A busy NFL season culminates in Super Bowl XLVII, where the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens will vie for supremacy of the football world. Legendary Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis looks for a storybook ending to his 17-year career, while quarterback Colin Kaepernick hopes to give the Niners their first title since 1994. Head coaches and brothers Jim and John Harbaugh will square off on opposing sidelines on the biggest stage in sports. This is what it's all about.
However, the Super Bowl is more than just football, outlandish commercials and grotesque amounts of finger food. It's a clash of cultures, a battle between two of the nation's most unique cities. This year's edition sends contestants from both coasts of the country, and the winner emerges with more than just the Lombardi Trophy.
In anticipation of Super Sunday, NBN breaks down Baltimore and San Francisco off the gridiron. Sports' Steven Goldstein defends the hardened streets of B-More, while Aric DiLalla reps sunny San Fran.
Music
San Francisco: Looking for great rock music? Go no further than the San Francisco Bay area. Steve Miller Band, Journey, Third Eye Blind and Train all began in San Fran. Bands like Green Day and Counting Crows got their starts nearby in the East Bay, not to mention MC Hammer. Baltimore just can’t touch this.
Baltimore: This.
If for some ungodly reason you haven’t been won over yet, know that B-More is the birthplace of critically acclaimed artists Frank Zappa and Billie Holliday. Baltimore jazz dominated the DMV area through the 1920s, while the breakbeat Baltimore club genre plays off DC go-go for a nuanced frantic sound.
Randy Newman and the Counting Crows have delivered kick-ass odes to the city, while local pop-punk band All Time Low produced the soundtrack to your ninth-grade hookups. Factor in Maryland natives Good Charlotte for some good ol’ nostalgia and it’s over.
Movies
San Francisco: There are many great movies set in San Francisco, including Milk and The Social Network, but there are two others that I’ve seen that rise above the rest.
The Pursuit of Happiness, for which Will Smith was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, really hits home. It’s not just the story of a father trying to provide for his son, it’s a lesson for people everywhere to continue working toward their dreams. In The Game, Michael Douglas and Sean Penn star in a thriller that is a must-see. While the film did not pull in much at the box office, it garnered praise from many movie critics.
Baltimore: Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were actually Sleepless in Baltimore, while Hairspray was waking up there. Baltimore was also the backdrop for 1982’s Diner.
Try your best, San Francisco, but girls will be forever won over by the Baltimore-set He’s Just not that Into You.
Maybe B-More’s slacking a bit on the silver screen, but know that San Francisco gave us this. Take that as you will.
Television
San Francisco: Sure, That’s So Raven and Monk are among the dozens of TV shows set in the San Francisco Bay area, but there’s one show that rises above all others and tugs at the heartstrings in the process. Baltimore, you can keep your crime-related dramas. All this nation really needs is the presence of the Tanner family on ABC’s beloved Full House. This iconic show tells the stories of D.J., Stephanie and Michelle Tanner as they grow up with their single father, who gets all the help he needs from brother-in-law Jesse and best friend Joey.
Baltimore really thinks it can compete with the hilarious and emotional hijinks that take place every episode? As Stephanie would say, “How rude!”
Baltimore: You come at the king, you best not miss.
Baltimore became television royalty by hosting The Wire, one of the most critically acclaimed shows in history. Examining the self-perpetuating role of sociopolitical institutions, The Wire goes far deeper than anything San Fran has to offer.
Seinfeld’s Elaine proudly reps the Baltimore suburbs, and a David Fincher-produced drama is being filmed in Baltimore as we speak.
Sorry, ‘cisco. All in the game yo.
Colleges
San Francisco: Baltimore has Johns Hopkins University, a prestigious school ranked 13th by U.S. News & World Report. When compared to San Francisco’s answer of nearby No. 21 ranked University of California, Berkeley, Baltimore wins this category hands-down.
But not so fast.
One word: Stanford. The No. 6 school in the country in the same rating system not only has some of the best academics and an incredible campus, its football team just won the Rose Bowl. Checkmate.
Baltimore: Baltimore houses Johns Hopkins, one of the most respected universities in the country. With Ivy League academics and 37 Nobel Prize winners, Hopkins is tough to beat here.
They say California knows how to party? The nearby University of Maryland boasts nearly 40 thousand students who clearly do it better. And with revered Navy just a few miles away, Baltimore’s college scene has it all.
Other sports
San Francisco: Boston had a good run, but San Francisco is arguably the best city in sports right now. The Giants won the World Series in 2012 to earn their second title in three years. On the hardwood, the Golden State Warriors are in fifth place in the Western Conference playoff standings and are playing competitive basketball for the first time in years.
Even the nearby San Jose Sharks, whose shortened NHL season just began, are currently 5-0. Sorry residents of Baltimore, but off the gridiron, your city doesn’t stand a chance.
Baltimore: The Baltimore Orioles reached baseball’s ALCS last fall and enjoy one of the league’s brightest stars in outfielder Adam Jones. The Great Bambino himself was born in B-More, as was “Iron Man” Cal Ripken Jr.
Hopkins’ lacrosse team won the NCAA Tourney back in 2005 and ’07, and Maryland won it all in college soccer in 2008. No pro basketball or hockey? It’s cool, Baltimore County native Michael Phelps has more than enough Olympic medals to go around.
Nightlife
San Francisco: When you’re looking for a night out in San Francisco, there are plenty of options. From the electronic music clubs in SoMa to the gay-friendly bars and clubs along Castro and Polk streets, there’s something for everyone. If you want intimate dancing, the Mission district is your place, and the Marina District hosts a classier sort of bar.
According to one San Francisco travel website, the city’s North Beach is open “until the wee hours with neon strip joints and cool hideaway bars, and rowdy clubs.” What more do you want?
Baltimore: Baltimore's strong rave culture and affinity for club music will certainly keep you busy, while the Bourbon Street joint is a three-story tribute to grungy rock-and-roll.
Zombie strippers and beer not your thing? The breakbeat scene will make for a solid night too.
Politics
San Francisco: Yes, the political scene in California has been tumultuous as of late, with propositions to legalize marijuana and gay marriage. Proposition 8, which defines marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman, is headed to the Supreme Court of California. As a result, the Golden State's future social landscape is largely up in the air.
Don't worry, though. It’s naht a toomah. Any state who once had The Terminator as its governor cannot be too far off track.
Baltimore: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was appointed Secretary of the Democratic National Committee this year, while Maryland is one of the original 13 U.S. states. Act like you've been there before, Cali.
Former vice president Spiro Agnew was once governor of the state, and Baltimore has a city prohibition against wearing sleevless shirts in public parks. Just keeping out the riff raff.
Food
San Francisco: Pretend San Francisco’s seafood wasn’t incredible, and heavy international influences on its food hadn’t caused the Wall Street Journal to call San Fran the culinary capital of the United States.
Who cares? Napa Valley is located just north of the city and is home to some of the world’s finest vineyards. Wine equals class, a category in which San Francisco is definitely not lacking. Meanwhile, Baltimore has, well, I hear the water from the Inner Harbor is tasty.
Baltimore: Baltimore’s famous blue crabs are traditionally steamed with ice cold beer, while Baltimore Berger Cookies feature crumbling vanilla shortbread layered with warm fudge ganache.
Sitting right on the Atlantic, B-More’s seafood game is serious business.
Think there's a clear winner? Let us know in the comments. Last year's champ off the gridiron also took the Big Game.