By MICKEY SPAGNOLA

* Boy oh boy, sure did not like the tenor of NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith during his state of the “union” address from out here at Super Bowl XLIV on Thursday. He sounds like some sort of evangelist, getting somewhat emotional and sprinkling in such phrases as “I can dig it” when addressing the media with several former players and a few current players on stage with him. Most troubling, though, when asked from one to 10, what are the chances for a work stoppage following the 2010 season, with 10 being the highest possibility. Smith said, “a 14,” saying the NFL owners have left plenty of footprints suggesting a lockout. Also when asked if the new CBA is not completed within 30 days, before the new league year begins March 5, meaning 2010 would be an uncapped year, would the union ever agree to a capped year again, Smith said, “I think it’s virtually impossible to go back to a capped system if we go into an uncapped year.” Now NFL commissioner Roger Goodell coolly answered similar questions on Friday during his annual state of the NFL union address, which was mostly answering questions from members of the media. And when told Smith claimed the work stoppage rated a 14, Goodell said, “I couldn’t make that prediction and I sure hope he’s wrong and I sure hope it doesn’t become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Right now, we don’t need a lot of focus on that. We need to take advantage of the opportunity we have right now to structure an agreement and sit down and negotiate. That’s how this is going to get done and we will have an agreement. It’s just a matter of when but talking about options like work stoppages is not going to get us there.” No threats.

* One way Goodell cleverly tried to stay away from negotiating in these press conferences, as Smith did on Thursday, was continuing to talk about finding a solution that best serves the players, the league and the fans. Said Goodell, “We have to sit at the table and we have to get an agreement that works for everybody. And that’s what people expect. They expect solutions, and I think it’s our responsibility to sit down at that table and work out the issues. I think there’s been a lot of dialogue, but we need productivity. We need to get those solutions on the table and start getting to an agreement, because that’s what our fans want. They want solutions, and that’s what we should deliver.” Sounds as if we’ll all be holding our breath, and seems hard to believe that over the next 30 days an agreement will be reached in time to avoid an uncapped season.

* If there is justice in this world, the former Cowboys defensive end Charles Haley will receive enough votes to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with former teammate Emmitt Smith, who just has to be a slam dunk. After all, if we are supposed to preserve the history of the NFL in these Halls of Fame, then someone needs to know in 20 years that Charles Haley is the only layer in NFL history to own five Super Bowl rings. There is no way another player will win that many in this day and age, mark my words. Making a strong pitch for Haley’s selection is Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who won three of those Super Bowls with Haley. Said Aikman, “I’m really hopeful that, come Saturday evening, we’re talking about Charles Haley being the next Cowboy to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I think it’s well-earned and he certainly deserves it, having been a part of five Super Bowl teams. And not only to be a part of it, but being a major reason as to why those teams won.” That’s what I’m talking about.

* My thinking all along has been while we know so much about the Indianapolis Colts offense, it’s been their defense that has been so impressive during the playoffs. But it’s been pointed out to me that when the Colts have played high-powered offenses, that defense hasn’t been so stingy. Remember, the Colts gave up 34 points to New England, which finished the third-ranked offense, in that narrow 35-34 victory. They also gave up 27 points to Houston’s fourth-ranked offense in a 35-27 victory. Now the Colts must face the NFL’s top ranked offense, the New Orleans Saints, one averaging 403.8 yards a game and 30.9 points a game. Hmmmm.

* And the score…you know what, ever since the championship games, I’ve been thinking Colts, Colts, Colts, and now maybe I’m bored with myself and over-thinking this entire Super Bowl XLIV. But somehow I just can’t bring myself to pick the Colts, to end the fairytale which is the New Orleans Saints, so I’ve talked myself into Saints 33, Colts 30. Some things in sports are just preordained, aren’t they?

(Mickey Spagnola will be writing his thoughts on the Cowboys at least three days a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – for KTBB.com throughout the season.)

By MICKEY SPAGNOLA

* So for all of those people who thought Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre should have tried to run with the ball late in the Vikings’ eventual 31-28 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints for the right to play the Indianapolis Colts down here in South Florida at Super Bowl XLIV, this is for you. Please go to www.clarionledger.com and click on the blogs for columnist Rick Cleveland. It’s the one titled “Run, Brett, Run … yeah right.” There is a picture of just how swollen Favre’s ankle really was and just how discolored his hamstring was by game’s end. After seeing these pictures, you just might change your tune.

* Got another one for you. If you just happen to be a fan of the Saints or are just one of those red-blooded Americans who can’t help from pulling for those erstwhile loveable losers, check out this song re-written for the Saints’ Super Bowl run. And it’s not just sung by anyone, but by Aaron Neville and wonderful local New Orleans singer Theresa Andersson. It’s called Glory Bound, a remake of the 1983 song Who Dat. Check it out.

* Here is what Super Bowls have come to: Read last week that some of the schools in New Orleans already have decided to cancel classes on Monday following the Saints’ first Super Bowl appearance this Sunday. They made that decision based on doubled absenteeism following the Saints NFC Championship victory over Minnesota. Extreme? Well, maybe not. Just read school districts in Indianapolis will delay the start of classes on Monday two hours, the decision based on the number of bus drivers who either did not report to work on time or missed work following the Colts’ victory in the AFC Championship game.

* Thought I knew just about everything there was to know about Emmitt Smith, certainly a sure bet to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday by the selection committee. Well, he told us a new one Wednesday at the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee’s plaza inside the Media Center in Fort Lauderdale. He said just before announcing his retirement in Jacksonville, Fla., at Super Bowl XXXIX, he was out playing golf at Sawgrass and he gets an offer from the Buffalo Bills to continue playing after finishing those two years with Arizona. Was he tempted? “I was done,” Emmitt said. “That’s a wrap.” He says there will be a certain symmetry to his football career assuming he’s voted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday. Began playing football in Florida, went to college in Florida, announced his retirement in Florida and then is selected into the Hall of Fame in Florida. “The final chapter of my book,” Smith said in reference to his football career. “This is it, the credits are about to roll.”

(Mickey Spagnola will be writing his thoughts on the Cowboys at least three days a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – for KTBB.com throughout the season.)

By MICKEY SPAGNOLA

* What’s the deal with the rain down here in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.? That’s all it did since landing early Monday afternoon. In fact, has rained so much, there are puddles of water seemingly everywhere. In fact, the NFL already has made a business decision, moving Tuesday’s Media Day festivities which usually take place on one sideline of the game-day stadium’s field to one of the concourse levels at Sun Life Stadium. This is my 23rd Super Bowl and I don’t ever remember a Media Day either being moved or rained out. But because of all the rain here on Monday, and some expected on Tuesday, plus with the need to replace grass at Sun Life Stadium after being torn up during Sunday’s Pro Bowl game, there was a great need to move this year’s interviews. Hmmm, ought to play this thing where there is a roof on the stadium, huh.

* This angle to Super Bowl XLIV just won’t go away, so get used to it: Colts quarterback Peyton Manning playing his hometown New Orleans Saints, and what this might mean to him. Well, Manning had this to say on Monday at the Colts’ initial media session: “What Drew (Brees), and the entire Saints team have meant to that community, has been extremely impressive. Being a fellow New Orleanian, I certainly appreciate it. Eli appreciates that. Eli and I both give back, charity-wise to New Orleans. The players that live there, guys that aren’t from there, Drew is from Texas, other players from all over the United States, that they now play for the Saints have adopted that city as their hometown. Those guys do a lot of things for that city, a lot of community activities. Sean Payton is great that way. You certainly appreciated that, people kind of adopting a city as their hometown, putting their monies and efforts behind it.”

*Here is a good one: Evidently the Saints players who were already here to attend and be introduced at the Pro Bowl, dressed up as bellhops at the team hotel when the remainder of the team arrived on Monday. “For about a half-hour today, those Pro Bowl players earned some pretty good tips with our players getting off the bus and handling the luggage,” head coach Sean Payton said. “They did a good job.” Payton, a student of the game, remembered San Francisco’s Bill Walsh one did that once, the Saints stealing the idea.

* As for having to practice indoors because of all the rain, moving from the University of Miami practice fields to the Miami Dolphins indoor practice facility, Brees said, “Hey, we weathered the storm.” The Saints do know something about that.

(Mickey Spagnola will be writing his thoughts on the Cowboys at least three days a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – for KTBB.com throughout the season.)