgerrin James
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesEdgerrin James has been effective, but the Cardinals are fueled by the passing game.
1. In the year of great running offenses, what happened to the running teams?

Two of the three worst running offenses in the playoffs are in the Super Bowl. The Cardinals were the worst running team in football during the regular season. They averaged only 73.6 rushing yards a game. During the playoffs, they have run better, but it's not their strength. Edgerrin James, who figures to be released after the Super Bowl, had 73 yards on 16 carries in Sunday's 32-25 victory over the Eagles. In three playoff games, he's had 52 carries for 203 yards. Those numbers are decent, but not great.

The Steelers were the 10th-worst rushing team during the regular season, averaging 105.6 yards. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians made a commitment to run more in the playoffs, and the results have been mixed so far. After rushing for 146 yards against the Chargers in the divisional playoffs, Willie Parker was held to 47 yards in Sunday's 23-14 victory over Baltimore.

2. How well do these teams know each other?

There is virtually no history between these two teams. The Steelers and Cardinals have played only eight times in 36 years, with the Steelers holding a 5-3 edge in the series. Three of those meetings came when the Cardinals were in St. Louis -- the Steelers won games in 1972, 1979 and 1988. The Cardinals beat the Steelers 21-14 on Sept. 30, 2007. The Steelers beat the Cardinals in 2003 and 1997.

3. What are the injuries heading into the Super Bowl?

AFC Championship: McGahee injury

NFL.com Video

Ravens RB Willis McGahee takes a scary hit from Ryan Clark in the AFC Championship Game.
Both teams are in pretty good shape. The biggest questions for the Cardinals revolve around their defensive front seven. Linebacker Travis LaBoy, who has battled an ankle injury over the past month, suffered a biceps injury early in Sunday's game. His status will be evaluated over the next two weeks. Defensive end Antonio Smith, who has quietly become a force during the playoffs, suffered a right knee injury, but it didn't look too serious. The warm weather in Glendale, Ariz., aided WR Anquan Boldin on Sunday. Had the NFC Championship Game been held in cold weather, he might not have been able to stay warm enough to play through his bad hamstring. Boldin was able to play the entire game and caught four passes for 34 yards. He should be fine by Super Bowl Sunday. Punter Ben Graham played despite a groin injury.

As expected, the Steelers came out of a physical game against the Ravens with some banged-up players. Wide receiver Hines Ward sprained his right knee in the first half and didn't return. Ward said he'll have an MRI on Monday, but he thinks he'll be OK. Mewelde Moore, the team's third-down back, suffered an ankle sprain in the second half, but he was walking without a limp in the locker room. Safety Ryan Clark was helped off the field after crashing into Ravens halfback Willis McGahee with 3:29 left in the fourth quarter. McGahee was carted off the field. Clark may have suffered a concussion, and he'll undergo some tests Monday morning.

4. Payback for Whisenhunt, Grimm?

The most interesting subplot is the coaching situation. Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm were bypassed for the Steelers' job after Bill Cowher departed in 2006. The job went to Mike Tomlin. Obviously, the Rooney family hasn't second-guessed hiring Tomlin. He took last year's team to the playoffs and is now in the Super Bowl, despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the league. As it turns out, Tomlin was the perfect coach to follow Cowher because he brought Cowher's enthusiasm along with an aggressive, take-no-prisoners style of football.

Whisenhunt and Grimm struck gold in the Arizona desert, producing Bidwill's first trip to the Super Bowl. Publicly, Whisenhunt and Grimm will say only good things about their former employers, but privately they want to prove Pittsburgh's ownership wrong, and the best way they can do that is by beating the Steelers.

5. Will blitzing be a big factor?

Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau may be tempted to blitz Kurt Warner, but he should be careful. During the regular season, Warner was the best quarterback in the league against the blitz. He completed 134 of 208 passes for 1,645 yards and 14 touchdowns in blitz situations, for a quarterback rating of 103.1. Warner is known for his ability to get rid of the ball quickly and he's fearless in the pocket while waiting for receivers to get open.

On the other side, it's a 50-50 proposition when teams blitz the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger was 95-of-180 for 1,158 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions against the blitz in the regular season. Here's the key stat: Roethlisberger was sacked 29 times in 209 dropbacks against the blitz in the regular season.

6. Will Whisenhunt empty his bag of tricks?

With an extra week to prepare, don't be surprised if Whisenhunt loads up four or five trick plays to confuse the Steelers. On Sunday, the Cardinals called a play in which J.J. Arrington took a handoff and flipped the ball across the field back to Warner, who fired a long touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. The bye week buys Whisenhunt more time to experiment. During his tenure with the Steelers, Whisenhunt was a master of the trick play. He'd run three or four a game out of various formations, and he used them to liven up practices and make life more interesting for his offensive players. The Steelers know many of Whisenhunt's tricks, but not all of them. Whisenhunt likes to devise plays that catch a defense in overpursuit. Parker said Whisenhunt always has five prepared trick plays and he'll use two. "You know he's going to do something,'' Parker said. "He always does.''

7. Can Warner's play-action success continue?

Warner's ability to work the play-action pass has been one of the highlights of the Cardinals' playoff run. Warner was 4-of-4 for 92 yards on play-action passes Sunday. How Warner works the play-action pass will clearly affect how LeBeau uses safety Troy Polamalu. No safety in football has the range of Polamalu, who can line up as a deep safety or charge the line of scrimmage to blitz. The Cardinals' ability to excel in play-action is amazing considering how inconsistent they are running the ball. In three playoff games, Warner has completed 93.4 percent of his play-action passes. The average play-action completion is 13.4 yards.

8. Will Tomlin continue to take chances?

Unlike his predecessor, Tomlin likes to roll the dice in big games. He doesn't play close to the vest, and that could be dangerous in the Super Bowl. The Steelers beat the Chargers in the divisional round, despite a failed fake punt and a failed fourth-down conversion near the goal line. Before the end of the first half Sunday, Tomlin endorsed one play too many and it cost Pittsburgh three points. The Steelers were at the Ravens' 21-yard line with 16 seconds left. Roethlisberger threw a short pass over the middle to Moore, who was tackled at the 12. Roethlisberger tried to line up to spike the ball, but the clock expired. The Steelers could have entered the half with a 16-7 lead instead of 13-7.

9. What's the best individual matchup?

Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor against Fitzgerald. Although the Cardinals move him to different spots on the field, Fitzgerald normally lines up on the left side. Taylor handles the right side of the Steelers' defense. Taylor had his best season in 2008, allowing 59 completions against him in 108 attempts, and getting beaten for only two touchdowns. Taylor gained so much respect leaguewide that he was named the AFC's third alternate at cornerback for the Pro Bowl. Naturally, the Steelers will give Taylor help, most likely with Clark.

Another interesting matchup will be Anquan Boldin against Bryant McFadden on the other side of the field. The Steelers match up against the Cardinals' receiving corps reasonably well. Deshea Townsend is the team's third corner. He has 78 career regular-season starts.

10. Who has the QB edge?

AFC Champ. Can't Miss Play: Holmes 65-yd TD

NFL.com Video

Santonio Holmes weaves his way through the BAL defense for a 65-yd TD.
Although Warner naturally will be the media darling of the Super Bowl, Roethlisberger has a chance to put his name among the top quarterbacks in history. Warner is 8-2 in the playoffs and has 22 postseason touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions. Roethlisberger won't come close to Warner on stats, but he's accomplished a lot in a short time. Big Ben is 7-2 as a playoff quarterback, and he's only 26. He's won a Super Bowl and is trying to win his second. The Steelers should be a factor for many years. They'll have one of the easiest schedules in the league next season and will be a Super Bowl contender.

By winning his second Super Bowl, Roethlisberger would enter the argument as the best big-game quarterback next to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. In fact, he would have one more Super Bowl ring than Manning. In the playoffs, he has completed 151 of 248 passes for 1,983 yards, with 14 touchdown and 11 interceptions.

John Clayton, a recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's McCann Award for distinguished reporting, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

SUPER BOWL XLIII HOTEL ROOMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN TAMPA AREA

The website CheapSuperBowlHotels.com is officially live. This is the 5th year these guys are selling hotel rooms for the super bowl, and they have developed a great reputation. Rooms usually sell out fast so don't miss it - unless you booked your hotel months ago, you are not going to find a better deal on hotels for the Super Bowl in Tampa.

Rooms start at only $149/night

Update to FirstDibz story

This was posted on Stand Up Ticket Guy's Website..

"there has been quite a response to my last post regarding firstdibz.com. I feel obligated to keep everyone updated and provide whatever information comes to me. There was a ticket news article posted with some further information

http://www.ticketnews.com/FirstDIBZ-forced-to-cancel-hundreds-of-Super-Bowl-orders-after-seller-fraud109145

I was contacted this evening around 6:30 p.m. CT by an employee of firstdibz.com. I was told they are getting around to contacting everybody who was affected by the situation and they are doing everything they can blah blah.

The biggest update that I can provide is that we will be refunded or have already been refunded on dibz on teams that have also lost. while I know this is a small consolation it does show that they are at least working on this case.

I was assured that this incident was 100% caused and due to the actions of two individuals selling the "uDibz" and that something like this would never happened with Sanctioned FirstDibz. They have since removed all uDibz from the market. I was told that soon they will send out an email saying that any Dibz still in holding will be valid and we will not have to worry about another similar fiaco.

Next I was assured that they are going after the two individuals and will seek damages from them and they will pass along any compensation to us, the consumer, and possibly include a further compensation out of their pockets."



Please comment as to what Firstdibz.com tells you if and when you are contacted.

FirstDibz.com Scam Rip-Off Fraud Headquaters - www.superbowlexperts.com

SuperBowlExperts.com



Okay so at some more time looking around on the Internet and this firstdibz situation seems to be widespread, with estimates of around 400 people being affected and thousands of dibz being unwillingly voided. At this point, each dibz is worth over $250, so there is a lot of money at stake.

FirstDibz.com is a scam.
Firstdibz.com does not honor their guarantee.
Firstdibz.com violates their own "no refund" terms of service.
Firstdibz.com has ruined the plans of hundreds of people, and has taken away what is rightfully theirs, assets worth potentially thousands of dollars.

Here is the plan.

If you received the email from FirstDibz saying they are refunding your Dibz guarantees, please comment on this post with the following information.



What team(s)?
How many total Dibz?
How much did you get refunded total?
How much would those Dibz be worth today?
Have you contacted FirstDibz?
What was FirstDibz response?






ALL OTHER COMMENTS PLEASE POST ON THE PREVIOUS NEWS STORY POST REGARDING THIS ISSUE SO THIS DOES NOT GET CLUTTERED

Where NOT to Get Super Bowl XLIII Tickets (FirstDibz.com Scam/Fraud)

Hello Readers,
It has come to my attention that a website that many people were counting on for Super Bowl XLIII Tickets has broken their guarantee to its customers. The website, Firstdibz.com offers Super Bowl Tickets for face value, the catch is that you have to pay for the "Dibz" or the right to those face value tickets. The value of these Dibz fluctuates greatly, and they can be bought and sold on the website.

If you purchase a Dibz for a team that does not make the Super Bowl, you lose the cost of the Dibz. However, if your team makes it, you are given the opportunity to buy Super Bowl tickets at face value.

What is now happening, is that people who bought Dibz for their team Weeks ago are now getting e-mails from FirstDibz telling them that their guarantees are no longer valid, even though their team is still alive.

I will use my friend, stand up ticket guy, as an example. He purchased 2 Dibz from FirstDibz.com for the Arizona Cardinals to make Super Bowl XLIII. he bought the dibz on January 3 for the price of $26 each. Back on January 3 it seemed a very unlikely that the Arizona Cardinals would make the Super Bowl, hence the cheap price. Now that the Cardinals have made it to the NFC championship, the same Dibz for the Super Bowl are now selling for over $1600. If the Cardinals were to make the Super Bowl, my friend would be guaranteed tickets and only have face value.

Yesterday on January 13 he received an e-mail from firstdibz.com saying that his dibz were being refunded to him because a Dibz seller misused the website. He was refunded the original cost of the Dibz ($26 each) even though at the time the Dibz were worth over $1600. FirstDibz violated their own user agreement and broke their promise to fans who thought they were guaranteed Super Bowl XLIII tickets. This is equivalent to buying a house for $26,000 and having it appreciate to 1,600,000, then having the original seller say 'Sorry buddy I want my house back, here is $26,000'

FirstDibz is obviously not a very honorable company, and I hope I get the word out that FirstDibz.com is not where you want to get your Super Bowl tickets from.

Please feel free to comment.

SUPER BOWL 43 TICKET PRICES REMAIN STEADY

According to my ticket broker, www.crosstowntickets.com the price of Super Bowl tickets has remained steady over the past two weeks. While the cheapest tickets are still selling for $2000 each, t the price will go up if both the Eagles and Steelers make it.

Super Bowl Prices
Super Bowl Tickets

NFC Championship Prices
NFC Championship Tickets

AFC Championship Prices
AFC Championship Tickets

CURRENT ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIII

Well it looks like the Steelers have the best odds to win the Super Bowl this year. Judging by the way the playoffs have gone so far, I think that any team can win. I personally think it will be exciting to see Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl again.

Pittsburgh Steelers +115
Philadelphia Eagles +205
Baltimore Ravens +445
Arizona Cardinals +625

AFC AND NFC MATCHUPS DETERMINED

Anyone else excited for Super Bowl XLIII?

If you want guaranteed seats - buy them early

If you want to buy a ticket to Sunday's sold-out NFC Championship Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles, expect to deal with a scalper.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you will have to pay the sky-high prices sought on numerous Internet sites, if you're willing to wait right up to the 1 p.m. kickoff at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, a scalping expert said.

"Tickets around game time will be around face value, but you will have to pay a premium for a really good seat," said Stephen Happel, an Arizona State University economics professor who has studied scalping for 20 years.

Happel said the age-old economic theory of supply and demand eventually will allow buyers to purchase a ticket for a reasonable price. The Cardinals allowed fans to buy up to eight tickets for Sunday's game, he said, and a lot of people bought tickets for speculative reasons.

Those who can't sell the tickets at inflated prices have two choices around kickoff: cut prices or don't sell the tickets.

But ticket brokers said waiting would limit a buyer's selection, and it's best to buy early if you want guaranteed seats.

For sale: $1,000 tickets

The ticket frenzy began Sunday, when the Eagles upset the New York Giants, giving the Cardinals the home playoff game. About 20,000 remaining tickets were sold in 6 minutes.

Season-ticket holders, before the regular season ended, had purchased the other 50,000 tickets. The team expects about 71,000 fans at the game, up from the regular-season capacity of 64,500. The team also quietly sold an additional 200 tickets Tuesday but said no more remained.

As of Tuesday, sellers online were asking in excess of $1,000 for lower-level seats, more than double the highest face value of $490, on sites like StubHub, RazorGator and craigslist. Yet RazorGator already was cutting prices from the previous day. The lowest face-value ticket was $120.

Marty Fettman, a Phoenix ticket broker since 1980, blames the Cardinals for thousands of tickets being sold online.

"They made the eight-ticket limit. If they wanted to control the scalping, they should have made it a two-ticket limit," Fettman said. "All the people who stood in line on Sunday and bought tickets are trying to capitalize and are in the ticket business."

Fettman agreed with Happel that prices will go down by Sunday, but he doesn't think anyone will get a ticket for face value. He predicts it will cost at least $250 for an upper-level seat and $700 for a seat between the 40-yard lines.

Legal in Arizona

Scalping, the process of selling a ticket above or below face value in a secondary market, is legal in Arizona. However, if the transaction is in person, state law requires it to take place at least 200 feet from an event.

In Glendale, the city has established a resale area at Maryland and 94th avenues near the stadium, and there will be police officers on site this Sunday, said Jennifer Liewer, a city spokeswoman. But Liewer said the city does not guarantee tickets purchased from a scalper will get them into a game.

Attorney General Terry Goddard also is warning fans.

"We will see very, very vigorous sales activity on Cardinals tickets, and, unfortunately, it's the perfect storm for scam artists," he said.

Goddard said if fans want to buy scalped tickets, they should purchase them from an established organization that has a permanent local address. He also said to pay with a credit card because those paying with cash have no legal recourse.

Those who want more selection should buy tickets online soon, said Sean Pate, a StubHub spokesman.

Pate added that the troubling economy has pushed down resale prices, even though some sellers are seeking high prices. He said the average sold ticket price for the NFC title game on his site was $334, the lowest price since 2003.

If you want guaranteed seats - buy them early

From azcentral.com


If you want to buy a ticket to Sunday's sold-out NFC Championship Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles, expect to deal with a scalper.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you will have to pay the sky-high prices sought on numerous Internet sites, if you're willing to wait right up to the 1 p.m. kickoff at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, a scalping expert said.

"Tickets around game time will be around face value, but you will have to pay a premium for a really good seat," said Stephen Happel, an Arizona State University economics professor who has studied scalping for 20 years.

Happel said the age-old economic theory of supply and demand eventually will allow buyers to purchase a ticket for a reasonable price. The Cardinals allowed fans to buy up to eight tickets for Sunday's game, he said, and a lot of people bought tickets for speculative reasons.

Those who can't sell the tickets at inflated prices have two choices around kickoff: cut prices or don't sell the tickets.

But ticket brokers said waiting would limit a buyer's selection, and it's best to buy early if you want guaranteed seats.

For sale: $1,000 tickets

The ticket frenzy began Sunday, when the Eagles upset the New York Giants, giving the Cardinals the home playoff game. About 20,000 remaining tickets were sold in 6 minutes.

Season-ticket holders, before the regular season ended, had purchased the other 50,000 tickets. The team expects about 71,000 fans at the game, up from the regular-season capacity of 64,500. The team also quietly sold an additional 200 tickets Tuesday but said no more remained.

As of Tuesday, sellers online were asking in excess of $1,000 for lower-level seats, more than double the highest face value of $490, on sites like StubHub, RazorGator and craigslist. Yet RazorGator already was cutting prices from the previous day. The lowest face-value ticket was $120.

Marty Fettman, a Phoenix ticket broker since 1980, blames the Cardinals for thousands of tickets being sold online.

"They made the eight-ticket limit. If they wanted to control the scalping, they should have made it a two-ticket limit," Fettman said. "All the people who stood in line on Sunday and bought tickets are trying to capitalize and are in the ticket business."

Fettman agreed with Happel that prices will go down by Sunday, but he doesn't think anyone will get a ticket for face value. He predicts it will cost at least $250 for an upper-level seat and $700 for a seat between the 40-yard lines.

Legal in Arizona

Scalping, the process of selling a ticket above or below face value in a secondary market, is legal in Arizona. However, if the transaction is in person, state law requires it to take place at least 200 feet from an event.

In Glendale, the city has established a resale area at Maryland and 94th avenues near the stadium, and there will be police officers on site this Sunday, said Jennifer Liewer, a city spokeswoman. But Liewer said the city does not guarantee tickets purchased from a scalper will get them into a game.

Attorney General Terry Goddard also is warning fans.

"We will see very, very vigorous sales activity on Cardinals tickets, and, unfortunately, it's the perfect storm for scam artists," he said.

Goddard said if fans want to buy scalped tickets, they should purchase them from an established organization that has a permanent local address. He also said to pay with a credit card because those paying with cash have no legal recourse.

Those who want more selection should buy tickets online soon, said Sean Pate, a StubHub spokesman.

Pate added that the troubling economy has pushed down resale prices, even though some sellers are seeking high prices. He said the average sold ticket price for the NFC title game on his site was $334, the lowest price since 2003.

2009 PRO BOWL ROSTERS ARE SET

2009 Pro Bowl rosters

NFL.com

NFC
Offense
Pos.	Starter(s)	Reserves
Quarterback	Kurt Warner, Arizona	Drew Brees, New Orleans Eli Manning, New York Giants
Running back	Adrian Peterson, Minnesota	Michael Turner, Atlanta Clinton Portis, Washington
Fullback	Mike Sellers, Washington
Wide receiver	Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Anquan Boldin, Arizona	Steve Smith, Carolina Roddy White, Atlanta
Tight end	Jason Witten, Dallas	Chris Cooley, Washington
Tackle	Jordan Gross, Carolina Walter Jones, Seattle*	Chris Samuels, Washington* Flozell Adams, Cowboys** Jammal Brown, Saints**
Guard	Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota Chris Snee, New York Giants	Leonard Davis, Dallas* Davin Joseph, Tampa Bay**
Center	Andre Gurode, Dallas	Shaun O'Hara, New York Giants
Defense
Pos.	Starter(s)	Reserves
Defensive end	Julius Peppers, Carolina Justin Tuck, New York Giants	Jared Allen, Minnesota
Defensive tackle	Kevin Williams, Minnesota Jay Ratliff, Dallas	Pat Williams, Minnesota
Outside linebacker	DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Lance Briggs, Chicago	Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay* Julian Peterson, Seahawks**
Inside linebacker	Patrick Willis, San Francisco	Jon Beason, Carolina
Cornerback	Charles Woodson, Green Bay* Antoine Winfield, Minnesota	Asante Samuel, Philadelphia Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay**
Free safety	Nick Collins, Green Bay	Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia
Strong safety	Adrian Wilson, Arizona
Special teams
Pos.	Starter(s)	Reserves
Punter	Jeff Feagles, New York Giants
Placekicker	John Carney, New York Giants
Kick returner	Clifton Smith, Tampa Bay
Special teamer	Sean Morey, Arizona
AFC
Offense
Pos.	Starter(s)	Reserves
Quarterback	Peyton Manning, Indianapolis	Brett Favre, New York Jets Jay Cutler, Denver
Running back	Thomas Jones, New York Jets	Chris Johnson, Tennessee Ronnie Brown, Miami
Fullback	Le'Ron McClain, Baltimore
Wide receiver	Andre Johnson, Houston Brandon Marshall, Denver	Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Wes Welker, New England
Tight end	Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City	Antonio Gates, San Diego
Tackle	Joe Thomas, Cleveland Jason Peters, Buffalo	Michael Roos, Tennessee
Guard	Alan Faneca, New York Jets Kris Dielman, San Diego	Brian Waters, Kansas City
Center	Kevin Mawae, Tennessee*	Nick Mangold, New York Jets Casey Wiegmann, Denver**
Defense
Pos.	Starter(s)	Reserves
Defensive end	Mario Williams, Houston Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis	Robert Mathis, Indianapolis
Defensive tackle	Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee Kris Jenkins, New York Jets	Shaun Rogers, Cleveland
Outside linebacker	James Harrison, Pittsburgh Joey Porter, Miami	Terrell Suggs, Baltimore
Inside linebacker	Ray Lewis, Baltimore	James Farrior, Pittsburgh
Cornerback	Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee	Darrelle Revis, New York Jets
Free safety	Ed Reed, Baltimore
Strong safety	Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh	Chris Hope, Tennessee
Special teams
Pos.	Starter(s)	Reserves
Punter	Shane Lechler, Oakland
Placekicker	Stephen Gostkowski, New England
Kick returner	Leon Washington, New York Jets
Special teamer	Brendon Ayanbadejo, Baltimore

* Will not play, injury/personal reasons
** Injury replacement

THE NFL PLAYOFFS ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN - WHO IS FAVORED?

Here is a table showing the odds / percentages of each team to advance to certain rounds.
May the best teams make it to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa!

Worst of 2008 NFL Season (from CampusSqueeze)

http://www.campussqueeze.com/post/The-Worst-Of-The-2008-NFL-Season.aspx

The Worst Of The 2008 NFL Season POSTED BY CSQUEEZE IN GENERAL | COMMENTS 0 


The NFL was exciting this year whether your team sucked or rocked! Here are our "Worst Of's" for this season:
 
Most Disappointing Season (Teams):


Not from this season, but symbolic nonetheless.
1.) Dallas Cowboys

The expectations were very high for the Cowboys this year. Not only were they expected to win the NFC, they were considered a Super Bowl favorite.
2.) Cleveland Browns

The Browns went 10-6 last year, and were expected to improve upon that record this year. It did not happen. They went a disgusting 4-12.

 
The Biggest "Wheels Fall Off" Team:

1.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers had an outstanding 9-3 record going into week 14, which turned out to be a game they lost to the Carolina Panthers. Hey, that's fine, Carolina is a good team. All they would need to do is continue to win, and they had the chance to do it. Atlanta would be a tough game, but if they continued playing their game, it was a possible win. The Chargers were beatable. If not the Chargers, Oakland was their best bet. They won none of those games, and finished 9-7. 
 
2.) Buffalo Bills

The Bills started 4-0. No team has EVER missed the playoffs after starting 4-0. Then the Bills did it. They failed to beat teams like Cleveland and San Francisco, and didn't win a single divisional game. They finished their pathetic season at 7-9.
 
3.) Denver Bronco's

The Broncos went into week 15 at 8-5, with games against the Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers, in that order. Winning two of those three games AT LEAST would be imperitive. The Bronco's didn't do it, playing particularly disappointing football against the down and out Bills and rival Chargers. 
 
4.) New York Jets

After week 12, the Jets were an impressive 8-3 team. Their remaining schedule was fairly easy compared to the teams they had beaten earlier in the season. Of their last six games, the Jets only managed to defeat the Bills, losing to both the 49ers and Seahawks, two teams they should have easily defeated. They also lost to the Dolphins, a team they beat during week 1. Despite going 9-6, the Jets fired Eric Mangini after their week 17 loss.

 
Most Disappointing Season (Players):

1.) Derek Anderson

Derek Anderson was bad this season. After being benched in favor of Brady Quinn, Quinn broke a finger, giving Anderson a second chance. He was unable to succeed, became injured in November, and missed the rest of the season.
2.) Braylon Edwards

It wasn't Edwards' fault, there were tons of problems with the Cleveland offense this year, but after last season's 16 touchdowns, it seemed like Edwards would be a force again this year. His 3 touchdowns were less than impressive.
3.) Larry Johnson

Kansas City is a terrible football team, which was what made Larry Johnson's season so disappointing. He's a great player with serious talent. On a better team, he could be one of the best backs in the league. Maybe someday.
4.) Trent Edwards

In his first year as a starter for the Buffalo Bills, Edwards had high expectations. Through the first four games of the season he was outstanding, but after taking a game-ending hit against Arizona, he was never the same. He ended up with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Honorable Mentions


Torry Holt, TJ Houshmanzadeh

 
Dumbest Off-The-Field Incidents:

1.) Plaxico Burress Shoots Own Leg

In what was clearly the dumbest off-field incident, Plaxico Burress decided to carry around a handgun for no reason, only to have it slide down his pants and fire a bullet into his leg. His idiocy got him booted off the team without pay, including fines, and some serious criminal charges that could include up to 3 1/2 years in prison if convicted.
 
2.) Matt Leinart Photographs School-Girl Debauchery

Here's the thing: we have NO PROBLEM with Matt Leinart partying with hot chicks. In fact, we're envious. But if we were getting paid millions to play football, we would probably do our best to prevent photographs from surfacing. Rumors are one thing, but photographic evidence is another. Some people claim the girls in the pictures are not old enough to drink alcohol. It's not like he just won the Superbowl either.
 
3.) Vince Young Hates Himself

After getting booed by Titans fans and getting injured, Young left his home after mentioning suicide. 
 
4.) Marshawn Beast Modes A Lady

Marshawn Lynch is known for his ability to plough over the competition on the field. In May 2008, he decided to become known for his ability to hit people with his car. After a night of partying in downtown Buffalo, Marshawn hit a woman crossing street with his Porsche SUV. Then he drove away. He ended up having his license revoked.
 
5.) Pacman Jones Hates Not Being Suspended

After missing the entire 2007 season, Pacman "Adam" Jones was reinstated for 2008 to play for the Dallas Cowboys. In October, Jones was suspended again, this time for an alcohol-related brawl at a party in Dallas. After another suspension, he returned in December 2008. So far, he has been suspended for 22 of 32 possible games.

 
Worst Moves:

Cowboys Keep Pacman "Adam" Jones

This guy loves being a professional football player without actually playing the game, and the Cowboys kept him. What? Despite missing all of 2007, they added to their roster for 2008, and he was AGAIN suspended. Also, the Cowboys didn't make the playoffs.

 
Worst Coaches:

1.) Dick Jauron

Dick Jauron has never taken the Bills to a season better than 7-9. Even this year, when the Bills started the season 5-1, he was unable to make the postseason much less win more than 7 games. That's pretty bad.
2.) Wade Phillips

The Cowboys were just too good to lost as many games as they did this season. There's little reason as to why they would miss the playoffs this year.
3.) Rod Marinelli

When your team goes 0-16, you're a terrible coach. Marinelli was fired on December 29th after being coaching the first ever 0-16 team in NFL history. In his three years with the Lions, he won a total of 10 games, and lost 38.

 
Worst Play Of The Year:
1.) Dan Orlovsky Safeties Self

 

2.) Desean Jackson Hates Touchdowns