Bay Area Sports Guy – The Super ‘Harbowl’ and other angles you’ll get sick of over the next two weeks

So much for the New England Patriots’ dominance at home. The San Francisco 49ers, coached by Jim Harbaugh, sprinkled a little doubt over Foxborough in December. A month later, John Harbaugh‘s Baltimore Ravens stomped the Patriots into submission in the most surprising game in these playoffs … since the Ravens upset the Broncos in Denver.

Why am I fueling the fire by mentioning both Harbaughs in the opening paragraph? Because there’s no use standing at the bottom of a mountain with your arms outstretched, trying to stop an avalanche.

It’s coming whether you like it or not — Harbowl, Super Baugh, Harbaughcalypse, Harbaughgeddon – whatever your pleasure. Both coaches will smack down all references to this game being more about the hermano-a-hermano battle than the teams involved, but this is a matchup tailor-made for the Super Bowl, the game of all games for serious and casual fans alike.

The first “Harbowl” saw the 49ers travel to Baltimore last Thanksgiving. Ted Ginn had a 75-yard touchdown reception brought back due to a chop block penalty on Frank Gore (which Jim blamed on Chilo Rachal), and Tarell Brown had an interception turn into a 50-yard pass interference penalty.

The 49ers’ eight-game losing streak wasn’t halted simply due to penalties, as the Ravens sacked Alex Smith NINE TIMES. And since Alex just got a mention, we know just how much stock to put into that game when it comes to forecasting Super Bowl XLVII.

You know what else will have nothing to do with the outcome of the football game that’ll take place two Sundays from now? The fact that the two head coaches share more genetic material than usual. But we’re going to hear all about Jack Harbaugh‘s coaching legacy, how he raised his sons to love the game and become great coaches, John and Jim playing one-on-one in the driveway…

No wonder a lot of you are already sick of this. We already know all the anecdotes.

But the “Harbowl” story isn’t the only angle that’ll get driven into the ground. Here are the rest, in no particular order:

Ray Lewis DESERVES this - Has anyone gone from “possible accessory to murder” to sainthood before? It’s amazing what referencing God and staying with the same team for one’s whole career can do for the way they’re publicly perceived.

The deeper story behind Colin Kaepernick - It was a long time ago so I don’t remember, but did people care this much about John Elway’s time as a pitcher when he was playing in Super Bowls? Add in the tortoise, the tattoos, growing up a Packers fan and all the rest … hopefully his birth mom won’t do any more interviews.

What about Alex? – No.

Art Modell – He passed away in September and the Ravens wear the requisite patch on their uniforms, but hasn’t Cleveland suffered enough?

David Akers’ psyche – It seems like the 49ers have set this entire season up to rest on a field goal try by Akers, and I don’t like it one bit.

Actually, compared to those five topics, a two-week focus on Jack and the boys might be preferable. And besides, from what I’ve heard, the man who invented, “WHO’S GOT IT BETTER THAN US? NOBODY!!!” is a pretty good guy. And when John was asked about what his dad probably thought about both of his sons squaring off in the biggest of all games, he responded by saying, “I hope he’s on his fourth or fifth beer right now.” Now that’s a Super Bowl angle we can all get behind!

15 comments

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Lee

Michael Oher (of the Blind Side movie/book) will be appearing in the Super Bowl for the first time. He and Patrick Willis played together for 2 years at Ole Miss.

Rich

Thanks for bringing up the ridiculousness of Ray Lewis being such a focus of attention. And yes, I'm already a bit tired of the "Harbowl" talk myself.

Fitz's Future Unemployment Check

At least we don't get a week of "star qb playing against his childhood team that didn't draft him!!!!!!!!" And "is Tom Brady the best qb ever???????" Stuff

3rdKing

Hey BASG's! tell York and Harbaugh to keep Akers... ride or die as a TEAM GO NINERS!!!!

Slam

I'll take the Harbaugh vs Harbaugh angle over the "Tom Brady is from the Bay Area" story that has been beaten to a bloody pulp. Manning and Brady both out of the SB; that's a win

ReggieWrite

Great avalanche preview. BASG is right. You can't fight the avalanche, just accept it and try not to suffocate. The Ray Lewis angle is a little hard to take. Forgetting this guys past, why does anyone care what this guy has to say? The quasi religious drivel spewing from his mouth is nonsensical. If there is an almighty God, is he really a Baltimore Raven fan? [Anyone know who the tall African-American gentleman on the sideline with Lewis at the end of the game was?] One interesting angle mentioned in the SF Chronicle is Frank Gore's eight year career with the Niners. He has suffered through Erickson, Nolan, Singletary, before Harbaugh. Someone should ask him to compare and contrast his four coaches.

Why is it OK to rip Tim Tebow for babbling about his faith, but Ray Lewis gets a free pass ? Nice double standard

TommyJ

Already annoyed about the brothers thing. It will be interested how Jim handles it since he looked like he would rather talk about the debt ceiling and Mayan architecture than that last year (and it was only a three day window). Couldn't agree with you more about Ray Lewis-the annoyance of his last game (think Jerome Bettis playing his last game in Detroit), his over-the-top histrionics (CBS has the game and they're experts at that) and the seeming can't-let-that-get-in-the-way-of-a-good-story overllooking of the Atlanta incident years ago and the troubling feeling he was more involved. The league not only has a problem with ignoring this, but promotes him to the hilt-he's innocent in a court of law yes; but hypocritical to promote someone who has a stigma and is "radioactive" to a lot of people. Stated before I'm a Raiders fan who has to swallow hard and wish the 49ers well, because I don't want to see this weasel dance anymore and it would make me happy if Alex Boone makes him a permament indentation in the Superdome turf.

Tod

I'm calling it the 'Bro Brawl'

Paperback Writer

Well to be in the Super Bowl - I'll put up with it! LOL Key Tip: Avioid the radio and TV the next 2 weeks. In addition to the nauseating angles already mentioned: Crabtree's legal situation Catherine Webb (of Brent fame) becoming a story in covering a story Two "Crab" cities Gore and Lewis' U of M connections Justin Smith's elbow Dumb commercials No classic rock performers at half-time Edgar Alan Poe Vs Ferlinghetti TIP : Rent the movie Diner to learn real Baltimore (COLTS!) football, really a great movie.

Hey Paperback - GREAT CALL about "Diner". BRILLIANT flick. Old School blue collar Baltimore

SGL

There should be a drinking game around these topics..."but you get the sourdough bread with your crab in SF..." DRINK!

adrian reynolds

I thought the birth mom interview was very sad, I feel sorry for her, it wouldn't bother me if there was another interview with her.

Crabby

Okay, okay, I will not get in the way of the avalanche. It won't be as bad this time anyway--in 2011 we were subjected to two annoying media phrases at the same time: Harbowl and Black Friday.

Yeah, I think I'm going to be over it by about 2pm tomorrow. Barrett at the Game has already said on twitter that it's going to be wall to wall Niners until the Super Bowl so hopefully the Sharks, Warriors, Giants, or A's make big news in a good way so we get a reprieve from time to time.