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Get to know your Super Bowl XLVII team

A guide to the teams, as well as the best food and drink Baltimore and San Francisco have to offer.

WILL YOU BE watching Super Bowl XLVII at home this year but would still like to feel part of the game?

Fret not, here at TheScore.ie we have you covered, especially if you’re trying to pick a team to support.

After in-depth research, we’ve come up with everything you need to know about both the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, as well as the best food and drink each city has to offer.

Baltimore

Team
The Baltimore Ravens are just a baby in NFL terms, beginning life in 1996 when former owner, Art Modell, relocated his Cleveland Browns franchise to Maryland. The team’s name was inspired by Edgar Allen Poe, who is buried in Baltimore and whose most famous work is, of course, ‘The Raven’.

The Ravens have made the playoffs five years in a row and have won two AFC Championships in their short history, including this year.

They were victorious in their only previous visit to the Super Bowl, when they defeated the New York Giants, 34-7 in 2000.

Coach
John Harbaugh played as a defensive back for the University of Miami, Ohio but never played in the NFL. Since becoming a coach in the league, his record is incredible, taking the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his five seasons in charge.

Key player(s)
After 17 years in the NFL, Ray Lewis probably deserves a mention here. However, Joe Flacco’s performances this postseason have helped the Ravens reach this stage but that’s mostly because of his offensive line. Not only have they given Flacco lots of time to throw the ball, but they’ve also helped establish the Ravens’ run game. If they can do both again on Sunday, that might be the difference between the two teams.

City
Baltimore has a population of about 620,000 and was founded in 1661 by English settlers escaping religious prosecution.

It’s most famous sons and daughters include David Hasselhoff, Michael Phelps and the movie director John Waters.

It was also, of course, home to the greatest TV series of all time, ‘The Wire’.

Food
As with the rest of Maryland, Baltimore is best known for its Blue Crabs. Beaten with a hammer, and cooked with both cold beer and boiling water, they remain a mystery to most outsiders.

Drink
One of the finest beers I’ve ever had came out of Maryland, and it’s Heavy Sea’s Loose Cannon Indian Pale Ale. At 7.25% ABV, you might not want to drink too many of them during the Super Bowl though.

San Francisco

Team
The San Francisco 49ers have been in existence for exactly 50 years longer than their opponents on Sunday. The team is named after the prospectors who moved to the area in 1849 when gold was discovered.

After dominating the NFL in the eighties and nineties, the team have been in the doldrums for twenty years. Despite that, they still have 25 playoff appearances.

The 49ers have won all five of their Super Bowl appearances, the most recent being a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in 1994.

Coach
Unlike his brother, Jim Harbaugh actually did play in the NFL. A steady if unremarkable quarterback, Harbaugh has taken to coaching with the same success as his brother, reaching the playoffs in each of his two seasons in charge of the 49ers.

Key player
It has to be Colin Kaepernick. Sunday will be just his tenth start as an NFL quarterback. How he handles the pressure of the occasion could have a massive impact on the outcome of the game. The evidence so far would seem to suggest he’ll be okay, but you never know what nerves can do.

City
Previously ‘owned’ by both Spain and Mexico, San Francisco came under the control of the US in 1847 when it’s name was changed from Yerba Buena.

Famous people born in San Francisco include Clint Eastwood, Steve Jobs and OJ Simpson.

Sadly, San Fran can’t boast a TV show like ‘The Wire’ but it was the location for ‘The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.’

Food
Like Baltimore, San Francisco residents love their crab. However, it’s also known for something called Rice-a-Roni which consists of rice and pasta mixed together.

Drink
Tripe Voodoo’s Barrel Aged Grand Cru is not for the feint of heart at 9% ABV but is a very tasty pale ale for those who like their beer complex.

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