Ah, the Super Bowl XLIII (43 for those of you who forgot your Roman numerals) hype week is upon us and we are eagerly awaiting the showdown between the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. After all the food is consumed and the whistle blows, we will be left with maybe a bit of indigestion and, depending on the outcome of the game, maybe a little money in our pocket from that office football pool. Or so we used to think...

What most of America and the world will remember more than the final score are the commercials. What used to be a welcome break to run to the bathroom or to refill our plates has become as important than the teams on the field. This year will be no exception.

This video clip is a short snippet of Bridgestone's advertising spot, with the thrilling conclusion to air on February 1, 2009 during the game:

Keep in mind that each 30-second ad spot run during the game will cost the advertiser a whopping $3,000,000! In this economy, that's almost crazy talk. I hope for the different companies' sakes that this is money they can afford to spend.

For a complete rundown of the commercials that will air, by advertiser, click this link.

I can't say for sure which team I will be rooting for, but I will be watching the game if for no other reason than to watch those hilarious commercials!