Carrie Underwood gets prime time gig

Carrie Underwood scored the primest of prime-time career gigs - singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl at this year's New Orleans Saints-Indianapolis Colts mash-up in Florida a week from Sunday. Underwood should thank her lucky stars at CBS and the NFL, not to mention her lucky stars for this great gig.

Most of the time, landing the spot is a real good thing - just ask Whitney Houston, who did a stellar job on singing the anthem before her career spiraled downwards (not because of her Super Bowl outing either). Underwood has the vocal chops to pull off the Anthem just fine. Let's hope she gives it at least some country bent.

She joins other country performers, who have been associated with the Super Bowl in recent years - the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill and Garth Brooks.