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Ray Lewis rides off into the
sunset a champion ... again
By Johnny Hart
Fourth and goal. Fourth and the game. Fourth and a career, for Ray Lewis.
As they say, sports imitates life.
There may be no more better illustration than the Baltimore Ravens making a goal line stand with the game on the line, let alone Lewis’ curtain-call.
Fourth and a Super Bowl, if you will.
"How could it end any other way than that?" Lewis said. "And now I get to ride into the sunset with my second ring."
With just more than two minutes left in the game, the San Francisco running back rattled off a 33-yard run to the Ravens 7 yard line, down 34-29 and needing a touchdown to go ahead late.
But a LaMichael James short run and three incomplete passes from Collin Kaepernick at Michael Crabtree later, the Ravens pulled the improbable run to becoming the NFL champions.
"It's simple: When God is for you, who can be against you?" Lewis said. "It's no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates. And you looked around this stadium and ... Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!"
Staggering into the playoffs, the Ravens rode the coattails of Lewis’ Jan. 2 retirement announcement to a win in the Hall of Famer’s last game in Baltimore against the Indianapolis Colt.
Then, a 9.5-point underdog, the Ravens stunned the Denver Broncos on a 70-yard prayer from Joe Flacco to Jacoby Jones to tie the divisional round game, winning in double-overtime on a field goal.
In the AFC Championship they were 9.5-point underdogs on the road at the New England Patriots.
The Ravens weren’t supposed to win the Super Bowl either. In the battle of the Harbaughs, Jim was supposed to take down big brother, John.
But it’s hard to stop a team of destiny, if you want to call it that.
All we know is that Lewis and the Ravens rode the emotional tide of his retirement, and the golden, Super Bowl MVP arm of Flacco (3 touchdowns on 274 yards), to the franchise’s second Super Bowl.
And Lewis rides off into the sunset at the top.
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Madden '13 picks Ravens to beat 49ers
Feb. 3, 2013
By Johnny Hart
ESPN Denver
It's official. There's no other possible outcome.
The Baltimore Ravens will beat the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.
Well, at least the people at Electronic Arts think that's how Sunday's big game will turn out.
EA Sports released the Madden 2013 game simulation video of this year's Super Bowl matchup, and it crowns the Ravens king of the NFL.
Check out the video for yourself:
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Super Bowl XLVII: What you need to know
Feb. 2, 2013
By Johnny Hart
After two crazy weeks in the Big Easy, the Road to New Orleans finally comes to a head with Super Bowl Sunday.
But coverage of Super Bowl XLVII isn’t just a one-network, four-hour event. It’s an all day celebration.
It’s expected that some 150 million or more people will tune in, of which 43.9 million will head to the 7.5 million Super Bowl parties held tomorrow.
American will consume 8 million pounds of guacamole, using 14,500 tons of chips. Antacids sales will increase 20 percent Monday.
So, here’s the rundown that you’ll need to not miss any of the glory that is Super Bowl Sunday:
4 a.m. – 'Mike and Mike' Super Bowl special on ESPN and ESPN Radio
ESPN kicks off Super Bowl Sunday coverage with a special edition of Mike and Mike in the Morning
5 a.m. – ‘Fists on the Field’ on the NFL Network
The NFL Network kicks off its 10 and a half hours of pre-game coverage with “Fists on the Field.”
8 a.m. to 11 a.m. – 'Countdown to the Super Bowl' with Hill & Schlereth on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio’s Hill & Schlereth will kick off radio coverage of the Super Bowl
8 a.m. – Super Bowl 'Sunday NFL Countdown' on ESPN
Chris Berman hosts the four-hour special with analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson at ESPN’s main set at the Jax Brewery in the French Quarter. Suzy Kolber will host on the second set with analysts Tedy Bruschi, Trent Dilfer, Merril Hoge, Ron Jaworski and Steven Young. Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden will be on site at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
9 a.m. – “Road to the Super Bowl” on CBS
The annual sports special presented by NFL Films kicks off CBS’s coverage of the Super Bowl, and it will chronicle the 2012 NFL season with video and sound from the field and in the locker room.
Noon – 'The Super Bowl Today' on CBS
The Super Bowl pre-game show will be live from Super Bowl Park at Jackson Square, featuring James Brown, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe, and Bill Cower. The coverage will lead up to the Super Bowl kickoff.
4 p.m. – Super Bowl XLVII coverage starts on CBS
Super Bowl coverage kicks off from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
4:30 p.m. – Super Bowl XLVII kicks offImmediately after – 'Super Bowl Today Post-Game Show' on CBS
Post-game coverage of the Super Bowl, along with the award ceremony, will follow immediately after the game.
9 p.m. – 'NFL PrimeTime' on ESPN
Trey Wingo hosts the Super Bowl post-game coverage with Tim Hasselbeck and Merril Hoge
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Beyoncé sings 'Star Spangled Banner'
before Super Bowl press conference
Jan. 31, 2013
By Johnny Hart
ESPN Denver
As if there were any doubt, Beyoncé showed a crowd of media members Thursday that she can, indeed, sing.
The pop singer has recently been snarled in a lip-synching snafu after it was found out that her performance of the national anthem at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration last week was pre-recorded.
A Marine Corps band spokeswoman told the Times of London that Beyoncé and the marching band had used prerecorded backtracks last week.
“We did prerecord it and it was Beyoncé’s decision at the last minute to go with the prerecorded version,” the spokeswoman said. “We prerecorded all music as a matter of course and have done since time immemorial,” she said. “This is our 54th inauguration …. There is no question of there not being any music — it’s not because the performer cannot do it.”
However, the prideful crooner belted out the “Star Spangled Banner” at the press conference for the Super Bowl XXXVII Halftime, after which she asked, “Any questions?”
She did confirm she did use pre-recorded a backing track, citing her “perfectionist” attitude, but did ensure that her Super Bowl appearance will be all live.
“I will absolutely be singing live,” she said. “This is what I was born to do.”
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Denver Mayor Hancock, Broncos
pursuing bid to host Super Bowl
Jan. 31, 2013
By Johnny Hart
This year it's the Big Easy. Next year, it's the Big Apple.
And Denver Mayor Michael Hancock hopes in a few years, the Big Game will make an appearance a Mile High.
The Denver Broncos and non-profit tourism association Visit Denver proposed to the NFL a bid to host the Super Bowl in late August, and Hancock has thrown his support behind the idea, reports the Denver Post.
"We will pursue it along with Visit Denver," Hancock told the Denver Post in a meeting with newspaper's editorial board Wednesday. "I think Denver would be head and shoulders above any other city to compete to host a Super Bowl."
The coalition hopes to be awarded a Super Bowl in 2018, '19 or '20.
According to Richard Scharf, president and chief executive of Visit Denver, the city's convention and visitors bureau, this is just a preliminary step to even have a chance to bid.
"The (application) is one of those things in the process, to get your foot in the door," Scharf tells the Denver Post.
The idea of hosting a Super Bowl in a cold-weather state, one with a stadium without a retractable dome, has been met with some consternation.
Just this week, during the Baltimore Ravens' first media session of Super Bowl XXXVII, quarterback Joe Flacco called the idea of playing in cold-weather "retarded."
"I think it's retarded," Flacco said Monday. "I probably shouldn't say that. I think it's stupid. If you want a Super Bowl, put a retractable dome on your stadium."
Most turn to next year's Super Bowl in East Rutherford, N.J., as the barometer for future cold-weather Super Bowl bids, which according to National Weather Service, the average high for the area in early February is 39.8 degrees and the low is 24.2 degrees.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the league will be prepared for harsh weather conditions next year, and the NFL is "thrilled" to host the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium, the home stadium of the New York Jets and New York Giants.
"We made this decision (to play the game here), obviously not knowing what the weather would be, but football is made to be played in the elements," Goodell said.
The commissioner expressed the same sentiments to a crowd of 200 Broncos fans before the team's divisional round loss to the Ravens on Jan. 12.
“My personal view is, the game of football is to be played in the elements,’’ Goodell said, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post. “There are people who like to see the Super Bowl played in absolutely pristine conditions, where everything is the same and there’s no weather elements at all. I just don’t think that’s football.’’
As for the temperature in New Orleans for Sunday's big game, it will be 65 degrees outside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, according to the NOAA.
Denver? A balmy 58 degrees.
You can find Johnny Hart on Twitter at @JohnnyHart7. For up to the minute updates on the Denver Broncos, check the 1023 ESPN Facebook page, @1023ESPN or ESPNDenver.com.
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Ravens' Lewis denies link to PED use
Jan. 29, 2013
By Johnny Hart
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis told reporters during Tuesday's Super Bowl Media Day that he refuses to answer questions about his potential ties to using performance enhancing drugs.
The denial came just after news that a Sports Illustrated exposé hitting the stands Monday accuses Lewis of receiving a banned substance to help heal his torn triceps.
Sports Illustrated reports that Lewis contacted Sports with Alternatives to Steroids (SWATS) owner Mitch Ross to request items to help speed the recovery after he suffered the triceps injury on Oct. 14.
Lewis denied the report, saying he hasn't even thought of using PEDs and he would not entertain the "stupidity" of the report's authors David Epstein and George Dohrmann.
"Two years ago that was the same report. I wouldn't give that report or him any of my press. He's not worthy of that," said Lewis, referring to a 2011 report by ThePostGame.com in which Ross said Lewis was interested in some of the SWATS products.
Kevin Byrne, Ravens vice president of communications, told ESPN that Lewis has never tested positive for any banned substance despite random testing.
"Ray has been randomly tested for banned substances and has never failed a test. We have never been notified of a failed test. He has never been notified of a failed test," Byrne said.
The Ravens met with Lewis Tuesday morning to discuss the article.
"He denied using the substance discussed in the article and we believe him," Byrne told ESPN.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters during Baltimore's media session that he had not talked to Lewis about the story.
"Ray has worked incredibly hard to get back. I would hate to see anything diminish that," Harbaugh said. "My understanding is that he's passed every random substance test that he's taken throughout his career."
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Alex Smith: 'Tough' to be 49ers backup QB
Jan. 29, 2013
By Johnny Hart
At first, it was "bittersweet" for Alex Smith. Now it's "tough."
The San Francisco 49ers starting-turned-backup quarterback told reporters during the Super Bowl Media Day Tuesday that his trip to the big game in New Orleans as Colin Kaepernick's second-fiddle has been difficult.
"It's tough, I'm not going to lie to you," Smith said. "I feel like I was playing my best football before the injury, but you deal with it, you move on."
Smith had been usurped as the starting quarterback when he went down with a concussion midway through the regular season.
When the first-overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft was healthy enough to return, Smith was benched in favor of the second-year phenom Kaepernick.
But, Smith says, he'll embrace his role of Super Bowl backup now, for the sake of the team.
"It's a team game, the coach made his decision. But I'm not going to pout. I love the locker room we have, and that's bigger than me."
The off-season, however, might have Smith singing a different tune.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports that a source with knowledge on the situation says that Smith will seek to be released from the 49ers before free agency.
Smith is due $8.5 million in 2013 –– $1 million now and the rest by April 1. His release, however, would mean that Smith would forego that guaranteed money but will have his selection of potential suitors, rather than being traded to one specific team.
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Jan. 29, 2013
By Johnny Hart
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco took time during Tuesday's Super Bowl Media Day to say sorry for using the word "retarded" while describing his feelings toward an outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl.
Flacco used the word upon arriving in New Orleans for this year's Super Bowl after being asked about the site for the 2014 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Said Flacco: "I think it's retarded. I probably shouldn't say that. I think it's stupid. If you want a Super Bowl, put a retractable dome on your stadium. Then you can get one."
On Tuesday, during the Ravens media session at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, he apologized.
"Obviously, it was a poor choice of words," Flacco said. "At home, I have a close relationship with Special Olympics. I didn't mean to offend anyone. I definitely apologize for that," he said.
The cold-weather sentiment, however, has been a topic of debate since it was announced that the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets would host the 2014 Super Bowl.
According to National Weather Service, the Average high in Newark, N.J., on Feb. 2, is 39.8 degrees and the low 24.2.
The coldest temperature at kickoff of the Super Bowl: 39 degrees in Jan. 1972, when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Miami Dolphins at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the league will be prepared for harsh weather conditions next year, and the NFL is "thrilled" to host the Super Bowl in the New York
"We made this decision (to play the game here), obviously not knowing what the weather would be, but football is made to be played in the elements," Goodell said.
The NFL won't need to worry this year about the weather, seeing as the Super Bowl will be played indoors at the Superdome.
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