FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – In a few ways, the Monday of Super Bowl Week is the calm before the storm. The Saints and Colts have yet to arrive, the media center is relatively quiet and I’m sitting beneath the NFL Network broadcast set that’s still under construction. It’s also raining outside, so that kind of fits, too.

Hooters girls are interviewd by a TV crew on Radio Row. (Ben Liebenberg / NFL.com)

Wow, I almost forgot — welcome to Super Bowl XLIV.

So, with this blog begins coverage of my fourth Super Bowl. When I’m not trailing the Saints this week, I’ll be stationed in the Super Bowl media center, working with photographer Ben Liebenberg and the NFL.com video producers to bring you the sights and sounds of what’s going down.

SIRIUS Radio and a few local radio stations have started broadcasting, but we’re talking about a volume level of about a “2” right now. As far as player/celebrity sightings, I spotted Jets Pro Bowler D’Brickshaw Ferguson, Rich Gannon, Jim Rome and Stephen A. Smith. Several Hooters models are signing calendars (not entirely sure for who), but otherwise things are chill.

The Saints are due to arrive in Miami at 11:45 a.m. ET, and will hold a news conference with coach Sean Payton and six players at 3:45 p.m. The Colts are scheduled to arrive in Fort Lauderdale at 5 p.m. , and coach Jim Caldwell and six players will be speaking at about 6 p.m. We’ll be blogging from both.

– Frank Tadych

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