It's a day that rivals Thanksgiving and Christmas in its ability to bring us together to eat and drink ourselves into a stupor. More than 90 million Americans are expected to watch the Super Bowl tonight, many at parties flush with beer, chicken wings and pizza. Here are a few of the things we'll do and see:
Halftime
Tom Petty is about as safe a choice as they come, with a long-standing reputation as a good live performer and a bevy of hits known to people between ages 30 and 60. He rocks hard enough not to bore the kiddies but remains tuneful enough to please the old folks. And he's unlikely to tear off any garments.
The food
We'll spend more than $50 million to eat more food than we do on any day but Thanksgiving. Pizza deliveries for national chains are expected to rise anywhere from 30 to 50 percent. You'll be disappointed to hear, however, that we buy more beer leading up to six other holidays, including Easter.
The television lineup
With a nod to the heated presidential race, Fox will begin its day at 9 a.m. with a three-hour show mixing football talk with previews of the Super Tuesday primaries. The official pre-game show, which will blend entertainment (Ryan Seacrest, whoopee!) and more football talk, begins at 2 p.m. The game should kick off around 6:30. Oh, and if you like House, there's a new episode scheduled for after the game.
The game
An actual sporting contest is reported to be brewing for this evening. The New England Patriots have a chance to become the NFL's first undefeated team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. They'll try to do so against the wishes of many fans, who regard coach Bill Belichick as a cheater and are tired of hearing about quarterback Tom Brady's glamorous love life. The New York Giants seem a perfect underdog foil. Their quarterback, Eli Manning, is the second-most famous player in his family, and the Giants had to win three road playoff games just to get to Arizona. But they did almost beat the Patriots in the final week of the regular season.
The ads
We'll see the usual commercial bonanza, with Fox charging an average of about $2.7 million for 40 spots. You'll see Richard Simmons, Madonna and, of course, a cute Budweiser spot in which a Dalmatian aids a Clydesdale. Also, look for Baltimore-based Under Armour's first dip into the Super Bowl pool.