The last 2 weeks have been unbearably long - I've been counting down the days until the Super Bowl. In full disclosure, I am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, as are my two nieces and my nephew! I was born in Bethlehem, Pa., love the defense and have a Terrible Towel. I am thrilled that this Sunday, February 6, in Dallas, Texas, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.
 
Now Auntie, you may already be a fan of the National Football League, and bonding with the kids in your life during the big game may already be on your calendar. However, if the only thing you know about the Super Bowl is that there are always great commercials, no worries!  There is plenty of time to hone your pigskin skills, impress your niece or nephew, and maybe even become a life-long fan!  

The Super Bowl offers more than just the two conference champions going head-to-head; there is entertainment and history, sportsmanship and leadership, and a global TV viewing audience surpassing 100 million - and almost 50 percent are women!
 
I asked Russell Baxter, ESPN's NFL research specialist, what keeps him in the game season after season. "I love the NFL and any kind of football in general," he said from Dallas."And of all the things that make the game so fascinating, my favorite part may sound so simplistic, but it's the one thing that makes this game so unique and so unpredictable...the ball isn't round."
 
Auntie, you don't have to make it more complicated than that! Here are some quick facts and fun tips for making Super Bowl Sunday a football funday!

Fun Facts About Super Bowl XLV
 
1. XLV is 45: the Super Bowl uses Roman numerals
 
2. AFC - American Football Conference (Steelers)
 
3. NFC - National Football Conference (Packers)
 
4. Neither team has cheerleaders.
 
5. The Packers are the only publicly-owned sports franchise, with 112,158 stockholders.
 
6. The Steelers have always been owned by the Rooney family [Editor's note: Owner Dan Rooney is currently serving as US Ambassador to Ireland].
 
7.  Packers fans are called Cheeseheads.
 
8. Steelers fans wave a Terrible Towel to celebrate big plays.
 
9. Super Bowl I, played in 1967, was won by the Packers.
 
10. The Steelers have won six Super Bowl Championships.
 
11. The Packers have won 12 NFL Championships (nine wins prior to the establishment of the Super Bowl; three Super Bowl wins).
 
12. Troy Polamalu, Steelers strong safety (#43), just won the NFL's  Defensive Player of the Year and is known for his long hair and hard hits.
 
13. Clay Matthews, Packers linebacker (#52), is the fourth member of his family to play in the NFL: his father, grandfather and uncle all played in the league.
 
14. The winner of the Super Bowl will hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
 
Tips for Getting in the Game
 
 I usually put together a questionnaire for everyone watching the game with me and have found that it is especially helpful for those who aren't yet fans.  A long as they are completed before the game, everyone can be an eligible receiver!

Sample questions:

-Which team will win the coin toss?
-Will the first commercial be for a car company, technology company or something else?  
-Will the first score be a touchdown, field goal or other?  
-Who will be in the lead at halftime?  
-Which quarterback will have more yards passing? Rushing?  
-Will either defense score?  

Keep it simple and have a fun prize for the person who has the most correct answers.

Amy Shigo is a sports journalist.

Published: February 1, 2011