Where to Buy Super Bowl 2011 tickets?

Millions of people would again surely want to watch Super Bowl 2011 live on February 6, 2011. I'm very sure that as the much awaited football event next year, a lot of people are planning their vacations reserving their own tickets to Super Bowl 2011 to be held live at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

So if you are one of those millions who want to watch Super Bowl 2011 live next year, you might as well reserve your tickets now to avoid the rush and increased ticket prices as the event comes nearer.

Here are some of the online sites you can go to buy your Super Bowl 2011 tickets:

1. Ticket City - The site offers Super Bowl 2011 tickets with prices ranging from $2,064 in the Upper Ends up to as much as $8,514. Some of the slots are limited to 4 only.

2. Barry's Tickets - Alternatively, you can also opt for ealy Super Bowl 2011 ticket reservations at Barry's Tickets. The site offers tickets ranging from $2,285 up to as much as $7,140. They also have a seating chart of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium so you will know where is your exact seating arrangement when Super Bowl 2011 happens live on February 6, 2011.

3. Ticket Luck - Ticket Luck also offers convenience in purchasing your Super Bowl 2011 tickets online. They categorized it according to zones with prizes ranging from $1,433 up to as much as $8,629. They also have a chart of the seating arrangement.

4. Vivid Seats - Vivid Seats also offers Super Bowl 2011 tickets to be purchased online. According to their site, they have several Super Bowl 2011 tickets available ranging from to as low as $1,739 to as much as $5,653. You can buy as much as 25 slot per seat section.

5. Ticket Liquidator - This site also offers a way to buy your Super Bowl 2011 tickets online. They have several Super Bowl 2011 tickets available with prices from $1,422 up to a maximum of $8,561 depending on the different zones in which your seat belongs.

6. Ticket Solutions - Ticket Solutions offers various Super Bowl 2011 tickets from the lowest $2,210 up to the highest price of $9,185.

7. Select a Ticket - Select a Ticket is in the business of buying and selling Super Bowl tickets. Just in case you bought your Super Bowl 2011 tickets in advance but you were not available to come to watch Super Bowl 2011 live on February 6, 2011 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, you can sell your Super Bowl 2011 ticket with them. You can directly call them at 1-800-735-3288 for more information on the 2011 Super Bowl Ticket Packages.

That's it for now. You can reserve your Super Bowl 2011 tickets with these online sites. I'm very sure that next year's Super Bowl 2011 will be jampacked again with millions of spectators wanting to watch Super Bowl 2011 live.

Super Bowl Recipes Ideas

For football fans, winter means only one thing: The Big Game! Whether you're a die-hard sports fan or just eager to check out the commercials, no Super Bowl Sunday would be complete without friends, family and fabulous food. Our experts have you covered with fun Super Bowl party ideas, decorations, recipes and halftime games.

Super Bowl Party: First Down Appetizers

Kick off your party with all-star Super Bowl appetizers like Baked Vidalia Onion Dip, Mojito Mayo Dip, and Black Bean and Corn Salsa with chips. Football fans hungry for victory will want to fuel up during the pre-game hype on TV. These hot and spicy recipes are guaranteed to jump-start the party before the first down! Round out the nibblers with some zingers like Salami & Cheese Stuffed Pepperoncini and Fired Up Breadsticks.

For more football party ideas, check out Super Bowl Party Videos, along with my other articles to help you make your party a huge success: Main Game Recipes, Super Pro Decor, and Halftime Fun and Games.

Super Bowl: Fired Up Breadsticks
Super Bowl: Baked Vidalia Onion Dip
Super Bowl: Salami & Cheese Stuffed Pepperoncini
Super Bowl All-Star Starters
Super Bowl: Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Super Bowl: Mojito Mayo Dip
Super Bowl Party: Main Game Recipes

A Super Bowl party is the ultimate sports celebration, so fire up the grill for your main game meal! Put a twist on traditional football party food by serving homemade Stuffed Pizza Burgers and Maple-Bourbon Glazed Chicken Wings. Complete your menu by serving a green salad, potato salad, and pasta salad.

Follow my game plan below for a true victory celebration! For more football party ideas, check out Super Bowl Party Videos, along with my other articles to help you make your bash a huge success: First Down Appetizers, Super Pro Decor, and Halftime Fun and Games.

Super Bowl Party Planning Checklist
Super Bowl: Stuffed Pizza Burgers
Super Bowl: Avocado Caesar Salad
Super Bowl: Maple-Bourbon Glazed Chicken Wings
Super Bowl Buffet Spread Ideas
Super Bowl: Easy Roasted Garlic Potato Salad
Super Bowl: Italian-Style Pasta Salad
Super Bowl Cupcakes

Other than cakes made to look like a football field and football-shaped cookies, the sweets on most Super Bowl party tables never score big. Try this new dessert strategy with winning cupcakes that I designed themed for the Big Game and other sporty occasions!

Cupcake Baking Tips
Pizza Cupcakes
Football Cupcakes
Cheerleader Cupcakes
Team Color Cupcakes
Big Winner Trophy Cupcakes
Hamburger Cupcakes
Ref Cupcakes
Super Bowl Party: Super Pro Decor


Pump up the atmosphere for your Super Bowl party with these pro decorating ideas. Bring your team's colors into everything from cocktail napkins and blinking ice cubes, to sparkling pompoms on the buffet table. Enjoy the game and the Super Bowl Halftime Show as if you were at the stadium, by decorating the TV room with a football field theme! For more Super Bowl party ideas, check out the Big Game Party Videos, along with my other articles to help you make your Super Bowl party a huge success: First Down Appetizers, Main Game Recipes and Halftime Fun and Games.

Great Football Decor Vendors
Super Bowl Bleacher Style Buffet
Football Decoroations
Super Pro Party Decor Video
Host a Super Bowl Potluck Party

A Super Bowl Party should be fun, exciting and full of life - just like the game itself! But for the host, it can also mean stressing over how in the world you're going to feed all those raucous fans. By offering your home as the destination for this annual gathering of good cheer, you've already gone above and beyond. This year, make it a Potluck Super Bowl Party and leave the cooking to your guests.

Everyone will be happy to contribute once they get a look at the brand-new flat screen you were able to buy with the money you saved on groceries. If you follow our helpful tips and useful checklist, you'll be able to sit back, relax and root for your team without ever setting the oven to 350 degrees.

Everything But the Food Checklist
You Pick 'Em, I'll Dip 'Em
Bet Your Bottom Dollar
How to Organize Your Super Bowl Party Pool

After you get the football-friendly eats and decor ready, gather the gang for a Super Bowl pool.

Follow some simple steps for setting up a pool, and pretty soon you'll have the perfect game plan for Super Bowl fun--whether your team wins or loses.

Set Up Your Super Bowl Pool
Super Bowl Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

What goes better with football, halftime shows and big budget commercials? Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes! Beer, chocolate, how could you go wrong? We came up with the perfect treat for your Super Bowl party. Don't worry, you'll still be able to drive after you eat these creamy cupcakes, the alcohol is reduced in the baking process.

Super Bowl Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
Guinness Buttercream Frosting for Super Bowl Cupcakes
Super Bowl Trivia and Fun Facts

The first Super Bowl was held on January 15, 1967, at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in that first game, by a whopping 35-10 victory. Today, millions of fans tune in for this annual sporting event. Think you know this game inside and out? Read on for a bit of history and fun trivia questions to stump your pals with.

More Super Bowl Party Ideas:
Super Bowl Football Betting
Super Bowl Recipes
Top 5 Ideas for Football Fan Festivities
Super Bowl Trivia Facts
Super Bowl Drinking Games

It's a given that beer will flow at a Super Bowl Party! As you're cheering your team on to victory or crying in your beer when the other guys score, have a little friendly competition of your own by playing one of these drinking games. Heads up! Play responsibly and opt for winner "bragging rights" instead of beer gulps when players have had enough to drink.

Drink to the Commentator

Beer Pong
Super Bowl Countdown Drinking Game
Kids' Games for Your Super Bowl Party

While the big kids (a.k.a. husbands, football fans, sporty gals) are rooting for their favorite team, eating spicy food, and shushing people during those million dollar commercials, the little kids will need a game or two to keep them occupied during your Super Bowl party.

Set up a variety of games and activities that appeal to all kinds of kids--from the budding quarterbacks to the artsy types--to keep them entertained so everyone can have a good time.

Super Bowl: Indoor and Outdoor Football Toss
Super Bowl Cheerleader Camp
Super Bowl Wii Sports and Football Game Lounge
Most Memorable Super Bowl Halftime Shows

From the King of Pop to Prince and even Sir Paul, the Super Bowl halftime show has provided a stage for all varities of rock n' royalty. But, we've seen that not everyone scores at halftime.

Here is our list of the most memorable Super Bowl halftime moments ever. Think of it as a highlight reel of the non-football variety. Did your favorite make the list?

Halftime Highlights
Super Bowl of Chili Party

The Super Bowl is America's biggest TV party, and the pressure to perform is intense. Beat the odds without working up a sweat! Tackle your festive duties with this unbeatable starting lineup: a Super Bowl of chili, pre-game snacks guaranteed to score a taste touchdown every time, and a second-half game-changer called the FIRST Pineapple Upside DOWN Cake. Wash it all down with a Hail Bloody Mary that will make guests leap out of their seats.

Here's how to make this Super Bowl party a champ for the ages. Manny's Super Bowl Dip

Super Bowl: FIRST Pineapple upside DOWN Cake
Super Bowl of Veggie Chili
Super Bowl Mean Joe Greene Guacamole
Super Bowl Dips and Tips
Super Bowl: Hail Bloody Mary
Top Ten Super Bowl Commercials of All Time

America tunes in to the Super Bowl to watch two things: the best in NFL football, and the best in TV commercials. We love a great commercial just as much as the rest of America, so here are our picks for the Top Ten Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time.

Get ready for this year's Super Bowl by reading up on throwing a killer Super Bowl Party:

    * Super Bowl Chili Cook-Off Party
    * First Down Game Day Appetizers
    * Super Bowl Halftime Blitz Party

Super Bowl Commercial - Diet Pepsi Stunt Double
Super Bowl Commercial: Blockbuster Mouse Click
Super Bowl Commercial: Bad Cheetah
Super Bowl Commercial: Budweiser Rocky Commercial
Super Bowl Commercial: Bud Light Fist Bump
Super Bowl Commercials: Budweiser Frogs
Super Bowl Commercial: When I Grow Up
Super Bowl Commercial: Terry Tate, Office Linebacker
Super Bowl Commercials: Larry Bird vs. Michael Jordan
Super Bowl Commercial: Apple's 1984 Macintosh Introduction

Super Bowl Party Ideas, Food, Decoration & Games

A Super Bowl party is one of the biggest parties of the year. Here are some fresh ideas to make sure your Super Bowl party doesn’t turn into a super bore.

Super Bowl Party Invitations

A cool party invite is to make your invitation look like a ticket to the actual Super Bowl. You can see a sample of this year’s ticket at the Super Bowl's official website. If you want to keep it simple, American Greetings have free Super Bowl party e-cards that you can email to your guests.

Super Bowl Party Food

For Super Bowl party food make it suitable to the cities of various NFL teams or just the ones who made the playoffs – jambalaya for New Orleans, a cheese fondue for Green Bay, deep dish pizza for Chicago, cheese steak sandwiches for Philadelphia, clam chowder for New England, cheese cake for New York, and Tex-mex or BBQ for Dallas.

Obviously, chili is a great food to serve a large crowd, but make more than one type – a five meat chili, a vegan chili, a suicide spice chili – be sure to read Tips on How to Make the Best Chili for some ideas.

Beer is the typical Super Bowl drink, so if you are having a lot of people you may want to make your own beer for the occasion (do this in late December as the beer needs to sit for four weeks before you can drink it). You can even make up your own Super bowl party label for the bottles.

Game Day Activities

The game typically begins at 6 p.m. EST, so start the festivities at 4 p.m. with a tailgate party in your driveway, even if it is cold. This is a great way to get your neighbors to join in. Have a laptop running showing the count down time until the game starts (also available at the Super Bowl’s website).

Make it a costume party where everyone has to dress in football attire, crazed fan getup, their favorite NFL cheerleaders, or, at very least, wear the colors of the playing teams. You can also hand out washable tattoos of the opposing teams (available at Amazon.com), noisemakers like whistles, horns and cow bells and pom poms to use whenever someone scores, and, if it is legal in your area, let off firecrackers outside for every touchdown.
Halftime Activities

Watching the Super Bowl kids usually get pretty restless, making it tough for people trying to watch the game. So suggest that they prepare a halftime super bowl show for the adults. This will keep them busy during the first half at least.
More Super Bowl Party Games

Unfortunately, sometimes the game can be a dud. So you have to find other ways to have some Super Bowl fun One way is to do the popular Grid Pool where people buy a square on a 10" x 10" grid and the winner is whoever has the square at the intersection of the last digit of each team’s final score. You could also run side contests on quarterback stats - such as number of completions, number of attempts, and total yards, with a prize for whoever’s guess is the closest.

For a drinking game (make sure no one drinks and drives) have each person draw a player's name out of a sack. Every time the announcers say a player's name, the person who has that player has to take a drink.

Known for its great commercials Super Bowl parties usually focus on that too. Spotbowl has the line up of advertisers for this year’s Super Bowl. Print out several cards with each advertiser’s name on it (how many cards you print out depends on the number of people attending your party). Randomly give everyone five commercial cards. Once their commercial airs, they lose the card. The key is that they have to be there to see the commercial in order to discard (this keeps them watching the game). The first person out of cards wins a prize.

Patriots Odds for Super Bowl 2011

The New England Patriots showed once again that they are a dominant force in the NFL with their most recent NFL picks win over the New York Jets. The Monday Night Football picks contest resulted in a 3-45 win and the Patriots taking the lead in the AFC East division title chase. Tom Brady was once again flawless as he lead the Patriots to his 34th win in the month of December.

The combination of Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead has proven to be a combination that many oppponents are not capable of stopping. Although on Monday Night Football Woodhead only had 2 carries for 11 yards, while Green-Ellis had the majority of rushing with 18 carries and 72 yards. Green-Ellis posted 14 points for the Patriots in their win over the Jets.

This week the New England Patriots week 14 NFL picks contest will put the Patriots on the road as they head to Chicago to face the Bears. The Chicago Bears appear to be heading to a division title as well, with five consecutive NFL picks victories, their most recent win though, was close as the Bears pulled out a fourth quarter win with a pass from Jay Cutler to Brandon Manumaleuna over the Detroit Lions.

The 2011 Super Bowl odds currently show the New England Patriots as a 4/1 NFL picks favorite to win the Super Bowl.

Sex, football, booze – a Vegas-style Super Bowl party

Las Vegas has seen a lot of marriages of destiny. First, there was the loosely-regulated gaming industry meeting money-hungry mobsters and then there was the all-mighty dollar joining the corporate juggernauts that opened mega resorts up and down the Strip.

Now comes another coupling that only seems fitting in Vegas’ evolution: lingerie football.

If you don’t know what the Lingerie Football League is, just think model-quality women in skimpy “uniforms” getting hot and sweaty and tackling each other. This is the new American dream – or fantasy at least.

The LFL unveiled its Lingerie Bowl VIII uniforms – if that’s what we can call halter tops and booty shorts – in true Las Vegas fashion with the members of the future Vegas team disrobing in front of a crowd of mostly men at The Sporting House inside New York-New York.

The Lingerie Bowl, which will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center during halftime of the Super Bowl on Feb. 6, comes to Sin City for the first time, adding to an already packed list of Super Bowl events.

“It is one of Vegas’ biggest weekends, if not the biggest weekend, but nothing really stands out,” said Mitchell Mortaza, who founded the league in 2004. “From what we understand, it’s just a lot of clutter.

“The Lingerie Bowl creates the destination because outside of the NFL, we are the biggest brand associated with the Super Bowl. So, that instantly creates an attraction in Las Vegas where, if you don’t want to pay eight times the room value by going to Dallas, you can come to Las Vegas and be part of the Super Bowl-like festivities.”

While hot women hitting each other is normally enough to attract a throng of fans in any city, the LFL is adding to the experience by attempting to become the world’s largest Super Bowl viewing party.

The Super Bowl will be shown on screens at Thomas & Mack, which seats more than 16,000 when configured for arena-style football, along with celebrity appearances and other attractions. And what makes the experience better is that you don’t have to pay to get in. Thanks to the NFL’s strict Super Bowl broadcasting policy, the Lingerie Football League isn’t able to charge admission prices.

Log onto UNLVtickets.com beginning at 3 p.m. Pacific time on Dec. 10 to reserve your tickets.

The Lingerie Bowl will also feature an array of lead-up events in the style of the Super Bowl. More details are expected to be released about the events, which will be held at New York-New York.

The women of the LFL range from your attractive woman-next-door-type to former Playboy models and, now, a former “Baywatch” beauty. Angelica Bridges, who has also posed in Playboy, starred in “Baywatch” in the late ’90s and headlined at the topless-show “Fantasy” at the Luxor.

Surprisingly, Bridges said she has always wanted to be a part of the LFL and nearly joined when it was just a one-game event in 2004. While she has never played tackle football previously, she is quick to point out that the game is more than gorgeous women bumping into each other.

“It’s not about being all Victoria’s Secret looking, you have to play the game,” Bridges said. “You don’t want to go out there and be embarrassed and you can’t catch a ball, you can’t throw a ball, you’re getting the daylights hit out of you. It’s not going to be worth it to the fans because they want really want to see the football; they really want to see the game.”

Really? What’s next - going to strip clubs for the conversation?

Either way, sex sells and Vegas, better than any other city, knows that. Did we mention that Oklahoma City actually banned the LFL from coming there? Now if showing Oklahomans that scantily-clad women are a good thing isn’t enough to entice you to come to the free event, perhaps you’re not suited for Vegas after all.

Super Bowl Travel Packages 2011

In the battle between the AFC vs. the NFC, there's a number of good teams on both sides but only one gets to play for a championship and determining who that team is, is always a difficult task, especially so early in the year. However, there are a few teams that are sure to have the greatest chance at making it all the way.

To find out who they are, read-on.

AFC

Indianapolis Colts - The NFL's good boy's are always good picks too! The Colts are the darling's of the NFL but don't mistake their goodness for weakness - Indianapolis will be tough. Even with Tony Dungy out as the head coach, the Colts still made it to the Super Bowl last year.

San Diego Chargers - In spite of a passionate yet aging and struggling Ladainian Tomlinson out, head coach Norv Turner says that this year's Chargers might be the best team that he's ever coached. His optimism is infectious so we'll agree with him.

Baltimore Ravens - Vegas has been good to Baltimore, predicting the Ravens as low-risk and high-powered for gamblers - we tend to agree. Baltimore has always been rock solid on defense and you know what they say about defenses.

New England Patriots - Can you ever count out the Pats given all they have done in this decade? New England won the East in 2009 and we don't see that changing any time soon.

NFC

New Orleans Saints - A lot of analysts are counting out the Saints this year, predicting a Sophomore slump after riding the high of an emotional run in last year's campaign. In light of that, we can't imagine not including a team with such fire power in the conversation.

Dallas Cowboys - Super Bowl XLV is coming to Dallas in 2011 and the Cowboys have a real shot at becoming the first team to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium. With a star-studded program and a newly focused QB, the big D could stand for something else - dangerous! Fans wanting to catch a glimpse of the greatest show on turf should grab a Dallas Cowboys Travel Package while they're available.

Green Bay Packers - It's hard to bet against a team like Green Bay. With the exodus of Brett Favre and the emergence of a QB named Aaron Rodgers - football fans nationwide weren't sure of what to think about them. In the last several years under Rodgers lead, the Packers have looked more explosive than ever.

Minnesota Vikings - Speaking of Brett Favre, after destroying the Cowboys in last season's playoffs it's impossible to write off the Vikings just yet. Last year saw an offense that made plays and a relentless defense that just wouldn't quit. The success of this team is dependent on whether or not Favre returns as its quarterback.

So, who of these great teams will have the best shot at making it?

I see it as a Dallas vs. San Diego match up in Super Bowl XLV. Dallas will have to survive a treacherous schedule, one of the toughest in the league and if they make it all the way to the Super Bowl, they will have earned it. The Chargers dropped LT and are actually claiming to be stronger than ever, this makes them dangerous.

We'll reserve final predictions for a later date but it would sure be tough to bet against the Cowboys at home, wouldn't it?

Over 100,000 fans are going to cram Cowboys Stadium on February 6, 2011. Will you be one of them?

Purchase a Super Bowl Travel Package from Cowboys Packages today and we'll get you set up for the ULTIMATE Super Bowl weekend experience.

Jonathan Baldwin Heading to NFL Draft 2011

University of Pittsburgh junior wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin intends to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft, he confirmed to NFLDraftScout.com on Tuesday, shortly after coach Dave Wannstedt stepped down amid pressure following a disappointing 7-5 season.

Reached through text message Tuesday evening and asked if it was safe to say he would forego his senior year with Wannstedt stepping down, Baldwin responded, "No, it's not safe to say that. It doesn't change my quarterback!"

At first, it sounded as if Baldwin was non-committal on his future, but when asked, "Why would you stay (for your senior season) when you have no chemistry with QB Tino Sunseri, a new coach/system taking over next season and possibly hurt your draft stock for the 2012 draft, Baldwin clarified, "Oh, I misunderstood you ... Heck yeah I'm leaving. It can only get worse. They had me running a lot of deep routes (this year) and yards were hard to come by. I barely ran intermediate routes; it felt like they were purposely trying to disrupt my draft stock."

At 6-feet-5 and 230 pounds, Baldwin is the No. 6-rated junior wide receiver by NFLDraftScout.com. But he entered 2010 with high expectations after catching 57 passes for 1,111 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore.

He was rated the No. 1 underclassman prospect in the Big East by NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst Rob Rang in August. However, he struggled to build on his sophomore success and has 52 catches for 810 yards and five touchdowns entering Pitt's bowl game as he struggled to adjust to first-year starter Sunseri.

Before the start of the season, Baldwin expressed his concerns on how he would adjust to Sunseri, and was cautiously optimistic about the success they could achieve on the field together.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, because Tino and I haven't been on the field together that much," Baldwin told NFLDraftScout.com in an exclusive interview in July. "This is a big year for me, and I made him aware of that; he knows it's an important year for me, and he's going to try to help me have a big year."

The optimism that Baldwin expressed during the summer never translated on the field this season. And even though Pittsburgh will face Kentucky in the Compass Bowl on Jan. 8, Baldwin will have to prove to scouts this offseason that he's worthy of a high-round selection in April.

Baldwin is currently NFLDraftScout.com's sixth-rated junior wide receiver.

New Orleans Saints stars join 2011 Louisiana Hall of Fame class

New Orleans Saints stars Morten Andersen, Vaughn Johnson and Buford Jordan, along with LSU All-American and 12-year major league baseball infielder Todd Walker and NBA standout Donald “Slick” Watts, are among the eight 2011 inductees who will enter the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

High school football coaching great Don Shows, Louisiana-Lafayette softball All-America pitcher Kyla Hall and innovative LSU Athletic Director Thomas P. “Skipper” Heard complete the induction class.

They will be officially enshrined here June 25, 2011 to culminate the June 23-25 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration. Heard, who died in 1980, will be honored posthumously.

A 30-member Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee selected the 2011 inductees. The panel considered 138 nominees from 22 different sport categories on a 26-page ballot.

The inductions will be conducted in the shadow of construction of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame museum, operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the LSWA. The steel beam framework of the two-story, 27,500-square foot structure is up facing Cane River Lake in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches.

The museum could be ready for its grand opening as early as the June 2012 Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.

The eight new inductees will raise the total of Hall of Fame members to 285 men and women honored since the first induction class — baseball’s Mel Ott, world champion boxer Tony Canzoneri and LSU football great Gaynell Tinsley — were enshrined in 1959 after their election a year earlier.

The Hall includes nine members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, six of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, six baseball Hall of Fame inductees, 13 Pro Football Hall of Fame members, seven Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinees, 18 Olympic medalists (10 gold medal winners), 32 College Football Hall of Fame members, three National High School Hall of Fame enshrines, jockeys with a combined 12 Triple Crown victories, six world boxing champions, three College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, three NBA Finals MVPs and two Super Bowl MVPs.

The 2011 Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 23, with the La Capitol press conference and reception. It includes three receptions, a Friday afternoon celebrity pro-am golf scramble at Oak Wing Golf Course in Alexandria, and a Saturday morning youth sports clinic hosted on the Northwestern State campus. Tickets for the induction ceremonies and dinner, and golf entries, will go on sale in April through the www.lasportshall.com website, said Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland.

Also to be honored at the event will be the winner of the 2011 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award and the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism presented by the LSWA. Those award recipients will be announced in the spring.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys and Eagles are the only NFL teams with four receivers who have at least 475 yards each. Philadelphia is the only NFL team averaging 400 total yards a game, and its 144 rushing yards average is the highest in 12 seasons under Coach Andy Reid. Dallas LB DeMarcus Ware is only a half-sack shy of his fifth consecutive season with at least 10 sacks.

SMARTER STATS: It's all well and good that the Cowboys are 3-1 in the Jason Garrett era, but let's hold off on the 2011 Super Bowl predictions. Of the three teams they've beaten since Garrett took over (the Giants, Lions, and Colts), only the G-Men aren't in total free fall or trying to find their way.

Security dogs for Super Bowl 2011

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives demonstrated Thursday the effectiveness of explosives-detection canines that will be used during Super Bowl XLV.

The dogs will help provide security at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington and venues throughout North Texas during the Feb. 6 event.

"We're going to have the most dogs we've ever had for a Super Bowl because of the size of the stadium," said Tom Crowley, an ATF spokesman.

The dogs – all Labrador retrievers – have been trained to detect 1,900 types of explosives, including homemade and commercial devices, Crowley said.

In addition to the ATF's 35 explosives-detection canine teams, the agency has trained 123 more dogs to work in federal, state and local agencies throughout the country, including a number of area police and fire departments.

Thursday's demonstration, at an empty office complex in Lewisville, culminated a three-day workshop for state and local agencies.

Transportation options during the week of Super Bowl 2011

Local tax dollars will pay about half of the $450,000 bill for extra transportation options during Super Bowl week, now that the Regional Transportation Council voted unanimously Thursday to authorize the expenditures.

The money will pay for a range of transportation extras for events surrounding the big game and on Super Sunday itself, including special Sunday service for the Trinity Railway Express on game day and the previous Sunday.

The commuter train will operate a fuller schedule during the week before the game. The money will buy shuttle service for big shots arriving at small airports, additional operation of the Interstate 30 HOV lanes between Dallas and Arlington and other amenities.

The Super Bowl host committee will reimburse about $175,000 of the expenses and North Texas transportation officials hope to raise an additional $50,000 or so through the sale of special, four-day transit passes that will allow riders to use bus, light rail or the TRE anytime from Thursday to Sunday. The passes will cost $30 and will include access to the Super Sunday TRE trains.

The vote was unanimous at Thursday's meeting of the RTC, where members see the Super Bowl as a vital opportunity to market North Texas a destination fit for the world's biggest events.

"If we get this thing right this go-around, then the future is ours," said RTC member Bernice Washington, who is also a board member of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. "We hold the future in the palm of our hand, so we have to spend this money wisely."

DART spokesman Morgan Lyons confirmed that the agency supports the four-day pass, though he said details about how it will be sold are being worked out. The receipts from the pass will go to the transportation council, which has already promised to reimburse all transit agencies the full cost of their participation.

Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said the passes will be sold as commemorative items that patrons will likely want to keep as souvenirs.

The money approved Thursday comes from a local account maintained by the council of governments on the RTC's behalf. It is funded by contributions from area governments.

The council also approved a request by the North Texas Tollway Authority to delay for 60 days payment of the $458 million it promised to provide as part of its contract to build and operate the State Highway 161 toll road. That amount includes a $200 million cash payment and $258 million reimbursement for money the RTC provided for construction.

NTTA board member Bob Day told the council the delay is necessary to give the authority time to conclude negotiations with the federal government related to loan guarantees and to sell bonds to investors.