Kirk Danielson

So you wanna throw a super bowl party.

Super Bowl XLI is Sunday, and you’re getting ready to throw a Super Bowl Party to commemorate the event. Well, if your last Super Bowl Party was a little hazy, or you’ve never thrown one before, here are some tips to make the party memorable and the game forgettable.

1) Plan AheadAs Sun Tzu once said in “The Art of War,” “If you fail to plan … your Super Bowl Party will be a real bomb,” or something like that. It’s in there somewhere. But he’s right, and that’s the central theme of this whole thing. So make notes to yourself to ensure your Super Bowl Party is the real M.V.P.

2) TVs, TVs TVs I really can’t say it enough. TVs. Think I’m wrong? I’m not. You can’t watch the game if you don’t have a television. I know, it’s not easy to talk your friends into bringing them over, but it’s totally worth it. That way, when you’re loading up on dip and mini weenies, you don’t miss the godaddy.com commercial or a touchdown, if you watch for that kind of thing.

Ok, lots of television screens aside, here’s the tip. You’ll probably need a coaxial cable splitter to make your dream of a dozen screens possible. Go get them before Sunday, or you may find yourself waiting in line, or even worse, without them.

3) Food and drinksNow, between the 14 hours of pre-game coverage and the game itself, you’re going to get hungry. Being a good host is very important for the big day, but you shouldn’t break the bank in the process. Provide some food, but if you have people who will bring chips, dip, cookies, brownies or anything else, don’t turn them down. Remember, you may be rewarded with leftover goodies.

One of the things you definitely need to have on hand is a Crock Pot. It will keep food warm the whole game. For Super Bowl XLI, we made nine pounds of chip dip. At the end of the game it was all gone, but delicious the whole time. Remember … Crock Pot.

Beverages are another thing that can ring up party costs in a hurry. Let people know to bring their own adult beverages. They’re your friends, they won’t care. Grab a couple of 12-packs of soda before the party, so you can still provide drinks the fashionably cheap way.

One final note on the food front – make sure to clean off the intended space before people arrive. It appears classier, and could save the embarrassment of explaining why you own some of the things you do.

4) Commercials Commercials are truly the best part of the Super Bowl, so watch them. It’s the only day of the year you can feel good about advertising swaying your purchasing decisions, and you’ll probably see a monkey. Also, they’ll probably be up on YouTube about an hour after the original broadcast, so you can watch them again later for your own personal amusement.

5) Know your guest listIf your friends are going to want to stay up and keep the party going long after the game, plan for this. Rent a movie, preferably a comedy, for the whole group to enjoy. Also, this is a sneaky way to put a time limit on the night.

6) Be safe Listen to the softly-worded message in the flashy, hilarious beer commercials. Don’t drink and drive. It will make your mom happy.

7) Gambling Gambling can be dangerous for the Super Bowl, but I know it goes on. Don’t dig yourself in a hole because of the big game. My favorite bet of the Super Bowl is on the coin toss. Currently both Chicago and Indy have 50-50 odds. It’s the most even bet you’ll find.

8) Plan for MondayThe Monday after the Super Bowl is kind of like a nationwide skip day. Super Bowl Monday is the single-most called-in-sick day of the whole year. Unfortunately, it’s not yet a national holiday. If you have a job, they will want you to show up. If you don’t see that happening, let your employer know this week. That way you seem responsible, and the honesty will make you feel less guilty about watching post-game all day on Monday.

For everyone with Monday morning classes, guess what: Your professors are going to want you there, too. If they are prone to pop quizzes, there will probably be one waiting for you. Do your homework on Saturday. If you say you’re going to do it Sunday, you’re lying to yourself. Do it Saturday.

There’s your list to throw the best Super Bowl Party this year. One final note – “to the victor goes the spoils.” Rub in your victory to your friends and collect your prizes. Next season is a whole seven months away.