SuperBroBowl: Big Game is all in the family

Opinion by William Wilczewski

When the two Super Bowl teams were first decided, my first two thoughts were …

1) Go 49ers!

2) I hate the @#*! Ravens—and Ray Lewis!!

My third thought, though, was a little more interesting—albeit one of this game’s biggest story lines; the Harbaugh brothers, Jim and John, who will be coaching San Francisco and Baltimore, respectively.

John, 50, is older by 15 months—or in other words, Jack and Jackie were REAL busy from late 1961 to early 1963.

They will also be REAL busy on game day, Sunday, both likely running between fan sections and making it look like they want neither or both teams to win.

This will be about as easy as Courtney Love being sober—but, then again, neither will the 2013 (insert favorite holiday here) in the Harbaugh household.

Like typical competitive brothers, it might go something like this …

Jim: Did too!

John: Did not!

Jim: Did too!

John: Did not!

Jim: Mom!!

Anyway, you get the picture when it comes to sibling rivalries. I know the feeling all too well myself, because I have a twin brother and an older one of close age. We all grew up playing baseball together through high school, plus my twin and I played prep football on the same team for three years.

Although my seemingly ancient memory of those days tells me we got along pretty good, I’m sure reality may have been a little different—or at least at moments when Rob or Mike hit a homerun and I didn’t.

Or when Rob threw for a touchdown on the opening drive and I got stuffed on my first run from scrimmage like a blue fin tuna in Massachusetts.

I’m sure that’s how Sunday is going to be for the Harbaugh bros—leaving Mom and Dad nothing but worries on how to praise the winner properly, while TRYING to console the loser properly—if that’s even possible!?

Anyway, with Jim being born two days before Christmas Day 1963 (John’s B-day is Sept. 23, 1962), I’m hoping that his folks get to look at his ring during his 40th birth-anniversary.

John, though, has a few things going for him, too, like …

1.) September 23, 1962: ABC's first color TV series-The Jetsons;

2) September 23, 1962: The Jetsons aired for the first time; and

3) September 23, 1962: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City opens with the first building completed, Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) home of the New York Philharmonic

So, as you can see, this whole brother thing is getting quite complicated, so “Go 49ers!” “Booo Ray Lewis!”

Now that that’s done, let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes of all time (and if someone knows the author, please e-mail it to me at wilczewskiwilliam@hotmail.com), although I have adjusted it a bit for this special occasion …

“Let those that love the 9ers, love the 9ers; and for those that don’t, may they twist their ankle, so that we may know them by their limp!”