Just a quick Pats/Colts pregame post while trying to figure out what the $*%* Shannon Sharpe is trying to say

Why Lydell Mitchell? Because his half-baked, prematurely balding visage is the perfect segue into my Pats-Colts preview. All right, so maybe not. But I've gotta head to Boston in a few minutes, and I wanted to throw my Super Bowl 41.5 prediction out there before I go:

Ours are gonna whup theirs. I'm thinking 42-27, Patriots. I expect Wes Welker to have a monster game on short crossing routes, assuming the great Bob Sanders is consumed with helping out on Randy Moss coverage. I think the Patriots will have a much easier time staying on the field on offense and getting off the field on defense than they did in the AFC Championship game. I'm not sure Rodney Harrison is capable of staying with Dallas Clark at this point, but if the Pats' linebackers can take away some of the underneath stuff and reign in the remarkably talented Joseph Addai somewhat, I can see it getting frustrating for Peyton Manning pretty quickly. And don't forget two other crucial points: The Patriots' offseason moves were made specifically to combat this opponent, and since the Spygate-taints-their-legacy nonsense, the Patriots are on a mission to annihilate the rest of the league. I respect the Colts, but today it will be mission accomplished yet again.

Three other things that I've been meaning to say:

1. We're two games into this thing, and I still can't believe Kevin Garnett plays for the Celtics. Beyond the obvious highlight-reel stuff you'd expect from a 10-time All-Star and former MVP, it's been a basketball junkie's joy to watch him pass from the post (the Celtics had more easy baskets in the opener than they've had in any game in who knows how long) and snag every rebound that's within his reach (he must be much stronger than he looks, because he is always in position). His unselfishness will be the reason that he, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen will mesh so well.

2. Minnesota's Adrian Peterson is ridiculous, I had an inkling he might be this good, and I'm now spending every Sunday pounding my head against the desk wondering why I didn't choose him in any of my three fantasy football leagues. Dammit. I think Chester Taylor's involvement was a factor, which is of course moronic in hindsight. Cripes, I took the decomposing Shaun Alexander over this kid. I hate fantasy sports.


3. Look out, Ed McMahon. Manny was downright charming on the "Tonight Show," and quite funny too, and in a strange way I'm kind of proud of him. He proved once and for all that the public perception of his personality and the reality are two entirely different concepts. He might be a savant with a baseball bat in his hands - though much of his greatness is due to his uncommon work ethic - but those who precede the word with "idiot" when describing him clearly have no clue what they are talking about. He'd probably do himself some favors by talking more to the media, but like he told his new buddy Jay Leno, he's "true to himself," unlike some guys who change personalities when the camera is off. (I think he may have had No. 38 in mind there.) I didn't think I could like the big goof more than I already did, but then, I didn't know he was capable of being Leno's sidekick, either.

As for today's Completely Random Boston Icon card:

Really digging that ubiquitous Reebok commercial; it hasn't gotten old yet despite airing during every commercial break of every game on every network. Turns out Bobby Orr can make even an ex-"New Kid on the Block" seem cool. (To be fair, Donnie Wahlberg is a pretty decent actor.) And how many takes do you think it took for Knee-Brace Menino to get his line right? The over/under is a dozen, I'd say.