Social media giant Twitter and the NFL have teamed up to bring fans the most comprehensive coverage of this year's Super Bowl imaginable.

Launched today, at the URL http://sbtwitter.nfl.com/, the site gives readers the choice of three tabs from which to view Tweets: those from the NFL players, those from media members, and those from league and team personnel. It's an intuitive display that allows for quick transitions to keep a reader up to date with all the information they could ask for.

The site also features real-time analytics that allow you to see which keywords are currently trending and popping up the most. These statistics can even be viewed geographically so you can see what's being said in the East and West coasts and everywhere inbetween.

It's a shrewed move by the NFL to launch this application as social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have become en vogue and integral parts of sports both for the media and fans watching at home or at the stadiums. Launching an official app like this is perfect for the NFL junkie who is looking for a Twitter primer or even social media mavens who might find out a player, reporter or their team's general manager also has a Twitter account.

This launch is somewhat surprising given the recent controvery surrounding Twitter after Sunday's NFC Championship game where Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was injured and criticized by fans, NFL players, and NFL media members alike. But the NFL knows how much its fans love keeping up to the minute and have smartly given them a chance to do so for the biggest game of the year.

While there's no word yet whether or not the league will keep this web-based application running or if it is a special, Super Bowl-only application, this is undoubtedly the future of sports and social media. Don't be surprised to see similar sites launching for MLB, the NBA, and the NHL in the near future.

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