Notebook

CBS adds secret performer for halftime show

HOUSTON (AP) -- Janet Jackson, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Kid Rock and Nelly apparently weren't enough for CBS' 12 1/2-minute Super Bowl halftime show.

Another act is poised join the MTV-produced extravaganza. Who that is will remain a mystery until the program, producers said Thursday.

The production will require 350 local volunteers to haul and assemble 70 pieces of the stage, which spans 120 feet. Then about 2,500 youngsters from area schools will pour onto the field to create a festival concert atmosphere.

Combs said that as big a deal as the halftime show has become, the musicians are just a sideshow.

"This is all about the players," he said. "We're here to fill some time while they get ready for the second half."

Football fever

Breaux Bridge is on a roll.

The Louisiana hometown of Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme is also home to another budding NFL talent.

Texans running back Domanick Davis won an Internet vote Thursday for the league's rookie of the year over record-setting receiver Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals.

"It's cool. It's great for the town," Davis said.

Davis and Delhomme attended different high schools but have known each another since their teens. Davis recalls visiting the Delhomme family's horse farm.

"We'd always go over there and mess around," Davis said. "We're all country boys."

Davis, a fourth-round draft choice who ran for 1,031 yards and eight touchdowns despite starting only 10 games, said his goal for his second season is 2,000 yards rushing.

He didn't back down even when someone reminded him only five players have done it in NFL history, including Jamal Lewis for the Ravens last season.

"Coming up I've always had people who didn't believe: `Domanick's too small, Domanick can't get it done,'" said Davis, who is 5-foot-9. "That just motivates me more."

Video victors

The Carolina Panthers will take every edge they can get, even purely coincidental trends.

Like winning a video game.

An annual competition between two Super Bowl participants playing 989 Sports' NFL game on a PlayStation 2 has become a perfectly reliable predictor of the real game: All eight winners have gone on to claim the Lombardi Trophy the following Sunday.

Take a bow, Steve Smith.

"Tonight was exciting for me," the Panthers receiver said after defeating his Patriots counterpart, Troy Brown. "There's a lot of pressure with this event because your teammates need you to come up big. I hope we can keep the streak alive and go 9-0."

Smith flashed his video game prowess by jumping to a 22-7 lead on a monster performance by Stephen Davis, who had touchdown runs of 75, 80, 82 and 48 yards against Brown. His fast fingers led the Patriots to a cyber victory two years ago before they beat the Rams in real life.

"It was great playing against Troy, now let's just hope we can do the same thing on Sunday," Smith said.