Even since Sunday's glorious defeat of the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco has had Super Bowl on the brain. But one famous expat is raining on our victory parade.
In an interview with CBS, former San Francisco mayor and current California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom couldn't hide his disappointment that the 49ers will soon be moving to Santa Clara.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "You want to see them succeed and you want the energy and pride and spirit that comes from their victory. [But] I'm disappointed as a fifth generation San Franciscan that they're going down to Santa Clara."
Indeed, despite Newsom's efforts to build a new stadium inside San Francisco's city limits while in office, Santa Clara voters approved a measure to help fund their own shrine to the Niners. The vote cemented a move for the team and prompted CBS reporter Phil Matier to quip that Newsom will likely be remembered as "the mayor who lost the 49ers stadium to Santa Clara"."
Still, it appears that Newsom is a diehard 49ers fan. Mere moments after they secured the NFC Championship, he took to Twitter to express his excitement.
"Super Bowl!!!!" he tweeted.
Moments later, he followed up with another celebratory shout-out.
Should the 49ers win the Super Bowl next weekend, San Francisco will join only four other cities in history to win both the World Series and the Super Bowl in the same season. (Others include New York in 1969 and 1986, Baltimore in 1970, Pittsburgh in 1979 and Boston in 2004.)
And Newsom wasn't the only one calling the big game "bittersweet"--former star quarterback Alex Smith who was bumped to second string after a concussion used the same word.
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little bittersweet," Smith told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I want to be out there. Coming into the season, that was the goal. At the same time, it's a team sport. You go through so much together. If you can't be happy for them, then something's wrong with you."
Current mayor Ed Lee took a half-full approach.
"I'd love to have the games here," he said. "But San Francisco 49ers continues to be the name."
Check out renderings of the 49ers' new Santa Clara stadium below:
