There are so many intriguing storylines surrounding Super Bowl XVLI this Sunday in Indianapolis.
Then there is the emergence of Giants signal-caller Eli Manning as an elite quarterback, with the chance to enhance his resume to be better than his brother Peyton's and soon-to-be comparable to Tom Brady's.
How about the fact that both team's head coaches, Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, are disciples of future Hall of Famer Bill Parcells — with the Giants. They worked against each other during drills, Coughlin coaching the receivers, Belichick the secondary.
But no single storyline trumps the one involving the three letters sewed on the jersey of every New England Patriot on gameday.
MHK.
Myra Hiatt Kraft.
"Mama," to many active (and former) Patriots. And "my sweetheart" as Patriots owner Robert Kraft properly calls her.
The late Myra Kraft was something special.
"She was 19. I was 20. And she proposed on the first date," Robert Kraft told Sports Illustrated's Damon Hack as the Patriots, AFC champions for the fifth time in a decade, got ready for the Super Bowl.
Anyone who knows anything about Mr. Kraft — the man who was singlehandedly behind the Patriots becoming a dynasty — knows how important ... how significant ... how crucial Myra Kraft was to the organization.
Even if she thought the initial investment into the team was too much for her husband.
"She didn't think it was a very good business idea, to put it mildly," Robert Kraft said.
But, obviously, Mr. Kraft was awarded the Patriots franchise, kept a key team in the Boston area and was even able to win three Super Bowls in the near future.
"In this game, you better take some risks," Mr. Kraft said as his team landed in Indy a week before the Super Bowl.
Kraft also has a painting with Myra's initials and a group of huddled Patriots hung in the locker room, something the players find relaxing.
And every player, regardless of how well they knew Myra, knows what it means. Knowing Mr. Kraft is really all it takes to understand.
"I told Mr. Kraft I was going to leave it all on the field for Myra," linebacker Brandon Spikes told SI. "I personally wanted to come out and get that game for her (and) for him. I told him not to worry about a thing."
So, looking back to the Ravens' 32-yard kick miss in the AFC Championship game two weeks ago, it's not so easy to blame solely Billy Cundiff. After all, Myra was watching.
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