Men's Life Today: Expert Q+A

I'm thinking of throwing a Super Bowl party, but half my friends are really into the game while the other half just want to party. How do I please them all?

First off, make sure the two halves are separated; serious football fans want to watch the game, and they don’t like it when they’re surrounded by people who just want to party. Put the football crowd in the main room with the big screen, and everyone else in the kitchen or dining room area, where the food is laid out. But remember to set up a TV near the food too. That way, the partiers don’t miss anything, and when the game people come in to make themselves a plate, they don’t have to rush.

It works well if the food is all grab-and-go -- burgers, chili, mini-sandwiches. Don’t put out anything you need to cut. Sometimes the teams will give you a food theme: This year, you could lay out cheese trays for Green Bay and serve Roethlis-Burgers (named after Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger) for Pittsburgh!

You can also give the display a football theme. Get a brand new helmet, turn it upside down and fill it with chips so they are literally pouring out. You can make a football-themed tray by getting four footballs -- from the Super Bowl finalists of course -- and fixing them on the table in a square. Then put a clear Plexiglass tray on top, so you can see the balls underneath. Now fill it with sandwiches!

For drinks, use those small Gatorade bottles so people feel like they’re at a tailgate party. Use table linen in football colors. Encourage people to come dressed in football jerseys.

Finally, you might want to arrange for a pizza to be delivered just as the half-time show starts, since this is when both halves of the party can come together.