Soggy start to Super Bowl week

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. | Two dome teams splashed down into one wet mess on Monday morning.

Accustomed to playing indoors in controlled climates, both Super Bowl XLIV participants, the Colts and the New Orleans Saints, had to put up with driving rain upon their official arrivals. For Indianapolis players, the downpour was reminiscent of Super Bowl XLI in Miami when the Colts beat the Bears 29-17 in the first Super Bowl involving rain.

"I don't know what that is -- the Colts bringing rain down to Miami," star quarterback Peyton Manning said during the Colts' brief interview session at the team hotel.

Manning didn't fly in with the team, even though the original plan was to send qualifying players to Sunday's Pro Bowl in Miami and have them back on a plane to Indianapolis so they could arrive as an entire team Monday.

Manning and five other Colts -- minus injured Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney who came to Florida last week to work on his battered right ankle -- instead stayed in town due to the weather and had some fun. They also enjoyed catering from Ruth's Chris Steak House on the flight from Indianapolis.

"We took a private escort down to Miami, shook a few hands and did one interview, and we made $45,000," Manning said. "I could think of worse things."

The Saints Pro Bowl players stayed in town to wait for teammates, too. The first-time qualifiers for the Super Bowl made light of the opportunity though, dressing as bellhops for the rest of the team's arrival. No bags changed hands though.

"It didn't go that far," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. "It was really just the appearance of us kind of standing on the curb, waiting, ready to serve."

The main effect of the rain, which is expected to clear up by game day, will be the coverage of the annual Media Day festivities today. Instead of players basking simultaneously in the glow of the sun and all the attention bestowed upon them by microphone-toting journalists, the event will be on the club level of Sun Life Stadium, indoors.

The Saints worked out at the University of Miami, which is in Coral Gables, about 35 miles south of the Colts' hotel and the NFL headquarters for the week.

They then had to move to Davie, Fla., to the Miami Dolphins' indoor practice facility for their Monday media session.

The Colts didn't work out on Monday, landing in the late afternoon amid a substantial deluge.

"It did remind me of our last experience here," said offensive tackle Ryan Diem, whose agent, Cliff Brady, is based in Schererville. "What are the odds that it rains again? I sure hope it doesn't.

"I'm guessing the weather will clear up by the weekend. If it doesn't? Whatever, we've all played in the rain before, it's nothing new to us."

PRO FOOTBALL

Super Bowl XLIV

Colts (16-2) vs. Saints (15-3)

Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami.

When: 5:25 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7.

TV/Radio: CBS (Ch. 2); WSCR-AM (670), WEFM-FM (95.9).

Going to the big game?

If you plan to attend Super Bowl XLIV, we want to know about it. If you'll be watching the Colts live in Miami on Sunday, send an e-mail to Sports Editor Justin Breen at justin.breen@nwi.com or call him at (219) 933-3337.