Super Bowl XLVII could provide another example of sports bringing an olive branch to even the most heated rivalry.
The 24,000 neighboring residents of Pahokee and Belle Glade in Florida -- an area near Lake Okeechobee that is more known more for its black, gritty mud and sugarcane fields than anything -- are always on opposites sides of The Muck Bowl but will be joined and proudly lauding their Super Bowl participants.
Taking up for Pahokee (Fla.) High will be Anquan Boldin and Pernell McPhee, while Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central will boast Ray McDonald, Damion Berry, and Deonte Thompson.
All but McDonald play for the Ravens. The four teammates could bind the two communities.
The football stadium in Pahokee is named after Boldin, who is one of the most decorated players to come from The Muck -- a school that has been home to Hall of Fame linebacker Rickey Jackson and Andre Waters.
The last time the two areas were mutually invested in the Super Bowl was when Boldin was on the Arizona Cardinals and Santonio Holmes was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was an easy split on which high school would claim which professional franchise.
This year both could come together, united for the first time in a long time.
"Stars" of the game
Colin Kaepernick and Joe Flacco will lead their teams onto the field for the Super Bowl.
When the two signal barkers were preparing to exit high school, they were not projected to hoist the Lombardi Trophy as a champion. Each was rated a three-star player.
Kaepernick was primarily a baseball player out of Turlock (Calf.) Pitman and had only one college football offer.
Flacco went to Pittsburgh from Audubon (N.J.) High and battled Tyler Palko for the starting job. He lost the contest -- and favor with the coaches -- before transferring to Delaware.
Now the focal points of each team's offense could go from underrated recruit to world champion.
SEC ? SEC ?
The power conference of college football is again the most represented in the Super Bowl.
There will be 21 players representing the current alignment of SEC schools, narrowly edging the ACC (18) and the Big Ten (16).
With new conference alignment adding players to the SEC tally from Missouri, the victory song can be sung.
Had this Super Bowl taken place next year, with Syracuse, Louisville and Pittsburgh adding to the ACC total, the claim could not be made.
The two conferences are boosted by the players coming from their localized states.
Florida leads all states with former high school players in the game with 21. It beats Texas (16), California (12), Ohio (6) and Georgia (5).
Three players in the game did not play high school football in the United States.
SAN FRANCISCO
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS
Player College High school
Colin Kaepernick Nevada Turlock (Calif.) Pitman (three stars)
Alex Smith Utah La Mesa (Calif.) Helix (two stars)
Scott Tolzein Wisconsin Palatine (Ill.) Fremd (two stars)
RUNNING BACKS
Player College High school
Anthony Dixon Mississippi State Terry (Miss.) High (four stars)
Frank Gore Miami Miami (Fla.) Coral Gables (Predated Rivals)
Jewel Hampton Southern Illinois Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central (two stars)
Kendall Hunter Oklahoma State Tyler (Texas) John Tyler (three stars)
LaMichael James Oregon Texarkana (Texas) Liberty-Eyalu (four stars)
Bruce Miller Central Florida Woodstock (Ga.) High (two stars)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Player College High school
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech Dallas (Texas) Carter (four stars)
Ted Ginn Ohio State Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville (five stars)
A.J. Jenkins Illinois Jacksonville (Fla.) Parker (three stars)
Mario Manningham Michigan Warren (Ohio) Harding (four stars)
Randy Moss Marshall Belle (W.Va.) DuPont (predate Rivals)
Kyle Williams Arizona State Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral (three stars)
TIGHT ENDS
Player College High school
Garrett Celek Michigan State Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle (two stars)
Vernon Davis Maryland Washington (D.C.) Dunbar (four stars)
Demarcus Dobbs Georgia Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Baptist (three stars)
Brian Jennings Arizona State Mesa (Ariz.) Red Mountain (predated Rivals)
Delanie Walker Central Missouri State Walnut (Calif.) Mount SAC (three stars)
LINEMEN
Player College High school
C Jonathan Goodwin Michigan Hopkins (S.C.) Lower Richland (predated Rivals)
G Leonard Davis Texas Wortham (Texas) High (predated Rivals)
G Mike Iupati Idaho Anaheim (Calif.) Western (two stars)
G Daniel Kilgore Appalachian State Kingsport (Tenn.) Dobyns-Bennett (two stars)
G Joe Looney Wake Forest Lake Worth (Fla.) High (three stars)
T Alex Boone Ohio State Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward (five stars)
T Anthony Davis Rutgers Piscataway (N.J.) High (four stars)
T Joe Staley Central Michigan Rockford (Mich.) High (two stars stars)
DEFENSE
LINEMEN
Player College High school
E Tony Jerod-Eddie Texas A&M DeSoto (Texas) High (four stars)
T Ricky Jean Francois LSU Miami (Fla.) Carol City (four stars)
T Ray McDonald Florida Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central (three stars)
T Justin Smith Missouri Jefferson City (Mo.) High (predated Rivals)
T Isaac Sopoaga Hawaii Pago Pago (American Samoa) Samoana (predated Rivals)
T Will Tukuafu Oregon Salt Lake City (Utah) East (four stars)
T Ian Williams Notre Dame Altamonte Springs (Fla.) Lyman (three stars)
LINEBACKERS
Player College High school
Navorro Bowman Penn State Suitland (Md.) High (four stars)
Ahmad Brooks Virginia Woodbridge (Va.) Hylton (five stars)
Darius Fleming Notre Dame Chicago (Ill.) St. Rita (four stars)
Tavares Gooden Miami Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas (four stars)
Larry Grant Ohio State San Francisco (Calif.) City College (four stars)
Clark Haggans Colorado State Torrance (Calif.) Peninsula (predated Rivals)
Parys Haralson Tennessee Canton (Miss.) Madison Central (four stars)
Cam Johnson Virginia Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga (three stars)
Aldon Smith Missouri Raytown (Mo.) High (three stars)
Michael Wilhoite Washburn Topeka (Kan.) Highland Park (unranked)
Patrick Willis Mississippi Hollow Rock (Tenn.) Bruceton Central (three stars)
BACKS
Player College High school
Tramaine Brock Belhaven Long Beach (Miss.) High (three stars)
Tarell Brown Texas Mesquite (Texas) North Mesquite (four stars)
Perrish Cox Oklahoma State Waco (Texas) University (four stars)
Chris Culliver South Carolina Garner (N.C.) High (five stars)
Carlos Rogers Auburn Augusta (Ga.) Butler (predated Rivals)
Dashon Goldson Washington Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne (four stars)
Darcel McBath Texas Tech Gainesville (Texas) High (three stars)
Trenton Robinson Michigan State Bay City (Mich.) Central (two stars)
C.J. Spillman Marshall Fork Union (Vir.) Military (two stars)
Donte Whitner Ohio State Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville (four stars)
SPECIALISTS
Player College High school
K David Akers Louisville Lexington (Ky.) Tates Creek (predated Rivals)
K Billy Cundiff Drake Harlan (Iowa) High (unranked)
P Andy Lee Pittsburgh Westminster (SC) West Oak (predated Rivals)
BALTIMORE
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS
Player College High school
Joe Flacco Delaware Audubon (N.J.) High (three stars)
Tyrod Taylor Virginia Tech Hampton (Va.) High (five stars)
RUNNING BACKS
Player College High school
Anthony Allen Georgia Tech Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit (three stars)
Damien Berry Miami Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central (four stars)
Bernard Pierce Temple Concorde Mills (Pa.) Glen Mills (two stars)
Bobby Rainey Western Kentucky Griffin (Ga.) (unranked)
Ray Rice Rutgers New Rochelle (N.Y.) High (three stars)
Vonta Leach East Carolina Rowland (N.C.) South Robeson (unranked)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Player College High school
Anquan Boldin Florida State Pahokee (Fla.) high (predated Rivals)
Tandon Doss Indiana Indianapolis (Ind.) Ben Davis (two stars)
Jacoby Jones Lane New Orleans (La.) Marion Abramson (unranked)
David Reed Utah New London (Conn.) High (three stars)
Torrey Smith Maryland Stafford (Va.) High (three stars)
Tommy Streeter Miami Miami (Fla.) Northwestern (four stars)
Deonte Thompson Florida Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central (four stars)
LaQuan Williams Maryland Baltimore (Md.) Poly High (two stars)
TIGHT ENDS
Player College High school
Billy Bajema Oklahoma State Oklahoma City (Okla.) Westmoore (predated Rivals)
Ed Dickson Oregon Bellflower (Calif.) High (three stars)
Dennis Pitta BYU Moorpark (Calif.) High (unranked)
LINEMEN
Player College High school
C Matt Birk Harvard St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall (predated Rivals)
G Gino Gradkowski Delaware Pittsburgh (Pa.) Seton La Salle (three stars)
G Kelechi Osemele Iowa State Houston (Texas) Landham Creek (three stars)
G Bobbie Williams Arkansas Jefferson (Texas) High (predated Rivals)
G Marshal Yanda Iowa Anamosa (Iowa) High (three stars)
T Ramon Harewood Morehouse St. Michael (Barbados) Queens College (unranked)
T Bryant McKinnie Miami Woodbury (N.J.) High (predated Rivals)
T Michael Oher Mississippi Memphis (Tenn.) Briarcrest (four stars)
T Jah Reid UCF Haines City (Fla.) High (two stars)
DEFENSE
LINEMEN
Player College High school
E Arthur Jones Syracuse Endicott (N.Y.) Union-Endicott (two stars)
E Mike McAdoo North Carolina Antioch (Tenn.) High (three stars)
E Pernell McPhee Mississippi State Pahokee (Fla.) High (three stars)
E DeAngelo Tyson Georgia Statesboro (Ga.) High (four stars)
T Bryan Hall Arkansas State Paducah (Ky.) Tilgham (two stars)
T Ryan McBean Oklahoma State Euless (Texas) Trinity (five stars)
T Haloti Ngata Oregon Salt Lake City (Utah) Highlands (five stars)
NT Terrence Cody Alabama Ft. Myers (Fla.) Riverdale (three stars)
NT Ma'ake Kemoeatu Utah Kahuku (Hawaii) High (predated Rivals)
LINEBACKERS
Player College High school
Brendon Ayanbadejo UCLA Santa Cruz (Calif.) High (predated Rivals)
Ricky Brown Boston College Cincinnati (Ohio) Elder (three stars)
Josh Bynes Auburn Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) Boyd Anderson (four stars)
Dannell Ellerbe Georgia Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County (four stars)
Adrian Hamilton Prairie View A&M Dallas (Texas) Carter (three stars)
Paul Kruger Utah Orem (Utah) Timpanogos (two stars)
Ray Lewis Miami Lakeland (Fla.) Kathleen (predated Rivals)
Jameel McClain Syracuse Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington (two stars)
Albert McClellan Marshall Lakeland (Fla.) Kathleen (two stars)
Terrell Suggs Arizona State Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton (predated Rivals)
Courtney Upshaw Alabama Eufaula (Ala.) High (four stars)
BACKS
Player College High school
Chykie Brown Texas Houston (Texas) North Shore (four stars)
Omar Brown Marshall Monck Corner (SC) Berkeley (unranked)
Sean Considine Iowa Byron (Ill.) High (predated Rivals)
Emanuel Cook South Carolina West Palm Beach (Fla.) Gardens (three stars)
Corey Graham New Hampshire Mesquite (Texas) Poteet (unranked)
James Ihedigbo Massachusetts Amherst (Mass.) Regional (unranked)
Asa Jackson Cal Poly-SLO Sacramento (Calif.) Christian Brothers (unranked)
Chris Johnson Louisville Pinetree (Texas) High (predated Rivals)
Anthony Levine Tennessee State Winston-Salem (N.C.) R.J. Reynolds (unranked)
Bernard Pollard Purdue Forth Wayne (Ind.) South Side (three stars)
Ed Reed Miami Destrehan (La.) High (predated Rivals)
Jimmy Smith Colorado Colton (Calif.) High (three stars)
Christian Thompson South Carolina St. Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas (three stars)
Lardarius Webb Nicholls State Beareguard (Ala.) High (two stars)
Cary Williams Washburn Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna (unranked)
SPECIALISTS
Player College High school
LS Morgan Cox Tennessee Memphis (Tenn.) Evangelical (unranked)
P Sam Koch Nebraska Seward (Neb.) High (unranked)
K Justin Tucker Texas Austin (Texas) Westlake (three stars)
