Far away from prying television cameras, News Corp (NYSE: NWS) Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch and NFL honcho Roger Goodell probably hooted and jumped for joy when the New York Giants and New England Patriots made it into the Super Bowl. Maybe they made "ka-ching!" noises or exchanged high-fives with their underlings.

They couldn't have asked for a better outcome if they had scripted it. There are so many compelling story lines, including whether the Patriots will be the first undefeated NFL team in more than 30 years. The New York -- as in the top media market -- Giants are no slouch for drama either. Who would have thought that Indianapolis Colts quarterback and ubiquitous pitchman Peyton Manning would be watching brother Eli lead the Giants in the sports spectacle to end all sports spectacles.

All this is a huge plus for News Corp's Fox network. A San Diego-Green Bay game --- which would have been great --- wouldn't have drawn the ratings the network needed to meet its guarantees to advertisers. TV commercials are sold based on ratings guarantees. When the programs don't meet the targets, the networks have to "make good" by giving away commercial time on other programs.

The one problem for Fox may be the Super Bowl game itself, which have at times been blowouts. This one won't be much different. Sorry Giants fans, the Patriots are going to go undefeated. News Corp shareholders are probably hoping that the game is at least interesting enough for people to watch the $1 million commercials.

Former Green Bay Packer great Max McGee, age 75, died this past Saturday evening in a tragic fall from his roof as he was cleaning off the autumn leaves. Max McGee is a legend, as he will always be remembered as the football player who scored the very first Super Bowl touchdown on January 15, 1967. It was a 36-yard pass from Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr. Max made a tremendous one-handed catch on the play. NFL Films has shown the play thousands of times.

The stories about Max are also of legendary status. Known as a "social" gentleman, Max was out all night before the Super Bowl, thinking he would not play even one down, as he was winding down his illustrious career. Early into the first quarter, the starting wide receiver separated his shoulder. Coach Vince Lombardi screamed, "McGee, get your %^& in there!!!" Having forgotten his own helmet in the locker room, Max borrowed a teammate's and went on to catch seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns: the game of his life. He should have been named the MVP of the game, but back then, those awards went to quarterbacks. Max McGee forever cemented in the hearts of pro football fans, one of the gutsiest and greatest performances in NFL history. Max McGee went on to a very successful business career as a principal partner launching the Mexican restaurant chain Chi Chi's. Max was also the radio voice of the Green Bay Packers from 1979-1998.

That part of Max is all well-documented and known. What I want to share, as his next-door neighbor, is the stuff of real legend -- the private Max McGee, the extremely generous Max McGee.