A Whole Lot of Points and Puppy Puns

Snoop was EVERYWHERE yesterday! Not only did he perform during an epic halftime show for Super Bowl LVI, but he was also the co-host of Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XVIII. Snoop served as the coach for Team Fluff, and Martha Stewart was the coach for the defending champs, Team Ruff.

Production Value

I’ve been a fan of the Puppy Bowl for years now, and just when I thought the puns couldn’t get any better, they reached next-level heights. From the Lombarky trophy, to pup talks from the coaches, to “dogpiling” penalties, I don’t think I stopped giggling the entire game. The camera angles, hydration breaks, set design, halftime kitty performance, and really the overall production value of the show never cease to impress me. You’d think it would be boring to watch puppies play endlessly (or would you…?), but somehow the entertainment value remained high throughout.

The Roster

This year’s pup names were on point, too. A touchdown scored by Odell Barkham was actually an impressive foreshadowing of the human Super Bowl to come. Other name favorites: Wasabi (a Chihuahua/Cocker Spaniel mix), S’mores (an Australian Shepherd/Poodle mix), Rob Gronchowski (a Dachshund/American Pit Bull Terrier mix), Pongo (a deaf Dalmation omg), Pepperjack (a Chihuahua/Poodle mix), Nugget (a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, of course), Captain Floof (a Pomeranian), and my personal favorite, Chorizo (a Dachshund/American Staffordshire Terrier mix).

For a Good Cause

This year’s Puppy Bowl featured over 100 dogs from 63 shelters, making it the largest yet, with more special needs pups than ever before. To cut the to chase, the game ended with a 73-69 last-minute victory for Snoop Dogg’s Team Fluff. And it was a win for my eyes and my heart, knowing that there’s no chance all of these puppies were not immediately adopted after the broadcast. It also restored my faith in humanity a bit, knowing that enough people watch the show and believe in this cause to warrant its renewal year after year.