Even Lakeland businesses are counting down to Tampa’s Super Bowl.

Polk Businesses Should Get Lots Of Spillover When Fans Flood Tampa

“The great thing for a family, if they stay in Lakeland, they’re halfway to events in the Super Bowl and also close to Disney,” [executive director of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee Reid] Sigmon said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if there are groups already reserving. There are people that, as soon as the game is awarded, start searching for hotel rooms.”

While I don’t believe the economic impact is in the “hundreds of millions,” there is no question that hosting a Super Bowl gives some local businesses extra spending money. Again from The Ledger:

“There’s no question about it: Anytime you can attract tourists who can spend a lot of money, that’s what you want,” [executive director of Polk County Sports Marketing Mark] Jackson said.

Businesses most likely to benefit will be those located along the I-4 corridor, which allows visitors to get to the game on Super Bowl Sunday within an hour, even if they’re staying near the Disney area, he said.

Polk might have one advantage with fans who find a room close to Disney and the other Orlando attractions, Jackson said. Many, particularly those who come with families, tend to stay a little longer.

“These people turn it into a minivacation. They don’t come down for a couple of days. They come down for a week.”

St. Pete Times Opinion: How not to muff the Super Bowl says the effort should be a regional one, and officials should reach out to the Gulf Beaches and Orlando (and presumably, Largo, Lutz, Thonotosassa, Lakeland, and Haines City). Of course they also expect Tampa to do most of the work, and implore the city to make sure residents are not disaffected in any way:

People who live and work here should not be unduly inconvenienced going about their normal lives - getting to work, their homes and the usual places.

Ha! With well over 100,000 folks coming from out of the region, the Times hopes that we locals will just be able to go about our business. Fat Chance.

Steve Otto guesses that Super Bowl XLIII is going to run about nine months long. Using local media as the judge, I’d say it has already begun.

Both dailies had stories on Tampa’s Super Bowl XLIII on the day of Super Bowl XLII. The St. Pete Times wants to know what kind of hoopla is in store for 2009, and tells us the Riverwalk won’t be ready in time. The Tampa Tribune said that Tampa has a lot riding on the game, and a useless multi-page report (Super Bowl: One Year Out) asks questions they can’t answer:

• Q. What are the possible effects on the city? A. Not much - most things won’t be ready.
• Q. What is it like? A. Unless you are rich, you will never know.
• Q. How much will tickets cost? A. Don’t Know
• Q. Where will the parties be? A. Not Sure
• Q. Who will be the halftime entertainment? A. No Idea.

Other media outlets began with the nonsense this week, too.

• NBC began promoting their coverage of the event 362 days before - a record.
• Bay News Nine says Tampa has Super Bowl on the brain.
• Tampa Bay Business Journal: Countdown begins for Tampa’s Super Bowl
• My Fox Tampa Bay: Tampa’s next!
• Bradenton Herald: focus moves to Tampa

Detractors are already lining up too. Michael Hussey has already called it a swindle (beware popups), based on a report proving no economic impact found by Mike Deeson at Tampa Bay’s 10.

So Steve Otto is off by a couple of months. Super Bowl XLIII will be with us for a full year. Or as Wayne Garcia sees it, Tampa is already batsh*t for the Super Bowl. Xtra Large Aye, Aye, Aye, indeed!!

And who are we to buck the tide? We may as well be batsh*t for it too. We altered a familiar banner graphic, and stuck it on the header of our own Super Bowl XLIII page - Sticks of Fire’s Bowl of Super. I have no idea what we’ll do with it, but for the next 11 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, and 8 hours, anything we learn about Tampa’s Super Bowls will be found there.

Village Voice Media owns Houston’s biggest alternative weekly, the Houston Press. It seems as if HP sportsblogger Jason Friedman makes his super bowl predictions over a year in advance, just prior to the game prior. Got that?

Anyway, before Super Bowl 42 in Arizona, Friedman said the Indianapolis Colts will beat the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl 43 in Tampa:

Your fearless Super Bowl XLIII final: Colts 31 – Rams 20

That’s right, Peyton will nab another ring; keeping the Brady-Manning debate at least somewhat interesting. And with his second Super Bowl title in hand, Tony Dungy can finally ride off into the sunset in peace.

He mentions Tom Brady because in the article written last Friday, he figured the Patriots winning Super Bowl 42 was a foregone conclusion. You see, he picked the Patriots back in January of 2007, so not only was he wrong this past Friday, but he was also wrong about it a year ago.

Not to be outdone, Tampa Trib sports guy Ira Kaufmann made his predictions last Friday too - Seattle Seahawks over the Jacksonville Jaguars:

With lame-duck coach Mike Holmgren on his final victory lap, Seattle ends Philadelphia’s postseason run to guarantee a Super Bowl spot. The Jaguars shut down LaDainian Tomlinson in the AFC title game and hop a short flight to Tampa while the Seahawks cross three time zones.

On the evening of Feb. 1, 2009, Holmgren goes out a winner as Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is named Super Bowl MVP. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hands the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Holmgren and Seahawks owner Paul Allen, who both agree the trophy still smells fishy.

We’ll make our first prediction too. Both Friedman and Kauffman will get it wrong. Check back in 51 weeks.

This weekend I have BIG plans. On Friday, Cowhead presents the Rockers, Racks, and Rejects show. My friend of 20+ years and I are going to see this concert where the Greg Billings Band (formerly Stranger) opens for Bret Michaels at Ruth Eckerd Hall Friday night. This is very exciting for me for two reasons. (1) We are huge fans of Poison and go to their concert every year, but this is the first time we get to see Bret’s solo act. (2) We grew up listening to local band Stranger (and JGLB, Stormbringer and many more) and I’m excited to see them locally on a big stage! I hear there are a few tickets left (just for the record I bought mine, I did not win them)! If you can make it out to Clearwater, I believe you will have a great time!

Now for the rest of the weekend… I have found a few things to do around town and here are the ones I’m going to try and catch.

If I can get up early enough from my wild night out, I’m going to try and run by the H. B. Plant Museum to have a few pieces evaluated. I have a few pieces that came from my grandma but I’m not sure if they are worth anything at all. This seems like a good place to start.

2 Feb. Saturday - Antique Evaluation - 1030am-Noon at the Henry B. Plant Museum 401 W Kennedy Blvd. Tampa. Bring your favorite treasures to be evaluated by one of our experts for $5 an item with a limit of four items.

I looked this event up at http://thehobbyshophero.blogspot.com and decided I’m to old for this, but it looks like something fun and interesting, so the hell with it I may go! Go look for yourself and see if you are game or not!

2 Feb. Saturday – Dirty But Sophisticated – 10pm at the Czar 1420 East 7th Ave. Tampa. Art, sound, fashion and more. www.myspace.com/dirtybutsophisticated4

I really cannot find anything around town that piques my interest for Sunday so I’m leaving that blank. It might also have something to do with the biggest NFL game of the year being broadcast, but that is just me! I will be home Sunday watching all the hoopla so be safe and enjoy your weekend!