Nothing particularly unusual about CBS pregame filler

CBS approached the Super Bowl pregame marathon Sunday in keeping with its reputation as the least gimmicky of the networks that cover the NFL.

Perhaps the most unusual moment came eight hours before kickoff, when ever-gregarious Shannon Sharpe was cast as a panelist on "Face the Nation.'' No one was more surprised than Sharpe.

"Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I'd be on 'Face the Nation,' '' he said.

From there, it was pretty conventional stuff, with features interspersed between plugs for CBS sponsors, including Food Network's Guy Fieri demonstrating the joy of gourmet cooking on Ritz crackers.

The most anticipated segment was Bill Cowher's jailhouse visit to Plaxico Burress. Cowher, an interviewing novice, was a little stiff and admittedly sympathetic to his former player, but the interview happened only because of Cowher's personal lobbying.

Burress vowed to return to the NFL, perhaps in 2011. "I will play,'' he said. "I think I'll come back and it'll be like I never left.''

Katie Couric then had a White House sit-down with President Barack Obama, during which she asked non-Super Bowl questions for 14 of her 15 minutes.

What about the game? Obama said the Colts should be favored but added, "I do have a soft spot in my heart for New Orleans.''

Alas, there was nothing as spontaneous or amusing as the moment before Super Bowl XLIII when Obama and NBC's Matt Lauer referenced Jessica Simpson's weight issues.

At 6 o'clock sharp, Jay-Z and a full orchestra offered a cool rendition of "Run This Town,'' signaling the end of hours of filler at last. Game time.