Salon.com > San Francisco 49ers

Fans mob Baltimore streets to celebrate Ravens win

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:20:00 +0000

BALTIMORE (AP) — Hundreds of giddy Ravens fans poured into the streets Sunday night, whooping, hollering and high-fiving complete strangers as they celebrated the team's 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

On the far opposite coast, however, a spirit of hope and anticipation rapidly faded into sullen disappointment as dejected 49ers fans tried to absorb their team's loss.

In the East, Patrons who packed into Mother's Federal Hill Grille in Baltimore to watch the Ravens' second Super Bowl appearance since the team arrived in the city in 1996 jumped up onto the bar and began belting out a rendition of the Queen song "We are the champions."

Bartenders sprayed purple party string into the air.

"I love this team. I love this city!" screamed Andrew Bieler, 21, shortly after the game ended.

Ashlee Tuck, 28, shouted "Yes!" and alternated between kissing her boyfriend and dancing as fans streamed out of the bar.

Michael Falls, 25, said he plans to take Monday off from his accounting job and his boss was going to do the same.

"I'm going to live up the night," he said.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined in the fun, dancing and singing alongside the fans.

The best and worst of Super Bowl 47

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:22:00 +0000

It had moments for the record books. Memorable ads. A scorching halftime show. An unexpected time out. And a wardrobe malfunction very different – yet infinitely more horrifying – than Janet Jackson's ever was. It was the 47th Super Bowl, and we put down our nachos long enough to rack up the best and worst of it.

The Bad

The Blackout

It was so strange, so unexpected, you could feel the audience and announcers not quite registering what was happening at first. When a surge knocked out half the power at the Superdome minutes into the second half of the game – and moments after Jacoby Jones' crazy spectacular return -- it set off a frenzy of frantic ad-libbing from the booth, busywork stretching on the field, and jokey speculation on Twitter. Best response? Dave Weigel's post halftime show theorizing that the stadium was not, in fact, ready for this jelly.

Jim Nantz's tie

“It Gets Better” pulls 49ers’ PSA after players deny their involvement

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:58:00 +0000

Dan Savage has pulled the San Francisco 49ers' "It Gets Better" video from the site that serves as a resource for bullied teens after two of the players involved disavowed the video, in yet another instance of Sunday's Super Bowl serving as a flash point in the ongoing debate over gay rights.

After the Baltimore Ravens' Brendon Ayanbadejo came out as an advocate for gay rights, and the 49ers' Chris Culliver said he would never play with a gay teammate, it became clear that the Ravens vs. 49ers matchup on Super Bowl Sunday had brought to football some of the debate that had swirled for years around the corporate world and the military. The 49ers' video, intended, like all "It Gets Better" videos, to inspire bullied gay teens, was treated as though it had never happened by linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga, indicating that even some purported allies are not interested in the debate at all.

Kwame Harris, former NFL star, allegedly assaults ex-boyfriend

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:29:00 +0000

San Mateo, Calif.'s Daily Journal reports that former San Francisco 49er Kwame Harris is due in court for allegedly assaulting his ex-boyfriend.

Harris is said to have beaten Dimitri Geier after Geier poured soy sauce over a plate of rice. The pair left the restaurant, after which point Geier's suit claims that the former NFL player pulled down his dining companion's pants and began shaking and punching him.

Harris has been charged with domestic violence and assault.

Deadspin points out that Harris' sexuality has long been whispered about; the NFL has yet to have an openly gay active player, and, indeed, Harris has not acknowledged his sexuality. It's a particularly uncomfortable way to be outed -- as, given the nature of the incident, there's no skating around whether or not Geier or Harris might have been "friends." (It's rather akin to the allegations against John Travolta last year, in which lawsuits against the star by male masseuses, later dismissed, forced the public to at least consider that which the star had always managed to previously dismiss.)