Like her Super Bowl-bound older brothers, Joani Harbaugh is fiercely competitive.
When she was 7, she tried out for a part in her school play, "The Wizard of Oz." She wanted to be Dorothy but instead landed the role of a munchkin.
"I was highly, highly offended," recalled Joani, who is five years younger than her brother, Jim, 49, coach of the San Francisco 49ers, and six years younger than John, coach of the Baltimore Ravens. "I do remember that I wasn't Dorothy or Glinda. So I decided to memorize the entire play in case anybody went down with the flu or something, they could put me in there. So I was just ready."
Being ultra-prepared, it seems, is the Harbaugh way.
"Absolutely, the Harbaugh way, that's a great way to put it," she said. "I guess we all do it in our own way."
Joani, who is married to Indiana basketball Coach Tom Crean, participated in a conference call with the media Thursday, along with her parents, Jack and Jackie Harbaugh. They have been besieged by media requests since the Harbaugh boys secured spots in Super Bowl XLVII, so they wanted to knock out the interviews in one fell swoop.
"We are neutral in the Super Bowl, and we are just excited that they have brought their teams to the pinnacle of sports," Jackie said. "The Super Bowl is the ultimate accomplishment for them and for their teams and for all of the extended football family and all of the teams who have participated in this great game. We are excited for that type of thing."
Being ultra-prepared, it seems, is the Harbaugh way.
"Absolutely, the Harbaugh way, that's a great way to put it," she said. "I guess we all do it in our own way."
Joani, who is married to Indiana basketball Coach Tom Crean, participated in a conference call with the media Thursday, along with her parents, Jack and Jackie Harbaugh. They have been besieged by media requests since the Harbaugh boys secured spots in Super Bowl XLVII, so they wanted to knock out the interviews in one fell swoop.
"We are neutral in the Super Bowl, and we are just excited that they have brought their teams to the pinnacle of sports," Jackie said. "The Super Bowl is the ultimate accomplishment for them and for their teams and for all of the extended football family and all of the teams who have participated in this great game. We are excited for that type of thing."
