"football" news and stories

It's no secret: Anyone who's ever seen a football game and is not blind to mass-marketing knows beer and football go hand in hand. And as much as the federal government would like to have us believe otherwise, beer and college go hand in hand too. Therefore, beer and college football are like a "perfect storm" of drinking. And (thankfully) football season is upon us again.

So it makes sense that someone would want to compile a list of "the 10 best beer towns in college football" as Joey Redner of the St. Petersburg Times attempted to do. What doesn't quite make sense is the ratio between football prowess and craft beer quality used to determine his official order.

With two national titles and "16 brewpubs or breweries" the Washington Huskies took #1. But when a South Florida Bulls team with a 1-2 postseason bowl record can take #9 over a six-time national champion Tennessee Volunteers team (#10), all I can think is, the Tampa Bay Brewing Company must serve one heck of a beer!

So sure, the list has some heavy hometown bias, but it's more about sparking some friendly football and beer-infused debate than compiling a definitive list. What do you say? Which college football town has the best mix of brewers and bowl expectations?

[via Beertown.org]

I'm the first person to admit that my sports knowledge is infinitely less than my food knowledge. Hell, I didn't even know that Terrell Owens was a football player much less a Dallas Cowboy, until I read an article that said he received his signing bonus in the form of a giant tub of popcorn. The mammoth container took two people to carry.

If you're reading this and saying it can't possibly be true, you're right. T.O.'s actual signing bonus is a whopping $12.9 million. MJD the sports blogger who wrote the piece envisions a hilarious alternate scenario in which T.O. would be paid in $12.9 million worth of Dale and Thomas Popcorn. That works out to 1,003,331 million gallons of popcorn.

As I said, I'm no sports fan. I think all sport stars should get there actual salaries - not just bonuses - in popcorn, or better yet, peanuts.

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For a Super Bowl party, or any party where people will be milling around, standing, sitting, and perhaps even jumping around and screaming at the TV, it's probably a good idea to serve desserts that don't require plates and utensils. Cupcakes are a natural choice, and these Football Field Cupcakes from Family Fun are perfect for the Super Bowl.

The recipe isn't for cupcakes, as it assumes you already have a cooled cupcake. The recipe is more for the decorated cupcake. You cut fruit leather into the shape of a pennant, attach it to a pretzel stick as a flagpole, and make footballs out of almonds dipped in chocolate. Of course, you can make chocolate-only footballs like me, but they require a little more sculpting work.

Brilliant!

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I am only mentioning these chocolate covered strawberries from Shari's Berries so that they may serve as inspiration for Super Bowl menus across the country, and not because I think you should buy them. The chocolate covered strawberries decorated as footballs, at almost $50 for a dozen, are way too ridiculously expensive to buy. I mean, really, $50?!?!

Strawberries are probably pretty expensive right now at your grocery store, but they certainly aren't anywhere near $50 for a dozen. Follow instructions for dipping them in chocolate, decorate them yourself as footballs with melted white chocolate, and use that $50 for something else.

Really, how can you not? How can you not serve piping hot chili out of a football-shaped crock pot and sling burgers on a football-shaped grill at your Super Bowl party? If you're going to go so far as donning a $100 apron in your tea's colors, you may as well go all out!

The Pro Pots slow cooker has three settings, but don't get too excited about fancy features. One of the settings is "Off," and the other is "Keep warm." Still, with a 1½ quart capacity, it's a cute way to serve a hot dip, and for some reason, the Pro Pot is screaming "Velveeta!" At only $39.99, it's not a bad deal for something you can use from September through January.

For a grill-heavy menu for a crowd, well, the Charcoal Companion Football Grill is probably too small with a grilling surface of 170 square inches, However, if you're making teeny tiny burgers, I wouldn't suggest anything less!