It’s not every year that the Ivy League has a team ranked in the Top 25 in the nation. But this year they do. And it’s the Harvard Crimson, who at 20-2 on the season, are now ranked #21 in the country. Harvard is coming to town this Friday night for a showdown with the Penn Quakers at the Palestra. The atmosphere at the Palestra is going to be electric, with Penn’s student section coming out in full force for the big rivalry game. Moreover, the postseason implications: Penn is 4-1 in the Ivy League and needs a win to improve their chances at the Ivy League crown. Tickets are $14. [Penn vs. Harvard]

LeBron James is in town today for the big showdown pitting the Miami Heat against your first-place Philadelphia 76ers. The Heat were out and about yesterday and King James was spotted during an afternoon visit to the popular Fairmount location of Philly’s lunch/brunch staple, Sabrina’s Cafe. Word on the street is that it’s a “go-to” spot for LeBron and company when they’re in town. While it’s good to see Bron Bron visiting authentic Philly restaurants, we have a feeling that no matter how good the meal was, it’s not going to help him tonight against your 76ers. Go Sixers! [@SabrinasPhilly]

Percy Street Barbecue is just one of many Philadelphia bars and restaurants offering delicious Super Bowl deals this Sunday. (Photo courtesy Percy Street)

Just because our beloved Eagles didn’t make it to the big game this year is no excuse not to enjoy it.

This Sunday’s Super Bowl will be especially festive thanks to so many of Philly’s favorite restaurants offering incredible specials either at the bar or at your door.

Whether you watch for the sport, the commercials or the half-time act, you’ll be sure to have good eats to get you through the game.

Check out our quick-and-dirty guide to top picks for where to eat in or take out some great game-day grub this Sunday:

Super Bowl Take-Out

• Percy Street Barbecue: Take 20% off take-out and catering on Super Bowl Sunday. Also, take advantage of Percy Street’s brand-new Craft Beer Take-Out Program, with packs of craft beer cans available to take home in pre-selected assortments.

• City Tap House: Toast the New England Patriots or the New York Giants with beer from their home breweries including Harpoon, Brooklyn and Sixpoint: any for $4. For those who prefer to watch the game at home, the restaurant will offer a take-out only party package with two pizzas, 25 wings, and two growlers of beer for $75.

• Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant: All nine Iron Hill locations will offer their popular daily take-out deal: any two pizzas and one growler of house beer for just $25. Seasonal and Belgian-style beers can be substituted for an additional charge.

• Federal Donuts: Pick up donuts and fried chicken to chow down on at home. Order in advance by emailing info@federaldonuts.com.

Super Bowl In-House Specials

• Lemon Hill: Chef Mitch Prensky’s latest endeavor, Lemon Hill, is hosting a “Supper Bowl,” a culinary match-up to mirror the geographical battle on the football field. Lemon Hill will pit classic New York and New England foods agains each other.

• Distrito: Enjoy endless tacos and enchiladas, served with refried beans, black beans, rice, and Chilango chopped salad for $25 in the first-floor tequila lounge from 6-9 p.m. Dos Equis Lager and Dos Equis Amber draughts will be offered for $2.

• London Grill: Watch the game while devouring an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ for $20. They’ll also offer a “Citywide Special,” a shot of Powers Irish whiskey and a PBR pounder. What’s more, a variety of craft beers will be available for purchase on draught.

• Frankford Hall: Frankford Hall will be showing the big game on their 60″ flat screen as well as the 8′ projection screen. Plus all burgers, sausages and beers will be half price during the game. That’s outrageous.

Continue reading, below.

• Varga Bar: It’s SuperFowl II at Varga Bar in Wash Square West. This year Chef Evan Turney is defending his title against Brendan James Walsh. They’ll cook three types of wings each and a panel of judges and audience will vote and select a winner. There will also be specials on all-you-can-eat wings, draft beer and whiskey.

• Victory Brew Pub: Yes, please. Victory Brew Pub in Downington will be offering half price wings and $2 pints starting at kickoff.

• Davio’s: Keep your eye on the ball while noshing in Davio’s bar or take home any of their great spring roll appetizers. Ten dollars will get you any at the bar including their famous Philly cheesesteak spring roll, the chicken parm spring roll, or the shrimp cotjita spring roll. Bring any home for only $12.

• The Bards: Enjoy $2 Yuengling; $10 Yuengling buckets; and a $12.50 all-you-can-eat buffet.

• Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse: Cav’s is offering $3.50 Miller Lite & Yuengling drafts; free halftime hoagies (!!); 20 TVs all with the sound up; and a great craft draft and bottled beer selection.

• Perch Pub: This Avenue of the Arts spot is offering $15 buckets of domestic bottles; $3 bourbon shots; $5 Jager shots; $2.50-$5.50 pub snacks; and from 8-10 p.m., half-price craft brews on draft.

• Slate: Get $3 shots, craft drafts & PBR Pounders; $4 wines; $5 mixed drinks; $1 sliders & hot dogs; and 50-cent jumbo wings. Yep, you’ll be here all night.

• Smokin’ Betty’s: Wash down your delicious BBQ with $3 select New York & New England brewed drafts & bottles, a testament to the teams on the field.

• Square 1682: Chef Guillermo Tellez will offer a special $11 “BeerMosa”: half-bottle of Prima Pils, 5 oz. orange juice, 1 oz. Combier, topped with champagne. Yum.

The first place Sixers have been outstanding at home this season, racking up an 11-2 record at the Wells Fargo Center.
(Photo courtesy Philadelphia 76ers)

Tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls begins a ten-day stretch of games against the NBA’s elite teams for the Sixers, who currently have an impressive 15-6 overall record and hold a 4.5 game lead over the Celtics for first place in the Atlantic Division.

After a visit from 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose and his Chicago Bulls tonight, the Sixers will host the infamous Miami Heat, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, the perennially successful Spurs and several other playoff-caliber teams, all at the Wells Fargo Center over the next two weeks. Thanks to the Sixers’ red-hot start this season, fans have been packing the place as of late, so be sure to grab your tickets soon.

New $7,676 Half Court Promotion

If the playoff-level match-ups and great basketball aren’t enough to convince you to see the team in person, the Sixers are giving fans a chance to win $7,676 during the game with the recently instated Half Court Shot Contest. At halftime of upcoming home games, two men and two women will be selected from the crowd to attempt shots from half court in an effort to win a cool $7,676. Not bad at all.

To get in on the action, check out the schedule of upcoming games below and click here to purchase tickets.

• February 1, 7:00 p.m. vs Chicago Bulls
• February 3, 7:00 p.m. vs Miami Heat
• February 6, 7:00 p.m. vs Los Angeles Lakers
• February 8, 7:00 p.m. vs San Antonio Spurs
• February 10, 7:00 p.m. vs Los Angeles Clippers

To see the full season schedule, click here.

With all the great play on the court, cool giveaways, ticket packages and celebrity owner cameos, the Sixers are giving fans one heck of a season so far.

Go Sixers!

Tonight’s Game: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Chicago Bulls
When: Tonight, February 1, 7 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Center
More info: www.sixers.com

Watch the Super Bowl at Lemon Hill, fueled by an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring classic New York vs. New England foods. Pastrami fried chicken wings (pictured here)? Yes, please. (Photo by Andrea Monzo courtesy Supper)

Chef Mitch Prensky’s latest endeavor, Lemon Hill, is hosting a “Supper Bowl” in honor of Super Bowl 46, February 5.

In a culinary match-up to mirror the geographical battle on the football field, Lemon Hill will pit classic New York and New England foods agains each other. Chow down on Coney Island Style Mini Supper Dogs, Cape Cod Clambake Rolls, Brooklyn Style Sausage & Peppers pizza, New Haven White Clam Pie, Pastrami Fried Chicken Wings and more.

The restaurant will open at 5 p.m., with the buffet opening at 5:30. Turnover for desserts is at halftime.

Supper Bowl is $42 per person (all-you-can-eat), with drink specials all night including $7 Old Fashioned and $3 Miller High Life and High Life Light. There will also be a football pool with prizes, so bring your betting game.

There is limited space for the Supper Bowl, so call to reserve a spot: (215) 232-2270.

Alternatively, Supper, Prensky’s original restaurant on South Street, is offering a delicious Super Bowl take-out package, including their popular bacon-wrapped hot dogs, birch beer glazed wings and BBQ Pigskins. All items will be packaged and include instructions, for easy assembly at home. Orders need to be placed by noon on Friday, February 3.

Full Supper Bowl menu, below.

“Supper Bowl” at Lemon Hill
Where: 25th & Aspen Streets
When: Sunday, February 5, 5 p.m.
Cost: $42 all-you-can-eat
More info: www.lemonhillphilly.com

The best place to watch college basketball in the country. Period. (Photo courtesy Penn Athletics)

Get ready for a classic college basketball showdown tonight at the Palestra on the University of Pennsylvania campus. If you’re looking for a solid Monday night activity, do yourself a favor and head over to one of the most historic sporting venues in America.

Since its opening in 1927, The “Cathedral of Basketball,” as the Palestra is known, has hosted more games, more visiting teams and more NCAA tournaments than any other facility. And the most historic rivalry in the Ivy League is Penn-Princeton. The Quakers and Tigers are meeting for the 225th time on Monday night with Penn holding a 122-102 advantage. Princeton, however, has won the last five.

On the year, Penn is 2-0 in the Ivy League; Princeton enters at 1-1. The winner of the Ancient Eight gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Harvard looms as the #23-ranked team in the country.

Penn-Princeton
When: Monday, January 30, 7 p.m.
Where: The Palestra, University of Pennsylvania
Cost: Tickets $14-20
More info: www.pennathletics.com

Actor and Philadelphia native Will Smith was joined courtside by his wife Jada and son Jaden as the family took in the Sixers' big win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night in South Philadelphia. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

As we reported earlier this week, Will Smith returned to the Wells Fargo Center on Friday night to watch his 76ers take on the Charlotte Bobcats. This was the first home Sixers game Smith has attended since he became a new partial owner of the team back in October of 2011 when the 76ers were sold to a new ownership group.

Smith was joined by his wife (and co-owner) Jada Pinkett Smith and their son Jaden, with whom Will is currently filming a movie in the Philadelphia area.

Meanwhile, the Sixers put on quite a show for their A-list owner. The Sixers routed the Bobcats 89-72. And it wasn’t even that close.

And fans serenaded the actor with “We’ve got Will Smith!” chants. Like those fans, we’re hoping Will makes a habit of attending games. Especially while he’s in town over the next few months shooting a movie with M. Night Shyamalan.

The Sixers want to get Jiggy with it. And so do we.

76ers rout Bobcats in front of ‘Fresh Prince’ [AP]

XFINITY Live! is now scheduled to debut a week earlier than originally announced, bringing several new fun and exciting dining, drinking and entertainment options to the Sports Complex neighborhood in South Philadelphia. (Image courtesy Xfinity Live)

XFINITY Live, Philadelphia’s new dining and entertainment district under construction on the former Spectrum site in South Philly, is opening earlier than planned.

Originally slated for an April 5, 2012 grand opening, XFINITY Live will now open in time for the two upcoming Bruce Springsteen concerts, coming to the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29 that we shared with you yesterday.

Concert ticketholders will have exclusive access to XFINITY Live Philadelphia on these nights beginning at 4 p.m.

XFINITY Live will then have its official grand opening celebration, featuring a live concert with a national headlining act (to be named), on Friday, March 30.

A quick recap of what the complex promises: there’s the XFINITY On Demand Theater, an outdoor 24-foot LED video wall; the NBC Sports Arena, featuring an indoor 32-foot Sony LED screen and the NBC Sports Field, a 300-foot turf field.

Food-wise, the Philly MarketPlace is the central gathering space of Xfinity Live and will feature a VIP lounge, custom draft tables, a raw bar, a Chickie’s & Pete’s, a Nick’s Roast Beef, and some pretty amazing sports viewing on TVs just about everywhere you look. And then there are the four main restaurants and bars: Victory Beer Hall, The Spectrum Grille, Broad Street Bullies Pub and PBR Bar and Grill.

Tickets to see Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, which includes exclusive access to a preview night at XFINITY Live Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29, will go on sale on Saturday, January 28 at 9 a.m. exclusively though ComcastTIX online, by phone at 1 (800) 298-4200 or at the Wells Fargo Center box office.

We can’t wait for Bruce to return to the streets of Philadelphia, and for this incredibly exciting addition to the Sports Complex to open its doors.

Because March is just around the corner, and then just around the corner from that… the Phillies home opener on April 9.

Can. Not. Wait.

XFINITY Live!
Grand Opening March 30, 2012 – Exclusive Preview on March 28 & 29
11th Street & Pattison Avenue
More info: xfinitylive.com

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in Philly
When: March 28-29
Where: Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad Street
Cost: Tickets
More info: www.brucespringsteen.net

Sixers guard Jrue Holiday will receive his very own bobblehead night this Friday when the first place 76ers take on the Charlotte Bobcats at the Wells Fargo Center. (Photo courtesy Philadelphia 76ers)

This weekend, the first-place Sixers are hosting back-to-back bobblehead giveaway nights starting with guard Jrue Holiday on Friday night (with a very special guest slated to be in attendance), followed by coach Doug Collins on Saturday. The bobblehead fun continues on February 8, when the team gives away Lou Williams bobbleheads during their matchup with the Spurs.

Sixers fans can also look forward to four rally towel giveaways at four upcoming home games in March and April. The rally towels will feature images of eight Sixers players and will provide some additional excitement to several big matchups. Click here for the full schedule of giveaways. Note: the bobbleheads will be given to fans 12 an under.

Jrue Holiday Bobblehead Night: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Charlotte Bobcats
When: Friday, January 27, 7 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Center
More info: www.sixers.com

Doug Collins Bobblehead Night: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Detroit Pistons
When: Saturday, January 28, 7 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Center
More info: www.sixers.com

Back in October, we told you about how the 76ers’ new ownership group included Philadelphia native son Will Smith. Smart investment: the upstart Sixers are off to a 12-5 start and are in first place in the Atlantic Division. The Fresh Prince appears ready to stake his claim; Smith plans to attend his first Sixers home game as a partial owner of the team on Friday when the 76ers take on the Charlotte Bobcats in South Philly. Sixers CEO Adam Aron broke the news to CBS3 yesterday. Smith is actually in town these days because he’s currently filming M. Night Shyamalan’s next movie here. [CBS3]

Big news: Philadelphia is set to host its first all-star game in a decade when Major League Soccer brings its 2012 All-Star Game to PPL Park in July. (Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union)

Get excited, soccer fans.

Today, Major League Soccer and Mayor Michael Nutter officially announced that the 2012 MLS All-Star Game will be held at the beautiful PPL Park, home to the Philadelphia Union, on Wednesday, July 25.

The annual showcase event will feature three days of festivities, culminating in a match between the League’s top players and a renowned international club, to be announced at a later date.

This is the latest in a string of big-time soccer matches that have chosen Philadelphia as their preferred location, including the U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Mexico and Philadelphia Union vs. Real Madrid, both last summer.

Meanwhile, the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will be the first all-star event staged in the Philadelphia region in more than a decade. The last all-star game held in Philadelphia was the 2002 NBA All-Star Game.

As for the 18,500-seat PPL Park, which has been host to a match between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Colombia in October 2010, the 2011 USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship this past June and, most recently, its first-ever MLS playoff game between the Union and the Houston Dynamos in October.

But the MLS All-Star game will bring huge, headlining talent to PPL Park grass.

And it’s not hard to see what the draw is — the park is located near the base of the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester with sweeping views of the Delaware River. PPL Park also features a full-service restaurant, 30 luxury suites, a wide variety of concessions to keep fans well fed during the game, and expansive promenade areas outside the stadium for pregame activities.

And the Philadelphia Union have been hugely popular since their arrival in 2010. The Union have sold out the majority of games at PPL Park, which opened in June of 2010. The Union averaged more than 19,000 fans per game in 2010, their inaugural MLS season. Last year PPL Park attendance averaged 99% of capacity for Union regular season games.

As Mayor Nutter puts it, “The Philadelphia Union have quickly enhanced Philly’s sports traditions with the most dedicated MLS fan base in the nation. I have no doubt there will be a fantastic turnout for this year’s festivities.”

A note to all soccer fans: PPL Park provides a shuttle to and from the Chester Transport for all SEPTA Regional Rail riders. Shuttle service begins four hours before game time and will end after most fans have left the stadium. There’s also plenty of parking near the stadium, with space for tailgating (just saying).

We’ll have a lot more on this awesome event as the date approaches. Stay tuned.

2012 MLS All-Star Game
Where: PPL Park, One Stadium Drive, Chester
When: July 25
Cost: Stay tuned for ticket information
More info: www.mlssoccer.com