By Josh Katzowitz

INDIANAPOLIS -- The relationship between Colts owner Jim Irsay and quarterback Peyton Manning seemingly has broken down in the past two weeks after Irsay fired Jim Caldwell. Not knowing whether Manning’s fused neck will heal enough to allow him to play again and not knowing whether the Colts will want to bring him back, the two have had an ugly spat that’s played out in the media.

In fact, the two felt compelled to release a dual statement in which they proclaimed, “We would like to dispel any misperception that there might be any hard feelings between us. … We have always been able to talk and address matters we’ve faced over the years, not just as owner and player, but as friends.”

But as CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco wrote, Irsay shouldn’t forget that the play of Manning in elevating the franchise allowed this city to earn a Super Bowl bid.

Irsay hasn’t.

“To look at Peyton as an owner, it’s what you dream about having a player like that,” Irsay said Monday. “You’re so blessed to have someone come in and to be such a part of the community and to be part of the golden era. Eventually, there will be the statue and all those things. We’ve been through a lot of battles together, but we’re very close. Some of the things that get out there, there’s probably a misconception because we’re family. We’ve given each other flak. He’s competitive and so am I. But I love him.”

[CBSSports.com's Full Super Bowl Coverage]

After the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee presser was over Monday afternoon, a horde of media trailed Irsay for more sound, but he didn’t want to comment on Manning’s future with the organization, preferring instead to focus on the actual game this week.

“What he’s meant to the franchise and what we’ve done, he played a huge role in that,” Irsay said. “That’s obvious.”

Indiana governor Mitch Daniels also recognized the importance of Manning and Irsay.

“Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay are two of the most important figures in the world of professional football,” Daniels said. “What everyone needs to know is they are equally great citizens. They have been role models for other citizen and leaders. Our job has been made a whole lot easier by the exemplary leadership each of them has provided. We couldn’t be luckier.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.

This message has been removed by the administrator.

By Josh Katzowitz

INDIANAPOLIS -- The members of the Super Bowl committee lately have been content to award hosting duties in cities in the northern part of the U.S. For instance, Indianapolis here and New Jersey in 2014. But what about an international Super Bowl?

Apparently, that’s been something the committee has discussed.

“There’s a little bit of change in philosophy,” Irsay said Monday. “We have the 50-year anniversary coming up, which we’re looking at. There are some members of our committee who have been thinking about having an international Super Bowl in London. That obviously has some real pluses and minuses if you weren’t going to have it on America soil. Right now, we’re in a wait-and-see approach.”

Los Angeles also has drawn some interest from the Super Bowl committee, assuming the Farmer Field project is completed at some point. But London? It seems … well … not very fan-friendly and, probably more importantly, not very corporate-friendly.

It is good news that the committee is willing to get out of the San Diego-Miami-New Orleans rotation every once in a while. Though Dallas, in many ways, had problems, Indianapolis has been a dream so far. Of course, Super Bowl XLVI will be played in a dome, and if the weather drops to 30 degrees and snow begins to fall here, it won’t matter.

The same can’t be said for the New Meadowlands Super Bowl in two years.

“We’re always looking at new stadiums, in warm weather or in a dome,” Irsay said. “We’re obviously going to have a trial weather balloon on that in New York. It could be interesting.”

London could be interesting as well. But that doesn’t mean it’s a great idea.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.

By Josh Katzowitz

INDIANAPOLIS -- Here’s how much the local fans are embracing their city’s first Super Bowl. They’ve sold out the 7,000 tickets made available to watch Media Day. Not only that, but they’re being made available on the secondary ticket market for more than 14 times their face value.

This is not unlike last year’s Super Bowl in Dallas when fans could buy tickets to stand outside the stadium and watch the game on video boards for a face value ticket of $200. At least with the Media Day event, fans will be inside Lucas Oil Field and can watch live events occurring on the field.

But in order to do so, you’re going to have to pay up.

[CBSSports.com's Full Super Bowl Coverage]

Originally, tickets to media cost $25, but those passes, via Ticketmaster, are sold out. On StubHub, one person is selling two tickets for $350 (!) a piece. You can also get a ticket for the less insane* prices of $150 and $79 a piece.

*Let’s be honest, though. Buying a scalped ticket for Media Day seems rather insane anyway.

And though I’m being snarky in this post, I actually think it’s pretty cool these tickets are made available. For the fans who can’t get into the actual game, participating in some part of Super Bowl week activity will be a fun experience. To see live players less than 30 yards away will be exciting.

And for a city to show overboard enthusiasm, like we’re seeing so far, that only can help in getting the NFL to bestow another Super Bowl on this city in the near future.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.

By Will Brinson

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bill Belichick, by virtue of the rivalry between the Colts and Patriots, isn't a really popular guy here in Indy. But he said at his introductory press conference on Sunday night that he's gotten much more "Hoosier hospitality" ever since his decision to go for a now-infamous 4th and two call against the Colts in 2009.

"I've never had much hospitality here until I went for it on fourth and two," Belichick joked on Sunday.

The play he's referring to has been dubbed "The Call" -- on fourth and two from his own 28 against the Colts with just over two minutes remaining, Belichick went for the first down, but Melvin Bullitt stuffed Kevin Faulk after the running back caught a short pass from Tom Brady.

That gamble was analyzed a million times and it's absolutely considered one of the worst moments of Belichick's distinguished coaching career.

His joke on Sunday was indicative of the mood of Belichick's presser, as well as the rest of the Patriots. They seemed light-hearted and energetic.

[CBSSports.com's Full Super Bowl Coverage] 

Tom Brady was asked if his telling Pats fans he hoped next week brought a bigger party than the one they saw in New England prior to departing for Indianapolis was indicative of his confidence for this game, and the quarterback was just as glib as his coach.

"It was a pep rally," Brady deadpanned.

Expect the Pats demeanor to frost up a bit as the week goes on. It's been clear throughout the postseason just how much bringing home the Lombardi Trophy means to them.

For now, though, they're clearly quite happy to be in Indianapolis with a shot at redemption for 2007. And maybe 2009 as well.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.

By Josh Katzowitz

INDIANAPOLIS -- Showing their dedication to their beloved Patriots -- or just proving that there’s not much going on in Foxboro on non-football Sunday mornings -- New England fans waved goodbye to their team during a pep rally just before the Patriots took buses to the airport that led them here Sunday evening.

The team website points out that an estimated crowd of 25,000 descended upon Gillette Stadium for the pep rally.

[CBSSports.com's Full Super Bowl Coverage]

One of the highlights of the day was Wes Welker’s appearance in front of the mic. “Y’all ready for some football?” shouted Welker, who couldn’t finish a sentence without the crowd cheering madly for him. “Are you going to yell at everything I say?” he said before yielding the stage to his teammates.

Some players dressed garishly stylishly, as Deion Branch sported a white sports coat and linebacker Brandon Spikes somehow successfully showed off his pink suit.

“We’re going on a business trip,” linebacker Jerod Mayo told the crowd. “Hopefully we can bring back a championship.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.

We know at least three of the songs Madonna will play at the Super Bowl. (Getty Images)

By Will Brinson

INDIANAPOLIS -- If you're like us, you've been wondering exactly what songs Madonna would play at halftime of the Super Bowl. Sure, there's been some chatter about the various numbers she'll drop, but nothing official.

However, for our Sunday afternoon flight to Indy, we picked up a copy of the new NFL Magazine and three songs are confirmed by the league in a blurb about the Material Girl: "Gimme All Your Luvvin," "Ray of Light," and "En Vogue."

"Though Madonna's set list was not officially announced at press time, fans might expect her to give all her luvvin', provide a ray of light and be in vogue with her music," the magazine reads. "The Super Bowl is almost a national holiday, after all."

[CBSSports.com's Full Super Bowl Coverage]

Though we wholeheartedly agree about the holiday aspect of things, we're kind of unsure exactly what that has to do with Madonna playing a new single.

Whatever, we appreciate the NFL dropping some nuggets in the magazine, which was a pretty enjoyable read. Also, for those that hadn't noticed yet, Madonna's going to have the people from Circque du Soleil with her. That alone's worth the price of admission.

Oh yeah, and if you can still get odds on what song Madonna's playing first, you might want to hustle up on that.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.

By Josh Katzowitz

Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora is not such a big fan of Patriots left tackle Matt Light.

"I don't know what it is that he does, but it's something that he's doing that really gets under my skin," Umenyiora said, via CSNNE.com. "Because I'm not that type of guy, you know what I mean? He's probably the only person I've ever fought on a football field."

Three times, in fact, the two have squared off on the football field, including the Super Bowl four years ago, and Giants defensive end Justin Tuck likes to needle Umenyiora by saying Light is undefeated against him.

When Patriots guard Brian Waters heard Umenyiora’s analysis about Light, he let out a chuckle. Is Matt Light -- and his teammates -- playing mindgames with the Giants?

“There is a little bit of that but for the most part, it’s a physical game,” Waters said, via the AP. “The mental part is making sure you know who you’re blocking from play to play. For them, they have their own assignments that they have to be accountable to. That’s probably the strongest mental part. All the other itty-bitty games that are played during the course of a game, there’s definitely going to be some of that gamesmanship at some point.”

As for Umenyiora’s plans in the Super Bowl?

"I think [Light is] more important to his team than I am to mine right now," he said, "so if we can both fight, we both get kicked out and [Jean-Pierre Paul] and Tuck will have a field day."

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.