Day 295: Why I'll Be Rooting for Denver on Super Bowl Sunday.

There's nothing worse as a football fan than to have your favorite team denied a trip to the Super Bowl in the final hour. I would almost prefer they just lose in the first round—if my hopes are going to be dashed, make it quick, like ripping off a band-aid. Quick and relatively painless. But losing in the AFC Championship game is a slower pain for me...

Growing up, it was always my first instinct to root against the team that just beat my guys. But my dad always told me that I should actually cheer for that team because if they're good enough to beat my favorite team, then obviously they should be good enough to win it all. So I'm putting on my big girl pants and putting my pom poms behind Peyton and the Broncos.

Seattle Seahawks defensive back, Richard Sherman, had a little bit to do with that decision too. For a really smart guy, Sherman can be ridiculously stupid. I didn't realize he finished second in his high school graduating class and also graduated from Stanford with a degree in Communications. Something tells me that maybe he should be a little smarter about what he says and does on the football field.

Sherman is one of the best DB's in the NFL... and don't think he won't tell you that every chance he gets... modest is not a word used to describe this guy. Everyone knows you're good, Richard. There's no need to scream it on national television—you're actions in the closing minute of the NFC Championship were enough to prove that point. So why do you insist on doing things that make you the other kind of DB?

Sure, he was fired up after making the game saving play in the end zone. So why the horrible lack of sportsmanship? Was it really necessary to pat San Francisco's wide receiver, Michael Crabtree's butt after breaking up what could've been the game winning touchdown pass to him? Because I'm sure he doesn't feel awful enough without you swatting his ass or calling him out as a mediocre receiver in your post-game interview.

But what really bothered me was the choke sign he gave to the San Francisco team. Last time I checked, SF has five Lombardi trophies—more Super Bowl wins that Seattle has trips to the big game. Even if that wasn't the case, I really can't think of any gesture quite as classless as the choke sign... except maybe that Seattle fan that threw food at the injured 49er being carted off the field.

I have several Seattle friends and originally thought I would root for them. Russell Wilson seems like a nice young man. But this could possibly be Peyton's last chance and well, Richard Sherman says I should root for the Broncos.