San Francisco 49ers

It's a Super Bowl showdown as Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh goes up against his younger brother, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

Question is ...

Who cares about the score? The Super Bowl is all about prop bets! So we gotta ask ...

Colin Kaepernick has accomplished more in one season than Matt Leinart has in a 7-year NFL career -- which explains the less-than-warm welcome Matt got from two loud-mouthed fans.

How do SF 49ers superstars Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree and Patrick Willis stay relaxed before the Super Bowl? They hit up one of the BEST STRIP CLUBS on Bourbon Street!!!

TMZ has footage of the running back, wide receiver and linebacker hitting up the legendary Penthouse Club in the Big Easy last night ... a 3-level adult fantasy land.

You can spot Frank by his green beanie -- that he was wearing earlier in the day while hanging out with Crabtree and Willis at the team hotel.

It's possible the guys were just hungry ... because the Penthouse Club is famous for its "Naked Sushi" ... in which paying customers can eat raw fish off of naked strippers. Sounds appetizing.

Then again, we spoke with someone inside the club who told us there were roughly 120 STRIPPERS working the floor last night.

One source, very familiar with the strip club scene in New Orleans, tells us ... "Penthouse Club is the real deal ... but you have to be a baller in that place. That's a high-end spot."

Guess Chris Culliver won't have to worry about these guys in the locker room.

Openly gay "Shahs of Sunset" star Reza Farahan is wishing a POX on the 49ers this weekend at the Super Bowl ... all because of cornerback Chris Culliver, who said gays don't belong in the 49ers' locker room.

Reza was out in L.A. yesterday when he unloaded on Culliver for his homophobic remarks -- throwing the double bird in the camera, saying, "I hope you guys lose 'cause you're a douchebag!"

San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver's homophobic rant isn't the only Super Bowl issue at hand -- there's another one that could change everything ... if Harv would just listen to the newsroom!!

Chris Culliver should have paid closer attention to Barack Obama's pro-gay rights inauguration speech ... this according to one of the greatest 49ers of all time ... Ronnie Lott.

We spoke to Lott in the wake of Culliver's anti-gay comments -- when he told Artie Lange gay players shouldn't be allowed in the team locker room (see video below).

Lott responded, "Everything [Obama] mentioned in that speech I stand for-- inviting gays and inviting people of color, inviting all of us to understand what we're doing right now, is the right thing."

FYI -- Obama talked about the importance of gay rights during his speech ... telling Americans, "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law."

So far, the 49ers have not said if Culliver will play in Sunday's game.

San Francisco 49ers player Chris Culliver says HE's not really a homophobe ... but the voices inside his head sure are.

Culliver has released a nonsensical, insincere statement to save his ass after saying gay players are not welcome in his team's locker room and should stay in the closet until 10 years after they retire.

"The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel," Culliver said.

"It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience."

So the following questions are raised:
1) Is Chris' head disembodied from the rest of him?
2) Will he say or do anything to play in the Super Bowl no matter how detestable he is?
3) Doth he protest too much?

3:15 PM PT -- The 49ers organization is speaking out AGAINST Culliver ... saying the team "rejects" Chris' comments.

A rep for the 49ers says the team has already addressed the matter with Chris ... and adds, "There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level."

"We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.”

Gay football players are NOT welcome in the San Francisco 49ers locker room ... at least according to one current 49ers player.

Chris Culliver -- who started 6 games as cornerback for the team this season -- made the homophobic comments to Artie Lange during a radio interview at a Super Bowl media event earlier this week.

When asked if gay players would be welcome on the team, Culliver said ... "I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that."

Artie then asked if Chris knew of any gay players on his team ... to which Culliver answered, "No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do."

He continued, "Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah … can't be … in the locker room man. Nah."

Culliver also said ... if a gay player were to make it in the NFL, he should not only keep his sexuality a secret from the other players ... but stay quiet for 10 YEARS after that.

Culliver and the 49ers will take the field on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens -- a team which features a very outspoken pro-gay rights advocate Brendon Ayanbadejo.

Culliver's feelings are NOT shared by his entire team ... earlier this week, several members of the 49ers spoke in SUPPORT of gay players ... including coach Jim Harbaugh.

“I ask all players to play through their own personality and be who they are. What you ask of a player is to be a great teammate and be a good player. My expectations would be the same,” Harbaugh said. “Personally, there’s no discrimination in my heart.”

Linebacker Larry Grant echoed Harbaugh ... saying, "At the end of the day, we are all family in this locker room, and we accept each player for whoever they are."

Ditto for cornerback Tarell Brown ... who said, "Whatever makes you happy, do it. I just feel like, you shouldn’t hide it. At the end of the day don’t be embarrassed with what you are, or what you do. If you are that way, that’s you.”

Earlier this year, several members of the team participated in a video for the "It Gets Better" campaign to provide support for the LGBT community. Culliver was not featured in the video.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has arrived in New Orleans for the Super Bowl ... and spent the day hanging out with his family ... well, most of his family.

Harbaugh -- along with his wife and some of his kids -- dropped by the famous Cafe du Monde ... sportin' some 49ers gear.

Fun Fact -- Jim isn't just taking on his brother ... his OWN SON Jay Harbaugh works for the Baltimore Ravens organization.

Hours after the San Francisco 49ers destroyed the Atlanta Falcons and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl, the squad celebrated at a nightclub in San Jose ... and TMZ has the pics.

Tons of 49ers players -- including star QB Colin Kaepernick and former star QB Alex Smith -- rolled into Motif nightclub late Sunday night ... fresh from their 28-24 victory in ATL.

Sources inside the club tell TMZ ... the DJ announced each player as he walked in the door ... and the crowd went absolutely insane.

We're told the guys were pretty tame -- no crazy, insane drunk people. Sources say some of the guys WERE drinking (some bottles of Moet and Cristal were ordered) ... but the night was more of a "sipping and toasting" event ... not a "let's get effed up" kind of a thing.

One source tells us ... most of the clubgoers swarmed Kaepernick ... and it got so crazy, that he went upstairs to a private area to escape the crowd.

Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh squaring off in the Super Bowl is a historic matchup that's still, inexplicably, less interesting than Casey Anthony and Django ... to some people.

Colin Kaepernick's meteoric rise hasn't just been great for the 49ers ... it's also been HUGE for his longtime tattoo artist ... who tells TMZ business has exploded ever since the inked up QB led SF into the playoffs.

We spoke with tat artist Nes Andrion -- who's been working on Colin for years at his shop in Reno where CK played his college ball.

Andrion tells us ... ever since Colin started winning games in November -- when starting QB Alex Smith got a concussion -- customers have been pouring in, asking for 49ers-themed ink.

Nes tells us, "People come in and ask if I am the artist that does Colin’s tattoos, and ask when I think I am going to tattoo him again.”

Nes adds, “People want to get their tattoos done by the same artist as Colin Kaepernick."

According to Nes, Colin will be coming back in the off-season to finish his enormous angel-demon-themed chest piece.

It's pretty hilarious though, considering Nes is a proud Patriots fan -- but now that Colin's winning, he secretly hopes the 49ers can bring home the Lombardi trophy this year.

"To be honest I want [Colin] to take it even though the Pats are my team. He puts money in my pocket."

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree was questioned by police as part of a sexual assault investigation, but he was not detained or arrested.

Police said the alleged assault took place in a hotel room early last Sunday following the 49ers' playoff victory over the Green Bay Packers. Crabtree was interviewed with his attorney present and police say he has cooperated with the probe.

A rep for the team released a statement, saying, "The 49ers take such matters very seriously. We will have no further comment at this time as the legal process is ongoing."

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers needs to "man up" and stop trying to weasel out of the bet he made with Boyz II Men ... this according to NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott.

Lott is no stranger to friendly wagers -- the 49ers legend tells us he used to make similar fun bets with Huey Lewis back in his playing days ... and would always HONOR them when he lost.

And since Aaron lost his bet with B2M -- and should have to wear an Alex Smith 49ers jersey -- Lott tells us the QB needs to pay up soon ... or else it could haunt him later in the season.

“I have a feeling it will bother him the next time he plays the Niners. If they meet again this season, it will bother him.” SF and GB aren't scheduled to play against each other during the regular season -- but many expect them to face off in the NFC Championship game.

Lott tells us he wouldn't be surprised if Boyz II Men gave Rodgers a shot at a "double-or-nothing" bet later this year to clear his debt.