March 28, 2024

New Orleans - The NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers arrived Sunday afternoon in the Crescent City looking to capture its first Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years. The AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens hit the town on Monday looking for their second Super Bowl victory since trouncing the New York Giants in 1990 in Tampa.

For the first time in the history of the Super Bowl, the game will be coached by brothers of the opposing teams. Jim Harbaugh and his fiery-style lead the 49ers while his low key brother John handles the Ravens.

The game will be the swan song for Baltimore's linebacker Ray Lewis who announced his retirement at the start of the playoffs. Many think his declaration has been the guiding force that has taken the team within one win of the Vince Lombardi trophy.

San Francisco has been spurred on by the play of rookie quarterback Colin (Tatoo Man) Kaepernick who took over the starting job from Alex Smith after he suffered a concussion. Smith was cleared to play the week after but Kaepernick played so well that Jim decided to stay with the rookie. Although at times he wasn't quite sure that was the right decision.

John, on the other hand, was dealing with the inconsistent play of his own quarterback Joe (Joe Cool) Flacco. For the fifth straight year since coming into the league, Flacco won a playoff game making him the only quarterback in NFL history to accomplish such a feat.

While the teams got settled at their individual hotels, Monday was more of a preparation day for the city that will host thousands of out-of-towners along with fans from both teams that will be descending on the Big Easy. The stories will be plenty leading up to the big game from how the city will receive NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (the penalties he dropped on the Saints as a result of "Bounty Gate" had a profound effect on the outcome of their season) to numerous player and coaches interviews to the worldwide media coverage (there will be more media attending media day on Tuesday than will actually cover the game) not to mention all of the parties that will take place and the celebrities that will attend them.

You will get an up-close and personal perspective from the city that needs no reason to get its party on! Soon after the 2013 Super Bowl Champions raise that golden trophy, the city will embrace the second biggest party that takes place every year: Mardi Gras!!!

Yes, it's official; former Baltimore Ravens Linebacker, Ray Lewis, is going into broadcasting. ESPN announced today that he is joining the global television and radio network, as an NFL studio analyst.

Lewis will appear on ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown," "Sunday Night Countdown" and "SportsCenter," while also contributing to ESPN's annual Super Bowl coverage. If that wasn't enough, Lewis will also make weekly appearances during the football season on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning show.

Although his contract starts August 1, 2013; some hope to see him at the NFL Draft next month.

On the football field, you saw Ray Lewis the warrior. On ESPN, viewers can expect to see a side of Lewis that they don't get to see during the football season. According to Lewis, he has a silly side; a side that he displays with his kids, family, and friends.

Lewis played his entire 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens.

In 2001, Lewis was the second linebacker to win the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award and the first to win the award on the winning Super Bowl team.

For Lewis, winning the MVP was a little bittersweet. He missed saying, "I'm going to Disney World." Typically, that honor goes to the Super Bowl MVP. However, in this case, Disney chose Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Trent Dilfer because Lewis was linked to a killing the prior year.

Although Lewis was not convicted of murder, he was hit with a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in exchange for testifying against two people. Consequently, Disney felt it was too fresh for Lewis to be the face of the team in its family-friendly ad. Additionally, Lewis did not participate in the team's parade at Disney World.

It's 2013; we have come full circle. The Ravens have won another Super Bowl. Clearly, Ray Lewis was the wind beneath his team's wings in its drive for the ultimate football prize.

Now, in steps ESPN, a child of Disney, and it offers Lewis a lucrative contract.

Disney is the parent company of ESPN.

Disney World vs. Broadcasting Contract?

In the case of Ray Lewis, the God of Second Chances and Redemption is reigning supreme.

Did Dez Bryant make the right decision to hold out or, could he wind up on the outside looking in?

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant, is still a free agent.

He turned down an offer from the Baltimore Ravens reportedly worth roughly $21 million over three years. Now, it seems he may have to wait until training camp to get an offer.

Will Sixers release Bryan Colangelo; Lakers Possible Off-Season Moves; JJ Watt our Athlete of the week; Tristan Thompson among most useless Cavaliers, and more

In this episode of What's The 411Sports, hosts Keisha Wilson and Mike McDonald, are talking about the NBA FINALS featuring the three-time NBA Champions, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers; Bryan Colangelo's current employment woes with the Philadelphia 76ers; how the eyes of NBA world are on the Los Angeles Lakers’ upcoming offseason moves; JJ Watt, our Athlete of the Week; Brooklyn Nets player, Jeremy Lin, initiates a clap-back at ESPN’s Jalen Rose; the Most Useless Cavaliers, is Tristan Thompson on the list? and more. 

 

NY Jets win a game against the Baltimore Ravens, but Geno Smith is out with torn ACL; NCAA puts Rick Pitino on the hot seat

The panel of Keisha Wilson, Mike McDonald, and Sydney Wayman are talking about:

What's Poppin

  • The NY Giants, NFL, and Josh Brown Domestic Violence Issue/Dilemma
  • Sam Bradford and the Minnesota Vikings lose their first game of the season at the hand of Mychal Kendricks and the Philadelphia Eagles
  • The NY Jets manage to win a game against the Baltimore Ravens with Geno Smith as quarterback along with Ryan Fitzpatrick who came in when Geno suffered a torn ACL. However, Fitzpatrick’s postgame comments raised lots of eyebrows because he took a swipe at head coach Todd Bowles and the rest of the NY Jets organization sounding like he was benched after winning all season, which could be further from the truth.
  • Is Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis enabling bad behavior from Vontaze Burfict

Under The Radar

  • University of Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino comes under fire from the NCAA after reports of a brothel-like atmosphere occurred for the pleasure of Louisville basketball players and recruits

On The Bench

  • New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose and the jurors of his civil rape case are on the bench for posing for photos after the jurors found Rose not liable

 

Is NY Giants Jerry Reese still on the on the hot seat, Did Slam Magazine slam Carmelo Anthony?, Is Jerry Jones still backing Tony Romo?

What's The 411Sports hosts Keisha Wilson and Mike McDonald are talking about the hottest sports stories of the week:

  • Draymond Green Says Back off of his teammate Kevin Durant
  • Did Tom Brady Pull a Michael Dukakis?
  • Dak Prescott or Tony Romo?
  • Should Jay Glazer Block Greg Hardy’s MMA Aspirations
  • NY Giants had Big Win, But Offense is Still Meager,
  • As the NBA Season Approaches, there is More Pressure on Knicks than the Nets
  • Did Slam Magazine Diss Carmelo Anthony?

IN THE PIPELINE

On Sunday, October 23rd, the Giants will be across the pond for a showdown with the L.A. Rams in London. Set your alarms, because game time is 9:30 AM Eastern time. Meanwhile, the NY Jets host the Baltimore Ravens at 1:00 PM, also on Sunday, October 23rd.

The MLB World Series starts on Tuesday, October 25th.

The NBA regular season is upon us and the Brooklyn Nets face the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, October 26; and the Nets’ first home game of the regular season is against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, October 28. We hope the crowd gives former Brooklyn Nets player, Thaddeus Young a warm reception.

IN MEMORIAM

Former NFL linebacker Quentin Groves has died at the age of 32. Reports indicate that Groves died of a heart attack, perhaps brought on by Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which causes rapid heartbeats. Groves had what was described as a minor heart surgery between the Combine and the draft after WPW was discovered during the combine medical tests.

Also, Dennis Byrd, who played for the New York Jets in 1989-92, was killed in a head-on collision near his home outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Olympic track star Tyson Gay’s 15-year-old daughter, Trinity, was struck and killed by a stray bullet at a restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky.

Our condolences go out to their families and may they rest in peace.

 

This week, What's the 411Sports host, Bianca Peart, puts former New York Giants safety Will Hill in the What's the 411Sports Dog House.

The Giants cut Hill after he violated the NFL'S drug policy for the third time.

What's the 411Sports host, Glenn Gilliam, came to Hill's defense until he heard more of Hill's background.

Do you think the New York Giants should have cut Will Hill?

Check out the video for discussion about former New York Giants safety Will Hill.

 

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