NEW ORLEANS — Traditionally, on the Friday before the Super Bowl, each head coach conducts his final press conference individually.
But the Harbaugh brothers — Jim, the 49ers head coach, and John, the Ravens head coach — agreed to do it together on this remarkable occasion, and the differences between the two began with the way they dressed.
John wore a sharp suit with a Ravens-purple striped tie. Jim wore a black 49ers sweatshirt, khaki pants, sneakers and a 49ers ball cap.
Jim, the quirkier of the two brothers, wears the simple uniform he donned yesterday because of something he once heard late Apple czar Steve Jobs say of his own famous look (a black mock turtleneck and blue jeans).
Jobs theorized eliminating small decisions such as what to wear to work in the morning led to a more productive day of work. Jim has explained not having to concern himself with such small endeavors “reduces the drag’’ on his time and thus increases his productivity.
When he was head coach at Stanford, Jim reduced the drag by using a $70,000 bathroom and shower installed inside his office by billionaire Cardinal booster John Arrillaga so he would not have to walk down the hall to use the facilities or the shower two floors below.
“It was something I’d asked for — it cuts down on drag,’’ Jim said at the time.
Another area in which Jim reduces the drag is in his interviews, which he keeps as spartan as possible.
John, the elder of the two by 15 months, started off the session by thanking everyone for coming and speaking about what an honor it is for him to be in this position.
He went on to deliver a roll call of sorts, pointing to the brothers’ parents, Jack and Jackie and giving a special shout out to Grandpa Joe, “97 years old and going strong.’’
After the family acknowledgment, John spoke about taking his Ravens to the Saints’ facility for their final practice, thanking Jim and the 49ers for giving them the opportunity. (As the NFC representative, the 49ers had the right to the Saints’ practice field, and the Ravens were on Tulane’s frostbitten grounds.)
When John was finished with his opening remarks, he looked over at his younger brother, and Jim, looking a bit disinterested and dumbfounded, said, “I concur.”
Throughout the interview, John looked fully engaged and committed to doling out thoughtful answers while Jim appeared too distracted to digest the question or deliver a thoughtful answer.
The first question asked of Jim was about how he and his brother made risky coaching moves in the middle of the season that worked out. Jim replacing starting quarterback Alex Smith with Colin Kaepernick. John fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron in December and replaced him with Jim Caldwell.
Jim proceeded to deliver a 184-word answer that completely ignored the question. Instead of expounding on the dynamics of the quarterback change or how professionally Smith handled it, Jim rambled on about his memories of the season.
At one point, it seemed as if he were going to give a play-by-play of the entire season, leaving heads nodding all over the room.
When Jim was finished with his non-answer, John, goofing on his brother, said, “I concur.”