Super Blog III

This is Joe Cleveland's third installment of our pre-Super Bowl entry. Two years ago, it was before Green Bay defeated Pittsburgh, 31-25. Last year, it was before the New York Giants defeated New England, 21-17.

Here's hoping history repeats itself with an NFC victory tomorrow night as the San Francisco 49ers take on the Baltimore Ravens (aka the Thieving Bastards; aka the Thieving Modells; aka the Ratbirds) in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.

Why does it seem like every year there is a team in the Super Bowl that most Cleveland fans dispise. Going back to the 2000 Super Bowl (won by the Ravens, 34-7, over the Giants), I can think of only threethat didn't have a serious anti-Cleveland sentiment going in -- Super Bowl XXXVIII (Tampa Bay over Oakland), Super Bowl XLI (Indianapolis over Chicago) and Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans over Indianapolis). Unless you still hate the Raiders over "Red Right 88."

The rest have been dominated by Bill Belichick's New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and now the Thieving Bastards of Baltimore. This is now three in a row where the regular Cleveland fan (like Joe Cleveland) is definitely rooting against a team because of their ties to the Browns.

For Pittsburgh, it's easy. The Steelers are the Browns' biggest rival and we don't like to see them succeed (and their front-running local fanbase to rub it in).

For New England, it's because of Belichick, the coach who, for the most part, failed here in the early 1990s but re-emerged as a "genius" with the Patriots. By the way, let the record reflect that "SpyGate" tainted thost three Super Bowl wins in four years and that, since that broke, Belichick and the Patriots have not won a Super Bowl since. They've gotten to two, but they lost both ... and to the same team in almost similar fashion.

For Baltimore, gee, where do I begin.

We can start with the fact that the Ravens shouldn't even exist. They exist only because of the selfish maneuvers of the one they called Modell, who virtually bankrupted himself as the owner of the Cleveland Browns because of poor business decisions and then wound up taking a sweetheart deal to move the franchise to Baltimore. That should be OUR team. Instead, we're left with a franchise that never seemed to fully emerge from expansion hell due to constant mismanagement from ownership on down.

While Modell is dead and hasn't had a hand in running the franchise since 2004, the spectre is still there. From the "Art" patches the Ravens wore this year dedicating the season to their fallen Judas to the Modell T-shirt Ray Lewis wears under his shoulder pads to the dedications from everyone surrounding the team for this season for him to Modell's appearance as a finalist on the Hall of Fame ballot, it's been there. He's coming back to haunt us.

Of course, Ozzie Newsome is still there sporting a purple Ravens golf shirt as their general manager. Newsome has been viewed by some Browns fans as a traitor because he rode along in the moving van when the franchise relocated to Baltimore and wound up getting a promotion. Newsome was never given the chance to be the head-honcho of the front office here in Cleveland, but when he got the chance in Baltimore, he put together a franchise that won one Super Bowl and have been, by and large, a consistant winner ever since that 2000 season.

Newsome didn't help his cause among the traitor sect when he wrote an open letter to the Plain Dealer proclaiming that Modell should get into the Hall of Fame. There were many Browns fans who felt it was disrespectful of him to appear on the "Cleveland 95: A Football Life" NFL Network special wearing a Ravens shirt. There were many more who felt that his endorsment of Public Enemy No. 1 in their own newspaper went a bit too far (Joe Cleveland agrees with both of those statements).

Joe Cleveland grew up a Browns fan during the 1980s. The Browns teams that followed the closest were the group from 1985-89 -- Bernie's Bunch -- that went to the playoffs five consecutive years and reached three AFC Championship games. I can remember Newsome winding down his Hall of Fame career as a glorified decoy during that span, running out on the field to catch some three-yard out pattern, where he'd immediately fall down, so he could keep up his reception-per-game streak.

My dad kept referring to Newsome as "Catch-And-Fall-Down," and I bought along with that. Newsome's actions this year, especially with the Modell letter, is another example of "Catch-And-Fall-Down."

If you don't hate the Ravens due to their former existance as the Browns, Ray Lewis is an easy target. Lewis, the heart-and-soul of their defense for 17 years, has been on this retirement tour all through the playoffs. If I see him cry and "praise Jesus" one more time, I think I'm gonna puke. It's been nauseating.

Of course, let's not forget that Lewis fathered six children with four different women, was involved in a double-homicide during a party at Super Bowl XXXIV (the year before his team won and he was named MVP), was indicted for murder, and pled down to obstruction of justice and testified against his friends (they were eventually acquitted). And, during Super Bowl week, Lewis was linked to performance-enhancing drugs when the owner of a company called S.W.A.T.S. claimed that he provided Lewis deer-antler spray, which contains a banned performance-enhancing supplement, to help him rehab from a torn biceps injury that normally costs players an entire season.

Yes, so many reasons for us Clevelanders to root against the Baltimore Ravens. But, how would you like some reasons to actually root FOR their opposisition, the San Francisco 49ers?

For starters, the 49ers' legacy traces back to the Browns, as both franchises were original members of the All-American Football Conference from 1946-49. When the NFL absorbed the AAFC, they only kept three of the franchises in tact -- the Browns, the 49ers and the Baltimore Colts (which folded once before coming back for good).

The 49ers have been to five Super Bowls before -- all since 1981. They've won all five. They are the only NFL franchise to be undefeated in Super Bowls that have played in two or more.

The only NFL franchise that has won more than five Super Bowls is those hated Steelers with six. A win by the 49ers not only ties them with the Steelers at six, but essentially knocks the Steelers out of their self-appointed perch as best NFL franchise of the Super Bowl era because they would have won six Super Bowls in six chances (the Steelers lost two other Super Bowls). Anything to knock those obnoxious Steeler fans out of their perch is a good thing.

The 49ers have several Ohio ties. Guard Alex Boone, defensive back Donte Whitner and wide receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. are all not only former Ohio State Buckeyes, but are all native Clevelanders. All three will impact the game in some fashion -- while Ginn doesn't start at receiver, he is the Niners' regular kickoff and punt returner. Root for them to win.

While the 49ers coach is a Michigan grad (Jim Harbaugh), you can't deny the job he's done since taking over this franchise two years ago after a stellar college coaching career at San Diego and Stanford. Last year, the Niners reached the NFC Championship Game and were two muffed punts away from beating the Giants. This year, despite a few red zone turnovers, they rallied from a 17-0 deficit to knock off the host Atlanta Falcons, 28-24.

Two years ago, when the Browns were searching for a head coach to replace Eric Mangini, I spoke against the possibility of Harbaugh taking over, citing my long bias against coaches making the jump straight from college. I was wrong (as it is, Harbaugh was never even interviewed for the Browns' position that went to Pat Shurmur. Nice hire, Mike Holmgren).

Harbaugh was a tough-nosed gritty NFL quarterback for 14 years, primarily with the Chicago Bears but most notably for the Indianapolis Colts. Harbaugh never reached a Super Bowl, coming one dropped Hail Mary pass away from getting there in 1995 (the Steelers won that AFC Championship Game over the Colts). And, he started 12 games for the Ravens in 1998, before they were any good when they were still feeling the residual effects of the move from Cleveland. After he retired, he spent time as an assistant coach with the Raiders before becoming a head coach at the collegiate level.

Jim Harbaugh seems to have "it," when it comes to head coaching. There are a few guys that had "it." Bill Cowher comes to mind, as does Bill Parcells. The last coach that seemed to have "it" that coached the Browns was Marty Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer never reached a Super Bowl after several collossal playoff collapses with the Browns, Chiefs and Chargers. But, he won everywhere he went.

Harbaugh is an easy guy to root for, even though he is a bit brash and can rub some the wrong way.

The 49ers are the ultimate redemption story as a franchise. The glory days of Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott disappeared in the mid-1990s when owner Eddie DeBartalo Jr. (a Youngstown native) gave up control of the franchise following a riverboat gambling scandal. His sister and brother-in-law, John and Denise York, ran the franchise into the ground with several shaky head coach hires (Dennis Erickson, Mike Singletary, Mike Nolan) and player acquistions. They've redeemed themselves with some nice draft choices over the past few years and the Harbaugh hire, which was the glue that put it all together.

Root for the 49ers because of the Cleveland guys on the roster. Root for them to give the Steelers a run for their money. Root for them because they are playing the Thieving Modells of Baltimore. Root for them because they share a lineage with the Cleveland Browns.

Joe Cleveland grew up with the San Francisco 49ers as his "second-favorite" team, mostly because of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. They've become my second-favorite team this season, and definitely tomorrow night.

***

While the heart is rooting for the 49ers, the head says that the 49ers are the favorites for a reason.

San Francisco's defense was the second-best in the NFL this season. Linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVarro Bowman are bonafide stars, and second-year linebacker Aldon Smith has become a phenomenal pass rushing specialist. Former Bengal Justin Smith has become a standout defensive lineman for the Niners.

Offensively, Harbaugh raised eyebrows when he stuck with second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick over established starter Alex Smith. However, the move paid off. Kaepernick has emerged as a bonafide dual threat quarterback, easily capable of beating you with his legs as well as his arm (as Atlanta found out). His running threat has helped open things up for running backs Frank Gore and LaMichael James, and former first-round receiver Michael Crabtree has shaken off that bust label with his best NFL season. Randy Moss is long in the tooth and his best days are behind him, but his presence has helped the receivers. And, their offensive line was graded as the best in the NFL this season.

Baltimore has seemed to luck its way into this Super Bowl. The team struggled at times during the regular season, winning an AFC North Division that, quite frankly, wasn't as strong as it's been in years past. The emotional return of Lewis to the lineup seemed to give the Ravens a bit of a lift, but that double-overtime win over the Broncos was arguably the luckiest win of this postseason for any NFL team. They became the first team to beat a Tom Brady-quarterbacked team in the playoffs after his team led at halftime, mostly because the Patriots' defense forgot to come out of the locker room and couldn't stop anybody.

Nobody would have predicted Baltimore to be in this Super Bowl, and yet here they are. They seem to have the "destiny" thing going for them. But, as we've seen in the past, destiny can only go so far.

Many experts are picking the Ravens to win, mostly based off of that destiny factor. Not me.

The head sticks with the heart on this one.

49ers 28, Ravens 24.

***

If Baltimore wins this Super Bowl, with Modell getting the Hall of Fame nod the day before, Joe Cleveland will chalk up 2013 as a terrible year -- and it hasn't even really started yet.

It would be MISERABLE!

Obviously, the best thing that could happen is that Modell gets denied the Hall of Fame berth (and deservedly so) and the Ravens lose the Super Bowl. But, let's not get too greedy.

If I had to pick one of these scenarios -- Modell becoming a Hall of Famer or Baltimore winning the Super Bowl -- I'd pick the Super Bowl. The Modell thing would hurt just a little too much. My weekend would be ruined if Modell got in, and the Ravens losing the Super Bowl would be justice, in my opinion, but wouldn't totally take the sting out of it.

Here's hoping and praying that both scenarios don't come to fruition. But if fate says I can only choose one, I choose Modell being denied the Hall of Fame berth, easily and by far, 100 times out of 100.

If he does get in, you better believe Joe Cleveland will show up to that induction ceremony, just to make sure that moment is forever ruined. Hopefully, I don't have to do that.

***

Lastly, here's some Super Bowl-related trivia to astound your family and friends or bar patrons at your Super Bowl parties.

<> There have been two quarterbacks to reach the Super Bowl with two different franchises (Craig Morton, Dallas and Denver; Kurt Warner, St. Louis and Arizona). Ironically, both suffered losses, although Warner did win his first Super Bowl appearance. For Morton, ironcially, his second Super Bowl loss came against his former team. For Warner, ironically, his third appearance came for a franchise that once called St. Louis home (the Cardinals).

<> There have been five former Cleveland Browns quarterbacks to start in the Super Bowl, but only one of them started AFTER he left Cleveland. That quarterback is Hall of Famer Len Dawson, who started Super Bowls I and IV with the Kansas City Chiefs (winning SB4) after playing one season for the Browns. The other four are Jim McMahon (Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XX), Mark Rypien (Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXVI), Trent Dilfer (Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl XXXV) and Jake Delhomme (Super Bowl XXXVII). McMahon, Rypien and Dilfer were victorious in their lone Super Bowl appearances. Rypien played for the Browns in 1994, while McMahon played for the Browns in 1995 (both as backups to Vinny Testaverde). Dilfer was the Browns' starting quarterback in 2005, while Delhomme was the Browns' starting quarterback in 2010.

<> Only one time in Super Bowl history has a player from the losing team won the Most Valuable Player Award. That was Super Bowl V, where Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley got the top individual honor despite the Cowboys losing to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13.

<> In the first 10 years after the AFL merger (1970-80), only two former AFL franchises won the Super Bowl -- the Miami Dolphins (VII and VIII) and the Oakland Raiders (XI and XV). In fact, only four former AFL franchises have won the Super Bowl since the merger through now -- the Denver Broncos (XXXII and XXXIII) and the New England Patriots (XXXVI, XXXVII, XXXIX) join the Dolphins and Raiders (who also won the Super Bowl as the Los Angeles Raiders in SB XVIII). That fact won't change after this year's game.

<> A Baltimore franchise has won two Super Bowls -- Super Bowl V (Colts) and Super Bowl XXXV (Ravens). Baltimore is officially 2-1 in Super Bowls.

<> There have been five relocated franchises that have won the Super Bowl in their new location (including the Ravens). But the first of those relocated franchises may surprise you. The answer -- the Kansas City Chiefs (Super Bowl IV). They were originally known as the Dallas Texans. Ironically, the Texans are one of just two NFL/AFL franchises who won a championship in one town and defended in their new town. The other answer -- the Cleveland Rams (1945), who moved to Los Angeles in 1946.

<> The other relocated franchises are the Los Angeles Raiders, the St. Louis Rams, the Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts. All have only won one Super Bowl apiece in their new cities.

<> Kurt Warner owns the top three passing yardage performances in Super Bowl history (414 in SB 34, 377 in SB 43, 365 in SB 36).

<> The longest pass thrown in Super Bowl history was an 85-yard touchdown pass. The quarterback -- Jake Delhomme.

<> The best Super Bowl single-game rushing performance is still held by the obscure Timmy Smith, who gained 204 yards for the victorious Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII.

<> John Elway has the most career interceptions thrown in Super Bowl history (8 in five appearances).

<> The most receptions in a Super Bowl game has been done four different times. It is 11 catches, and it is shared by Cincinnati tight end Dan Ross, San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice and New England receivers Deion Branch and Wes Welker. Rice and Branch's performances not only came in victories, but also resulted in MVP honors.

<> Who is the most decorated Super Bowl athlete of all time? Try Jerry Rice. Rice holds the record for most career receptions (33), yards (589), total yards (604) and touchdowns (8, both receiving and overall), along with single-game marks for receptions (11), yards (215), total yards (220) and touchdowns (3 on 2 different occasions; both receiving and overall).

<> Tom Brady has the most career Super Bowl passes completed (128), attempted (198) and yards (1,284), but his nine career TD passes are second behind Joe Montana's 11. Montana did his in one less Super Bowl, by the way. Brady's career rating of 96.02 is ranked eighth all-time.

<> The Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the most Super Bowls with eight appearance apiece. Ironically, they have played each other three different times, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 advantage.

<> Besides the 49ers and the four teams that have won the only Super Bowl they've ever appeared in, the highest winning percentage in Super Bowl history is .800 -- NOT HELD BY PITTSBURGH. Both Green Bay and the New York Giants have identical 4-1 records.

<> The 49ers and Ravens matchup is, ironically, the only time in Super Bowl history that neither team has ever suffered a Super Bowl loss coming in with at least one appearance under their belts.

<> There have been four teams that have made multiple Super Bowl appearances without getting a win. They are the Buffalo Bills (0-4), Minnesota Vikings (0-4), Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (0-2).

<> The Ravens are one of four teams that are 1-0 in Super Bowls. The other three are the New York Jets, the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

<> Besides the four franchises who have never appeared in the Super Bowl, the Jets have the longest Super Bowl appearance drought. Their last (and only) appearance -- Super Bowl III at the conclusion of the 1968 season.

<> And, the four NFL franchises who have never qualified for a Super Bowl -- the Detriot Lions, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans and ... wait for it ... our own Cleveland Browns.

Someday soon, my friends, someday soon that streak will be over. And not for the Lions, smartasses!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, and Go 49ers!

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!