There's only one event epic enough to overshadow Super Bowl 2013 this Sunday: Puppy Bowl IX. For those who aren't football fans, or who may want to take a quick break from Super Bowl carnage, simply pick up the remote and switch it over to Animal Planet.
Puppy Bowl IX will begin at 3 p.m. and will air throughout the duration of the Super Bowl. The game will host hedgehog cheerleaders, hamster pilots, a new slow-motion "Cute Cam," and of course, an abundance of puppies, all between eight and fifteen weeks old.
It also features the kitten halftime show, one of the Puppy Bowl's most popular segments. It airs during Super Bowl halftime and attracts many viewers who are tired of the same old mundane halftime performances, proving that the Puppy Bowl serves as the perfect halftime interlude.
There is no strategy in the Puppy Bowl. The pups are set free, ten at a time, to run rampant on a three-by-six yard field. The objective, unbeknownst to the puppies, is to pull one of the many chew toys into either end zone. There are no teams, no coaches, no sidelines, just puppies. Without any directive whatsoever, they simply do what they do best: look cute.
Besides being a fun and lovable commodity, the Puppy Bowl serves a greater purpose; it gives people who aren't interested in watching the Super Bowl a chance to participate in the game day action. It gives non-football fans a sense of comradery and the opportunity to participate in what makes Super Bowl Sunday so great. It gives them the chance to sit down in front of the TV with good friends, pour a few drinks, and watch the game.
So for those who get grumpy and upset with all the hype and obsession surrounding Super Bowl weekend, there's now an easy way to deflect those negative feelings. Sit down this Sunday and watch Puppy Bowl IX. Besides, the players are much better looking.
Watch highlights from last year's Puppy Bowl here.