Super Bowl XLVII: Will Distractions Play a Role?
By Eric He
Leading up to Super Bowl XLVII, it’s needless to say that things have not gone as smoothly as wished for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens off the field.
From PED allegations to homophobic remarks, we have seen a little bit of everything from both sides leading up to the Super Bowl.
Let’s take a look at some of them:
Michael Crabtree’s Sexual Assault Case
Granted, this happened before the NFC Championship game two weeks ago, but it was still a reason for worry until the San Francisco District Attorney called the case off.
Crabtree allegedly assaulted a woman at a party following their win over the Packers in the Divisional Round, but the charges were dropped before the NFC Championship.
However, it is never good news when someone decides to accuse you of something like that, even if it is completely false
Randy Moss is the Greatest Wide Receiver of All-Time
Jan 29, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss during media day in preparation for Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
At least that’s what he thinks.
During Super Bowl Media Day, Moss repeatedly claimed that he was the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game, creating much backlash from supporters of Jerry Rice and even Rice himself.
Moss also said he was unhappy with his role of being a “decoy” in the 49ers’ offense.
He had done a pretty good job of keeping his mouth shut all season long until then; I guess he was saving it all for the bright lights of the Super Bowl.
Chris Culliver’s Anti-Gay Remarks
This story will never get old.
Culliver made anti-gay remarks when being interviewed by Artie Lange earlier this week, and those comments hit the airwaves nationwide.
“I don’t do the gay guys man,” Culliver said. ”I don’t do that. No, we don’t got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.”
The 49ers and Culliver both issued statements of apology, with Culliver agreeing to work with an LGBT group and complete sensitivity training.
Ray Lewis’ Deer-Antler Spray
And then there’s the case of the deer-antler spray that Ray Lewis allegedly used to help him recover faster from his torn triceps.
Jan 31, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis addresses the media during a press conference in preparation for Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Deer-antler spray contains a substance that is banned by the NFL.
Lewis denied the accusations, and with this being his final game of his career, it probably won’t matter whether or not he actually used it.
So that was a quick rundown of four “distractions” we had leading up to the Super Bowl, with the 49ers outnumbering the Ravens 3-1.
Will this affect how they play on the field?
Probably not. These are pros and they will play the game of football at the same intensity no matter what is going on around them.
But for the media and fans, I cannot personally think of a Super Bowl week as intruiging as this one was.