Besides the bevy of star-studded events like the wine-tasting, $600 a pop "Taste Of The NFL" at the Morial Convention Center, there also will be two events bigger than that and the usual family gras, carnival parades and free concerts on Verizon Super Bowl Boulevard. For starters, the kids of New Orleans will flock to the Celebrity Sweat/Flag Football Kids Scrimmage at East Jefferson High School where they will be treated to a performance from Nelly while also receiving football tips from current Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Michael Vick. All those events will certainly keep the crowds buzzing but the pre-kickoff extravaganza in the crescent city will really start hopping when Dan Patrick and Michael Strahan will be on hand when 800,000 tons of sand will be poured at SuperFan Stadium (world's largest indoor beach) for the flag football event of Celebrity Beach Bowl VII at 1 PM. Snoop (Dogg) Lion (MVP of Beach Bowl VI) Jenny McCarthy, Artie Lange, Nina Dobrev, Maria Menounos and Josh Hutcherson will lead some of the celebrities on hand while 2 current NFL QB's will be hand-picked to coach the teams led by 2 former NFL quarterbacks like Warren Moon and Joe Montana. Also on hand will be former Dallas Cowboys FB Daryl "Moose" Johnston, Erin Andrews and the always colorful but never antiquated Tony Siragusa to provide some interesting interviews and color commentary from the sidelines. There will be a trophy presentation immediately following the game. Justin Timberlake will make a surprise appearance before the event culminates with a concert by Pitbull. I think the pre-kickoff events doing it New Orleans style certainly has enough flavor before the tail-gaiting even begins for Super Bowl XLVII. (By Mike Handzelek)
 

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