Unless you’ve been marooned on Pluto the last couple of weeks, without cable television or an Internet connection, you don’t need to be told that Super Bowl XVLI is on February 5th. And the never-ending hype that precedes the game has reached new heights this season.

That’s because the game features a pair of high-profile NFL teams - the New York Giants and New England Patriots, two of the few clubs ESPN and the other networks care about. Plus, each side has a “celebrity” quarterback as the face of the franchise, Eli Manning (NY) and pretty-boy Tom Brady, who happens to be married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

The Super Bowl’s television ads have even become a cottage industry. In 2001, a 30-second spot cost $2.2 million. This year? Try a record $3.5 million. For sure the hoo-hah over this often disappointing clash is enough to make non-football fans hide under a bed or in a closet until the post-game stuff is finally over. But the funny thing is, there was a time when the Super Bowl wasn’t that big of a deal, devoid of halftime shows by Janet Jackson, the Rolling Stones or Madonna, not to mention eight-hour pre-game shows.

Let’s go back to circa 1965. The face of professional football was changing, with the upstart American Football League quickly gaining ground on the old guard National Football League. While the NFL was considered stodgy, old-guard and establishment, the AFL was a virtual rebel. The AFL offered more passing and wide-open offenses, names on the back of players’ jerseys and other new wrinkles on the field (including soccer-style kickers) and on the business side.

On the side of the AFL were such innovators as Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, Al Davis and the Chargers' Sid Gillman. Perhaps most significantly, the AFL was far more liberal when it came to hiring African-American players, particularly those coming out of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Hunt, a Texas oilman who stressed that his team would be run in an equal-opportunity fashion, made sure his franchise was particularly ardent in this area. Two events in ’65 --- the AFL signing a huge TV contract with NBC and the Jets shocking the football world by signing quarterback Joe Namath to a then-Mitt Romney-like sum of $427,000 –-- changed things dramatically.

The following year, the Dallas Cowboys’ Tex Schramm approached the AFL about a potential merger, hoping to end the costly bidding wars for college players. On June 8, 1966, terms for a merger were agreed upon, calling for a consolidated 24-team league, broken up into two conferences. Part of the agreement called for the two leagues to square off in a title game of sorts at the end of their regular season. Hunt has been widely credited with coining the term “Super Bowl”, a derivation of “Super Ball,’’ the high-bouncing ball which was a favorite toy of Hunt’s children.

The first Super Bowl, played between the Chiefs and Green Bay Packers in the Los Angeles Coliseum on January 15, 1967, was anything but super. The AFL teams were considered inferior by the NFL crew, and the Packers seemingly validated that point by steamrolling the Chiefs, 35-10. Only about 61,000 people, meaning about a third of the Coliseum was empty, showed up for the contest. TV, radio and print media coverage would barely be a blip on the radar screen compared to what it’s like today.

Hall of Famer to-be Bart Starr quarterbacked the Packers to the victory and won the Most Valuable Player award for the game, but Max McGee was an unlikely hero. After catching only four passes all year, McGee caught seven balls for 136 yards. Prior to this tilt, McGee was mostly known for his penchant for clubbing, partying and chasing women.

Super Bowl II was another Packer rout. Green Bay rolled over the Oakland Raiders, 33-14, at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Behind Don Chandler’s four field goals and a 60-yard interception return by Herb Adderly, Starr was once again MVP. The NFL domination ended the following year. The New York Jets were led by Joe Namath, probably the first pro football player with mainstream appeal, particularly with women.

Namath had no quibbles with everyone knowing he wanted to be a rock-star type and enjoyed nothing more than having a good time off the field. However, eventual Hall-of-Famer Namath could also play, being the first quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Namath shocked the football establishment when, during a press conference days before the game, he issued a guarantee that the Jets would beat Baltimore, blissfully ignoring the fact the Colts were 18-point favorites. Even coach Weeb Ewbank was less than thrilled, famously saying, "I could have shot him for saying it.''

Nevertheless, Namath and the Jets backed it up, knocking off the Colts, 16-7, at the Orange Bowl. Despite the close sounding score, Baltimore was never in the game, even after ailing legendary QB Johnny Unitas came off the bench to replace Earl Morrall. To many observers of the sport, this is considered the most significant game ever played, because it put an end to the NFL assertion of superiority, with or without the merger. The Colts never forgot that pounding at the hands of the Jets.

In an interview with the New York Daily News two years ago, Morrall said, “Do I look back? Yeah, you look back. That’s where the ‘ifs’ come in. If this would have happened, if that would have happened… the things that made a difference. But it was their day in the sun.’’

Don Shula hasn’t forgotten, either. The Colts’ head coach at the time, Shula’s relationship with owner Carroll Rosenbloom soured after what the latter deemed an ignominious defeat. Shula eventually moved on to the Miami Dolphins, guiding them to the only perfect NFL season in 1972, that included a Super Bowl win. “I might still be in Baltimore eating crab cakes instead of down here (in the Miami area) eating stone crabs,’’ Shula told the Palm Beach post a couple of years back.

Bill Curry, the starting center on that Colts team, told the Post, “We carry it to this day.’’ Curry, after head coaching stints at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Georgia Tech, is now running the start-up football program at Georgia State in Atlanta. He has also worked as a football analyst on ESPN.

For San Diego football followers, it would be remiss not to mention Super Bowl XXIX, no matter how painful the memories are. In their first and only Super Bowl appearance, the Chargers ventured to Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami and were summarily wiped out by the San Francisco 49ers, 49-26. Steve Young, finally emerging from Joe Montana’s shadow, ripped up the Chargers with a record six touchdown passes, three to Jerry Rice and a pair to Ricky Watters.

“All along, I felt I was playing against the past,’’ Young said at the time. “I want my performance to stand for myself and my teammates. Honestly, I have distanced myself (from being compared to Montana). You know the standards I had to live up to. That’s why this is one of the most precious times in my life, to finally get there.’’

There is a sad note to the Charger team, making the lost game seem like nothing. When former defensive tackle Shawn Lee died of a cardiac arrest brought on by double pneumonia, he became the sixth 1994 Charger player to pass prematurely - and he was the only one over 40. The others: Linebacker David Griggs died at 28 in a car wreck five months after the Super Bowl; running back Rodney Culver (28) died in a May 11, 1996 plane crash; linebacker Doug Miller (28) died after being struck by lightning in the summer of 1998. Center Curtis Whitley (39) died from a drug overdose on May 11, 2008. Finally, defensive end Chris Mims (38) succumbed to heart failure on October 15, 2008. Hopefully, the teams participating in this year’s Super Bowl will leave a much happier legacy.

If one doesn’t want to stay home to watch the Giants-Patriots, here are a few local spots in San Diego to go out and enjoy the action:

Super Bowl Swing Double Deck Party Pattie Wells’ Dancetime Center, 1255 W. Morena Blvd., San Diego, Feb. 5, 6:30-9:30 pm: What’s interesting here is the game should still be going on when the dancing starts. There will be West Coast Swing all evening downstairs, Jitterbug Swing and nightclub music requests upstairs. (619) 275-3533

Tap Room Super Bowl Party 1269 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, starts 10 am: The fifth rendition of this establishment’s Super Bowl bash kicks off with a tailgate: breakfast, beers and Bloody Marys when the doors open. The Tap Room offers 10 HD projectors and 10 flat-screen TVs. No cover. (858) 274-1010

Firehouse Pacific Beach 722 Grand Ave., Pacific Beach, starts 2:30 pm: There’s a $15 cover, but buying a ticket in advance entitles guests to a free burger and beer. The 12th annual footrace takes place at halftime, and there will also be drinking games, a football toss and music by DJ Carlo. Part of the proceeds will be donated to San Diego Fireman Relief and Go Green for Education. (858) 274-9100

Urban Mo’s Super Bowl Party 308 University: Arguably the most popular hangout in this always-hopping neighborhood, Mo’s kicks things off with brunch ($19.95) from 10 am- 2pm, offering huge Bud Light drafts for $4 and hot dogs for a buck. Also on the docket is a Madonna halftime show viewing party (?) and appetizer specials. Despite known as mainly an LGBT establishment, Mo’s always wants potential guests to know that it is “hetero friendly.” (619) 491-0400

McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon 731 5th Ave., Gaslamp District: From 3:30 pm until the game ends, patrons can chug all the draft beer they can stand for $25. There’s also a free halftime buffet, a pong tournament and a wing eating contest at halftime. (619) 795-2500

House of Blues Big Game Party 1055 5th Ave., Downtown, 2 pm-7 pm: Radio station Jack 100.7 FM is staging the party, which boasts $9.99 nachos, $2 domestic drafts, $3 wells and $4 martinis. The first 100 guests receive raffle tickets, good for potential prizes. (866) 906-6607

Sneak Joint Super Bowl Bash 3844 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach, 9 am-6 pm: A “kegs and eggs” buffet gets things going and runs until 2 pm. Score unlimited draft beers for $25, and food specials, giveaways and raffles add to the fun. (866) 226-8034

Quality Social Super Bowl Cookout 11 am- 7 pm, 789 6th Ave., Gaslamp: Pre-game brunch at 11 am, cookout a 3pm, which features house made hot dogs, chili and more. Numerous drink specials. (866) 535-0929

Slater’s 50 /50 2750 Dewey Rd., San Diego: Slater’s has 50 flat screen TVs, and game day offers an array of raffles, with all of the proceeds going to a local non-profit. (619) 398-2600

Casa De Pico 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa: Happy hour prices on selected drinks and half off on some appetizers all game long. Dos XX’s girls will be giving away stuff in the cantina only. (619) 469-3267