Now with more hedgehog!

February 1, 2013 8:38 PM

Fact: Every bowl is super when there's ice cream in it.

Not a football fan? Looking for alternatives to the Super Bowl? You're in luck, with Puppy Bowl!

This year's Puppy Bowl IX will be streamed Sunday on the Animal Planet web site. You can get behind-the-scenes footage of the unbearable cuteness before the big game day, however. Meet the players! Don't miss the Kitty Halftime Show!

Of course, such a major annual sporting event needs cheerleaders! Past cheerleading squads have included the Rabbits , Pigs, Chickens, and now, Hedgehogs! No major national sporting even is complete without a touching hedgehog-interest story. And, for your convenience, live tweeting (almost literally).

What, you ask, is this assemblage of cheerleaders doing in a cute pet event? Pigs as pets. Pet chickens. Hedgies!

posted by eviemath (22 comments total)

Thanks to MeTa for extra links.
posted by eviemath at 8:44 PM on February 1

Puppies that fall asleep on the field. <3
posted by young sister beacon at 10:02 PM on February 1

Have yourself a very special Superb Owl everyone.
posted by The Whelk at 10:03 PM on February 1 [10 favorites]

Nice repost, eviemath. I've never watched Puppy Bowl but now that Mom & Sis have moved to town (Sis is a dog groomer) and they subsist largely on Animal Planet programming, Sunday will be all about puppies. And kittens and hedgehogs, I guess.

The NFL? I couldn't care less. The commercials & halftime weirdness I can catch in the aftermath. As long as the beer is cold I could watch one or the other, and we'll be yakking over it all anyway.
posted by wallabear at 10:09 PM on February 1

I'm inviting everyone over to play tabletop games. TAKE THAT, JOCKS!
posted by KokuRyu at 10:09 PM on February 1 [2 favorites]

"Puppy bowl"? What's up with this obsession with dog meat, metafilter?
posted by wayland at 10:14 PM on February 1

I used to be really into the Puppy Bowl. But then I read a few articles recently and it seems like no matter how much fame a young pup may gain on the field, it's not worth it. The amount of physical injuries sustained can essentially sentence that puppy to a doggy life of chronic mental and physical anguish.

I think it's only a matter of time before medical science proves that the Puppy Bowl is far too dangerous and future generations of puppies will wonder why we even tolerated this blood sport in the first place.
posted by mcmile at 11:13 PM on February 1 [5 favorites]

It starts at 7am Monday morning for me over here on the other side of the world. Whhyyyyyyy??? *anguished cry*
posted by Alnedra at 11:44 PM on February 1

I'm surprised they don't have the IKEA Monkey there as a celebrity referee.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:48 PM on February 1 [4 favorites]

(Still bitter that hedgehogs are outlawed as pets in California)
posted by mykescipark at 11:56 PM on February 1

(and New York State, I promise not let it out my apartment you guys)
posted by The Whelk at 12:20 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]

The amount of physical injuries sustained can essentially sentence that puppy to a doggy life of chronic mental and physical anguish.

The worst of it is what happens to their morals. They think nothing of raising football players from young cubs and forcing packs of them to fight in huge, grass-lined arenas.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:52 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]

Tiny Kitten Tries to Figure Out What a Hedgehog Is
posted by eviemath at 8:35 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]

For those that are not interested in the puppy bowl, the Possum Bowl was played on Friday. It was a high scoring game.
posted by Nackt at 3:51 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]

The Puppy Bowl isn't LIVE??? I feel somewhat cheated.
posted by HeyAllie at 7:47 AM on February 3

Ack! we can't find it on the site! maybe it won't play outside the U.S.?
posted by taz at 12:20 PM on February 3

Two super cute pups named Butterscotch and Biscuit caught my eye - it turns out they're Puerto Rican Sato dogs, both from recue organization The Sato Project. Though I'd heard of the Puerto Rican strays, I never knew much about the rescue effort for them and am glad that they're getting some publicity today.
posted by young sister beacon at 1:28 PM on February 3 [2 favorites]

Is it really streaming in the U.S.? We weren't able to find it, though we did watch an adorable "locker room" view.
posted by dilettante at 2:20 PM on February 3

Well, we're watching the puppy bowl here at the HB house.
posted by HuronBob at 2:43 PM on February 3 [1 favorite]

I'm seeing plenty of references to watching it online.. But can't figure it out either.

I want puppies. :-(
posted by meese at 3:06 PM on February 3

Boo, I can't find a link that actually plays today's actual Puppy Bowl either:( I now see a highlights clip, and various other short clips from Puppy Bowl IX at the Animal Planet web site, but that's it. Can anyone who has it playing post the link you're using?
posted by eviemath at 3:20 PM on February 3

I miss the Bud Bowl.
posted by Melismata at 9:00 AM on February 4