My dear readers,
Firstly, sorry for the long break. Let me spin you a tale of being completely in awe and in shock of what I witnessed on February third.
For those of you who don't know, I had the privilege to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Yes, I had tickets to the game. Yes, I supported the Ravens. Yes, they won. Yes, I cried.
But the game had larger implications than my own personal emotions; SuperHarBowl I, the possibility of 6 Super Bowls for the 49ers, Ray Lewis going out on top, the coming of Kaepernick, a proper farewell for Art Modell.
The game was everything it promised to be and more. But I won't spill more ink over a description of the game, but rather as I did last year, write about the implications and what the future may hold for both teams, beginning with the victorious Baltimore Ravens.
For the Ravens, it was the second Super Bowl win in their short history, already separating them from long standing organizations. It meant a ride into the sunset for Ray Lewis, who despite his divided history, will go down as one of the greatest linebackers of all time. It was further vindication for the late Art Modell, who bravely moved the team from Cleveland and knew when it was time to share the reigns with both Ozzie Newsome and Steve Bisciotti, both of whom will continue building on his foundations.
As far as football implications, both Coach John (I will be referring to both coaches by first name to avoid confusion) and Joe Flacco were vindicated. After two AFC championship losses, they proved that they could break through the barrier and win one on the biggest stage of them all. That Flacco was worth the first round pick. That Harbaugh was a good choice for head coach, seemingly coming out of no where. That they choke. That they couldn't beat the Colts. That they couldn't beat Peyton Manning. That they couldn't beat Tom Brady. That all being said, I see Flacco as an elite QB, though I think his contract was a little over-inflated, as most NFL contracts are these days. If these two can put together another championship run, they have a chance to be seen as an dynasty and put all the doubts to rest.
For the 49ers, the game brought their first Super Bowl loss. But by all means they are not down and out. In fact, many have penciled them into the big game again this year. Coach Jim proved that he made the right choice by pulling Alex Smith for Kaepernick. He also proved that despite his sometimes emotional and abrasive manor, he is both a great college and professional coach. It is clear that his team wanted to run through a wall for him, which pushed them to come back when all hope seemed lost. It takes a strong team to make a push like that, which would have been the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. (Though the long blackout didn't hurt, either.)
The future looks more than bright for the 49ers. I would be surprised if they don't find their way back to another Super Bowl soon. They seem to be doing most things the right way, even if their coach sometimes brings the media down on his head. They must continue to build if they are to stave off the Seahawks within their own division, much less the rest of the NFC pack. They cannot get complacent if they wish to bring the 49ers back to their former glory of Montana, Walsh, Rice and Young.
Overall, the Super Bowl went from a normal blowout into an epic struggle, one which will take its place among the Super Bowls of the past for its many firsts. But the Ravens, the team of destiny, walked away with the trophy, the glory and most importantly the family bragging rights.
