Is Super Bowl halftime entertainment about to bypass the late 20th century entirely and enter 2011, or even “three thousand and eight?”

Brooks Melchior of the site Sports by Brooks is reporting that the National Football League has selected the Black Eyed Peas as halftime entertainment for the 2011 Super Bowl, which takes place in February in Arlington, Tex. The league, which prefers to release this sort of information on its own timetable, had no comment.

The Peas do a lot of television by the standards of huge recording acts, but this would represent a new level of exposure for the group if it comes to pass. And it would be a change from the NFL’s recent policy of picking baby boomer faves such as Paul McCartney, the Rollnig Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and the Who for the halftime show. Even Prince was nearly 50 when he played the Super Bowl three years ago.

But there have been signs that patience has been growing thin with the parade of Geritol Rock at the Super Bowl. Fox is broadcasting the game next winter, and Fox Sports President David Hill has openly been calling for a younger-skewing halftime act. Hill criticized the Who’s unfortunate effort at this past season’s Super Bowl in hilariously harsh but not unfair terms.

Of course, the last time the NFL dipped into the current pop charts for its big halftime show, in 2004, the result was Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, a wardrobe malfunction, and the FCC case that wouldn’t die. Look for the NFL to make very sure that Fergie keeps her lovely lady lumps covered up.