How to party down for the Super Bowl

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In this screen shot provided by Volkswagen of America, a child actor portraying Darth Vader, uses the Force on a 2012 Volkswagen Passat, in a 2011 Super Bowl XLV commercial. This was one of 2011's most popular ads. | File photo

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Updated: February 28, 2012 11:38AM

Super Bowl XLVI will pit the New York Giants against the New England Patriots, with gridiron action going down at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Now let’s be perfectly honest. A whole lot of the country doesn’t really care who wins; many won’t, in fact, even be aware of a game going on.

Nonetheless, we as Americans will gather around the TV and watch commercials where men get hit in the groin by monkeys. Or babies. Either way, it’s comedy gold, and it’s what most Americans want — a night of watching grown men getting pummeled (on the field, too), while eating tortilla chips smothered in hot cheese sauce.

And since it’s no fun doing it alone, pub owners (and other enterprising folks) have taken it upon themselves to organize parties. Pay a flat rate and drink and eat as much as you want, while watching the commercials (or, presumably, the game) on high-def, large-screened TVs.

The Rosary High School Sports Boosters in Aurora have a wonderful tradition of hosting a 21-and-over party on Super Bowl Sunday. This year marks the 32nd annual party, held at the M.L. Kunold Athletic Facility at Rosary High School, 901 N. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora. Doors open at 3 p.m. and admission is $10.

Mary Lou Kunold, athletic director, said it’s the athletic program’s main fundraiser.

“It’s like a giant tailgating party. It’s like something you’ve never seen,” she said.

They have between 15 and 20 donated 55-inch TVs to watch the big game on. People can come individually, or you can reserve group spots (up to 20 people in a group). Very seldom have they sold out of spots, she said, so if Feb. 5 rolls around and you haven’t RSVP’ed, it’s not a problem.

Food like hot dogs, barbecue, Italian beef and other snacks are available for sale, or — unlike a sports bar — you can bring in your own nosh.

“Those get interesting. People bring in these spreads,” she said. “You’ll see from the typical deviled eggs and cold cuts to someone bringing in a candelabra and sushi. You never know.”

Throughout the party, there will be a silent auction.

“It’s a variety, not just athletic stuff. We’ll have a lot of sports memorabilia, but we’ll also have jewelry, women’s baskets, guy’s drills, vacation packages and hotel stays. There’s a whole gamut of price ranges,” she said.

They will also have quarterly raffles, Vegas games, boards, split the pots, the “lotto” drawing, boards and a $5 raffle.

You can’t bring in your own hooch, but they will have $1 beers and $2 wine for sale.

“On one hand, I’m kind of glad Green Bay or the Bears aren’t in, because when they are, it hurts our attendance big time, because everybody wants to have their own parties at their house,” she said. “But on the other hand, when the Bears were in that year and Hester made that first return, I have never heard our gym so loud. It was just ballistic. It was so much fun.”

Some people come right at 3 to look at silent auction items and then leave until game time; others come early and stay “til the bitter end,” she said.

The party tradition started with her sports boosters as a way to raise a larger amount of money to help supplement the cost of running the athletics.

“We have had some really, really good parties where we were making over $50,000, but lately the times have taken a hit on us. Our goal is always to hit $65,000, but I’m happy if we clear $30,000,” she said.

Check the website to view silent auction items before you go.

One final poll question: what do people care about watching, football or commercials?

“Commercials,” she said laughing. “We’ve even gone to where we have the sound of the game hooked into our speaker system. So we have it if we want to make an announcement it cuts the volume, and during the times you hear us talk … you don’t want to talk when the commercials are on. They would rather you talk when the game is going.”

(630) 896 0831 ext. 25. Athletics2000.com/rosary.

Other options

Why not kick the day off on the right foot, so to speak, with a healthy 5K run or walk? Exercise now so you don’t have to feel bad about the plate of nachos you’ll scarf down later. Join the Geneva Super Bowl Shuffle 5K. Check-in begins at 8:30 for the 10 a.m. race, held at Geneva Middle School South, 1415 Viking Drive, Geneva. Awards and celebration to follow at Buffalo Wild Wings. (630) 232-4542. Genevaparks.org.

Later in the day, check out Frankfort’s Winter on the Green Super Bowl event from 1-3 p.m. in Breidert Green at Kansas and Ash streets in Frankfort. Elvis impersonator Dave Thomas will be on hand to entertain the crowd. Enjoy free hot dogs as part of the tailgating party. Bring your favorite four-legged athlete to the half-time “Puppy Bowl” at 2 p.m. You can even dress your pooch up in their favorite team’s apparel. Trophies will be awarded for Best Dressed Dog, All Star Dog (Most Athletic), and Chow Hound. Each dog in attendance gets a free gift. (815) 469-2177. villageoffrankfort.com.

Bars and pubs

Jameson’s Pub, 2755 Black Road, Joliet. (815) 729-0000. Thejamesonspub.com. Join the party when kickoff happens at 5:30 p.m. For $35, you get an open bar and half-time buffet.

Total Sport Bar, Naperville. 523 Fairway Drive, Naperville. (630) 983-5400. totalsportsnaperville.com. This all-inclusive party for $35 features a buffet of smoked wings, barbecued pulled pork, blue cheese potato salad and unlimited domestic beer bottles.

Tailgaters, 431 W. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook. (630) 679-1994. tailgatersgrill.com. The annual Super Bowl party costs $35 in advance or $40 the day of the event. For that price, you get an unlimited buffet of beef, chicken, pasta, wings, pizza and more; plus five hours of Bud/Miller draft beer. The party starts at 4:30 p.m.

John Barleycorn, 1100 American Lane, Schaumburg. (847) 619-5540. Johnbarleycorn.com. This popular bar opens at 3:30 p.m. with kickoff at 5:30 p.m. Watch the game on 24 HDTVs while enjoying specials on domestic buckets, 4 Rebels Vodka cocktails, sliders (burgers, pulled pork, ham and cheese), wings, nachos and Chicago-style chili.

Rookies All-American Pub, 2486 Bushwood Dr., Elgin. (847) 551-9006. Rookiespub.com. The Super Bowl party starts at 5 p.m. for $50, which includes appetizers in the first and second quarters and a rib eye steak dinner at halftime. This includes all-you-can drink except shots and pitchers, as well, all the way up until the two-minute warning.

The St. Charles location is running the same special.

Miller’s Lombard Ale House, 455 East Butterfield Road, Lombard. (630) 241-337. Lombardalehouse.com. The party starts at 5 p.m. with an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring a carving station, raw bar, six-foot hoagies, pastas, snow crab legs, chicken wings, salads, desserts and an open bar (excluding shots, pitchers and bottles of wine.) Cost is $50.

Evviva Bar and Eatery, 1017 Front St., Lisle. (630) 241-9955. Evvivalisle.com. The party starts at kickoff and lasts until the clock winds down on Super Bowl XLVI. $35 gets you all the domestic beer and house wine you can drink, plus a food buffet at halftime.