NFL pays cost to get ‘the Boss’

Bruuuuuce.

It's a familiar sound when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band take the stage. Come Feb. 1, the Boss will hear it again when he plays at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Fla.

After weeks of speculation, the official announcement came Sunday night that Springsteen was selected as the latest rocker to perform at the NFL's ultimate event. Springsteen will join the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, U2, Paul McCartney and Tom Petty as acts to have performed at halftime of the Super Bowl.

Usually, performers get to do three or four songs. With a catalog of more than 600 songs, it'll be interesting to see what the 59-year-old Springsteen elects to perform. It's a good bet the NFL will ask him to keep things nonpolitical and noncontroversial. In other words, don't expect to hear "American Skin," "Reno" or "Livin' in the Future." More than likely, it'll be "Born To Run" and perhaps "Glory Days," which has a baseball reference, but not a football one.

For Springsteen's hard-core fans, there are two issues regarding the Super Bowl: One, what will be the set list? And two, how do they become extras in front of the stage?

• BOBBY V SNUB -- A week ago, the Yankees conveniently forgot to acknowledge Joe Torre in the closing ceremonies at Yankee Stadium. On Sunday, it was the Mets' turn to be history revisionists as they failed to acknowledge Bobby Valentine, the manager who led the team to its last World Series appearance in 2000, during the postgame ceremonies that closed out Shea Stadium following New York's 4-2 loss to Florida.

While Mike Piazza was given special recognition along with Mets legend Tom Seaver in the 45-minute ceremony, nothing was said about Valentine. Yogi Berra, who managed the Mets to their 1973 Series appearance, was there, and 43 former Mets were on hand, but Bobby V was not in the mix.

• SHEA TRIVIA -- Florida's Jeremy Hermida will be the answer to a trivia question on who got the last hit at Shea Stadium. His single to right field to lead off the top of the ninth inning Sunday makes him part of the 45-year-old stadium's history.

Wondering who got the first hit at Shea? That honor goes to the Pirates' Willie Stargell, who homered to lead off the second inning on April 17, 1964. The Mets lost that game too, falling 4-3 to Pittsburgh.

• BLUE BRETT -- Brett Favre probably will not admit it, but he looked pretty good in navy blue Sunday leading the Jets to a 56-35 win over Arizona.

Navy blue?

That's right. The past few years, the Jets annually pay tribute to their old AFL lineage by donning the throwback uniforms of the New York Titans. The Titans were one of the original eight AFL teams, playing in the old Polo Grounds from 1960 to 1963. They wore navy blue and gold uniforms and didn't become the Jets until Sonny Werblin bought the team in '62, and he changed the look to the green and white they still wear today.

But given that Favre tossed six touchdown passes Sunday to equal Joe Namath's club record, maybe the Jets should stay in the Titans' colors the rest of the season.

COMPILED BY STEVE CARP REVIEW-JOURNAL