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By Michael Lopez

Believe it or not, the Super Bowl is just one month away. And that means there's going to be a lot of football talk within the next 30 days. With the Playoffs kicking into gear this Saturday, we thought now would be a great time to reflect on the Latinos who may be walking away with the NFL's biggest prize on February 5.

Lots of eyes will be on the New York Giants this weekend as they take on the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams have some prominent Latinos in their ranks, including one of our faves, Victor Cruz. Known for his touchdown "salsa dances," Victor's a charismatic, dedicated receiver and clearly proud of his Puerto Rican roots.

It's important to note that the Falcons have a pretty prominent Hispanic on their front line too. Tony "Gonzo" Gonzalez is a role model for Dominican Americans and has actually broken the record for most receptions from a tight end. Though many gamblers are putting their money on New York, Saturday's battle could be anybody's game.

On Sunday, you can see a few more Latinos going head-to-head for Playoff glory. Manny Ramirez (no, not the disgraced Dodger, thank you very much) has been crushing heads as a Broncos lineman since January. A proud Mexican-American, he's not a guy you'd want to mess with on the field. Measuring 6'4" and weighing 330 lbs, he's prone to do so major damage during Denver's game against the Steelers.

On the flipside, Pittsburgh's Daniel Sepulveda has got a lot less weight, but a killer right foot. An ace Steelers punter for the past four years, Daniel's already earned one Super Bowl ring. And though he's currently on the injured list, we're sure he'll have plenty of Mexican-Americans from his hometown of Austin waving around those terrible towels.

Perhaps the most high-profile Latino to make the Playoffs this year is Houston Texan Jeff Garcia. One of the only Hispanic quarterbacks in the league, Jeff's fought long and hard to make his way to the show. Interestingly, he first joined the team last month after starting QB Matt Schaub got put on the injured list. And if there was ever a time for Garcia to prove himself, this is it!

Jeff's now in his early 40's and spent the last decade throwing passes for the Detroit Lions, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Half Mexican and half Irish, Garcia's always had pride in his Latino roots and contributed quite a bit of cash to Hispanic Scholarship Funds.

Millions will be watching the four big Playoff games this weekend. And we're keeping our fingers crossed that at least one Latino will walk away with a shiny Super Bowl trophy when it's all said and done.

Who are you rooting for in the NFL Playoffs? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Atlanta Falcons, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cincinnati Bengals, Cultura, Daniel Sepulveda, Denver Broncos, Football, Houston Texans, Jeff Garcia, Manny Ramirez, New York Giants, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLVI, Victor Cruz

By Michael Lopez

A while back, NY Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez described his "ideal woman." And if the latest gossip stories are correct, he may have now found her. It seems the eligible NFL bachelor is hooking up with Victoria’s Secret model, Kate Upton.

Known for her curvaceous figure and stunning blue eyes, Kate's modeled for brands like Dooney & Burke and Guess? But it's her lingerie poses for Victoria’s Secret that have gotten her the most attention. And they seem to have caught the attention of Mark too.

Sanchez has been spotted in Upton's apartment building on more than one occasion. But interestingly, the paparazzi have yet to get a shot of the two of them together. As of right now, they both seem to be going to great lengths to hide their romance from the public.

But tabloid detectives have found a definite link between the two. It seems that Kate's sister works for the Jets' client relations. Perhaps she's lending a hand in the player matchmaking department too.

Do you think Mark and Kate make a cute couple? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Football, Kate Upton, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, popnews, Sports, Victoria's Secret

By Michael Lopez

For many Latinos, the New York Giants' Victor Cruz has got to be one of the most entertaining wide receivers in the NFL. Not just because of his incredible skills on the field, but because of his lively touchdown salsa dances!

Clearly proud of his Puerto Rican roots, Victor recently told Fox News Latino about the origins of his signature moves.

"My grandmother, when I was growing up, you know how they would always put that music on during the weekends, she would grab me up and we would start dancing," Cruz explained. "We used to always get down!”

Victor had plenty of reasons to "get down" after this past weekend's game against the Patriots. The Giants brought down their New England rivals with a 24-20 victory thanks, in part, to Cruz' six receptions.

And though he might seem colorful on the field, Victor came off rather humble while speaking to the press. Commenting on his stellar season, Cruz went on to say,

"It's been exciting. It's been a rollercoaster. It feels good to be a factor on this team…I'm excited for the opportunity. I'm glad I've been making the best of it."

You can watch for more of Victor's merengue shuffles when the Giants take on the San Francisco 49ers this coming Sunday.

Who's your favorite Latino football player? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Football, New York Giants, NFL, Sports, Victor Cruz

By Michael Lopez

Remember those rumors about Marc Anthony hooking up with Jada Pinkett on the set of their TV show? Yesterday the former Mr. J. Lo squashed that chisme by making a very public appearance with Jada's hubby, Will Smith.

Anthony and Smith were seen cheering and laughing together in a luxury box at Miami's Sun Life Stadium. Enjoying the dramatic Dolphins vs. Patriots game, they definitely made the most of their "guy's night out."

The excursion soon turned into an all-star affair as Dwayne Wade, Fergie, and Sean Kingston dropped in for a visit. Supposedly the get together was thrown in Marc's honor (he'll be hitting the big 4-3 this Friday).

Jada was absent from the festivities, but it's quite possible that she could pop at one of his weekend birthday bashes. Just don't expect an invite for Bradley Cooper.

What's your favorite "guy's night out" activity? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Football, Marc Anthony, Sports, Will Smith

By Michael Lopez

Why do we get the feeling that a lot of ladies will be picking up the latest issue of GQ magazine? This month's cover boy happens to be hunky Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and he's opened up quite a bit about his love life and his "perfect woman."

No, it's not Hayden Panettiere. Still claiming to be fully single, Sanchez spilled a few pointers on what it takes to win his heart.

"I can't help but want somebody that's, I don't know, athletic," Mark explained. "Somebody who can handle all this, you know, you can help me handle all this - because I'm still learning."

Sanchez also said that his ideal girl has to pass the "Mom Test" and it would help if she enjoyed Broadway shows. Yup, even though Mark can get brutal on the football field, he still appreciates a good musical.

"[Broadway actors] have eight shows a week," he said. "They have to take care of their bodies, stretch, eat right, take care of their voices. You know, their voice is like my arm."

Perhaps the most interesting part of the interview was Sanchez' revelation about his celebrity crush. Apparently he's got his eye on the newly-taken Jennifer Aniston.

Who do you think would make a good girlfriend for Mark? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Football, GQ Magazine, Mark Sanchez, Sports

By Michael Lopez

Don't be surprised if you start seeing more senior citizens at the Oakland Raiders games. This past week, the team announced that they've added a very sexy grandma to their cheerleading lineup!

Now keep in mind, this isn't your typical white-haired abuelita. Susie Sanchez is only 37-years-old, a mother of three and grandmother of one, but is still kicking butt with her trademark rah rah moves. So much so, that she was hired immediately after auditioning for the squad.

"I just started crying," Susie said after learning she had made the cut. "It was like, 'wow.' I was overwhelmed with emotion … just never give up."

Sanchez actually is holding another record too. She is currently the oldest Raiderette, dancing alongside girls who are nearly half her age. But when it comes to the entire NFL, the Bengals' Laura Vigmanis has the honor of being the senior pom pom girl. She's 42-years-old and still going strong!

Could Susie's motivating kicks and pyramids help inspire the guys with their upcoming season? Let's hope so. The Raiders haven't gone to the playoffs in nearly ten years. Maybe with some extra support from the AARP crowd, they'll be on their way.

Who's your favorite NFL cheerleading squad? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cheerleaders, Football, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Raiders, Sports, Susie Sanchez

By Sharmaine Jones

At 11:59 PM, Friday, March 11, 2011 the NFL took a timeout. According to Espn.com, America's most lucrative sport officially announced a lockout of players by team owners which closed down the league's activities and halted trade activities and other dealings between players and team organizations.

In 2008, owners exercised an opt-out clause in the now expired Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and while players repeatedly offered to extend the deal, owners rejected the offers. The CBA expired due to the players and owners inability to decide how to distribute $9 billion in annual income. This marks the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987 and puts the 2011 NFL season at risk.

While fans may fear the worst, NFL players are voicing their opinions but aren't panicking yet.

Record-setting tight-end Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons tweeted:

"Just be patient. It's a shame we ALL have to go through this but I guess It's part of the process. There is no doubt we will have a season."

"We all saw this coming," Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long told miamiherald.com. "I'm not worried about missing games. I don't think that will happen. We're going to get all the guys together [for workouts] because we don't want to be in separate places once we come back, everybody doesn't know whats going on."

Wide-receiver Brian Hartline joked about the lockout via twitter:

"So can we file for unemployment?? lol @ochocinco: #UNEMPLOYEDWINNER" He goes on to say, "No Football and no Two and a Half Men... I thought this was America?? Be 4 long im going to be back to playing cards under candle light lol"

Some players weren't as lighthearted about the news. Cornerback Vontae Davis shared with the twitter-verse that the news of a lockout ruined his night out:

"Lockout really I'm out and I can't even grabb a drink messin me up"

But by far, the most controversial remarks came from Minnesota Vikings runningback Adriene Peterson. When asked of his thoughts about the lockout and the current state of the NFL, foxsports.com reports Peterson said:

“It’s modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money. . . the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money.”

Players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL that would lift lockout sanctions and allow players to return to work until a new deal is worked out. The hearing is set for April 6, 2011.

What do you think of the NFL lockout?

Tags Adriene Peterson, Brian Hartline, Collective Bargaining Agreement, ESPN, Football, Lockout, NFL, Tony Gonzales, Vontae Davis

By Sharmaine Jones

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV on Sunday. But you already knew that.

More people watched MVP Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers to their first title in 14 years than any other televised event. Super Bowl XLV set the record for the most-watched television program in U.S. history with 111 million viewers — 10 million of them Hispanic, also making it the most-watched show among U.S. Hispanic viewers (surpassing the 2010 World Cup final at 8.95 million viewers), according to The Nielsen Company. That doesn't include the 103,000 fans who crammed into Cowboys Stadium to watch the big game or the 1,200 ticket-holders who stood outside the arena because the seating hadn't been finished.

But you want to know about all of those other juicy details, like Christina Aguilera mixing up the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner," The Black Eyed Peas rocking the halftime show with special guest Usher, John Travolta and Ron Howard hanging out in the stands or Cameron Diaz feeding popcorn to Alex Rodriguez.

Most of the action — and controversy — happened during the commercials. Groupon managed to offend multiple countries — including China, home of its single largest investor — with its envelope-pushing Tibet-themed ad featuring Timothy Hutton. But the knockout ad of the night had been racking up views on YouTube long before it aired: In Volkswagen's "The Force," an ambitious little tyke dressed as Darth Vader repeatedly tries to move household objects with his mind to no avail. When Dad gets home in his 2012 Volkswagen Passat, the boy is amazed that his attempt to turn the car on telepathically "succeeds" — with a little help from Dad's remote starter key, of course.

What was your favorite Super Bowl XLV moment? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Aaron Rodgers, alex Rodriguez, Ben Roethlisberger, Black Eyed Peas, Cameron Diaz, Christina Aguilera, Football, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XLV, Usher, Volkswagen The Force

By Sharmaine Jones

Millions of football fans watched — and some even sang along — as Christina Aguilera belted out "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the start of Super Bowl XLV.

She looked great and sounded spectacular, hitting every note — until the fourth line of the first stanza. Instead of singing "O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming," Christina accidentally flubbed the words and sang, "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming."

We've got to give it to her, she stumbled, but she didn't drop the ball. Aguilera found her place and remained poised and professional until the end of the song.

“I got so caught up in the moment of the song that I lost my place,” Aguilera said in a statement. “I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through."

Her pop peers didn't dwell on the drama. Fellow Super Bowl performer Will.i.am posted a picture and tweeted:

“Xtina sing'n wonderful”

The Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger posted on her Twitter:

“Lea M n X tina just killed it “sangin”! Sounded amazing here”

Jordin Sparks really hit the nail on the head, tweeting:

“The test of a true artist is continuing even when things go a little left & not letting ppl know it did during the performance. #ilovextina”

We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

What do you think of Aguilera's performance? Do you know the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner"?

Tags Christina Aguilera, Football, national anthem, Super Bowl XLV, The Star-Spangled Banner, Will.I.am

By Sharmaine Jones

Los Angeles hasn't been home to an NFL team since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, but the city is now one step closer to filling the football void.

According to ESPN, Farmers Insurance Exchange inked a 30-year, $700 million naming deal with AEG (Anshutz Entertainment Group) for a new NFL stadium to be built in downtown Los Angeles. This deal makes Citigroup's $400 million naming contract with the Mets look like chump change.

"This groundbreaking agreement with Farmers not only makes this the largest long-term commitment in naming rights history, it also signals the most significant step forward in creating the football stadium and event center and bringing an NFL team back to Los Angeles," AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke told the local Fox affiliate.

The proposed 64,000-seat retractable roof venue will be named “Farmers Field” and will connect to the Los Angeles Convention Center, which AEG also owns. Taxpayers can breathe a sigh of relief because AEG plans to privately finance the $1 billion project, which will create 20,000 to 30,000 jobs.

Before AEG breaks ground, there are a few hurdles left to overcome. First and foremost, they'll have to withstand a competing proposal by developer Ed Roski of Majestic Realty for a 75,000-seat open-air football stadium that has already had two environmental impact reports approved. Majestic Realty is confident that they're the ones for the job and feels that Leiweke's plan not to use taxpayers' money is a farce.

"AEG is expecting taxpayers to dole out well over a billion dollars for a proposal that will compromise the City's general fund, the L.A. Convention Center, the new stadium and the financial success of any potential NFL team," John Semcken, vice president of Majestic Reality, told ESPN.

Leiweke has the support of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and remains confident that everything will go in his favor.

"By the time we hit the Super Bowl, we're going to have an announcement that proves to everyone once and for all that this project is going to happen," Leiweke said. "It's going to be private and it's going to be brilliant and it's going to happen."

What would you name Los Angeles' NFL team? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags AEG, Antonio Villaraigosa, Ed Roski, Farmers Insurance, Football, Los Angeles Stadium, Majestic Realty, NFL, Tim Leiweke