Superbowl Party Theme - Backwards Super Bowl
Score a touchdown on Super Bowl Sunday with fun activities, great food and an impromptu game of flag football. Put your best game face on and get ready to kick off a great party that’s sure to become a Super Bowl tradition. Whether you’re a devoted fan, unconcerned bystander, or vocal cheerleader, the following backwards celebration will definitely score some points.

To start things off, buy mini footballs and write the party invitation on the football. Ask guests to come suited up “backward” for game day entertainment and advise them that whistles and blow horns are optional. Backwards means hats, shirts, belts, pants, if comfortable, and shoes should be worn backwards. Hand deliver, (with a toss) or mail the invites in a padded envelope. Also, be sure to tell guests wagers will be accepted so come prepared to pay and play.

When friends and neighbors arrive, ask them if they would like to be included in a football pool. Collect money (you determine the amount) from each participant and have them pull numbers from two different hats. On each piece of paper they pull should be a double-digit number and the name of one of the teams in the Super Bowl. When everyone has chosen, have them reverse the numbers. For example, 21 for Green Bay would now be 12, 14 for New England would be 41. After each quarter, whoever’s numbers match the game score is a winner and earns a portion of the pot. (In the event of a single digit score, use the second number, i.e. 4 from 14.)

Just turning on the television makes me hungry. If sports are involved, make it all-you-can-eat. So be sure you have lots of finger foods available for munching on during the game. Some snacks sure to raise a penalty flag are chips and guacamole, meatballs, egg rolls, buffalo wings, vegetables and dip, pistachios, chili and breadsticks. Set up a buffet right there on your coffee table if it’s large enough. Otherwise, put the more filling foods, like chili and meatballs, in the kitchen and serve guests while they watch the television (you don’t want them to miss the commercials).

Instead of watching the halftime festivities, conduct your own! Practice placekicking with a home made goalpost you make from pool noodles. First, mark two spots 5 feet apart and push a dowel several inches into the ground at each spot. Place a pool noodle over each dowel and you have your uprights. Push a noodle connector on each end of a third noodle, then slide the connectors down the upright noodles to make a crossbar, and you have your goal post. Adults and kids will have fun kicking a football to score a field goal. You can adjust the height of the crossbar by sliding the connectors up and down the uprights. Who’s got the best kick? You might be surprised.

Now that you’ve mastered the kick, how about the pass? You can create a backyard target practice game with a tarp and some duct tape. Simply lay out a tarp (with grommets, if possible, so it will be easy to hang) and cut out several squares and or triangles for targets. Use colored duct tape to line the edges of each cut out so they are clearly marked and easy to see. With a permanent black marker assign values (5, 10, 25 etc.) to each opening by writing the number underneath. Hang the tarp using rope tied to each grommet and attaching it to a strong structure, such as a fence or tree. Hopeful quarterbacks can try their luck at throwing footballs through the holes and earning points. Since this is a backwards party, give extra points for passes thrown backwards, over the shoulder. Take turns and the first player to reach 100 points is the MVP.

If there’s still time, or if the game is a slam dunk (sorry, wrong sport, but I love saying that), and the game is not worthy of further attention, put together a flag football game. If the game is worthy, play before it starts or when it’s finished. It’s raining out? Who cares? The wetter the better. Too hot? Don’t be a wimp. Afraid to get dirty? Then go sit with the sissies. The boys too rough? Grab a pom-pom and cheer for your team. This is the game that will be remembered long after the Super Bowl. Especially because it’s played backwards! That’s right – players must run backwards. You will die laughing from the graceful tactics on the field so be sure to videotape and take pictures. Had enough? Okay – return to normal when ready. Have no doubt, the winners will boast until the next year when a rematch will be in order.
Before rejoining the televised game use a digital camera to take a group picture of all the players and fans. Print out enough copies for each guest (or family) and glue them onto a small banner you’ve made from felt or craft foam. Put the date and occasion on the banner and send them home with guests. For a backward touch, write one of the words backwards.

Have a super day this Super Bowl by bringing football fun into your home and coming up with your own backward plays. Try the ideas above or get creative and think of other winning ways to entertain your eligible receivers.

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