Student video journalists can win up to $1,000 for promoting the importance of protecting our drinking water resources and the Hillsborough River watershed. The 2010 “Water Stewardship” Student Video PSA Contest, sponsored by the City of Tampa Water Department, Hillsborough County Water Resource Services, and the Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance, opens today.

The contest is open to Hillsborough County high school students (grades 9 – 12) creating original Public Service Announcement (PSA) videos. Videos should raise the viewer’s awareness by explaining how water is used, the importance of conservation, the dangers of overuse, or exploring sustainable programs which will continue to protect the Hillsborough River watershed and local water resources.

Students can submit entries in one of two categories: a 60 seconds or less in length short-form and a 10 minutes or less in length long-form. One entry will receive a $1,000 grand prize. Submissions must be postmarked by midnight, March 26, 2010.

Entries will be judged more heavily on creativity, content, and persuasiveness than technical attributes. In addition to monetary prizes, the winners and a select number of entries may be chosen to appear during a 30-minute television program about local water issues and the PSA contest.

Contest rules, guidelines, technical criteria, and submission forms are available online at www.TampaGov.net/SaveWater. For questions concerning contest criteria, please contact Andrea Roshaven with the City of Tampa Water Department at (813) 274-5912 or Andrea.Roshaven@TampaGov.net .

This is great opportunity for teens to get creative and use all the electronic equipment that they have available. Rather than just creating a video to post on YouTube, kids can create a video that has a great message and that earn them $1,000. If you are a Hillsborough County high schooler or know a Hillsborough County high schooler do not miss this opportunity. Not only is the prize money a great bonus, iIf you are the winner it will be great to add that accolade to your resume or college application.

Two of the best teams will have a showdown in two weeks at the Super Bowl 2010. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will face-off against Drew Brees and New Orleans Saints. This is a game that many football fans have been looking forward to for months. Both teams remained undefeated for most of the season. The New Orleans Saints went 13-0 before they were taken down by the Dallas Cowboys. They subsequently lost the final games of the regular season, including one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Indianapolis Colts faired a little bit better by going 14-2 after losing their last two regular season games.

The New Orleans Saints squeaked by with a 31-28 overtime win against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game. . Peyton Manning had three touchdown passes in a 30-17 win against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game in Indianapolis, IN on Sunday afternoon. This will be the first Super Bowl appearance for the Saints and the second appearance in four seasons for the Colts. Peyton Manning would love to walk away with another Super Bowl ring, but the Saints will be standing in his way. Drew Brees, Saints quarterback, came to New Orleans in 2006 a year after Hurricane Katrina and a 3-13 season for the Saints. He and the ensemble of Saints players and coaches have worked improve their team dramatically.

With such strong and dynamic teams playing in the Super Bowl this will be a game to remember as one of the best ever played.

Stop me if you have heard this before. Brett Favre is considering retirement after an overtime loss in the NFC Championship game. It seems like this has been a yearly song and dance from Favre since 2005. This season is eerily similar to the 2007 NFL season when Favre had a pro bowl season on his way to leading the Packers to the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants. Of course, the Giants won the game in overtime in one of the coldest games ever as Favre threw an interception on his last pass attempt of the season. This season was again one of Favre’s best seasons as a pro. He led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome. Favre’s last pass of the season was an interception which forced overtime and the Saints won on a field goal by kicker Garrett Hartley. Favre is probably sincere by telling everyone he is considering retirement the day after one of the most gut wrenching losses in his career. I will start to listen to what Favre has to say about his retirement after training camp in July when his competitive juices will be flowing again. I am sure there will be much speculation on this topic between now and then.

The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings will play for the NFC championship trophy this evening at 6:40 Eastern in New Orleans, LA. Sunday will mark the first time that the Saints have hosted the championship game. The Saints are playing in their second NFC championship game in four years. Their first NFC championship game was a loss against the Chicago Bears in Chicago three years ago. The Saints bolted to a 13-0 start this year, but lost three straight to end the regular season. They appeared to regain their form with a 45-14 whipping of the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday. A victory today against the Vikings will give the Saints their first trip to the Super Bowl and help their fans complete a recovery from Hurricane Katrina, which tore apart the city in 2005.

The Saints making it to their first Super Bowl is not the only story line in this game. Brett Favre will do everything in his power to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since January 1998 when the Denver Broncos beat his Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. Brett Favre came back from retirement for this very opportunity. He will certainly give his best effort on Sunday since no one is certain if Brett will be able to come back for another season. Favre has been the missing piece in the puzzle this season for the Vikings as they posted a 12-4 record. He helped the Vikings trounce the Cowboys last week and gave confidence to a team that is already very talented. The Vikings will need that confidence as they go into a hostile Super Dome that would love to see Favre on the ground more often than not. This should be a very good game and there will be a great story line regardless of who wins.

Today will be wonderful day for football fans. Two great championship games will be played, including one at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana between the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets. This will be the first game played today and will start at 3:00 Eastern time. It will feature Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and a host of other stars for the Colts that did not play the entire game the last time these two teams met on Sunday, December 27. Before their game against the Jets, the Colts had a 14-0 season record and had home field advantage for this year’s playoff.

The Colts had nothing to play for except for the first perfect season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins went 17-0 and won the Super Bowl against the Washington Redskins. The Jets needed the win to stay alive in the playoff hunt and were given a late Christmas present by the Colts. Jim Caldwell, Colts head coach, decided to rest his star players after the Colts built a 15-10 lead in the game but the Jets took advantage and won 29-15. It will be ironic if the Jets beat the Colts this afternoon after the Colts had the opportunity to keep the Jets out of the playoffs with a win in that December 27 game. In this matchup we will see which is the better team, because the Colt will definitely be playing their starters for the entire game. Some have said the Jets are silent underdogs that have a chance in winning this NFL playoff game. We will have to see if the Colts make it to their second Super Bowl in four years or if the Jets can make it to the Super Bowl after being shutout for over 40 years.

Skip Holtz, USF football coach, named five assistants to the South Florida coaching staff on Monday. Mark Snyder, former Marshall head coach and Peter Vaas, offensive coordinator at Miami of Ohio joined USF’s coaching staff. Also, Holtz brought assistant coaches Vernon Hargreaves, Todd Fitch, and Rick Smith of East Carolina to Tampa. It was also announced that four members of the 2009 USF staff will be retained. Kevin Patrick, Larry Scott, Carl Franks, and Phil McGeoghan will stay in Tampa on the Bulls coaching staff to add some stability in an offseason of change. Skip Holtz begins the process of recruiting the nation’s best high school football players to help make USF a national power. He will need to start by making sure everyone on the coaching staff is on the same page as the national signing day approaches.

This year’s HGTV dream home is in Sandia, New Mexico. You can enter every day until February 24^th to win the fully furnished home and a GMC Terrain.

Like in years past, you can go online to get a virtual tour of the HGTV Dream Home, which is beautiful. There are 3 bedrooms plus a hacienda (detached mother-in-law-suite.) All the details are on the HGTV web site.

There are several different lists that include ways you can donate and help those affected by the catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti on July 12, 2010.

The Miami Herald has a long list of organizations that you can donate to.

According to MyFoxTampaBay Bethanie Seventh Day Adventist Haitian Church.

The church is located at 10401 N. Florida Avenue in Tampa. Pastor Gerly Germain is asking for donations of medical supplies, water, canned food and new clothing

List of Numbers to Text Your Donation for Haiti

A natural disaster can strike any one and the way that this earthquake has devastated the nation of Haiti is beyond words. Thank God the international community has extended their hands to show compassion. Let’s all continue to pray for the survivors, those that do not know the status of their loved ones, and those that have lost a loved one.

Raheem Morris is breathing a sigh of relief. Despite ending the season with 3-13 record, Raheem Morris gets to keep his job as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It has been a disappointing season for the Buccaneers. The last time that the Buccaneers finished 3-13 was in 1991. We saw many new players on the roster this NFL season. The Buccaneers may just be going through some growing pains that they will hopefully overcome next season. As a young quarterback, Josh Freeman shows a lot of potential. There was a lot of promise shown in the Buccaneers this season. A little glimmer started to show when they beat the New Orleans Saints. I see it as promise. Like a young couple in love the Buccaneers have given their fans a promise ring. Whether that really ends in an engagement? Time will tell.