Once again, Animal Planet brings us the entertainment that we want - nay, crave!  If you ask me, Puppy Bowl VI is THE premier sporting event of the year, and the fact that it's timed to coincide with certain other (non-puppy) sporting events is just a quirk of fate.

This year Pepper the Parrot was sorely missed.  Pepper's bizarre, crackpot rendition of the national anthem last year had me in tears of laughter from start to finish.  And how many other singers are wheeled out onto the field perched atop an RC car?  Pepper's childlike mangling of the lyrics was nothing short of hysterical.  Wherefore art thou, Pepper?

Fortunately, Animal Planet brought in two new things which helped cut the sting of a Pepper-less national anthem:

1.    Hamsters in a Blimp.  The Twizzlers blimp ostensibly floated over the field of play throughout the game.  Its control room was filled with hamsters.  Four or five long-haired (teddy bear) hamsters scampered about the control room, nibbling the control panel, and threatening to crawl out the windows.  Hysterical!  Every time they cut to the hamster blimp, it got a little bit funnier.

2.    Bunny Cheerleaders.  You hear "bunny cheerleaders," you think happy bunnies bouncing around with excitement.  Well, you're wrong.  Think Disapproving Rabbits instead.  Every time the camera cut to the bunny cheerleaders, they were just lying there looking thoroughly disinterested.  Also completely hilarious!

Whoever comes up with these ideas is a GENIUS.  Never dismiss the comedic value of apathetic rabbits.

This year's Bissell Kitty Halftime Show also seemed a lot better than previous Kitty Halftime shows.  Naturally a lot of the kittens were completely freaked by what was going on.  The first time I saw a Kitty Halftime show I thought, "Man, those guys really need to get the kittens accustomed to the playing field before they start filming this stuff."  

But I eventually learned the error of my ways.  Where's the hilarity in a bunch of kittens actually playing with toys for a halftime show?  BORING.  It's a lot funnier that half the kittens are hiding, and the rest are looking around at all the lights, goggle-eyed at the camera.  And their consternation at the confetti dump finale is simply sublime.

As always there was one kitten who ignored all distractions and got right down to business.  It was the marmalade kitten this year.  At one point he had the automated mouse in his mouth AS he pounced on another kitten!  That dude was ON FIYA.

The puppy action was pretty good this year.  The MVP, a Chug (Chihuahua Pug mix) who spent most of his time running random circles around the field, was definitely a strong contender.  Voting on the Animal Planet website heavily favors Sage as Fan MVP, but what about Fava?  Two of the game's three touchdowns were scored by Fava, back to back!  (One goal for her team, and one goal for the opposing team.)

Each year I think Puppy Bowl can't get any better, and each year it does.  Animal Planet, I bow before you!  And I can't wait for the Winter Puppy Games!