Sports fans are counting the days until the 2017 Super Bowl, on Sunday, Feb. 5. But for some of us, the big football wingding is merely an excuse to welcome back two of the year’s most adorable programs, the “Puppy Bowl” and the “Kitten Bowl.”
And sure, let’s hear it for the “Fish Bowl,” too, if a super-relaxing football alternative is how you like to spend your Super Bowl Sunday.
Here’s the rundown on the 2017 extravaganzas devoted to watching floofy puppies, fuzzy kittens and totally chill fish:
“Puppy Bowl XIII”: “Team Ruff” and “Team Fluff” take the field, competing for the Petco “Lombarky” trophy. (Sponsors are a big deal in the animal bowl world, too.) The starting canine lineup includes 39 puppies, recruited from 34 different animal shelters across 22 states. This year’s group includes some pups with special needs, including Doobert, who’s deaf; Lucky, who has three legs; and Winston, who is hearing and sight impaired.
But it won’t just be pups in the spotlight. The half-time show will spotlight felines, including the musical group, Chicago Rock Cats with Kitty Gaga, singing (singing?) “Puparazzi” to rescue kittens.
As if that isn’t enough, the cheering sections will feature rescue mascots: Orlando the Screech Owl for Team Ruff, and Muffin the Chinchilla for Team Fluff.
The “Puppy Bowl Pre-game Show” airs on Animal Planet, beginning 11 a.m. on DirecTV, Dish and Frontier TV; and beginning at 2 p.m. on Comcast and CenturyLink Prism, followed by the “Puppy Bowl.” The “Puppy Bowl” programming will repeat for a total of 16 hours.
“Kitten Bowl IV”: The “cat-letes” are back, for another round of frolicking, tussling and snoozing, while everyone cheerfully pretends they’re playing kitty football. Beth Stern hosts. Also along for the fun are Mary Carillo, John Sterling and “Feline Football League Commissioner” Boomer Esiason.
Competitors include a handsome feline called “Coach Hairball,” and players such as “Catsanova,” “Julius Peepers,” “Bobcat Gurley,” “Shorty,” “Moose” and “Tom Bratty Cat.”
Even better, the event is intended to highlight the need for and rewards of cat adoption.
It begins on the Hallmark Channel at noon, with the “Kitten Bowl IV: Pre-game Show,” profiling adoptable cat-letes. Then the “Kitten Bowl” contest begins, with “Playoff Games” from 12:30 to 2 p.m., and the “Championship Game” from 2-3 p.m. Then everything reruns, until 9 p.m. Sunday.
“Fish Bowl IV”: And if watching puppies and kittens sounds too stressful, here’s the ultimate relaxing viewing. Once again, fish in fishbowls will swim around – or, as the website says, “The Los Angeles Clams and the Buffalo Gills battle it out at DeepSea Field for the title of Fishbowl IV Champions. In this battle between two titans of the tank, tempers flare and athletic swimming ability is tested. The two quarterbacks, Flyrod Taylor for the Buffalo Gills and Fillup Rivers for the Los Angeles Clams, duke it out over four quarters to see who can lead their team to greatness. Penguins Joe Buck and Koi Aikman provide commentary, while Herring Andrews covers the sideline. Lady Ahi Tuna stars as the halftime show headliner.”
The action, if that’s the word, starts at 1 p.m. on the NatGeoWild channel.
— Kristi Turnquist
kturnquist@oregonian.com
503-221-8227
@Kristiturnquist
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