Super Bowl XLVII: Impress Friends At Your Party

Courtesy: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Seph Anderson, The Sportswriter to The South, focuses his sports writing skills on covering timely Ole Miss & SEC news, among all things sports across the South.

seph.anderson@hottytoddy.com

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Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers means lots of Super Bowl parties across the country on Sunday, February 3. In fact, Super Bowl parties include people that both love and hate the game of football, always fitting for great cinema.

Many fans will show up to Super Bowl XLVII parties ready to spit out random, meaningless facts to anyone that will listen. On the other hand many people head to Super Bowl parties afraid they won’t know enough about the game to even hold a conversation. In an effort to help those less informed party animals, I’ve drawn up a quick guide to some of the game’s biggest story lines. Mention a few of these on Sunday, and you’ll be sure to impress even the biggest fan.

Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, LA will feature a game between two teams, the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, that haven’t made Super Bowl appearances since 2001 and 1994 respectively. Further, Super Bowl XLVII will mark the first time since 2003 that the big game hasn’t featured Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning or Peyton Manning.

The most talked about Super Bowl XLVII headline is sure to be that of brother against brother. Baltimore Raven Head Coach John Harbaugh will face off against a San Francisco 49er team coached by none other than his own brother, Jim Harbaugh. The meeting will mark the first time two brothers, both NFL head coaches, will square off in a Super Bowl.

Courtesy: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

However, there are several other stories at play that you’ll likely hear discussed at your Super Bowl party. Skim through the following story lines, and you’ll be primed to impress on Sunday.

Ten Super Sunday Story Lines to Know Before Your Super Bowl Party:

1) Harbaugh Bowl: Raven John Harbaugh versus 49er Jim Harbaugh to win Super Bowl XLVII
2) Raven LB great, Ray Lewis, bids farewell to a legendary NFL career. Will he go out on top?
3) The Ties That Bind Former Ole Miss Greats, Raven Michael Oher and 49er Patrick Willis
4) 49er QB Colin Kaepernick – the new “it” player in the NFL, will he have another big game?
5) Will 49er WR Randy Moss, self-proclaimed greatest WR to ever play the game, finally get a ring?
6) Does 49er K David Akers, 2012 NFL leader in missed FG (14), have what it takes in clutch time?
7) Is this Raven great S Ed Reed‘s swansong in Baltimore, soon to be an unrestricted free agent?
8) Defensive players that could end up Super Bowl MVP: 49er Patrick Willis, Raven Ed Reed
9) Super Bowl commercials cost an average of $4 million this year for a 30 second spot
10) Alicia Keys (National Anthem) and Beyonce (Halftime Performer) – Who will be better?

What will happen in Super Bowl XLVII?

Simply put, the Baltimore Ravens are a team of destiny in 2013.
Headed to their first Super Bowl in 12 years, head coach John Harbaugh’s Ravens are a team no NFL expert expected to end up in this year’s Super Bowl. Touted as an aging, injury-prone group with a quarterback (Joe Flacco) that has never been able to lead his team to the big game, Baltimore is the surprise club in Super Bowl XLVII.

Destiny though, it can all be defined by one of the most memorable fourth down plays in NFL history. Trailing the San Diego Chargers 16-13 with 1:59 remaining in regulation, the Ravens faced a crucial fourth down and 29. After the fourth down snap, QB Joe Flacco threw a short pass to RB Ray Rice. Incredibly, Rice managed to maneuver his way 30 yards down the field to gain what is now arguably one of the greatest fourth down conversions in NFL history.

Ray Rice’s divine fourth down conversion (watch it here) propelled the Ravens to an eventual overtime win, 16-13. Without the miraculous fourth down play, the Ravens would likely be sitting at home right now instead of preparing for the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. It was a play of epic proportions that can only be defined as one of destiny for the gritty Baltimore Ravens.

Predictions:
Baltimore Ravens 30 – San Francisco 49ers 24
Super Bowl MVP: Raven S Ed Reed