The NBA playoffs begin tomorrow and there is at least one match-up in the first round in each conference (Boston versus New York in the east and Oklahoma City versus Denver in the west), that should not only be highly entertaining, but not too lopsided.  After the lower seeds are winnowed out, the competition will only intensify in subsequent rounds as the best and hungriest players in the league scratch and claw their way to the 2011 NBA title.  (Do you want to see at least one playoff game in person?  Is your local ticket vendor sold out?  You can still find NBA Playoff tickets here for reasonable prices.)

But which two teams would it be fascinating to see in the Finals?  Who would be the ideal match-up?

How about the New York Knicks versus the Denver Nuggets?

Twists and Turns of the Regular Season

The 2010-11 NBA season has been interesting and dramatic in a number of ways.   Remember the prediction that the Heat would win more than 72 games?  (Here’s what I had to say about that in November.)  There was the unexpected dominance of San Antonio (until late in the season, at least).  There were Blake Griffin’s jaw-dropping highlights.  There was the big trade between Orlando and Phoenix.  There was Jerry Sloan’s shocking retirement.  And how about Kevin Love schooling the league in how to rebound and put up double-doubles?  (53 consecutive games?  Who could have predicted that?)  And there was the soap opera surrounding the fate of Carmelo Anthony.  As soon as he refused to sign the contract extension that the Nuggets offered him, along with putting his Denver mansion up for sale, basketball fans in Denver could see the texting on the wall:  “C ya.”  Anthony played his usual brand of impressive one-on-one ball up until he was traded to the Knicks for, well, the entire Knicks team.  Denver fans — some of the more knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and optimistic around the league — even refrained from booing him during home games until the bitter end (there were some boos as the trade deadline approached and it became clear that Anthony was going to spurn Colorado for the bright lights of the east coast).  I suppose the folks in the stands hoped he might change his mind if they were nice to him.

At least we didn’t have to wait until the summer for him to have his own lame ESPN show about which team he’d go to.

But you know what was odd about it all?  Almost before the ink on his new contract was dry, Anthony became a sort of distant memory in Denver.  Nuggets fans immediately embraced the 10 or 15 new players (yeah, I’m exaggerating) who arrived in town.  They were eagerly curious to see what sort of team they had on their hands.  Sure, they missed home-town hero Chauncey Billups, who was an unfortunate casualty of the trade crossfire and had to reluctantly pack his bags for New York.  But as for the general feeling, it was sort of like: Carmelo… Been-There-Done-That.

In New York, after getting a closer look at Melo in a few home games, it seems Knicks fans began to wonder:  just what sort of player have we got here?

What New York got was an effective scorer who is never reluctant to single-handedly attack the basket, sometimes against double and triple teams.  What they’ve also got is a player who will never make the All-NBA defensive team.  What they’ve got is a superstar who has yet to figure out how to make his team better, how to elevate the strengths of his teammates.  And if he hasn’t figured that out by now, after seven years in the league, he may never figure it out.

And what sort of team did Denver wind up with?  Only a group of somewhat undersung guys that manged to go 18-7 after the trade, the highest-scoring team in the NBA (one place ahead of guess-who — New York).  But in addition to scoring, the Nuggets had suddenly acquired a dimension of scrappy, turnover-producing defense and share-the-ball selflessness that hadn’t been consistently seen since Anthony’s advent in town.  They even started boxing out on the boards (which the Knicks do not do, and Anthony won’t change that).

In basketball, teamwork is paramount.  While it generally takes a superstar or two to win a championship, superstars only win if they meld their talents effectively with the rest of the team, if they synergistically leverage their ability by helping raise the level of everyone else.  In addition, they’ve got to be a multi-dimensional superstar.  They can’t just be good at one thing, like scoring.  They’ve got to be great at scoring and defense, or rebounding and defense, or defense and passing.  Jordan was great in at least 3 areas (scoring, defense, and passing).  So was Bill Russell (defense, rebounding, and he became a good passer).  Kobe is great at scoring and defense.  Notice a trend here?  Any superstar who intends to win a championship must play effective defense, or at least not make many defensive mistakes.  Melo is a good scorer.

Click for NBA gear from FansEdge

After the trade, the Nuggets began to play better team basketball.  They began figuring out how to blend their skills effectively.  There could be a different star each night.  In the absence of the eclipsing superstar gas-giant planet that was Melo, they began to blossom as a team and individually.  And they began having more fun.

Ty Lawson, promoted to a starting role, almost immediately came into his own as a point guard (and added an element of quickness on defense that was lacking with Chauncey Billups).  J. R. Smith began to wield his formidable talents more selflessly and intelligently.  The players from the Knicks — former Tar Heel Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari — showed that they could play well both individually and in support of others.  This team without a superstar began to play some pretty good ball.  And as they had fun (sometimes 5 or more players scoring in double figures in a game), they made it entertaining to watch.

Now the “real season” begins…

There’s a lot of tension and excitement in the NBA playoffs, the so-called “real” season.  But what would be more dramatic than a match-up in the NBA Finals between the Nuggets and the Knicks?  You’d have solid team play and defense pitted against two scoring superstars in Anthony and Stoudemire, with the backdrop of the trade to sweeten the pot.  There would be the sub-plot of student-versus-master with Ty Lawson and Chauncey Billups.  You’d have the aspect of no coach in the league knowing better how to play against Carmelo than George Karl.  Yet Mike D’Antoni would have intimate knowledge of his ex-Knicks’ strengths and weaknesses.  You’d have Denver fans anxious to observe Anthony learning yet again that individual accomplishment alone is not what wins championships.  And New York fans ambivalently watching their former, somewhat under-appreciated players kick their ass.

Click to see great NBA murals at Fathead

A fair amount of unlikely things would have to happen for that match-up to occur.  First, the Knicks would have to beat the Celtics in the first round, which is unlikely.  And they would be heavily favored to lose against any team they would subsequently face if they somehow got past Boston.

Second, the Nuggets would most likely have to beat both the Spurs and the Lakers to win the western conference.  While they haven’t fared badly against those teams this season, it’s a different proposition in the playoffs.  If the Lakers make it to the conference finals (as seems likely, since Kobe Bryant is still the one player in the league who wants to win a championship more than anyone else, including Lebron), the Nuggets would somehow have to prove that the Lakers don’t have their number.  Maybe, just maybe, with what in essence is a brand new team, they could do that.

But first they have to get past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.  And, as of this moment, that also seems unlikely.  Some of the most important Nuggets players (Arron Afflalo, Nene, Lawson) are banged up.  And Oklahoma had begun to play some formidable ball as the regular season concluded.  Kevin Durant is hitting on all cylinders, Westbrook and Harden are playing well, and the addition of Kendrick Perkins has really strengthened them inside.  Even if all the Nuggets players were healthy, the Thunder would be a tough match-up for them.

But, we’ll see.  That’s what they play the series for.

Of course, if you’re a Chicago or Orlando or New Orleans fan, you won’t prefer to see the Knicks versus the Nuggets.  But if your team happens to lose, what match-up would be more entertaining for those who appreciate multiple dramatic threads in a playoff series?

In any event, if you’ve never been to an NBA playoff game, you should try to attend at least one.  The electric atmosphere and intensity of the games are something to experience close up.  And if you buy your playoff tickets through TicketNetwork (and it’s likely they will be your best bet, since many local venues have already sold out of their allotment), NBA playoff tickets are surprisingly affordable.  For example, you can get tickets for as low as $24 to the game in Denver between the Thunder and the Nuggets on April 24.  You can find tickets for around $30 to see the Heat against the Pacers in Miami on April 18.  You can find tickets for as low as $13 to see the Grizzlies versus the Spurs on April 23 in Memphis.  All of these and every other NBA playoff game are available now from TicketNetwork, an efficient, secure, guaranteed way to buy tickets online.  Their website is informative and clear to use, plus they’re known for good customer service.  (I wouldn’t recommend them if they weren’t one of the better ticket-brokers around.)

And, since you’re reading this post, you can even get a deal.  TicketNetwork has provided me with a coupon code I can pass along to you.  Right now,  place an order over $350 at TicketNetwork.com and get $10 off using coupon code AFF$10.  Let your friends know about it, too, via the sharing buttons below.  (But don’t wait, because this deal ends April 30.)

It’s a great time of year to be a basketball fan.  Catch a game!  And, if you like, leave a comment about your take on the NBA playoffs below…

Related posts:

1. A Little Limb Action: Denver Nuggets Will Win the Western Conference Finals
2. Who Will Be Left to Play the NBA Eastern Conference Finals After the Rapture Occurs?

Coach Ditka's Baby Back Ribs - Chicago Steak Co.

The heart of any successful party is the food and drink.  The food you serve at your Super Bowl party should be at least as memorable as the game’s big plays and the commercials.

Of course, this is all about football, so your main dish should probably be meat.  The kind of meat is up to you, but you can’t go wrong by offering several choices to your guests.  The question then is:  where to get great meat? 

It may seem unusual that I’m recommending getting your Super Bowl party food online (after all, can’t you just go to the supermarket and pick up some ground beef?), especially if you’ve never ordered food online before, but it’s a sure way to get delicious eats that will impress your guests. 

Sure, most people are still not terribly accustomed to ordering food online.  But you, being intelligent, realize that the companies that successfully sell food online must be putting out a great product.  How else would they stay in business?  That being the case, you can’t go wrong by going to the following online vendors.

Click for Steak Burgers from Chicago Steak Company

First, the meat.  Here your go-to source is Chicago Steak Company.  They have a track record of delivering  the highest-quality meats from some of America’s best butchers throughout the US. 

Chicago Steak Company offers only USDA Choice and USDA Prime steaks.  Their steaks are aged for up to 28 days to ensure outstanding taste.

When you place your order, your steaks are vacuum-packed and flash frozen in their own juices to guarantee the best flavor. They are placed in a cooler with enough dry ice to make sure that they make the journey safely and arrive at your door ready for grilling.  Chicago Steak Company guarantees to deliver the worlds finest beef, seafood, and desserts to their customers.

 For the most memorable steak experience, try their Kobe Wagyu Steaks, which are even better than USDA Prime. 

However, since this is a Super Bowl party and not the celebration of your company being bought by Google, you might want to go with their gourmet angus gourmet angus steak burgers — or try their special Tailgating Package, which includes 10 beef frankfurters (which were the official hotdogs of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City), 8 beer bratwurst, 24 4-ounce steak burgers, and 6 teriyaki chicken breasts.  That should fill up your friends.

You don’t have to stick only to traditional football fare, either.  Chicago Steak Company also offers chicken, turkey, ham, ribs, and seafood.  And when you’re done eating all that, they have gourmet desserts.

A side of smoked salmon from Mackenzie Limited

If you are having a really big Super Bowl shindig, you will score beaucoup points with your guests by offering several meat options.  To expand your fare, go to Mackenzie Limited.  Their claim to fame is smoked salmon.  I mean, really good smoked salmon, including smoked salmon from Scotland. 

In business since 1984, Mackenzie Limited has expanded its catalog over the years to include 350 of the best gourmet products available online.  (In fact, you might want to add to your bucket list:  “Eat every kind of food that Mackenzie Limited sells at least once.”)  They offer lamb, beef, pork, caviar, duck, turkey, and chicken — even vegetarian entrées (should for some reason you wish to go in that direction for a party celebrating football’s most intensive gladitorial mayhem).  They even have hors d’oeuvres — and for starters, you should definitely consider offering your guests some warm lobster spread and artichoke gruyere dip.  They have desserts, too.  For example, their Whoopie Pies, shaped like X’s and O’s – are perfect for a gridiron get-together.

If you’re a particular fan of hot dogs, you also might want to expand your links options with sausages, frankfurters, and knockwurst from Gourmet Food Store, such as the duck and pork sausage with figs (pictured at left).  They have a variety of sausages made in the old-world European style, including kielbasa and Spanish chorizo.  Get some good hot dog buns, a few condiments (from Gourmet Food Store — or see below for further condiment sources) and you’ll be set.  To purchase hot dog buns in quantity and save, you can go to Food Service Direct.  They have, for example, Mountain Farm whole grain hot dog buns.  And if you need additional kitchen implements or hard-to-find food items, Food Service Direct has about 50,000 high-quality products from which to choose.  Or try the gluten-free tapioca hot dog buns from ENER-G (from Buy.com in bulk).

How about lobster for your Super Bowl party?

If you want to go in a more premium direction — think surf-and-turf — you can add lobster to your steak burgers by going to Lobster Anywhere, a company located in New England that for over 3 decades has been shipping live lobsters, lobster meat, and other seafood throughout the USA.  For a truly impressive surf-and-turf feast, they also offer organic filet mignon, New York strip steaks, and Uncle Jimmy’s Baby Back Ribs.  Or just go for their chowder, shrimp, appetizers, and New England desserts (apple-blueberry crumb pie, anyone?).  Click here to see all their delicious offerings and to order (and to find out how to handle and cook your live lobsters after they’re delivered).

Pommery Meaux Grain Mustard from Touch of Europe

Getting back to hors d’oeuvres and other things to complement your meal, I wanted to mention that Sur La Table, well-known by cooking aficionados for their extensive inventory of high-quality kitchen tools and equipment, also has food — quite a large selection of good things to eat. 

And in that regard, if you’re in any way a cheese lover — and, when you have some crackers around, who isn’t? — you should check out their collection.  They particularly feature cheeses from the Di Bruno Brothers company of  Philadelphia and Academia Barilla in Italy.  If you want some unusual, excellent cheese for your party, try the Di Bruno American Cheese Sampler.  And for sandwich condiments and meat marinades, check out Sur La Table’s condiments section —  blue cheese dijon mustard, cranberry horseradish sauce, and smoky apple barbecue sauce,  among others. 

Plus, if you need a charcoal starter, an indoor grill (could be raining or snowing that day, you know), a meat thermometer, or a grill pan, they’ve got that covered, as well.

A second excellent place to get all sorts of unusual appetizers, exotic foods, and condiments online is Touch of Europe, a company that imports many interesting products — including gourmet food items — that are almost impossible to find at stores in the United States.  As an example, click on the image of the Pommery Meaux Grain Mustard above to get some for your burgers and brats (trust me, this is great mustard).

Another online store known for their comprehensive supply of cooking equipment is Cooking.com but again, you might not be aware that they carry a lot of tasty food items, too, such as: a 2-pound sampler of favorite igourmet cheeses, Australian Watercrackers, Paula Deen Hot Sauce and Marsh Mud Cookies, etc.  And if you’re looking for some appetizing recipes, they have over 8,000 to browse, including football party appetizers.

Carnitas from MexGrocer

Click for a serving basket from Mex Grocer

Nowadays it’s hard to find a party anywhere in America that doesn’t include at least a bit of Mexican fare.  I mean, how did we get along, appetizer-wise, before tortilla chips and guacamole?  Tacos and burritos have become almost as popular as hamburgers.  Salsa can be found on top of almost anything, and then there are refried beans and carnitas…  If you want interesting Mexican food to spice up your Super Bowl shindig, check out MexGrocer, the popular and highly-rated site for anything and everything having to do with Mexican cuisine.  They offer, for example, complete kits for preparing your own tamales.  They have more brands of salsa than you can shake a piñata at (I like Herdez myself), as well as habanero sauces, many kinds of dried and canned peppers, and chorizo.  They have sections devoted to gourmet foods and Mexican recipes.   And, of course, all the hardware you need to cook the stuff.  Oh, and dozens of types of tortilla (and other) chips.  The site is easily navigated and the prices and customer service are good.

And if you want to get even more exotic in the food department with your appetizers and main dishes, go to La Tienda – authentic food and kitchen items from Spain:  paella, serrano ham, bread, wine, cheese, olives, and more.  Their site repays repeated exploration — you can feel yourself absorbing more worldliness as you wander through it (not to mention getting hungry).  Even if you choose another direction than Spanish food for your Super Bowl bash, you’ll want to come back to La Tienda for a future event or just to try something for yourself.  Once you do, you’ll likely be a customer for life.

Now for a bit different kind of service:  if you’re in Green Bay Packers land (i.e., most of Wisconsin), and environs, you can order groceries from Peapod – everything from brats to pizza to pickles to beer to soda.  They deliver within certain areas on the east coast, too.  Click here to take advantage of food and related items delivered to your door, including fully cooked meals.  Why go out and shop at various stores when you can order everything you want online – from meat to fresh vegetables — and have it brought over for a nominal fee?  You can use the time you save to make final adjustments to your fantasy football team.  Or to get creative in the kitchen.  Or for sleeping.  Once you experience the convenience of Peapod’s service, it becomes habit-forming.  You’ll wonder why you ever wasted all that time driving and shopping.  Go to their site now to see if they’re available in your area (and, for a limited time, get $10 off your first order using code PPAFF10).  If you’re in Manhattan, you can get $15 off your first order using code NYCJ15.  If you’re in the Philadelphia area, you can save $20 off your first order at Peapod.com using code AFFL20.

Another extensive online shopping service is offered by Ozbo.  And not only do they have hundreds of thousands of products, including popular brands of prepared foods and other groceries, they discount everything, sometimes quite impressively.  People are finding they can use Ozbo to get many of their most useful and perishable household items (such as diapers, pet supplies, batteries, and paper towels), save money, and have everything delivered right to their door.  Party-wise, they have popular brands of chips, condiments, snacks, olives, pickles, etc., not to mention balloons and decorative napkins.  Additionally, customers tend to rave about Ozbo’s customer service (they’re a Shopwiki approved store, for one thing).  There’s a reason Ozbo has experienced explosive growth since its founding over 30 years ago — they do things right, now offering over 1,000,000 products on the Web, and prompt shipping.  Use the search box below to find what you want at Ozbo.

Search over 100,000 products in All Products Automotive Baby Products Equine & Livestock Groceries Health & Beauty Home & Garden Pets Sporting Goods Tools & Hardware Toys & Hobbies

Chocolate-covered mini-pretzels from Chocolate.com

You know, thinking about snacks and appetizers, I want to make a suggestion here for something that would most likely be a hit at your party:  chocolate-covered pretzels.  What could be better than a combination of two of the most popular snack foods ever?  If you go with them, your party will become legendary.  You can serve them before kickoff, during halftime, and for dessert.  Some of your guests will gorge themselves and beg for more.  They will be grateful.  You will be known as a party-hosting god.  Find over 150 types of chocolate-covered pretzels at Chocolate.com.  Offer different versions, and you will become a legend among your friends.

Cookies from Dancing Deer Baking Co.

Speaking of dessert, have you thought about that?  You can’t have an outstanding feast without including something sweet at the end.  There are impressive dessert options available at the companies listed above.  However, I want to mention two more…  First:  Dancing Deer Baking Co..  In particular, their cookies are excellent, though they also carry brownies and cakes, too.  Cookies are easy to serve and everybody likes them (particularly from Dancing Deer). 

And second, if you want to go all out in a decadent direction, Savorique will supply the pièce de résistance your party deserves.  They have just about any sweet thing you can imagine, but their cheesecakes are a special, gourmet dessert treat.  (And this treat will help soothe the feelings of football fans if their team loses.  Though it might require more than one piece.)

I know I haven’t mentioned much about beverages until now.  Obviously, you’re gonna want something to drink.  You’ll probably have some ideas about that (and maybe have your guests simply BYOB) and you don’t necessarily need to find your soda, beer, and whatnot online, but there is one thing that you can get online that might be better than what you’ll find at your local supermarket:  wine. 

If you’re doing a more elegant and sophisticated Super Bowl party, then you’ll probably want to offer some wine (for example, to go with your Ribeye Steaks or Spanish ham).  And the place to go for wine recommendations and good prices on top-flight vintages is Personal Wine.  They have high-quality wine for as little as $15 a bottle (and you can add a personalized label, which might be fun for the party) and, if you’re not sure what to try, browse the recommendations and reviews by their expert staff.  For example, to go with steak:  ’04 Wings Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.

After so much good food, some people will want coffee (particularly if it’s a cold day).  The best choice here is Marley Coffee, a company run by Bob Marley’s son Rohan.  

Though some might prefer tea.  After all, it’s getting more popular and the health benefits are pretty significant.  Who says a nice cup of green tea won’t complement the 12 ounces of beef you just consumed?  It might add the crowning touch to your satiation.  One of the best places to get tea, from Earl Grey to Rainforest Mate, is Mighty Leaf Tea.

On the other hand, maybe you just want to have a party focused almost exclusively on viewing the game — after all, that’s what everybody’s there for, right?  Football.  Some Super Bowl.  You want to concentrate on watching two of the most successful NFL franchises in history knock each other’s heads off.  Who has the bandwidth to eat much?  But you’ll still want some nosh, if only to have something to do with your hands when you’re not throwing them up in the air at the bad calls.  So:  popcorn.  That’s right, the snack that accompanies every quintessential American pastime.  But not just any popcorn…  you want popcorn made on your own popcorn machine from Stargate Cinema.  Delicious and plentiful.  Plus you can watch it pop.  Your buddies will be impressed.  Then, they’ll be even more impressed when it’s time to watch the game and you sit down on your Fortress Theater Seating chairs.

Popcorn, big overstuffed individual recliners, high-def TV, and the Super Bowl.  What could possibly be better?

Now you’re ready for some football.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too.  Thanks!

Related posts:

1. Get Ready for Your Super Bowl Party, Part 1: Party Supplies and Accessories
2. Hey Now! New Orleans Saints Win Super Bowl 44

Click here to get a Super Bowl XLVI pennant

The biggest football day of the year is coming up and you’re planning on having a Super Bowl party, aren’t you?  You know — whether it’s just a couple of your buds, a bag of chips and some brews, or you invite a crowd that fills every room of your house  — football goes better with a bunch of friends.  Following are ideas and resources for football-themed party supplies, decorations, and other stuff to help you host a Super Bowl party that you and your guests will enjoy.  (Even if the game itself doesn’t live up to the hype.)

There are some good places online to get supplies for football game parties or a Super Bowl party specifically.  I’ve combed the Internet to find the best deals and prices, plus suggestions for fun items you might want to include, from football-shaped serving trays to NFL Team gear to the right TV on which to watch the game…

First, you need some basic football party supplies — cups for beverages, plates for brats, pretzels, and burgers, bowls for chili, utensils to spear and scoop things, and napkins to save your couch from greasy fingerprints.  How elaborate you get after those basics (table cloth, balloons, inflatable cooler?) is up to you (and is probably somewhat determined by whether you share your abode with a female).  Where can you get Super-Bowl-themed eating equipment like that?  Why, from BuyCostumes, of course.

For example, Super Bowl XLV plastic cups: 

And a football-shaped serving tray:

Football-shaped serving tray

BuyCostumes is a lot more than just a costume store.  Think of them as your one-stop event shop.  They have everything you need to focus your Super Bowl party, to give it fun authenticity.  Plus make it convenient:  plastic silverware, paper plates — everything that can be thrown away (or recycled) afterwards, which is the American way.  Or simply order a football party kit that’s pre-made.  This year, you especially might want kits for the Green Bay Packers or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On the other hand, if you take environmental considerations into account, you can get biodegradable plates, utensils, and other stuff at BuyGreen (which is also the American way).

Galvanized Tub for drinks

Want another good place to shop for sports-themed and football-themed decorations and gear?  Try Wayfair.

For example, get a Galvanized Drink Tub to fill up with ice and cold beverages:

And a personalized football bar sign with your name:

You can use Kaskey Kids football guys to decorate a cake...or whatever.

Another decoration option that you might not think of is to use the football guys action figures from Kaskey Kids to decorate a cake, or cupcakes, or just set them up for the kids to play with during the party, or put them out on your serving table.  They’ll lend a fun, almost “throwback” atmosphere, however you use them — the nostalgia for when you were first learning about the game as a kid.  And Kaskey Kids sports action figures are fun to play with the rest of the year, too.  See my in-depth post on all the fun things you can do with Kaskey Kids sports action figures.

A place that has more party supplies than Charlie Sheen is Target.  Go to their homepage, and search on “Super Bowl Party.”  You’ll find a lot of essential stuff at good prices and often with free shipping.

And another cost-effective place to get your Super Bowl accouterments is Buy.com.  For example, check their Super Bowl Tailgate Party Gift Basket and Green Bay Packers 60-oz. pitcher, among other things.

As you’re taking in the game, rooting for your favorite team, getting het up, fan gear helps.  For example, wouldn’t it be supportive to have an Aaron Rodgers jersey?

Or a Pittsburgh Steelers hoodie?

Or any of a number of other pieces of gear?  The place to get all this is FansEdge.com, the one-stop shop to get everything related to fandom.

Along, that is, with Fathead.  How would you like to decorate you wall with a life-size graphic of Troy Polamalu?  Yeah, that’s what I thought.  Get that and many other exceptionally noticeable life-size sports guy emblems at Fathead.

The Right TV for Watching the Game

Of course, all the party supplies, delicious food, and fan gear will ultimately mean little if you don’t have a TV that lives up to the significance of the game.  You can’t watch the game on a 19-inch cathode ray tube television.  No, man, you need a good HDTV.  And if you’re going to get one, you may as well get the best:  the 54-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P54VT25 Plasma HDTV.   On this, the Super Bowl will become a religious experience:  Religious.  Experience.

And here’s a heads-up: Only until February 5, 2011, Sears has all Samsung and Panasonic TVs on sale for up to $1,000 off, plus free shipping on TVs $749 and up.

Not this.

This

Play Football at Your Party with an Official NFL Game Ball

Official NFL Game Football -- what the pros use

And, too, before the party you’ll want to work up a bit of an appetite so, after you become terminally bored with the 7-hour pre-game show, you’ll feel like going out and throwing the ol’ pigskin around with the boys (or girls).  For that, you’ll need a pigskin.  Don’t skimp on this.  Inspiration is not a factor to be trifled with.  Get the official Wilson F1100 Leather NFL Game Football from Online Sports — the place to fulfill virtually any sports-related need you have.

NFL Tickets

When it comes to not skimping on things, you might be one of those guys who wants to skip the home Super Bowl party entirely.  Instead, you’re the kind of guy who needs to be in the thick of things.  You want to be there, at the venue, live.  (Or even better, you want to throw your party in a luxury box at the stadium.)  If that’s the kind of guy you are, you’ll need tickets.  They’re still available.  Get them from TicketNetwork, one of the premier places online to acquire great tickets to the best sports events, including Super Bowl XLV packages.  If that’s the way you roll, check their website now.

And plan and book your trip to Dallas using Trip Advisor, probably the most trusted travel review and information site in the world.  For good deals on flights and lodging, you can also check Easy Click Travel.

Are you ready for some football?

Not quite — you still have to get the food for your party.

Related posts:

1. Get Ready for Your Super Bowl Party, Part 2: Food
2. Hey Now! New Orleans Saints Win Super Bowl 44

Now that the dust of the regular season has settled, it’s time for the “real season” to begin.  Get discounted NBA playoff tickets from TicketNetwork.  And to express your enthusiasm, find fan gear here, too.

At last, the NBA playoffs are set.  The top 8 Western Conference teams have been gnawing on each other like rats in a too-small cage for the last month and the seedings came down to the final game of the season.  Only 7 games separate the number 1 seed Lakers from the number 8 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Western Conference is obviously the class of the NBA — the bottom four playoff teams in the Eastern Conference (Miami, Milwaukee, Charlotte, and Chicago) would not even have made the playoffs if they’d been in the West.  The Western Conference would be the class of the NBA, that is, except for one thing:  LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Well, and Dwight Howard and the Magic. (Okay, that’s two things).  Both of those teams had better records than any team in the West.  Of course, they were in weaker divisions, too.

Who will be the first champion of the new decade?  (10 years ago it was the Lakers, with Shaq getting MVP honors and Kobe his first ring.)

Remember some of last year’s dramatic series?  Who can forget Boston over Chicago in 7 games (with a total of 7 OT’s), or the Lakers squeaking by the Nuggets in 6?  This playoff season bodes well for more on-court fireworks, with several teams and stars peaking at the right time.  The red-hot Phoenix Suns, with the ever-creative Steve Nash (who again led the league in assists) and the almost-forgotten-but-still-formidable Amare Stoudemire, have perhaps been the best team in the NBA since the All-Star break.  The Mav’s have drastically improved with some effective trades.  The Spurs finally have their “Big 3″ back.  We’ll be treated to Kevin Durant’s first playoff appearance (after he became the youngest player ever to win the league scoring title last night).  LeBron James is rested and Dwayne Wade is healthy.  And Dwight Howard is coming off a monster season.  You can never say for sure which series will be spectacular but one thing you can say for sure is that some of them will be.  How will your team fare?

Of course, you’ll want to make it to some of the games.  So I thought you’d like to know that TicketNetwork is offering a 10% discount on NBA playoff tickets.  Just enter promotional code PLAYOFF10 during checkout to get the discount.  And don’t wait to buy — a lot of these series are going to sell out.  Check out the ticket prices now; they’re probably a lot more reasonable than you would expect (as low as $8 each).  And if you spend over $250 today, they’ll give you $20 off on a future order.

Now, how will you be expressing your support as you attend the game (or watch on TV)?

How about a game jersey worn and signed by Tim Duncan?

Only $4,249

If that’s not something you want to wear to the game, you can get a regular Tim Duncan jersey… 

Authentic team jersey worn by the Spurs

Or a Dwight Howard jersey…

Or a Kevin Durant youth jersey…

Kevin Durant Youth Jersey (only $35.99)

 For something rather different, a Kobe Bryant Hesh from Skull Candy…

Kobe Bryant Hesh

Or a room-scale wall graphic of Derrick Rose from Fathead…

Huge Derrick Rose wall graphic

Or a cool Cleveland Cavaliers ball cap…

You can find gear and memorabilia for the NBA’s most popular teams:

• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Boston Celtics
• Miami Heat
• Denver Nuggets
• San Antonio Spurs
• New York Knicks  

 And there’s much more.  Click the banners below to find T-shirts, wristwatches, pennants, travel mugs – more NBA fan gear than you can shake a ballboy at.  Who are you rooting for and what do you think their chances are?  Leave a comment below.  (I already went out on a limb for the Nuggets.)

Here’s Bango, the Bucks mascot, really getting into the spirit of the playoffs prior to the series with Atlanta…

Enjoy the playoffs, man.   Don’t forget to get your tickets.

Related posts:

1. An Interesting NBA Season Has Tipped Off — Get Your Tickets Now for the Best Games
2. The Most Entertaining Potential Match-up for the 2011 NBA Finals

I felt like going out on a limb a bit today, so I’m going to predict that the Denver Nuggets will win the NBA Western Conference Finals this season.

Chauncey Billups is averaging 19.8 points, 6 assists, 43% from 3-point range, and 90% from the foul line

 After they beat the Celtics on Sunday, it’s clear that they can have their way with any team in the league.  They were up by 20 in the first quarter, then coasted (as they are wont to do on occasion) and let the shamrock dribblers back into the game to tie it at 66 in the third quarter, then went on one of their vaunted defensive/offensive tears (as they also tend to do) and won pulling away, 114 – 105.

 This win, combined with their victory over Cleveland last Thursday (118 – 116), and their killing of the Lakers (126 – 113) and Mav’s (127 – 91) right before the All-Star break, augurs well for their chances in the playoffs.  (That game against the Lakers was beautiful.  Chauncey Billups, who is having one of his best seasons, scored 21 in the third quarter on his way to 39 total.  J. R. Smith added 27.  Kenyon Martin had 11 points and 12 rebounds — I’ve lost count of how many double-doubles he’s had this season.  And all this with Carmelo Anthony sitting out.  L. A. did not play badly.  They were beaten.)

So, barring injury, I think the Nuggets are going to the NBA Finals this season, winning the Western Conference Finals against (most likely) the Lakers.

Some would say this is premature.  After all, aren’t the Nuggets inexplicably inconsistent at times?  Many think they should have beaten the Lakers in the playoffs last season, except for careless last-second plays in games they should have won.  (Then again, you could say it was good defensive play by the Lakers.  Overall, what we can take from it is they definitely could have beaten the Lakers.)  I’ll give you that.  Nonetheless, even though they have lost to some of the Toyota-floormat teams this season, when they really focus on the contest, they play outstanding ball.  And a number of their victories have come with either Carmelo Anthony or Chauncey Billups riding the bench.  The team is really melding, getting more and more a sense of what they can accomplish.  The additions of Ty Lawson (the rookie one-man fast break) and Arron Afflalo have done nothing but strengthen them.

Here’s a play I can’t resist including, which happened against Minnesota on March 10.  On a fast break at 4:30 in the 4th quarter, Billups threw a long alley-oop pass to J.R. Smith.  What Smith did with it was pretty incredible.  Even the Minnesota home crowd was oooing afterward.  Of this play, Scott Hastings, former Detroit Pistons player who was color commentating for Altitude TV said, “Oh my goodness.  That’s the nastiest alley-oop I may have ever seen in my entire life.”  And Kevin Love, forward for the Timberwolves, who was trailing the play, said, “That was one of the most impressive dunks I’ve ever seen.  That’s just freakishly athletic.  Unbelievable.” 

So far this season, the Nuggets are 1 – 0 against Boston, 2 – 0 against Cleveland, 2 – 0 versus the Lakers, 1 – 0 against Orlando, and 1 -1 versus Dallas.

Sure, they’ve lost to Minnesota and Washington.  Doesn’t matter.  What remains to be seen is whether they can beat a good team when they have to.  For some teams, as they develop, victories come when they get into the zone of the joy of playing basketball.  I’ve seen the Nuggets in that zone a number of times this season.  In that respect, they remind me a bit of the 1974-75 Golden State Warriors, whom people doubted even as they swept the Washington Bullets to win the NBA championship.  When a team can get into that zone, and also becomes totally committed to winning, that’s when a championship can come. 

This season, when it counts, I think the Nuggest will learn how to get it done.  And, from way out on this limb, it looks like they’ll do it with style.

Feel like playing a little ball?  Here’re some things that will come in handy…

Ball… 

Click for Spalding NBA Official Game Basketball

Shoes and… 


 

Basketball backpack  (for when, like me, you ride your bike to the court)… 

Nike Lebron Ball Carry Backpack currently on sale at eBags

Get all your team gym bags and other team gear at eBags… 

Want to see an NBA game?  There are still tickets left to see Carmelo, Kobe, Lebron, Kevin Durant, Steve Nash, and the rest!  And of course, the playoffs are starting soon — order your tickets now and get them in plenty of time…

Related posts:

1. Who Will Be Left to Play the NBA Eastern Conference Finals After the Rapture Occurs?
2. The Most Entertaining Potential Match-up for the 2011 NBA Finals

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their first Super Bowl victory, 31-17 over the Indianapolis Colts!  To celebrate the victory, get Saints memorabilia and fan merchandise from FansEdge now.  (And if you’re a Colts fan, they’ve got you covered, too…)  FansEdge has a large selection of NFL apparel, hats, Super Bowl T-shirts, and more.  And you can find additional fan gear for NFL and other sports at Online Sports…

 
In a well-played and memorable game, the Saints came back from a 10-point first-quarter deficit to stun the favored Indianapolis Colts by two touchdowns.  With a relentless passing attack led by MVP Drew Brees, gutsy play-calling by Coach Sean Payton (going for it on 4th-and-goal, an on-side kick to start the second half, 2-point conversion), and staunch defense when it counted, the Saints today delivered an “At last!”, first-ever major pro sports championship to the city of New Orleans.  Who dat!

Celebrate with New Orleans Saints fan gear from Online Sports, the online sports merchandiser with a huge inventory of NFL fan merchandise and Super-Bowl-caliber customer service!

You can also click right here or on the image below to get your official Drew Brees replica jersey from Reebok…

Click for the Drew Brees replica jersey

Or how about a room-size wall graphic of Peyton Manning from the Fathead NFL Wall Graphic shop?

You can have a life-size graphic of Peyton Manning on your wall

Related posts:

1. Get Ready for Your Super Bowl Party, Part 1: Party Supplies and Accessories
2. Get Ready for Your Super Bowl Party, Part 2: Food