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Training Camp
If you know which team won Super Bowl
XIII, congratulations, you can graduate to
Pregame.
You
haven't a clue about punting and blitzing.
Special teams? Do your homework first
and visit
NFL.com to
become familiar with the ins and outs of the game.
Some reminders:
- Don't ask, "Why do they do that?" during
the game play.
Make a mental or written note and ask your question during a time
out, commercial or half time.
- Making comments about the design of team
uniforms is not popular with die-hard football fans, either.
They are totally oblivious to the fact that tight fitting leg
coverings may expose the obesity of the guards.
- Figure out early in the game which team is wearing what colors.
Hint: those guys wearing black and white vertical stripes
(see photo above right) and constantly waiving their arms
furiously are game officials, not team players. These guys
don't carry or catch the ball, cannot make touch downs or kick
field goals AND should not be tackled.
- Be prepared for incessant TV replays (some
from Clan of the Cave Bear era) with players wearing weird looking
leather, close-cropped helmets and uniforms that look like turn of
the 20th century swim outfits. This can throw you off
your rocker losing track of what is happening live in the game.
- Expect the announcers to make dumb statements.
They have a lot of empty time to fill and have not learned the
value of "pregnant pauses".
Pregame
Number 1 rule for any entertaining is to
prepare most everything ahead of time.
Number 2 rule is to let others help you and
encourage guests to bring food to share. See
Portable Palate for more
ideas.
For most real football fans a Super Bowl party is not about gourmet cuisine. It is about watching
football. (Sorry, Food Network.)
We are going to give you some tips to make a successful party, no
matter who wins the game. It is really about
enjoying each other company.
Set the scene. Provide plenty of comfortable seating so
everyone can see the TV screen clearly and
provide a stable surface for everyone to place a
drink and plate. Younger,
agile members of the crowd can sit on
large pillows or cushions on the floor.
You may choose to decorate in the colors of your crowd's
favorite team. (If your favorite team is not in the Super
Bowl, that's okay. Red and Gold will work!)
Put up crepe paper streamers and
football-shaped Mylar balloons. Display some
team posters on the walls. If you have some prized, signed
footballs or jerseys, you probably have them on display
already. Encourage guests to dress in
football attire. Publicize a contest for the
most "spirited" attire and give the winner a small prize
such as a NERF football.
If you have guests who are not interested in
the big game, set up a table in a room away from the TV with board games or cards for those folks to enjoy. Plan
for young guests who may have short attention spans and provide
some games or entertainment for them. If you have a TV with
DVD or VHS player in another room, set up some child-friendly videos
for their viewing. And provide some special kids' food for
them.
First Quarter
Set up an ice chest or two in the kitchen. Fill
with ice and
beverages. If beverages are warm, ice them down
about an hour before your guests arrive. Put
a recycle bin nearby for empties. This is not
an occasion to be mixing the perfect "shaken-not stirred" Martinis
or Cosmopolitans. Serving foods high in protein and low in
salt may alleviate over drinking and inebriation.
Perhaps you may want to consider removing access to alcoholic
beverages at the beginning of the 4th quarter and bring out the
coffee. You know all the rules and cautions about DUI.
"Friends don't let friends drive drunk."
As stated above, food is not the center of attention
here. So, don't get crazy about what you serve and take care
that you serve foods that are not "messy". Serve finger foods as
much as possible. You may choose to prepare your own food or
shop at your
favorite deli. If your guests bring along a
dishes to share, all the
better.
Serve all snack food in bowls or on dinner plates, not
large platters.
Arrange several servings of each appetizer and spread them around
the room within easy reach of all guests.
Make sure you have plenty of coasters set around for folks to
easily locate and use to protect your table tops. Set out plenty of small plates and cocktail
napkins. The only "passing"
during game play should be on the playing field. Do not walk in front
of guests to serve food. Replenish food as
needed during time outs, commercials or half time.
Second Quarter
This is the time to start setting out the
buffet to serve food at half-time. (See
Alternate Game Plan below.) Heat or reheat hot dishes
and remove chilled ones from the refrigerator. Enlist help from the non-game enthusiasts.
Arrange food outside the TV viewing area on
kitchen counters or a table in the TV room, if possible. Set
up dishes to be reached from both sides of the table to
speed up the process. Place stacks of dinner plates at both
ends. Prepare dinner-size napkins wrapped around eating
utensils and tie with curling ribbon in team colors or close with
football stickers. Stack them in a pyramid next to the
plates. Provide bowls for dishing up chili, beans or other
soupy dishes.
Select a menu
that represents the "native" cuisine of team's
locale. Start with the main course and build from there--Baked Beans for New England,
Gumbo
and/or Po' (Poor) Boy
Sandwiches for New
Orleans, Clam Chowder in French bread bowls for San Francisco or
Oakland, Southwestern style for Arizona. Okay, maybe next
year.
Alternate Game Plan
Maybe you want to consider serving the
buffet as a "tail gate party" about an hour before the game
begins, especially if you are in Eastern or Central time zones.
In that case you will be able serve lighter and less snack food in
the early part of the game--maybe only nuts, pretzels, chips, etc.
You can still save dessert for the fourth quarter.
Half-Time
Keep serving dishes filled as necessary and
don't forget to eat yourself. Don't get stuck in the
kitchen. Your guests are there for you to enjoy.
Third Quarter
Now's a good time to sit down and take a
break for a few minutes and then collect all the serving dishes
from the buffet serving area. After the counter or table is
cleared, lay out small plates, more napkins and coffee cups for
serving dessert beginning in the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Have fresh coffee
available throughout the game and serve cookies
for dessert. You probably have some in the freezer left from the
holidays. OR, make cupcakes decorated in a
football theme or team colors.
Post Game Show
Enlist everyone for clean up. Remove
all food, plates and etc. from the TV room. Wash the serving
dishes. Empty the trash and recycle bins. Store away
all unopened beverage containers.
Hope your team wins!
Sample food
ideas and recipes
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