In each of the past two seasons, the San Francisco 49ers have rallied behind one battle cry after each win. In a simple call and response, which dates back to head coach Jim Harbaugh’s childhood, the question of “who’s got it better than us,” is responded with a joyous “nobody.”
And through 32 regular season and four postseason games, that slogan has signified the rebirth of a franchise that has spent most of the 21st century dormant. Whether it was from ownership, head coaches or poor drafting, the glory days of the 49ers were a distant memory throughout the last decade.
But as Sunday’s berth in Super Bowl XLVII showcases how far the team has come on a national stage, locally – throughout Northern California and the Bay Area – it means so much more.
Combined with two recent World Series championships from the San Francisco Giants, the rebirth of the Oakland Athletics, the continued success of the San Jose Sharks, the national power in Stanford athletics and the awakening of the Golden State Warriors, the Bay Area can now fly the flag as the country’s sport mecca. And truly there is no arguing that now.
The Bay Area has always had tradition-rich organizations with the Niners of the ’80s and ’90s, the A’s in the ’80s and ’70s and the Giants’ rich roster of former players. But never before has the area seen such success at one time.
And if you just go back four years, it was the complete opposite. The Niners, A’s, Giants and Warriors were all stuck in a quagmire of insignificance. All of them were far removed from glory days – sure there was the Warriors of 2007 and A’s of 2006 – but most of those players were long gone.
The Giants were still getting over a Barry Bonds hangover. The 49ers were stuck in the Mike Nolan/ Mike Singletary era. The Raiders were still trying to find some sort of winning attitude after the 2002 Super Bowl embarrassment – and they still are. And Stanford. Well, they weren’t far removed from an abysmal 1-win season
The only welcomed sight belong to the Sharks. Yes, the same team that would eventually fall apart in the playoffs, despite being among the winningest teams of the last 15 years.
Behind New York and Boston, the Bay Area was nowhere near the national spotlight.
But, luckily, for all of us that call this area home, that’s no longer the case. It started with the Giants’ magical run of 2010, but the last five months are a confirmation of the Bay Area’s resurgence. The final signal shot up in the air once the 49ers left the field in Atlanta.
During all those trials and tribulations, the 49ers were always the glimmer of hope. They were the one team with a long-withstanding tradition of excellence. For 20 years, the 49ers were the epicenter of the football world. With five titles and countless division championships, the 49ers were the biggest sense of pride for the area. But from 1999 to 2011, there wasn’t much to root for. There was no reason to be proud to call the 49ers “your team.”
Sunday, though, it’s finally okay to take out those old red and gold jerseys. Whether they are splattered with the names of Young, Montana, Rice or even Owens and Garcia, it’s finally back to how it always should have been. When the NFC championship trophy was handed to the 49ers in Atlanta, former owner Eddie Debartalo simply said, “the dynasty will prevail.”
After a decade of misery and heartbreak, the “dynasty” is finally back where it belongs – at the top of the NFL landscape.
And the best thing is, it will most likely be there for a while. With new faces in Kaepernick, Crabtree, Davis and Smith, the 49ers are back and they will be here for a while.
Within the same city, the Giants can proclaim a similar thing with two titles in three years. The A’s with such young talent will aim for the same result in April. Behind Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry, the Warriors will be a playoff team for a while.
And then there are the Sharks – the one constant over the last decade.
The question is meant for the 49ers locker room but it truly represents the area as a whole. Simply, who does have it better than all of us?
The answer, easily, is nobody. So sit back and enjoy. It’s the Bay Area’s time in the spotlight.
