Sports fans and athletes alike are notorious for superstitions. Take Michael Jordan, who would famously wear his North Carolina shorts under his Bulls uniform.
On Super Bowl Sunday, fans on both sides of the country are engaging in some odd behavior: donning unwashed jerseys, sporting fresh facial hair and sitting in that oh-so-special spot.
While the routines may seem silly, superstitions may actually have helped us evolve as a species.
The lights of the Super Bowl appeared a little brighter for 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, as the team went through 15 minutes of stretching and playing catch at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Fifteen minutes of football. A lifetime of memories.
That sums up the Baltimore Ravens' final on-field appearance Saturday in preparation for Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Although footballs were involved, the 15-minute work session inside the Superdome hardly constituted a practice. It more resembled a pep rally and backyard social than a serious walk-through the day before a game.
Sourdough Sam, the mascot for the San Francisco 49ers, looks on in January 2012.
Credit Larry French / Getty Images
Poe, the mascot of the Baltimore Ravens, cheers on the team during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in December 2010.
Credit Scott Halleran / Getty Images
Randy Moss of the San Francisco 49ers addresses the media on Jan. 31.
Credit Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images
Head coach John Harbaugh (Suit-Wearing Brother) of the Baltimore Ravens and Head coach Jim Harbaugh (Hat-Wearing Brother) of the San Francisco 49ers speak to the media on Feb. 1.
Credit Joe Klamar / AFP/Getty Images
This is Sandra Bullock at the 2012 Oscars. Sunday, she's watching the Super Bowl.
Credit Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
Practice squad player Nate Stupar and guard Leonard Davis of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate during the NFC Championship game on January 20.
Originally published on Sun February 3, 2013 9:13 am
Headlines were circulating last week about how, as Slate put it, "almost everybody" is rooting for the San Francisco 49ers over the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's Super Bowl. Of course, it turns out that what this actually meant was more like "substantially more than half of the area of the country is included within counties in which more people like the 49ers on Facebook than like the Ravens on Facebook."
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh (right) and his brother, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Friday.
Credit Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
A Super Bowl XLVII sign at Woldenberg Park in New Orleans, La., Saturday.
Credit David Goldman / AP
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick signals to the line during the second half of the NFL football NFC Championship game Jan. 20.
Credit Al Bello / Getty Images
Quarterback Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the 2013 AFC Championship on Jan. 20.
Originally published on Sun February 3, 2013 7:22 am
Sure, you can go to a Super Bowl party and be That Guy. The one who gleefully lectures the crowd on the merits of running the inverted veer out of the pistol in order to freeze the weak-side backer.
The Louisiana Superdome’s most recent Super Bowl, on February 3, 2002 was perhaps its most exciting.
The heavily favored St. Louis Rams entered the game looking to win their second championship in three seasons, but it was the New England Patriots who would end up launching a dynasty that day at Super Bowl XXXVI.
The Patriots’ defense stifled the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense for most of the day, but quarterback Kurt Warner rallied late to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The Verizon Super Bowl Boulevard is a four-day festival located at Woldenberg Park, stretching along the riverfront from the Aquarium of the Americas to Toulouse Street.
The Boulevard features a four-day lineup of music and events spread out across four stages, along with food and drink, live television broadcasts, Host Committee partner events, and other assorted and sundry festival offerings.
The festival is free and open to the public, opening Thursday and continuing through Super Bowl Sunday. A printable map and schedule is below.
