49er fan Courtney Paris will watch Super Bowl from Turkey
BY MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Sunday, February 03, 2013
2/03/13 at 6:49 AM
Tulsa Shock forward Courtney Paris is playing basketball overseas, but her heart will be with the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday.
"I will be in Adana, Turkey, either attending or hosting a Super Bowl party," the former University of Oklahoma All-American said in quotes provided by the WNBA.
Paris is playing for Adana Botas Sport Club in the Turkish league during the WNBA's offseason. She leads the team in scoring (19.3) and rebounding (13.2).
She was born to cheer for the 49ers, who take on the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's NFL championship showdown.
"My dad played most of his NFL career there and I grew up in the Bay Area, so it's my nature to cheer for them, especially with the dynasty they had back in the '80s and '90s," she said.
William 'Bubba' Paris, was an offensive lineman for eight seasons with the 49ers, part of Super Bowl championship teams in 1985 (XIX), 1989 (XXIII) and 1990 (XXIV).
San Francisco won a total of four Super Bowls with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana at the controls, and became the first to win five when Steve Young led them to the NFL title in 1995.
Courtney Paris asked: "How could I - or anyone else, for that matter - not be a Niners fan?"
What's it like for an American fan trying to follow the NFL overseas?
"Of course, there is ESPN.com and other (web) sites I can check," Paris said. "But also here in Turkey, they show American football games on cable TV. Sometimes they're live, but most times they're not. I will know the outcome, but I still enjoy watching the game."
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick rallied the 49ers to a 28-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC championship game two weeks ago. Paris said Kaepernick is the player to watch Sunday.
"He's a threat on all levels," she said. "He can throw any range and with the right touch; not to mention, he can turn designed running plays into huge gains or make a defense pay when things break down," she said.
The Ravens are seeking their second Super Bowl title, having won in 2000 (XXXV). Many fans are hoping Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will end his splendid career on a winning note. Lewis announced his planned retirement earlier in the playoffs.
"Although it would be a storybook ending for Ray Lewis, it's just not going to happen," Paris said.
Original Print Headline: Shock's Paris has deep 49er roots
Mike Brown 918-581-8390
mike.brown@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Former Oklahoma women's basketball player and current Tulsa Shock player Courtney Paris is seen as a child wearing her father William's San Francisco 49ers uniform. Courtesy
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