Residents share Super Bowl plans

Clovis resident Christine Solano, office manager at The Hartley House, has been a New York Giants fan for 24 years. Solano said Eli Manning is her favorite Giant and naturally feels the Giants will win Sunday's Super Bowl.

Marcus and Sabra Smith of Clovis attended a Seattle Seahawks' game in November at Texas Stadium. They are pulling for the Giants in Sunday's Super Bowl game.

Like it or not, the Super Bowl is one of America's greatest, most beloved traditions. It is the most watched television event of all time.

According to some completely unreliable sources, the Super Bowl has surpassed New Year's Eve as the most popular American holiday. Experts in the food industry (football fans) say it is second only to Thanksgiving in food consumption.

For those of you who want to be part of this great American tradition, but aren't quite sure where to start, we have compiled a handy guide of facts, antidotes and recipes that will get you up to speed.

Local residents answer the question: What are you doing Super Bowl Sunday?

Archie McMath

Portales

"My son is having a party so I'm going to his house to watch the game. I'll probably stop and get couple of pizzas on the way. I think it will be a boring game. Neither of the teams is worth a hoot. I think the commercials will be more interesting than the game. My favorite team is anybody who's playing Dallas."

Christine Solano

Clovis

"Girl, I've got some friends and family coming over. We're going to have barbecue brisket sandwiches, salsa, chips, potato salad, pinto beans, the works. I've been a Giants fan for 24 years. I made my own Giants flag and I have my own Giants blanket and helmet. I'm decorating my house with stickers and making cupcakes. I'll have about 12 people over. We usually get together on Super Bowl, but this year it's a big deal because the Giants are playing."

Tyler Turner

Clovis

"Five or six of us are getting together at a friend's house. I'm wearing my Dallas Cowboys jersey and making my special dip. I'm a Cowboys fan. The Patriots ran the Super Bowl for so long it made me mad, so I'm rooting for the Giants."

Carlos Martinez

Clovis

"We get together every year for the Super Bowl, about 20 of us. We start about noon-ish, for the pre-game and have a barbecue. There's a lot of testosterone and sideline coaching. A lot of bets on everything, who wins the coin toss, who scores the first field goal, the first touchdown, everything. They ask me to bring the chips because I can't cook. I'm a Cowboys fan but I'm rooting for the Giants because they're from the NFC."

Sarah Sutton

Portales

"My mom and dad usually have a Super Bowl party, but this year I'm going to a friend's house for a barbecue. I'm taking chips and dip. There will probably be about 30 college students there."

Jazmin Davila

Portales

"My roommates and I will probably go buy some chips and dip and just hang out at the house with a couple of friends."

Tyler Spinks

Clovis

"I'm going to invite a few friends over and throw some steaks on the grill. We get together every year. I'm a Cowboys fan but I'm rooting for the Patriots. It sucks that the Cowboys haven't been there in 16 years."

Gene Ibarra

Clovis

"Me and my buddy Robert, my family and a few friends are going to kill a pig and roast it in a pit. It's a Mexican tradition. Everybody helps. While the pig is roasting we'll catch up on gossip and make bets about the game. There's going to be 25 to 30 of us. We'll play horseshoes and go four wheeling, maybe strike up a game of football. Everybody brings food — rice, beans, mac and cheese. I'm rooting for the Patriots."

Robert Gallagher

Clovis

"We're going to make salsa and homemade guacamole and Velveeta cheese dip. We get together every year. It gives us a chance to catch up on the family news and see all the nieces and nephews. It's about the Super Bowl, but it's really not about the Super Bowl. It's about the things in life that mean so much more, like family."

Chi Abrego

Clovis

"I'm going to cook a brisket, and boys from Texas can cook a brisket, don't you know? There will be about 20 of us."

Vorada Silivongxay

Clovis

"I'm getting together with my golf buddies. We are going to eat, smoke cigars, and celebrate. They're all Cowboys and Steelers and Saints fans, but we all get along because we're friends."

Stefanie Anira

Clovis

"I'm going to a friend's house to watch the Super Bowl on their big screen TV. Twenty to 30 of us are riding our motorcycles over and taking food. I'm taking pigs in a blanket."

Super Bowl 101

1. The 46th Super Bowl will take place Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 EST on NBC. (That's 5:30 Texas time and 4:30 New Mexico time)

2. The New England Patriots face-off with the New York Giants (these are football teams)

3. The game will be played in Indianapolis Ind., at Lucas Oil Stadium, which has a retractable roof.

4. "Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady" is not a supreme court decision. They are the quarterbacks for the Giants and Patriots, respectively.

5. The Patriots will wear blue uniforms. The Giants will be the guys in white.

6. This Super Bowl game is a rematch. The teams met in Super Bowl XLII, when the Giants defeated the Patriots 17-14.

7. Former American Idle star Kelly Clarkson is singing the National Anthem and Madonna is performing at halftime.

8. Super Bowl commercials are awesome.

For more facts about the Super Bowl, ask a certified professional. They will be the people jumping up and down and screaming in front of TV sets on Sunday.

Super Bowl party planning tips

1. Place as many TVs as possible in the party area.

2. Set aside a special area of the living-room floor to throw chicken bones. (The Onion)

3. Take plenty of pictures to document your foray into Super Bowl madness. (These will come in handy later for blackmail purposes)

4. Set aside a separate room with games and fun for kids.

5. Serve food buffet style. Under no circumstances place food items between Super Bowl fans and the TV.

6. Remove fragile or breakable items from the room before the game starts. You don't want someone to leap up yelling "You call that holding? He wasn't even touching him!" and break your wife's favorite vase. (eHow)

7. Keep decorations simple. No one will be looking at them. Use team colors.

Sources: nfl.com, superbowl-info.com, eHow.com, theonion.com

— Compiled by Freedom New Mexico staff writer Tonjia Rolan