Let’s get the obvious out of the way: we all already knew that the Bay Area was the most amazing place in the history of the world. Or something like that.
The NFL picking “San Francisco” to play host to the 50th Super Bowl only made it nationally acceptable to rightfully flaunt our superiority complex.
Just don’t tell our non-Californian friends that Santa Clara really isn’t that close to San Francisco and everything will be OK.
Earlier this week, the NFL announced that the 49ers will play host to the Super Bowl in 2016 for the Bay Area’s first Super Bowl since Stanford put on its host garb in 1985.
The event will mark the complete coronation of Levi’s Stadium, the mega complex in Santa Clara which local jeans juggernaut Levi’s recently earned naming rights to, that is set to open in 2014.
Few will shed tears over the closing of Candlestick/3Com/That-Windy-Place-That’s-A-Pain-In-The-Ass-To-Get-To Park.
Houston is set to play host to the Super Bowl in 2017.
“After losing a Super Bowl [to the Baltimore Ravens], it feels really good to win a Super Bowl,” 49ers CEO Jed Yorktold ESPN.
Of course, not all fantastic news cannot come without an infuriating caveat.
Shortly after news spread that the biggest sports spectacle of the year was coming to the Bay Area, the 49ers’ all-everything wide receiver Michael Crabtreetore his Achilles tendon and will be out of action for at least six months.
It was a fantastic-news/terrible-news week around these parts for the 49ers.
The ever-optimistic Crabtree tweeted shortly thereafter: “I go hard for my friends family and fans, just felt like I let everybody down.. But I’ll be back ready!! I promise! #yungcrab.”
The 49ers signed Anquan Boldin in the offseason and will have to rely on 2012 first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins to fill the void in Crabtree’s absence.
San Francisco kicks off its NFL season on Sept. 8 against the Green Bay Packers…
Walk (off) this way.
Every so often walk-off, inside-the-park home runs happen…
Actually, no, no they don’t.
Angel Pagan sent AT&T Park into a rightful frenzy on Saturday afternoon when he accomplished just that.
The Giants were faced with a 4-0 deficit in the sixth inning of an eventual 6-5 10-inning victory, but those who witnessed Pagan’s theatrics were left to grasp for a paper bag to catch their collective breath again.
So after Sergio Romo gave up a home run to Troy Tulowitzki in the 10th inning to put the Giants behind 5-4, things were looking grim. But with one out and BrandonCrawford at second base, Pagan smashed a ball off the right-field wall and made a mad dash for home and the win.
“I was thinking at least three, I’ll be honest with you,” Pagan toldThe San Francisco Chronicle. “I was watching the ball, and it didn’t bounce too far from (Fowler). I’m thinking three, but looking at the coach; if he gives me the OK, I’m going for it.”
San Francisco capped the series win with a 7-3 thrashing of the Rockies on Wednesday and face local rival the Oakland A’s in the Bay Bridge Series starting today in Oakland.
Paper bags necessary: @seanswaby
