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Tee up these televised 'bowls' " ) // required + "&publicationDate=" + escape( "1/29/2009 7:51:38 PM") // required + "&author=" + escape( "By Bruce Schwartz, USA TODAY" ) + "&contentID=" + escape( "http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-01-29-super-bowl-alternatives_N.htm" ) // required + "&orderBeanReset=true"; // required, hard-coded PopUp = window.open( location, "Rightslink", "toolbar=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,width=650,height=550"); } </script><span class="inside-head">Football not your thing? Tee up these televised 'bowls'</span></td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" height="25" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="datestamp"><span id="datestamp">Updated <script type="text/javascript">document.write(niceDate('1/30/2009 2:37 PM'));</script></span> | <span id="uslCountControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment <span class="uslDisabledCommentsCount"></span></span></span> | <span id="uslRecommendControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend <span class="uslDisabledRecommendCount"></span></span></span></td> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="float:left"><tr><td><div id="applyMainStoryPhoto" style="z-index:-1; margin-top:4px"><table width="245" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2"><a href="javascript:;" onClick="window.open('http://asp.usatoday.com/_common/_scripts/big_picture.aspx?width=490&height=424&storyURL=/life/television/news/2009-01-29-super-bowl-alternatives_N.htm&imageURL=http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2009/01/30/puppybolwx-large.jpg','','width=490,height=424')"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2009/01/30/puppybolwx.jpg" width="245" height="212" border="0" alt="The Puppy Bowl: Animal Planet's "big game" kicks off at 3 p.m. ET/PT on Super Bowl Sunday. 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Tee up these televised 'bowls'"; </script><div class="byLine" id="byLineTag">By Bruce Schwartz, USA TODAY</div> <div class="inside-copy">Every year the Super Bowl (Sunday, 6 ET/3 PT, NBC) draws tens of millions of viewers. And every year, rival networks and cable channels have to fill time. Some just punt; others try to counterprogram with marathons, themes and specials. A sampling of Sunday's aspiring Bowl busters:</div> <p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>The Puppy Bowl </i></b>(Animal Planet, 3 ET/PT). This is the big annual alternative: An all-star, adoptable lineup of pound puppies (recruited from local shelters) take to the turf for hours of ruff-and-tumble action at Animal Planet Stadium. This year's entertainment: Pepper the Parrot on the National Anthem, and the ever purrpular Kitty Half-time Show.</p> <p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>Wipeout Bowl</i></b> (ABC, 8 ET/PT). Hosted by John Anderson, John Henson and Jill Wagner with guest sideline reporter Michael Irvin, this specially themed version of the fall-filled physical challenge pits a team of couch potatoes against a likely more-fit team of cheerleaders. Stunts range from the Big Balls (now football helmets) to the 10-Yard-Dash Log Roll and the Keg Run. </p> <p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>Super Bawl Sunday</i></b> (WE). Win or lose, you can still have a good cry with back-to-back movie tearjerkers, including <i>The Way We Were </i>(noon ET/PT), <i>Moonlight Mile </i>(2:30 ET/PT) and <i>Philadelphia </i>(5 ET/PT). </p> <p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>Death Wish Bowl </i></b>(AMC). We just made the name up for the movie theme of the day: Charles Bronson's greatest hits, from <i>Death Wish </i>(noon and 6 p.m. ET/PT), through <i>Death Wish II </i>(2 and 8 p.m. ET/PT), to <i>Death Wish III </i>(4 and 10 p.m. ET/PT). </p> <div id="tagCrumbs"></div> <p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>World Series of Poker </i></b>(ESPN, 6 p.m. ET/3 PT). Four straight hours of hold 'em/fold 'em action from the 2008 European championships. </p> <p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>Toilet Bowl </i></b>(DIY Network, starting 7 a.m. ET/PT). Finally, a theme you can sink into: day and evening runs of series such as <i>Bathroom Renovations </i>and <i>Bathtastic!</i> Not to be confused with running to the bathroom during Super Bowl timeouts.</p> <p class="inside-copy">More marathons, start to finish (some run into early Monday): </p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>America's Next Top Model </i></b>(Oxygen, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>CSI </i></b>(Spike TV, noon-4 a.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>Cheaters </i></b>(G4, 3-11 p.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>Clean House </i></b>(Style, noon-3 a.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>Ghost Hunters/Ghost Hunters International </i></b>(Sci Fi, 9 a.m.-1 a.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>House </i></b>(USA, 11 a.m.-4 a.m. ET/PT) </p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>I Love Lucy </i></b>(Hallmark, 8:30 a.m.-3 a.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>The Sopranos </i></b>(A&E, noon-4 a.m. ET/PT)</p> <p class="inside-copy"><b><i>The Closer </i></b>(TNT, noon-11 p.m. ET/PT) </p> <div class="inside-copy" style="margin-bottom:10px;"><i></i></div> <table width="100%" height="25" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td height="40" colspan="2"><span class="posteddate">Posted <script type="text/javascript">document.write(niceDate('1/29/2009 7:51 PM'));</script></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="27%" height="30"><span class="datestamp">Updated <script type="text/javascript">document.write(niceDate('1/30/2009 2:37 PM'));</script></span></td> <td align="right"> <div id="articleInfo"></div> </td> <td width="73%" height="30" align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" class="story-contact-text">To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor <a href="mailto:accuracy@usatoday.com?subject=Football not your thing? Tee up these televised 'bowls'&body=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-01-29-super-bowl-alternatives_N.htm"><b>Brent Jones</b></a>. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to <a href="mailto:letters@usatoday.com">letters@usatoday.com</a>. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to <a href="http://corrections.usatoday.com">corrections.usatoday.com</a>.</td> </tr> </table> <div class="conversation-guideline"><span>Guidelines: </span>You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. 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