41 is the atomic number for Niobium.  Although not the most famous metal on Earth, this rare, soft, gray, ductile transition metal is used in pipeline construction, nuclear industries, jet engine components, jewelry, and pacemakers and as an additive to glass.  Sierra Leone made a coin honoring Pope John Paul II which included niobium.

  Despite Sierra Leone’s involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, having the worst childbirth rate in the world and being savagely amputated by a diamond encrusted genocide; this West African nation’s name means Lioness Mountain and has coat of arms that’s simply breathtaking.    
In music; 41 is represented by Johann Sebastian Bach as his signature, Wolfgang Mozart as his last symphony, Dave Matthews Band as a clever pop song which strips former blood sucking manager Ross Hoffman of any dignity he may have left and as Sum41’s namesake because this fun Canadian pop-punk/rock band was formed 41 days into the summer of 1996. 
In the sporting arena; Chicago Bear’s Brian Piccolo and New York Met’s Tom Seaver wore the number.

  Today Dallas Maverick’s Dirk Nowitzki wears it, as does NFL’s Lorenzo Neal and Terrence Newman. 
On the silver screen; Ben Hur’s Charlton Heston was galley slave 41 and Billy Cole wore the jersey number in The Last Boy Scout.  George H.

W. Bush was the 41^st President, Montana is the 41^st State and for the clinically insane; the number 41 is used 5 times in the bible and the word ‘Mortal’ is used 41 times.    
In 41 A.

D. Caligula died and it was the first year disciples of Jesus Christ were referred to as Christians.  In 1941 the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, Mount Rushmore was completed and Cheerios were invented.

1783 - The British decide to cease hostilities in the American Revolutionary War thus providing us with the America we now love and every other country hates.
1789 - George Washington is elected first President of United States of America and obtains the first monopoly on endorsement.  Our nation’s capital, a state, a University, the quarter, the dollar bill and a monument all carry this savior of apple tree’s handsome legacy.

1862 Bacardi is founded in Cuba.  American alcoholics thank the heavens Bacardi moved to the Bahamas, allowing legal purchase of Dewar’s, Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire and Bacardi Razz and Bacardi 151.  
1938 – Snow White is released.

  Did you know the original idea for Fantasia was for Dopey to be the conductor?  However, Walt Disney wanted so badly for his favorite but overall unpopular Mickey Mouse to have a “comeback.”  At the time; Donald Duck had surpassed the soulless rodent in popularity.

        
1991 – Baseball Hall of Fame votes to cock block Pete Rose for life.
1997 – O.J.

Simpson loses the civil lawsuit.  Sometimes batting .500 can save your life.

1999 - Amadou Bailo Diallo, an African immigrant, is shot while unarmed by four plainclothes New York City Policemen, igniting racial tensions in the city.  Ironically, he is shot 41 times or XLI times.   
2007 – Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith become the first two African-American head coaches to reach the Super Bowl.

  Also, one of them becomes the first to win one.
February 4, 2007 - 6:25 PM at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida
If you have seen any coverage of this fiasco; you know the typical conversation swirling around this game.  Will Rex Grossman shoot his team in the proverbial foot?

  Will Peyton Manning finally secure his legacy with a ring?  Will Lovie Smith finally get paid what he’s worth and return to Chicago next year?  Do all dogs really go to heaven?

The true forecast for this hurricane of action is that there are two overly inconsistent teams with a bag full of questions.  Sure, Indianapolis is favored by 6 ½ points, but there is no favorite because we have no idea which team will show up.  If the Colts win they will break an NFL record for most rushing yards given up by a Super Bowl winner in the regular season.

  And they’ll break the record by a William H. Taft margin.  If you are a fan of fun, drama laced storylines; you’re eating this game up like Runts.

  The chewy kind.
Both teams have won a Super Bowl before; so, attraction to virginity is out of the question.  I don’t have a hatred for either team and yet neither is my favorite team.

  They both have blue in their uniforms and although I have been to both cities; I haven’t spent enough time in either to spawn a great love.
I wish this was a closer call, but a young male horse under the age of 4 doesn’t stand too much of a chance against this furry fury of omnivorous amazement. 
Bears have been known to feed upon, on occasion: reindeer, deer, caribou, moose, elk, goats, humans and even picnic baskets.

 
Horses only eat grass, hay, trees, shrubs, bushes and other herbs.  
The Mascot Melee theory says the Bears will win.
The entertainment party kicks off with a Thursday concert on VH1 when Kanye West, Fergy and John Legend ignite beautiful fires in the hungry ears of fans at the Pepsi Smash Concert.

  Cirque du Soleil will perform an interpretative/South Florida pageant prior to kickoff and Billy Joel will sing the national anthem.  “Only the Good Die Young” is one of my top three songs of all time.  Prince is the halftime show and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone when I say to the Artist now informally known as: “If you do not play Raspberry Berate or 1999; I’m not watching the second half of the game.

  And there’s a healthy chunk of America behind me on this one, Mr. Prince Rogers Nelson!”
I know where you used to live while in Minneapolis, I saw your home.

He now lives in Canada folks, so be easy on him.
The Brief Overlay of who will be cheering for whom.
CHI- 2 Presidential Candidates in Barrack Obama and Hilary Clinton with Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft as extracurricular assurance.

IND- John Dillinger.  However, on the night of Rev. Martin Luther King Junior’s assassination; Indianapolis was the only major city without riots.

(That is a Wikipedia fact, by the way)
CHI- Al Capone, Theodore Kaczynski (the Unabomber) and Dillinger lived there for awhile also.
IND- Babyface – his voice is the whisperings of sweet nothings from an angel.
CHI- Chicago, Miles Davis, R.

Kelly, Kanye West and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins
IND- Brendan Fraser, Vivica A. Fox, David Letterman and Sid Grauman.  (Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, where celebrities do the handprints)  Steve McQueen lived in Indianapolis.

CHI- Walt Disney, Bill Murray, Harrison Ford, Hugh Hefner, Vince Vaughn, Jeremy Piven, the Cusacks, the Belushis, Chris Farley, Cedric the Entertainer and Mr. T 
IND- Jeff George and Johnny Weaver (the first pro wrestler to utilize the sleeper hold.)
-According to legend; no video of Super Bowl I or II exists and there’s a $1,000,000 bounty out for it.

-The Vince Lombardi Trophy is worth $25,000 and is made by Tiffany Co.
-Approximately 1 billion people worldwide will have access to the game and 130-140 million will watch.
-I’ve worn a pre Super Bowl Championship ring, complements of Earl Faison (Chargers)
-No, the Arizona Cardinals have never been to a Super Bowl, patience is precious.

No; Extra-Gala isn’t in the dictionary.  But do you know any other grammar sensitive geniuses who have walked this Earth and invented new words?  I do.

  Try William Shakespeare and George Walker Bush on for size?
History attempts to teach us in 35000 B.C.

there were 29 cuts made in a bamboo bone.  This was the first evidence of tally sticks, an ancient mnemonic device which birthed counting.  Originally, there were symbols for numbers used by the Etruscans.

  Later, the Roman alphabet was used.  So, that’s why we now call this utterly useless but visually enticing way of numbering things; Roman numerals.     
 Finally; I wish to extend an American hug to a friend, Sam Cander.

  Sam recently set off on a world record breaking trip across the country in a hot air balloon.