“There will be no hug.” The rivalry wasn’t over for John and Jim Harbaugh as the younger brother (Jim) put an outstretched forearm into John’s chest saying this statement. They just shook hands, giving each other a good luck wish, as John’s team, the Ravens, defeated Jim’s 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. It was an effective & emotional domain, which their parents too, saw.
Now, the NFL has again brought these two brothers face to face in the Harbaugh Bowl. The Week 12 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens is about to begin. But this time, the parents are refraining from attending their sons’ battle against each other. Why?
Well, it’s because of another heartwarming reason – Jack and Jackie Harbaugh’s special day. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, “Jackie and Jack Harbaugh will not be attending tonight’s Ravens-Chargers game in Los Angeles.” And the reason is, “they will be with their daughter Joani, son-in-law Tom Crean, and their two grandchildren in Florida, celebrating their 63rd anniversary.”
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This classic love story between the two was made in class! It is evident from what Jack said once about his wife: “Back in 1957 in that biology class, I looked down into row number one in that class, and four years later we were married.” Wow!
“That was the decision that changed my life. … We’re just so blessed that Jackie’s with us and she’s still the head coach of the Harbaugh family,” the father of the NFL’s two head coaches continued. This love story of 67 years is still the same – smooth and beautiful.
John and Jim Harbaugh’s parents will still watch the MNF battle!
Father Jack Harbaugh, who always told his sons to say, “Who has it better than us?” will be watching the game of Monday Night Football. But on television. Although he had some different plans for it, the older brother convinced Jack to watch the game. According to their father, “(John) said, ‘Dad, this is not for the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl was an ending. ‘There was going to be a Super Bowl championship. There would be someone that didn’t win it. In this game, it’s a game and both teams are still challenging for playoff position. So it doesn’t quite have the magnitude that the Super Bowl had.‘”
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Yes! The Super Bowl battle was tough for the parents to see one son win and the other lose the game. Therefore, he wasn’t sure whether he and his wife, Jackie, would be able to see them again battling against each other in the Harbaugh Bowl. And this thought changed Jack’s perspective, as he said, “And you know what? I shook my head. Once again, I learned something from John that made me a little bit wiser and a little bit more comfortable.”
Hence, Jack and Jackie, who have chosen to spend time with their daughter and her family for Thanksgiving day, will be watching their sons together on the television. The couple is excited, as the NFL fans, for the Harbaugh Bowl!
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Harbaugh brothers clash again, but is their parents' love story the real MVP of the night?
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Harbaugh brothers clash again, but is their parents' love story the real MVP of the night?
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