A Giant step for Bon Jovi

Rock giants Bon Jovi kick-off the new National Football League season of gridiron in Times Square, New York today ... the American Football comes a little later.

With the first anniversary of the events of 11 September last year approaching, the NFL has chosen the Big Apple to host the first ever season opener on a Thursday night when the New York Giants play the San Francisco 49ers at Giants Stadium tonight.

More than 100,000 New Yorkers are expected in Times Square for the live ' pregame' show featuring Giants fan Jon Bon Jovi and his band and each fan will receive a free football to mark the occasion.

A massive security operation is in operation in the days leading up to the anniversary amid a busy time in New York with the Giants game on prime-time television, the US Open tennis finals at the weekend, ongoing Major League Baseball and representatives in town for a ceremonial gathering of the US Congress.

But who will call the tune in the NFL, and ultimately the end of season Super Bowl? Last season it was the red, white and blue colours of the New England Patriots that adorned the Vince Lombardi trophy at the end of the big game in New Orleans.

They beat the heavily favoured St Louis Rams, fittingly in a season of patriotic fervour. Gone are the days of the NFL dynasties when teams like the Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys dominated the game over many seasons. The road to the Super Bowl is open now with one-time journeymen like the Rams, Ravens and Patriots not only getting to it but winning in the last three seasons.