Every year it seems like the SuperBowl gets pushed farther and farther out into February and pretty soon we may be watching one in March. Oh well. So in preparation for the big game we here at HiDef.com decided to give a little back to our football fanatics who appreciate how big of an event the SuperBowl is. Starting today and running through SuperBowl Sunday you can enter to win what I call the Jumbo pack of SuperBowl DVDs. Included in this package will be NFL Films: SuperBowl I-X, SuperBowl XI-XX Collectors Editions and on top of that you get the Greatest SuperBowl Moments I-XL DVD. Nearly $100 of Super Goodness for you to enjoy during the off-season. If you win this you will automatically be our unofficial authority on SuperBowl knowledge.
Here are the rules.......

-Reply to this post or next weeks post by February 4th to be eligible
-You can include a one word post but you would be considered lame if you do....Just tell me what your favorite SuperBowl was.
-Only people in the contiguous 48 states need apply
-Winner will be drawn at random after my hangover subsides on Monday February 5th
-Have to be 18 or older



Some Quick NFL Hits Before the Report:

-Why is LaDainian so mad?
Really it wasn't that bad of a celebration by the Patriots and if anything I don't think anyone in the entire city of San Diego is as mad about this as LDT is. People in that city stopped caring as soon as they left the stadium and realized they live in San Diego. Just enjoy your beach town and short proximity to Tiajuana.

-Is it really necessary after every touchdown for the announcers to scream "AND NO FLAGS ON THE PLAY!"?
Have we really gotten to a point where we expect a penalty on each and every play or am I imagining things?
You know its out of control when the announcers have to reassure the fans that this play was up to the strict standards and watchful eyes of the old fogies in zebra stripes and wind breaker pants. Right now the play is not official until we do a full camera scan of the field and pocket flag check for each ref.

-What happened to Lesley Visser's face????
Honestly she looks like one of the people in the "Black Hole Sun" SoundGarden video with a stretched out smiley face. For those who don't know Lesley, she is the NFL sideline reporter for CBS and was one of the first ahead of Bonnie Bernstein and Michelle Tafoya....etc. I didn't see her prowling the sidelines for a long time but apparently she had someone crank on her face a bit during her absence. Its painful to see in HD. Speaking of sideline reporters am I the only one who hopes for bad weather just to see these guys reporting in miserable conditions? Snow sunday in Chicago, Lesley better bundle up honey!


-Why did the Saints pitch the ball to Reggie Bush when they only needed a Field Goal to force a difficult scoring situation for the Eagles?
I swear I heard a collective scream after the fumble sunday with thousands of betters agonizing after they were about to win by 6 and cover the spread. (yes I was among them) The absolute last thing you want in that situation is a fumble, the next to last thing you want is to not get points and get forced into overtime by a field goal. Just hand it off next time.....pretty please.

-Can anyone understand a damn thing that Shannon Sharpe says during his "analysis"?
He is starting to sound like he is gargling marbles.....slow down Shannon.

-How hard is it to keep 12 men out of the huddle?
I swear this year a record was set for this penalty and especially in the playoffs. Shouldn't there be a math wiz kid making $8/hour sitting on the sidelines counting players before each play? "hey coach there are 15 guys out there, we should subtract a few". Ridiculous penalty and aside from not applying a "Kempo JuJistu Thrust" it’s probably the most easily avoidable subtraction of yardage.

-Was Gisele Bundchen paid by the Colts to go and shack up with Tom Brady for a few weeks?
This is an interesting development and if you remember Tony Romosexual took a nasty turn after he started dating Jessica Simpson. Folks as the saying goes women weaken legs. Someone needs to look into this and see if money changed hands between Gisele and the colts. If they break up after the Colts win then we will know.




As always this list of HD Sports Programming is shown by day and categorized by sport but…Please check your local listings for channels and availability.
Games and Times are listed in RED.....Games and Times in BLUE are do not miss.


Thursday 1/18/07
NBA
7:00pm EST: Montreal Canadiens vs. Atlanta Thrashers HDNet in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins (Regional) NESN in 1080i
7:00pm EST: N.Y. Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Regional) CSN in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers (Regional) FSN FL in 720p
10:30pm EST: Phoenix Coyotes vs. San Jose Sharks (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i

NCAABB
7:00pm EST: Wake Forest vs. Duke ESPN2HD in 720p
7:00pm EST: U. Mass. vs. Xavier ESPNHD in 720p
Both pretty good matchups for a slow sports Thursday. Usually I wait til about now to give NCAABB complete attention and things are starting to look good for a full field of 64 in March. Check these two games out.

NBA
7:00pm EST: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat TNT-HD in 1080i
Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy as Pacers......FAAAAAANTASTIC!

9:30pm EST: L.A. Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks TNT-HD in 1080i

Other Programming

3:00am EST: Bikini Destinations HDNET in 1080i
“Costa Rica - Going down to Central America in style on a surfing adventure with Endless Summer II's Wingnut, and Sam August. Bikini Destinations girls take a trip through Costa Rica's rain forest canopy, ride horses along the white sand beaches of Tamarindo, and surf with legends of the sport. Mary Osborne, surfing model and spokeswoman, hangs out and teaches the girls of Bikini Destinations how to surf.”





Friday 1/19/07
NBA
7:00pm EST: Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Regional) CSN in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Sacramento Kings vs. Boston Celtics (Regional) FSN NE in 1080i
8:00pm EST: Detroit Pistons vs. Minnesota Timberwolves ESPNHD in 720p
8:00pm EST: New Orleans Hornets vs. San Antonio Spurs (Regional) FSN SW in 720p
9:00pm EST: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns (Regional) FSN AZ in 720p
10:30pm EST: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Seattle SuperSonics (Regional) FSN NW in 720p
10:30pm EST: Denver Nuggets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Regional) FSN Ohio in 720p
10:30pm EST: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Denver Nuggets ESPNHD in 720p
Looks like we can call this NBA Friday. Nothing else really on and looking at the matchups there may be some blowouts. Nothing terribly appealing except for the Cavs/Nuggets game but hey it's Friday and everything goes better with beer.

Other Programming
3:00am EST: Bikini Destinations HDNET in 1080i
“Lake Tahoe - Bikini Destinations, featuring controversial Miss USA, Tara Conner, embarks on an alpine adventure in the pristine paradise that is Lake Tahoe. BD catches the girls in action as they hike well-worn wilderness trails, bike off-the-beaten paths, and take sightseeing to the extreme by skydiving the High Sierras.”

9:30pm EST/12:30am EST: Fights from the Vault * Premiere * HDNet BOXING
“Collection of bouts featuring fighters who are destined to become main event contestants in the near future. Middleweight Patrick Majewski will try to show the world the punishment he delivered in his pro debut was no fluke as he squares off with Ken Dunham. In addition, Brooklyn's Jamelle Hamilton steps to the ring, looking to improve on his 2-0 record in a junior middleweight tilt.”




Saturday 1/20/07
NHL
1:00pm EST: Atlanta Thrashers vs. N.Y. Rangers (Regional) MSG in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Ottawa Senators vs. Boston Bruins (Regional) NESN in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Regional)FSN P in 720p
8:00pm EST: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators (Regional)FSN S in 720p
9:00pm EST: Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche HDNet in 1080i
9:00pm EST: Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings (Regional) FSN D in 720p
9:00pm EST: Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche (Regional) Altitude in 1080i
9:00pm EST: Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild (Regional) FSN N in 720p
10:30pm EST: Phoenix Coyotes vs. L.A. Kings (Regional) FSN W in 720p

NBA
3:30pm EST: Memphis Grizzlies vs. L.A. Clippers (Local) KTLA in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Sacramento Kings vs. Detroit Pistons (Local) WMYD in 1080i
8:00pm EST: Orlando Magic vs. N.J. Nets (Regional) YES in 1080i
8:00pm EST: Utah Jazz vs. Chicago Bulls (Local) WGN in 1080i
10:30pm EST: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i

NCAABB
4:00pm EST: Arizona Wildcats vs. UCLA Bruins FSN-HD
9:00pm EST: Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina ESPNHD in 720p
Start with the Pac-10 and finish off with the ACC. Two really good games to watch here especially if North Carolina is pissed coming off a loss to Clemson.

NCAAFB
7:00pm EST: East-West Shrine Game ESPN2HD in 720p
I went to this game at Stanford Stadium when I was about 14 and had this overwhelming feeling of not knowing A: why I was there, and B: why it seemed like the game was in slow motion. Other than the scouts in the stands or the families in attendance the game has all the appeal of watching Oprah eat a meatball sandwich. Nobody wants to get hurt and they rig the rules so you can almost see the Defense counting Alligators before they can rush in. On the plus side I did see Krazy George who according to his site is a "Professional Cheerleader".


Boxing
9:45pm EST: Jose Luis Castillo vs. Herman Ngoudjo / Juan Urango vs. Ricky Hatton HBO in 1080i
I was a big fan of Ricky Hatton after I saw him box in England years ago but the guy has some weight issues. He admittedly drinks heavy when not training and has problems making weight for his fights so with the up and down weight it's hampered is abilities a bit. Too bad cause the guy was a really good fighter.

Other Programming
3:00am EST: Bikini Destinations HDNET in 1080i
“Alaska - Glaciers and bikinis? You won't believe your eyes as Bikini Destinations guides you through the wilderness of Alaska. Join our models as they explore the natural wonders and icy utopia found in our largest state.”
Something about this episode really got my attention......I gotta see how they work this.





Sunday 1/21/07
NBA
1:00pm EST: Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat ABC in 720p

NFL
3:00pm EST: NFC Championship Game -- New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears FOX in 720p
Let's just get this straight right off, the Saints are the best team in the NFL right now. Put them up against any of the remaining teams on a neutral site and they win. This weekend they go to Soldier Field in what looks like a difficult match up in the cold against a...cough cough, tough defense. Give me a break this is not the defense people think they are. You can run on them. You can pass on them. What you can't do is be predictable or they will anticipate extremely well and create turnovers. Without Mike Brown and Tommie Harris this team becomes a middle of the road NFC team equal to the Carolina Panthers and I think the Saints can handle this game as long as they take care of the ball.

All I have been hearing is how much the cold will affect a team that lives in a Dome all year and how teams that play in Domes cannot win in December and January. It's a football game played by humans on both sides who are equally able to adapt to various climates. It's not going to matter after kickoff. The saints will get out to an early lead and Rex's luck will finally run out and it will not be pretty. The only thing that can change the outcome is an appearance by Brian Griese. New Orleans Saints 27 - Chicago Bears 10


6:30pm EST: AFC Championship Game -- New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts CBS in 1080i
This has been building for a long time and I saw it coming a few weeks back. New England has owned Peyton for so long now that all we think about when this matchup apears is CHOKE. Years past I think Peyton has tried so hard to will his team to win against a far superior New England team but things are very different this year. #1 is the Patriots are without Ty Law and Rodney Harrison who are two huge thorns to Manning. #2 Adam "my big left clog" Vinateiri is no longer sitting on the Patriots sideline but better yet Mike Vanderjadt is no longer on the Colts sideline either. #3 The colts defense is coming around at the right time and finally peaking in the playoffs instead of week 12 as before. The Colts so many times before seemed to have peaked right towards the end of the regular season only to fade out after a few weeks of rest and a bye week. This time things are very different and with the added advantage of a fast turf at home I see the Colts exercising the demons and Peyton gets to lose in the SuperBowl.
Indianapolis Colts 31 - New England Patriots 24


NBA
5:30pm EST: San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers NBA/INHD in 1080i
6:00pm EST: San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Regional) CSN in 1080i


12:00am EST: Blue Sky Beauties HDNET in 1080i
"Travel to the Dominican Republic for some fun in the sand and sun! That's right: go behind the scenes with Blue Sky Swimwear as we follow four of the hottest bikini models, showing off their great looks and cool fashions as they shoot a sexy new catalog."




Monday 1/22/07
NCAABB
7:00pm EST: Connecticut vs. Louisville ESPNHD in 720p
9:00pm EST: Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State ESPNHD in 720p

NBA
7:30pm EST: N.Y. Knicks vs. Miami Heat (Regional) Sun Sports in 720p
7:30pm EST: San Antonio Spurs vs. Boston Celtics (Regional) FSN NE in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Boston Celtics vs. San Antonio Spurs (Regional) FSN SW in 720p
8:30pm EST: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets NBA/INHD in 1080i
9:00pm EST: Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Regional) FSN S in 720p
10:00pm EST: N.J. Knicks vs. Sacramento Kings (Regional) CSN in 1080i
10:30pm EST: L.A. Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i




Tuesday 1/23/07
NBA
7:00pm EST: New Orleans Hornets vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Regional) CSN in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic (Regional)Sun Sports in 720p
8:30pm EST: Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls (Regional) CSN in 1080i
10:00pm EST: Denver Nuggets vs. Seattle SuperSonics (Regional) FSN NW in 720p

NCAABB
7:00pm EST: Indiana vs. Illinois ESPNHD in 720p

NBA
7:00pm EST: Orlando Magic vs. Dallas Mavericks (Regional) FSN SW in 720p
7:00pm EST: Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards NBA/INHD in 1080i

NHL
8:00pm EST: Young Stars & NHL Skills Versus / INHD in 1080i
I am a firm believer that fighting should be included in the skills competition. Not bare knuckle but using gloves while still on skates would rule. Tell me you wouldn't watch the NHL All-Star week if they had this?

My favorite superbowls are Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV. Just those two

NY Giants fan huh? totalownership takes the lead and so far is the one and only for the prize.
Why not SuperBowl XXXV (Ravens / Giants 2001).......bad memories?

Those were great SuperBowls, especially XXV. I was driving home with my family and had to listen to the second half in the car (double nightmare scenario). When Scott Norwood missed that field goal I swear there were almost 3 accidents and traffic locked up on the freeway.

Weirdest moment and I was so sure he would make that field goal. A special gift from us to you totalownership.

My favorite was definitely Super Bowl XL in detroit. I was in detroit that weekend (didn't go to the game sadly), but the circus around town made for an entertaining weekend! I even got on TV a couple of times. The game itself was also great because I am a huge seahawks fan and it was fun to watch them finally make it! too bad they couldn't pull off a win =/.

Looking forward to the game this year as I can finally watch it in HD!