by GABRIEL MORENCY

Houston, TX - Welcome to Texas, where everything is bigger. Poverty, murder, homelessness, they're all big here in Texas. It leads one to wonder how leaving a state in total disarray can get you the presidency of the United States of America but that's a whole other story.

What one can't question is this state's love for football. High school football, college football and, of course, professional football. All of which makes Houston the NFL's choice for the Super Bowl for the first time in 30 years. You already know the New England Patriots are 6.5 point favourites. You probably also know that the Carolina Panthers are playing in their first championship game, just two years removed from a 1-15 record. What you may not know is that the game will be watched in 220 countries and territories around the world, including football hotbeds like Yemen, Oman and Micronesia. Not quite World-Cup-type numbers, but it still dwarfs the World Series, NBA finals and, obviously, the Stanley Cup.

Canadians as well hop on the bandwagon for the big game, last year Global TV had a peak audience of 9.8-million viewers (1.7-million on RDS). All of which proves that no one can resist hot cheerleaders and a well-executed safety blitz. Since no doubt most of you are either hosting or going to some sort of Super Bowl blow-out (no pun intended), we thought we would share some party ideas for a bash that will keep your guests talking all year long.

1. Buy a giant-screen TV on one of those buy-now-pay-later deals and return it the day after the game.

2. Spice up the half-time show by calling escorts (see back of paper) dressed as cheerleaders of the participating teams.

3. Instead of betting money, make loser get tattoo of losing team's logo on arm.

4. For every first down your team makes, pound back a shot of your favourite beverage (sounds excessive, but hey, it's the Super Bowl).

5. Spice up post-game show by calling more escorts to help you celebrate!

Pigskin pick

Although one team likes to run (Panthers) and the other prefers to move it through the air (Patriots), these clubs are eerily similar in their make-up. Ball control, field position, solid special teams play and defence with a capital D. Things that coaches always preach but rarely practice. Not that the Pats and Cats offences can't put some points on the board, but it is hard to envision the winning team scoring more than 17 or 20 points.

Carolina will look to play the ball-control offence that brought them to the dance and should not have a problem moving the ball and controlling the clock. With Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster providing the Panthers with what has turned out to be a lethal combination of power and speed, the Pats will have to put eight in the box and will be forced into playing WRs Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad with single coverage.

All season long the Pats' defence has bent but rarely broke and, as Indy found out, it's a lot easier to move the ball between the 20s than it is to actually put it in the end zone against one of the most confusing packages that any offence will see. But the Pats will have problems of their own if they can't get anything going on the ground, since the Panthers' vicious front-four should be able to move the line backwards, forcing Tom Brady into throwing into parts of the field that he is not as comfortable throwing to.

The Cats will have to be wary of what happens after Brady's quick dump-offs, as the Patriot speedy WRs can, and have, turned what looks like a six-yard slant into a 37-yard gain.

This game will be a good old-fashioned street fight and we like the thugs from down south to get it done once again. Final score Panthers 19-17.

Sports Rage with Gabriel Morency is vented weeknights 11 p.m.-2 a.m. on TEAM 990 AM. This column appears bi-weekly. Comments: sportsrage@team990.com