What to watch before the game? Here is The Post’s television guide to Super Bowl Sunday.
9 a.m.
“Lombardi” — HBO
What better way for Packers fans, and Tom Brady, to begin their Super Bowl Sunday than to watch a documentary about the coach who led the team to wins in Super Bowl I and II.
Beware though as HBO put the jinx on the Jets by showing a “Hard Knocks” marathon the day before they lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship.
“NFL Game Day” — NFL Network
Fox producers were sure to stress that their pregame show is not all about football (more on that later). But if you need a 81⁄2-hour show to preview 60 minutes of football, this is the place to turn.
Here are some numbers from the show:
10: Debates scheduled; highlighted by Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders arguing about who has the bigger ego.
25: The number of on-air personalities involved. Next year, they are going for 50.
12: The number of Super Bowl rings owned by the analysts, including three from the Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV win over the Titans. Does Trent Green wear his on the set or is he too embarrassed to do that in front of Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk? And, yes, Trent Green is an NFL Network analyst.
3: The number of Lombardis. There is a special pep talk from Dan Lauria, who plays Vince on Broadway. There’s a “wired” segment with the former Packers coach. And there’s reporter Michael Lombardi, who will interview Tom Brady.
Noon
“Jersey Shore” marathon — MTV
In between the six episodes, Snooki and J-Woww will break down the pros and cons of playing a 4-3 defense as opposed to a 3-4. They will then search for juice-head gorillas on the beach.
12:30 p.m.
Capitals at Penguins — NBC
Mentioned a Packers jinx earlier; this could be the one for the Steelers. Before the NFC Championship on NBC, the Flyers dominated the Blackhawks. Then Chicago’s dark day would continue with Green Bay beating the Bears. Now it’s the Penguins taking the ice at home before their city’s football team plays the Packers.
1 p.m.
Classic AWA Wrestling
marathon — ESPNC
Five hours of old American Wrestling Association footage? This is a wrestling company that did not realize Hulk Hogan’s potential and allowed him to bolt for the WWF (now WWE). Surely ESPN Classic can come up with something better than this.
2 p.m.
Pregame show — Fox
Only on Fox could Bill O’Reilly, President Obama and TMZ (reviewing the Super Bowl party scene) all come together in one program.
Question of the day is which interview will have more forced smiles: O’Reilly-Obama or Terry Bradshaw-Ben Roethlisberger?
Other highlights include Michael Strahan interviewing stars on the red carpet. Is Strahan getting dangerously close to Tiki Barber territory?
3 p.m.
Puppy Bowl VII — Animal Planet
I really shouldn’t make fun because I watched the top-10 moments in Puppy Bowl history on the website while researching this story and also discovered that 1.1 million tuned in for Puppy Bowl VI last year.
The site also includes a
video of the referee for the game.
“I don’t bathe the week before the game,” he says. “I guess the cat is out of the bag.”
I still would take him over Ed Hochuli.
3:30 p.m.
“T.Ocho Show” — Versus
Because having his own show is the only way Chad Ochocinco (now Chad Johnson again) makes an appearance on Super Bowl Sunday.
4 p.m.
World Series of Boxing:
Miami Matadors at
Los Angeles Gallos — Versus
Sure, the Matadors have the better team, but can they really win in Los Angeles?
Chris Paul Celebrity
Invitational — ESPN
Tough year for Reggie Bush: From winning the Super Bowl last year to being featured in a celebrity bowling event.
5:30 p.m.
“30 for 30: Reggie Miller
Winning Time” — ESPN
Knicks fans interested in pregame torture can relive memories of how the former Pacers star tormented them for so many years.
6:29 p.m.
Super Bowl XLV Kickoff — Fox
Finally some football of the non-puppy variety.
Approximately 8:20 p.m.
The halftime show
Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas take the stage
Approximately 9:50 p.m.
To the winners . . .
Vince Lombardi — the trophy this time — makes one last appearance, in the hands of either Mike Tomlin or Mike McCarthy, ending Fox’s eight-hour lead-in to “Glee.”
