The atmosphere leading up to Super Bowl XLVI was simply electric. The resurgent Giants were matched up against the perennial powerhouse Patriots. This was all too familiar, for the 2012 Super Bowl had the same feeling that the 2007 Super Bowl had, and the Patriots and Giants faithful were expecting another epic duel.

Only four teams remain in the hunt for Super Bowl XLVII: the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and the New England Patriots. This list comes as a surprise to many NFL fans who didn't think that the Giants or the 49ers had a chance in the preseason, or to the naysayers that doubted the Ravens ability. In a season of surprises, it seems fitting that these teams are in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy.

For the past 13 weeks, teams from all over the country dueled for supremacy, conference titles, and the coveted national championship. This year did not lack excitement, and of course upsets. Some first year head coaches succeeded, and others limped to the end of the season. This year's college football season had some surprise teams, some that excelled, and others did worse than many expected. Dedicated fans tuned in every Saturday to see their team battle for what they hoped would be a win. Without further ado, here are my end of the season awards.

It was Friday, November 25, 2011, the day after Thanksgiving. The parking spots were scarce, the lines were long, and the crowds were enormous. No, I was not at Wal-Mart scrambling to take advantage of their Black Friday specials. I was at West Haven High School, waiting to get into the stadium to watch Pomperaug take on Trumbull in the Class LL boys’ soccer state championship game. . .

After one full month of school, Pomperaug’s various sports teams are looking very strong. . .

What just happened? One month ago, the Red Sox seemed like a true contender for the World Series, and the Tampa Bay Rays were being left in their dust. But something strange happened, something unfathomable, unforeseeable. The bad-boys of Bean Town choked. They fell from the AL East standings faster than a ton of bricks, and now us baseball fans are left in shocked disbelief. This is the only solace for the Atlanta Braves; the Red Sox collapse totally overshadowed their own late season meltdown. Now, as we enter the playoffs we see the Rays and the Cardinals representing their divisions in the wild card spot. Meanwhile other teams shone in September, namely the Detroit Tigers, who won the AL East for the first time since the dawn of man. This is bound to be a good playoffs with many expecting the League’s best, Phillies to win it, but considering this past month’s surprising turn of events I, for one, am not counting on anything.

With the NBA regular season just about over, it appears that a lot of familiar faces will be competing for a heralded championship victory. Household names such as the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic are looking to add to the already impressive resumes that they have put together over the past decade. Also, after a very shaky start the new look Miami Heat managed to get their act together over the course of the season and are heading into the playoffs as a top seed in the east. Up and coming teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers enter the playoffs as wildcards whose true potential still remains to be seen. The recently remodeled New York Knicks are riding a string of wins into the post season as well. However, there is one team that has surpassed everybody’s expectations this season and is rolling into the playoffs as my pick to win the championship. . .

It’s that time of year again. The snow is melting, the leaves are budding, and Major League Baseball teams will soon be home from spring training and ready to rumble in the 2011 baseball season. Similarly to the economic climate of the modern day, the gap between the teams rich with talent and the teams with scarce talent has grown wider over the offseason. There will definitely be some familiar faces in the playoffs. However, there are teams that are looking to make big steps from the 2010 season and other teams that are poised to regress out of play-off contention. I’ve picked my division winners and wild card teams that will be heading into the post season this October.

The return of the Pomperaug boys’ swim team from sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida marked the beginning of the championship season. This started with the well-known tradition of hair dying. Over the weekend of February 26-28, with the purpose of “psyching out” competitors at league and state championship meets, members who chose to dyed their hair. The end result was not always blonde, but the enthusiasm was obvious. . .