Feb. 6, 2011: Lea Michele of the hit show "Glee" sings God Bless America before the start of the NFL Super Bowl XLV football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers in Arlington, Texas. (AP)
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Green Bay Packers have kicked off the Super Bowl, sending Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers onto the field first.
Judging by the number of Terrible Towels waving, the Steelers had a decided edge among the fans at Cowboys Stadium. A record crowd of more than 105,000 was expected.
Before the game, about 1,250 seats were deemed unsafe. About 400 fans were sent outside and promised triple refunds, the rest relocated.
The Steelers are seeking their third Super Bowl title in six years. They already have the most championships with six. This is their eighth appearance, tying the Dallas Cowboys for the most.
The Packers -- a sixth seed from the NFC -- are seeking their fourth championship. The last came with Brett Favre at quarterback, in January 1997.
Emotions were high. Tears slipped from the eyes of Steelers cornerback William Gay as Christina Aguilera sang the national anthem. Perhaps emotion was behind Aguilera flubbing some of the lyrics.
This is the 45th edition of the nation's largest annual sporting spectacle, an informal holiday of eating, drinking and watching both the game and the commercials. It's the first time the Cowboys have hosted.
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