THE REAL SUPER BOWL: WILLIE VS. TOBY

The big "if." It's the only reason to tune into the Super Bowl pre-game show this Sunday, as far as I'm concerned. If Willie Nelson sings his war-protest song, "Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth," it might even make up for the craven CBS refusal to air "Child's Pay," moveon.org's 30-second commercial, during the Super Bowl.

Willie is scheduled on the pre-game show, although you'd hardly know it from the pre-game show Web site, which hypes Aerosmith's headline appearance instead of the only thing anybody with a brain might want to know: Will there be a face-off between Willie Nelson and Toby Keith, who is also scheduled on the show?

The odds are probably against it happening, given the CBS attitude toward fair play, but it would be the thing to hear: Willie singing his protest and Keith singing his prowar anthem, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)." Instead, we'll more than likely get their duet from "Beer for My Horses" from Keith's "Unleashed" album. It would be great to be proved wrong, though.

Postscript: This op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times, "One Thing That Won't Be Tackled on Sunday: Issues," explains everything you need to know about CBS's corporate self-interest.