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Still the greatest show on Earth

Whether or not Beyonce’s elaborate half-time show caused the subsequent power outage in New Orleans’ Superdome on Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens’ second Super Bowl title was achieved in an electrifying manner that confirms this current era as a golden one for the sport.

For the sixth year in a row the increasingly popular NFL has been decided in thrilling circumstances — but for most of the first half the San Francisco 49ers appeared to have crumbled on the biggest stage.

But Jim Harbaugh’s talented San Francisco side turned it around after half of the arena’s lights mysteriously shut down for 34 minutes, their comeback from 28-6 down allowing the 49ers to stage a late rally that failed in controversial circumstances as the Ravens ultimately held on to win 34-31.

With 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick under pressure from a rushing defender, the retiring Ray Lewis and his fellow Ravens staged a game-winning goalline stand that sealed victory. However, opinion was divided as to whether or not a penalty should have been given to the attacking side.

“There is no question in my mind that there was pass interference and then a hold on [wide receiver Michael] Crabtree on the last one,” complained the 49ers coach.

And so it was Kaepernick’s opposite number, Joe Flacco, who would emerge with the MVP award courtesy of a typically relaxed performance behind his centre as his offensive line allowed him the room to send some memorable completed passes to relieve pressure at crucial moments.

“He’s got the guts of a burglar,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “He was doing that all night, making plays.”

A surprise package all throughout the play-offs after a mediocre regular season, Baltimore arrived in New Orleans with many points to prove, not the least of which was the cloud hanging over Lewis who was last week alleged to have taken banned substances on his way to a miraculous recovery from an October triceps injury that many experts believe should normally take six months to heal.

For Flacco, his first Super Bowl ring after a handful of seasons spent knocking on the door was the ultimate retort to their many detractors.

“I don’t think it would have been quite as enjoyable if we hadn’t gone through all the stuff that we’ve been through in the last couple of years,” he told reporters yesterday. “We kept the faith all along. This is where we envisioned ourselves and that’s why we’re here.”

On what was a night of many subplots, the added twist of a calamitous power cut turned the game on its head and significantly prevented Flacco from touching the ball for well over 80 minutes of real time as the game shattered several records.

The longest Super Bowl of all time was also the most watched of all time and, just before the lights went out, Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones returned the second half kick-off for a 108-yard touchdown, the longest run in the 47-year history of the event.

It was Jones’s second touchdown of the night, having scored in style in the second quarter after plucking a 50-yard Flacco pass out of the air, slipping untouched to the turf and then scrambling back to his feet. He then managed to avoid two defenders with a quick change of feet that allowed him to sprint into the end zone.

In the end, the ultimate plot line was all about the Harbaugh brothers, the older John describing the walk across to commiserate with Jim as the “hardest thing I’ve ever experienced”, a sentiment echoed by their father Jack.

“There’s no greater competitor, no greater coach in the NFL... than Jim Harbaugh,” said John afterwards.

“And the way that team played proves it. What they’ve done in the last two years... is unprecedented and they showed it by the way they battled back into it.

“That’s who he is and that’s who they are and I could not be more proud of him and what he’s done there.”

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