Need more ice? There’s figure skating too

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There will be plenty of football on New Year’s Day and through the weekend. NFL playoffs, bowl games. College basketball, the NBA, the NHL’s Winter Classic from Wrigley Field. The debut of an all-baseball channel, the MLB Network.

But for those who aren’t into all that, how about this?

‘Musselman’s Applesauce Presents The Music of Seal on Ice featuring Brian Boitano.’ That’s a mouthful and I know, I know, some of you are saying, ‘Other than maybe getting a chance to see Seal’s wife, Heidi Klum, why would I watch this?’

Because any chance to watch Boitano (pictured here from 1994) skate, cheesy made-for-TV show or not, is worth it.

At least for me, he has been the best male competitor/performer/entertainer since Dick Button. Plus there are other skaters: 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge, three-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss, world-champion bronze medalist Caryn Kadavy, six-time Canadian champion Jennifer Robinson, U.S. pairs champions Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen, three-time U.S. pairs champions Kyoka Ina and John Zimmerman; Italian champion Silvia Fontana; and pro skater Amber Corwin.

This is at 1 p.m. PT Thursday on NBC.

At 1 p.m. PT Sunday, NBC presents ‘Smucker’s Stars on Ice.’ One of the stars is 2006 Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen and it might be worth watching Cohen because she recently announced she is considering making a competitive comeback aimed at trying to make the 2010 Winter Olympic team.

Those Olympics will be televised by ... NBC!

-- Diane Pucin