Boston officials are grappling with how to balance both a Feb 5. presidential primary and a Super Bowl victory parade, should the New England Patriots win against the New York Giants on Sunday.

The Boston Globe reported Tuesday that if the Patriots win, Super Tuesday would be the only workable day to hold a parade in Boston.

It's a problem that's pitting politics against football, and local officials have already started planning a route that would avoid polling places and put extra officers on call -- to guard ballots and manage crowd control, the paper reported.

Mayor Thomas Menino told the Globe the Patriots would not be able to make it back from Phoenix to Boston for a Monday parade, and that several players have to leave Wednesday for the Pro Bowl, so Tuesday is it.

Secretary of State William Galvin told the paper that win or lose, the primary has to take precedence, "with all due respect to the New England Patriots."

Of course, with New York holding a primary Feb. 5 as well, a Giants victory could conceivably pose a similar scheduling dilemma for New York City officials. That possibility was not discussed in the Boston newspaper.

Click here to read more about the possibility of a combination victory parade/presidential primary in The Boston Globe.