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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Suggs mindful of comments

Associated Press

As Terrell Suggs made his way to his seat for his first media appearance of Super Bowl week in New Orleans, a member of the Baltimore Ravens’ PR staff pointed at the linebacker and whispered to a colleague: “I think somebody should be here.”

Yes, generally, better safe than sorry with Suggs. Never know what he’ll say.

Except this time, the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year was hardly a loud mouth. Not in the mood, apparently, to stir things up before his Ravens face the San Francisco 49ers for the NFL championship next Sunday.

Asked Monday whether he would be providing any bulletin-board material for the 49ers to latch onto, Suggs quietly replied: “Maybe. Got to wait and see. I mean, nothing I do is scripted, so got to wait and see what I come off the noggin with, when I come off the top.”

Yet as he sat there in front of microphones and cameras, wearing a pinstriped gray suit with polka-dot tie and just-so pocket square, Suggs sounded mostly, well, scripted.

He did make sure to correct a reporter who opened a question by pronouncing Suggs’ first name incorrectly – for the record, the emphasis goes on the second syllable, not the first – but otherwise said many of the right things.

Archie gets a break

Archie Manning, patriarch of the NFL’s best-known quarterbacking clan, says he’s glad the Super Bowl focus is on another family this week.

Manning has practically been a fixture at the big game in recent years. Sons Peyton and Eli Manning have won three of the last six Super Bowls.

This week, the Harbaugh family is drawing a lot of attention as the San Francisco 49ers prepare to meet the Baltimore Ravens. Jim Harbaugh coaches the 49ers and brother John coaches the Ravens.

Manning says there is one benefit of not having his sons in the Super Bowl.

“I’m out of the ticket and hotel business this year,” he says, “and glad of it.”

Pro Bowl improved

At least one key NFL executive thinks play improved at the Pro Bowl this year: Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Goodell said during a one-hour question-and-answer session on the social network Reddit that he thought the game on Sunday improved from last year, when players were clearly not trying and were booed by fans in Hawaii.

“I watched the game and noticed the improved quality of the game,” Goodell said.

The league has said it plans to decide on the future of the Pro Bowl by April, when next season’s schedule is expected to be released.

Pro Bowl players immediately defended their play after the game, saying they tried hard and hoped the festivities would continue for future Pro Bowlers.