Maybe the biggest reason the NFL has risen above all other American sports is the fact they have found ways to make you care, regardless if your home team is playing or not.

For example, in baseball, if the Tigers aren't in the World Series, I have a hard time watching.

Same for the NBA, once Kobe has made his exit.

March Madness is different, but that is only because of the tournament format and those lovely brackets, which flirt with man's basic nature of ego and wanting to be right.

But when it comes to the Super Bowl, the teams' playing doesn't drive the ratings because everyone and their mother are going to watch. Between the commercials, halftime performances that feature aging musicians and wardrobe malfunctions, and two weeks of hype, the game and day have become an event.

And every good event deserves a party.

On Fort Meade, the 11th Frame Lounge at the Lanes will help the post ring in the big game.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in any of them because the Joneses are hosting their own Super Bowl bash/Official House Warming.

There are tons of things that go into making a Super Bowl party an epic success, as opposed to a major fail. Here are the three most important:

1. Make the game the center of attention.

Fellowship and catching up are nice, but you can do that any normal Sunday. Super Bowl Sunday is about football, so don't be silly and do things like hide the TV in a corner.

In fact, you should have more than one television going on in what can be known as the escape area for true fans who need to get away in case the game is not getting the respect it deserves in the main room.

Mine is going to be in the master bedroom. If technology permits, putting a small screen in the guest bathroom isn't a bad idea either.

2. Just like any holiday, Super Bowl Sunday should be a family event.

But as we know, kids are loud, sometimes whiny and have a special gift at making themselves the center of attention. Without prior planning, their skill makes it almost impossible for you to follow Rule No. 1. That's why you give them their own area to do what kids do.

Make sure it has all the things today's youth need to be entertained: video games, adequate cable -- basically anything that has Nickelodeon and the Disney channels -- and at least one child older than 10 to ensure nothing too crazy happens.

If children do wander upstairs or make a fuss, wait for a commercial and serve sweets downstairs as an incentive to get them back where they belong. Of course, don't make the dessert too exotic or you may miss some valuable game time. Unless, of course, you have a TV in the food-prep area, or an open kitchen concept like we do at the new casa.

3. Speaking of food prep, it's not a secret that food makes the party, so don't be cheap.

It is OK to ask your guests to bring a dish to pass, but the host is responsible for covering the basics: chips, drinks, cutlery and at least one major dish.

We're going with crab legs and meatballs -- two things we've never made before, but are sure to be good thanks to members of Jabber Nation who provided some great recipes. I've shared them here and will tell you how they taste next week.

Until then, follow the rules and have a great time watching the Giants beat the Pats 31-27.

Sumptuous Super Bowl Recipes

BBQ MEATBALLS
Submitted by Jessica Martin

Ingredients:
* 1 pound of meatloaf and meatball mix
* 1/2 cup of barbecue spices
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs

Mix it all together and form them into meatballs.

Directions:
Cook in extra virgin olive oil until they are cooked through completely for about two to three minutes on each side.

Cover the pan to cook the meatballs.

Enjoy the recipe with barbecue sauce or ketchup.

MEATBALLS
Submitted by Nikki Norwood-Shultz

Ingredients:
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 pound pork
* Minced garlic, ground pepper, salt
* Mozzarella cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese
* Parsley, basil, oregano
* Italian dried-bread crumbs
* 3 eggs
* Olive oil
* 2 jars of red sauce

Directions:
Mix everything together except the olive oil, mozzarella cheese and sauce.

Add dried bread crumbs a little at time. (I don't measure ingredients; just add to your discretion.)

Once mixed, make huge meatballs and stuff mozzarella cheese inside.

Cook in skillet with olive oil until brown on sides, then place in crock pot.

Add red sauce and cook for five hours on low.

MEATBALLS
Submitted by Candy Bright

Easiest meatball recipe ever, but it's awesome:

Ingredients:
* 1 bag of frozen meatballs (not Italian style)
* 1 jar of chili sauce per bag of meatballs
* 1 small jar of red plumb jelly per bag of meatballs

Directions:
Mix chili sauce and jelly in crock-pot. Add meatballs. Cook four to five hours on low heat, or on high heat for two to three hours.

KING CRAB LEGS
Submitted by Charisse Bembrey, Caribbean Shop, Odenton

Ingredients:
* 1 pound or more of king crab legs
* Scallions chopped into small bites
* Scotch bonnet pepper (really hot pepper)
* Tomato chopped into little pieces
* Mango chopped into little pieces
* Caribbean fish seasoning
* 1 can or more of coconut milk, depending on size of crab legs
* Cilantro

Directions:
Put crab legs and coconut milk into large pot. Once milk boils, add ingredients.

Stew/steam. Add pinch of cilantro. Add shrimp if you like.

If you have comments on this or anything to do with sports, contact me at chad.t.jones.civ@mail.mil.