Sure, there’s the game itself.  And there’s the guacamole, nachos and loaded potato skins. But there’s also the Super Bowl ads.

Happy Dog Phoenix already showed  the amazing “The Bark Side’’, Volkswagen’s chorus of dogs who bark out “The Imperial March’’. It was intended as opening act to VW’s gametime commercial that features a dog going on a Jedi-like quest to chase down a Beetle. So far, however, “The Bark Side’’ singers are way ahead of the pack when it comes to Internet hits.

Then there’s the Skechers commercial. It features an adorable French bulldog in a not-so-nice setting, the Tucson Greyhound Park, which animal rights activists say is one of the worst in the country. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and greyhound advocacy groups have urged people to write in or boycott the company because they feel Skechers is glamorizing a form of cruelty to animals.

Personally, I think Skechers, who had Kim Kardashian as their spokesmodel last year, just relies on controversy to sell shoes rather than coming up with something truly creative (ala The Bark Side) to make their product memorable.

You know, that “Bark Side’’ commercial was so gosh-darned cute, I think I am going to listen to it one more time before I check on the guac.

Years ago, I was a cub reporter for a Tucson newspaper. For some reason, I was sent to some dog event in Sierra Vista and I wrote one of my favorite ledes ever: “What if you could just open up all the dog cages and let them go?.’’

In a way, this Saturday, you can do exactly that.

Phoenix Animal Care Coalition 911 and Highlands Church is holding an adopt-a-thon that will feature hundreds of loving animals. These are animals who have been recently taken care of by some great rescue organizations and now they are ready for a permanent home. Part of the proceeds from Happy Dog Phoenix goes to help with this

If you are thinking of adding another member to your family, this is a terrific place to meet them.