By Nick Neofitidis

It's Super Bowl time, and while some of us watch the game intently, all of us wait in high anticipation for the commercials, and unless you really wanted to throw away $10 for the annual pay-per-view Lingerie Football event, chances are your glued to your TV waiting for the official mid-game performance. The past decade or so has represented what could be considered the Golden Age of Half Time Shows, which is in stark contrast to the generic marching bands and "Up With People" performances from the event's early years. The Who will headline Sunday night, but will they be able to crack the top five performances in Super Bowl half time history?

5: Super Bowl XXXVII (Shania Twain, No Doubt and Sting)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21
What could liven up one of the worst Super Bowls ever played? Shania kicked off half time in 2003 with "Man I Feel Like a Woman." Sure, it was radio-friendly, but maybe not the best way to jump-start a Super Bowl crowd. Bring in No Doubt and a push-up crazy Gwen Stefani singing "I'm Just a Girl" — well, that's more like it! Cap it off with an awesome duet with Sting on "Message in a Bottle" and Gwen pretty much guaranteed herself a spot in Super Bowl history.

4: Super Bowl XLI (Prince)
Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17
The Purple One faced an uphill battle: Not only was it pouring rain in Miami, but he also didn't have any other acts surrounding him to pick up the slack. But clearly, nothing could stop him, as he busted out guitar solo after guitar solo on classics like "Let's Go Crazy," "1999" and "Proud Mary," as well as a cover of Foo Fighters "Best of You." His show-closing "Purple Rain" made even the most hard-edged Bears fan swoon.
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By Larry Carroll

You've got your brewskis, a big tub of corn and a space reserved on the couch. You are officially good to go for Sunday's big event: Three hours of the world's most anticipated commercials, promoting products with celebrities, gimmicks and billion-dollar ad budgets. Oh yeah, there's also some kind of sporting game being played in between the spots for soda and Web sites.

When you watch Sunday's Super Bowl, be sure to keep an eye out for this year's watercooler-worthy ads that everyone will be talking about on Monday. But first, take a look at our list of these all-time champions.

Apple, "1984" (1984)
This commercial was first broadcast during Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984, and has never been broadcast again since. At the time, few would have guessed that the brief-but-epic spot branding Apple computers as modern and groundbreaking would launch a company that is now synonymous with innovative computing. Ever since, Apple has adopted the credo of that creepy dude on the screen by saying "We shall prevail!" 26 years later, high-concept, high-awareness ads continue in the "1984" tradition — even if Ridley Scott isn't available to direct them all.

Coca-Cola, "Mean Joe Greene" (1979)
Although this commercial didn't initially debut during the Super Bowl (as most fans remember), it's still considered an all-time favorite because it was so prominently featured during that year's game. The setup is classic: Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle "Mean Joe" Greene limps off the football field after a tough game, encountering a young fan who gives him a bottle of Coke. Greene gulps it down, appears to be refreshed and then — just when you think the grumpy gridiron player doesn't know how to say "thank you" — tosses the boy his game-worn jersey in appreciation. Ultimately, the ad was as memorable as it was ineffective: Coca-Cola later admitted that the spot barely made any impact on soda sales.

Reebok, "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker" (2003)
Burly actor Lester Speight broke through as Terry Tate in this classic Reebok commercial about office linebacker #56. Whether he was taking down an employee because they put their soft drink bottle in the wrong trash can or yelling at another office drone for leaving the coffee pot empty, Tate did an awesome job at enforcing office rules through intimidation and bone-breaking hits. The spot was effective because every cubicle-dweller has fantasized of correcting the rudeness of others in the workplace, and Tate made all our brutal fantasies come true. As Terry would scream: "Break was over 15 minutes ago, b----!"

McDonald's, "Nothing But Net" (1993)
Larry Bird challenges Michael Jordan to play for a Big Mac, and an outrageous game of one-upsmanship erupts in this classic TV spot. McDonald's paid huge bucks for the ad to be made and receive a prime-real-estate spot during Super Bowl XXVII. Not sure what's cheesier: That gooey Big Mac, or Jordan's early-'90s, MC Hammer-has-nothing-on-me workout attire.
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Tonight, in only the latest show of support from the recording industry for the people of Haiti following the devastating 7.0 earthquake last month, BET presents its own fundraising effort: "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti."

The star-studded event, taking place at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, is airing on MTV, BET, VH1 and Centric, but you can watch the entire thing streaming live right here.

Hosted by Diddy, Queen Latifah and Pharrell Williams, the event is set to feature performances by Drake, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Nas, Ludacris, Robin Thicke, Mary J. Blige, Ne-Yo, Keri Hilson, Jazmine Sullivan, Busta Rhymes, India.Arie, Akon, Damian Marley and more. Wyclef Jean is set to deliver a special tribute to the Haitian people, while Pete Wentz, Gloria Estefan and Trey Songz are scheduled to participate. We're also getting inside word that the show will feature a number of all-star collaborations throughout the night.

Money raised during concert will go to organizations providing immediate relief in Haiti, including Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti foundation, C.A.R.E. and Project MediShare. George Clooney and MTV Networks' "Hope For Haiti Now" telethon was watched by 83 million people and helped raise more than $61 million. Tune in to "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti" and continue to support relief effort in the struggling island nation.

As we've mentioned previously, it's Super Bowl weekend! So we're getting ready to make seven-layer dip, paint our faces and wade through six hours of some of the least-satisfying (but most-watched) television of the year. However, there's still business to take care of. Stay tuned for MTV News' coverage of "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti," the BET-produced telethon that features Diddy, Queen Latifah and Pharrell Williams. And of course we'll have more Super Bowl coverage as the big game develops.

But for now, check out anything you might have missed on the MTV Newsroom blog this week, from Snooki's adventures on the red carpet at the Grammys to our behind-the-scenes party with Jimmy Fallon and New Kids on the Block.

» The Grammy Awards came and went, bringing us killer performances and amazing moments from the likes of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne. Relive every great moment on our live blog here.

» Who had the best performance at the Grammys? Our poll has spoken, and you love Pink. (And Lady Gaga is no slouch either.)

» MTV News sent "Jersey Shore" star Snooki to the red carpet, where she asked Phoenix if there were guidos in France and looked for dates.

» The Grammys weren" t the only headline-grabbing awards this week. the oscar nominations are out, and though they seemed to get most everything right, they really punted the Best Original Song category.
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The Vegas oddsmakers have the Indianapolis Colts as five point favorites heading into Sunday night's Super Bowl matchup against the New Orleans Saints. And, well, I'm inclined to believe them. Sure, Drew Brees and the Saints might be the 21st century version of "The Greatest Show on Turf," but the last time we checked, Super Bowl XLIV is being played on natural grass. Not to mention the fact that, at this stage in his career, we wouldn't bet against Peyton Manning if our lives depended on it. He's like the anti-Brett Favre.

Anyway, while reality seems to favor the Colts, we here at MTV News have are using another factor to determine who'll be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday: Music. Or, more specifically, the musicians that hail from each team's city. The only problem here is, well, the matchup is a little uneven. New Orleans has got music in its blood, while Indianapolis, well ... is the 14th largest city in the U.S.!

So we had to widen the net a bit, to the entire state of Indiana. And we spotted them 10 points. Still, we're not sure if it would be close even then. Unlike the real Super Bowl, we predict a New Orleans romp. So, submitted for your wagering pleasure, in 11-on-11 sides (just like real football!), here's who we've assembled to represent each city. And, yes, we know three of the dudes repping Indiana are dead. There's a reason they're 10-point underdogs.

Indiana

Axl Rose: Born in Lafayette, Indiana, but beat a path for the mean streets of Los Angeles (as seen in the "Welcome to the Jungle" video, though we doubt Axl actually had straw sticking out of his mouth). Probably the QB of this team, though, as evidenced by the last decade-plus of Guns N' Roses, his decision-making skills are questionable at best.

John Mellencamp: Hailing from Seymour, Indiana, he's the cagey veteran looking for one last shot at glory. Though, due to his prodigious appetite for cigarettes, he may have lost a step or 16.

Shannon Hoon: Deceased former frontman of Blind Melon. Let's make him the punter. Special teams are an important phase of the game too.
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Lady Gaga has had plenty of praise and endorsements from a variety of sources. Her fans buy millions of her albums and sell out venues all over the country. Critics regularly laud her for her interesting explorations of pop music and fascinating approach to theatricality. But she just got a particular endorsement that pleases her profoundly and gave her a flashback to her previous career.

Today on Ryan Seacrest's radio show, Gaga phoned in to talk about her duet with John at the Grammy Awards and what lies ahead for her ongoing (and ever-evolving) Monster Ball tour. At the end of the interview, Seacrest played Gaga some audio of metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, who recently spoke to the "American Idol" host.

"She's very clever, very interesting," Ozzy said of Gaga on Seacrest's show. "She's wacky and I like the zaniness of that woman."

This news pleased Gaga to no end. "Are you kidding? I'm the biggest Black Sabbath fan on Earth!" She even told Seacrest a story about how when she was a go-go dancer, one of her show-stopping numbers was to the Sabbath tune "Black Sabbath" (which, considering it's plodding pace and high volume, seems extremely difficult).

This brings up an interesting question: What other metal is Gaga into? Considering her penchant for fake blood, does she endorse GWAR? Does her melding of glam and gutter make her a Mótley Crüe enthusiast? Or does she really just like getting down to Iced Earth albums?

What do you think? What other metal bands should Gaga look into? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

"The Grammys have always been a joke. More often than not, they award convention, not creativity. When push comes to shove, the Grammys will always award the 'safe' choice, and you can't get any safer than a cute blond girl who sings about stupid teenage things. Think about some of the other artists she was up against: an openly bisexual woman who is for gay rights (Lady Gaga), an assertive black woman comfortable with her sexuality (Beyoncé), and a racially mixed group that is openly in support of various leftist causes (Black Eyed Peas). Let's face it, with the politics of the Grammys, these artists didn't stand a chance against a skinny, non-threatening, apolitical, straight white girl."

-MTV News reader The_Cactus, who wrote in response to the backlash forming against country-pop superstar Taylor Swift over her performance and win at the Grammys last Sunday, January 31. The Internet chatter has been on overdrive this week as the public lobbed criticisms at the singer for a sub-par performance during the show and at the Grammy voters for choosing Fearless as Album of the Year. The arguments escalated as the week went on, with Swift's label boss Scott Borchetta defending her performance and blaming it on technical problems. "This is not 'American Idol,'" he told The Associated Press. "This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator. It's not about that technically perfect performance."

In an interesting twist, that statement drew the ire of Kelly Clarkson, the first "Idol" winner who took umbrage with the casual dismissal of the show. "We not only hit the high notes, you forgot to mention we generally hit the 'right' notes as well," Clarkson wrote on her blog. "Every artist has a bad performance or two and that is understandable, but throwing blame will not make the situation at hand any better."

What do you think of the Taylor Swift backlash? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

This week the New Kids on the Block released the DVD "Coming Home," an in-depth look at the making of their return to the spotlight and the resulting album The Block. While the guys admit there is very little that can be captured on camera that can embarrass them, they say it's those moments that will make the DVD worth it for their fans.

"Embarrassment is overrated — that's that point of a DVD," Joey McIntyre told MTV News earlier this week, while they were recruiting Jimmy Fallon to join the band and share his best NKOTB memories. "We're opening up our world to whoever wants to see it and our fans have been great to us. It’s a love letter to the fans."

While Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight are quick to point out any all of the super-embarrassing moments have been left on the cutting room floor, they are also quick to share with the fans a new song on the DVD, which is aptly titled "Coming Home." "There's new music on the DVD. It's the song, man," Knight shared. "It's amazing. It's the soundtrack to the whole DVD. It's good. It's a great song."

Joey added that the song was originally intended to be released a while ago, but life, as it turns out, isn't always that simple. "It's actually one of the first songs we wrote [for The Block]. The song is about coming home — big surprise there. For whatever reason, the song didn't go on the record," Joey explained. "We thought it was cool and it just fit the theme. We're excited about it."

And who was behind the decks for this masterpiece? "Brian Michael Cox," McIntyre said, referencing the producer of hits like Usher's "Confessions, Pt. 2" and Mariah Carey's "Shake It Off." "So pick that name off the floor that I just dropped."

Alright, let's not get sassy Joe. You don't want to know what happened to the last celebrity who did.

Are you excited to pick up your copy of "Coming Home"? What are you excited to see on it? Tell us in the comments below!

It's Super Bowl weekend, and the party got started on Thursday night (February 4) with VH1's "Super Bowl Fan Jam 2010," an all-star concert featuring Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Timbaland and Young Jeezy. Though Bieber Timbaland both got football fans moving in Miami, it was truly a showcase for Rihanna, who pounded out a series of recent hits (including "Wait Your Turn," "Disturbia" and "Russian Roulette," as well as tag-teams with Jeezy on "Live Your Life" and her current single "Hard") but also grabbed the attention of the fans with yet another head-turning display of fashion.

First, of course, there's the outfit, which is part Catwoman, part Mrs. Claus with a little bit of Johnny Weir thrown in. (The bows on the gloves are an especially nice touch.)

But then there's also that microphone stand, which looks like a scythe that was re-fashioned into a "Prince of Persia" obstacle that was then turned into a piece of sound equipment. Like Rihanna's general style, it's equal parts glam and militant.

The music at this year's Super Bowl has already been top-notch, and we're still two days away from the big game. In addition to the VH1 concert, fans in Miami were also treated to performances by Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta. This year's Super Bowl Saturday Night will feature performances from O.A.R. and Barenaked Ladies. When game time rolls around on Sunday (February 7), Carrie Underwood will open the proceedings with a run through "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the big half time show will be headlined by English classic rockers the Who. Sure, the Who will be delightfully loud (and will also be premiering their new remix of "My Generation," the proceeds of which will go to earthquake relief in Haiti), but will Roger Daltrey be wearing anything like Rihanna?

(Click here for more photos from the VH1 Super Bowl Fan Jam, including Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Young Jeezy and Timbaland!)

MTV News sent a team of reporters to Haiti to chronicle the recovery effort in the wake of January 12th devastating earthquake. We followed their journey via e-mails, tweets, BBMs and video. Reporter Suchin Pak sent us these recollections of her trip in advance of tonight's BET telethon, "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti."

By Suchin Pak


Just as the USS Carl Vinson, one of the largest aircraft carriers in the Naval fleet, left its port in Norfolk, Virginia, the earthquake hit Haiti. The supercarrier was among the first group of relief boats to arrive in the port of Port-au-Prince and it began its emergency relief mission immediately. The Vinson is like a giant city floating in the ocean, with thousands of military personnel and extensive medical facilities. This 24-story-tall ship became the most active airport supporting the Operation Unified Relief, the military's official response to Haiti. Overnight, it became the major hub for helicopters picking up and dropping off supplies, essentially functioning as a floating airport, with the capability to convert 400,000 gallons of sea water into drinking water through its giant desalination plant.

When you see this massive machine in action, it's hard to even imagine the magnitude of coordination needed to get immediate relief to the people on shore. Helicopters are flying in every 10 minutes, giant tubes are pumping in ocean water to be distilled and the ship's crew is on full alert. It's a constant hum of activity, day and night.



Leslie Hubbel, a 31-year-old officer from Baltimore, described what it's like being a part of a military relief mission, saying that it's a very different atmosphere on board than in times of war. There's a sense of purpose and an intense camaraderie in knowing that everyone on board and every piece of equipment is being used to bring aid.

 A young coast guard member from New Orleans, Stephen Lehmann, 25, told me about a Haitian woman in labor who had been airlifted to the Vinson. The baby was born as soon as she landed, and she named him Vinson. You realize that most of the young crew on board have never been deployed overseas — that this is their first glimpse of military action, and for someone like Stephen, it's the most gratifying work he's ever been a part of.