Super Bowl / Nick Shiambouros / 26 January 2009 / Leave a comment

The sun is shining, the celebs are arriving, the steaks are to die for and an invite to Hefner's house might yet be forthcoming... Nick Shiambouros soaks up the big match atmosphere in the first of his Super Bowl blogs from Tampa.

You couldn't wish for better weather here in Tampa as the fans start to arrive for this year's Super Bowl.

Tampa last hosted the Superbowl in 2001 and it's great to see the city rewarded for the remarkable job they did then. Outside the airport a fleet of limousines await the rich and famous who assemble once a year for this fantastic event while at the beautiful Raymond James stadium, an army of media trucks from all over the world are already in place.

There is so much to do here in one week that you need serious stamina to last the journey. The best place to start is the Marriot Waterside which is home to the NFL for the week. This hotel is the nerve centre of the Superbowl.

The city boasts a wonderful selection of restaurants but for me a trip to Bern's Steak House is an absolute must. With the largest selection of wine in the world, this place is truly a one off. The steaks are to die for.

If you are looking for something more casual then Hooters is the place to go. The chain started here in the bay area and is a great place for a bite. Not to mention the beautiful servers.

The list of Superbowl parties is endless but the jewel is the Playboy party. This ticket is one of the hottest in town but trust me - I'm working on it.

Of course, the real reason for being here is Sunday's game between two contrasting teams. The Arizona Cardinals are in the Superbowl for the first time with their explosive offense and the Pittsburgh Steelers with that mighty defense make for a fascinating encounter.

The Cardinals, lead by Superbowl winner Kurt Warner , are really a product of the 2004 draft which included receiver Larry Fitzgerald. In addition to him linebacker Karlos Dansby from Auburn and defensive tackle Darnell Docket from Florida State were huge signings.

Kurt Warner has been hailed as the team's prophet and his leadership and experience is a pretty big reason why the Cardinals have made it to the final game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers made it to the Superbowl by beating a weary Baltimore team and are lead by quarterback Ben Roethlisburger. Coach Mike Tomlin has done exceptionally well to take this team to Tampa and this 34-year-old has more than filled previous coach Bill Cowher's shoes. Pitsburgh have won the Superbowl a record five times in their long history.

Cardinal's head coach Ken Whisenhunt was the offensive coordinator for Pittsburgh when they won the Superbowl three years ago. Whisenhunt left to join Arizona after he was passed over for the job as Pittsburgh head coach and needs no more motivation to win.

Pittsburgh are currently trading at [1.42] on the exchange but the price is not set in stone and things can change dramatically throughout the week. I will have plenty to report from Tampa as the clock ticks towards game time.