Super Bowl 2013

9:10 PM ET -- The Super Bowl is back, baby!!!

A power outage at the Superdome in New Orleans left half the stadium in darkness less than two minutes into the third quarter of the game ... delaying Super Bowl XLVII indefinitely.

Insert Bane joke here.

CBS has announced that stadium officials hope to have full power restored by 9:20 PM ET.

The outage took place just minutes after Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones returned the second half kickoff a record-tying 108 yards for a touchdown.

The Baltimore Ravens currently lead the San Francisco 49ers 28-6.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew missed most of the season with a fractured foot, but he didn't let that stop him from partying in New Orleans last night ... on a scooter.

MJD underwent surgery last month after only playing in five games this season. He wasn't about to let the injury make him miss the Super Bowl, where we spotted him all dressed up and wheeling his way around town.

The three-time All-Pro is no stranger to partying on wheels ... we spotted him out in Hollywood last month doing the same thing.

IT'S FINALLY GAME TIME!!!! And Harvey Levin is ready to jinx pick the team he thinks is gonna take home the Lombardi Trophy. It's 49ers vs. Ravens in the frickin' SUPER BOWL!!!!

Heeeeeeeere we go!!!

Question: Who ya got?
Harvey Levin: I got San Francisco ... but I'm more than a little bent out of shape over the whole Chris Culliver situation. In case Culliver is reading this, by bent out of shape I'm not talking about ...

Question: You don't care that Tyler (your assistant) is a huge Ravens fan?
Harvey Levin: Screw him. This is business.

Question: How do you feel about the 49ers that hit the strip club?
Harvey Levin: I think it'll make them far more relaxed ... and focused.

While the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens go to battle on the field -- there is a much bigger war brewing on the sidelines.

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.

It's been 14 years since Dallas Cowboys superstar Michael Irvin hung up his cleats ... but the guy is still SHREDDED ... and last night, he proved it.

The 46-year-old Hall of Famer was outside of a party in New Orleans last night -- talking about his new vitamin company -- when he and our camera guy started braggin' about their physiques.

But Irvin -- always one to back up his talk -- lifted up his shirt and proved he's still got a killer 6-pack.

Gay football players NEED to have thick skin ... 'cause there's a 100% chance they'll get "teased" in an NFL locker room if they come out ... so says NFL legend Barry Sanders.

The Detroit Lions icon had just touched down in New Orleans last night when we asked him if gay players pose a "problem" in NFL locker rooms.

Sanders response -- absolutely not -- adding, "I don't know that there haven't been MANY gay players [in the past]."

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!!

Beyonce was on a mission today to PROVE she can sing the national anthem like a pro – belting out a LIVE version of "The Star-Spangled Banner” moments ago on TV … without the help of a backing track ... and she KILLED IT.

Beyonce was at the news conference for her upcoming Super Bowl halftime show when she launched into the impromptu performance -- and when she finished the song, she simply said, “Any questions?”

During the conference, Bey was asked about the lip-syncing situation at the Presidential Inauguration last week, and she admitted she used a backing track -- claiming, "I am a perfectionist ... I did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra [at the Inauguration]. It was a live television show and a very important moment for me."

Beyonce added, "Due to the weather, due to the delay, due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking the risk … so I decided to sing along with my pre-recorded track, which is very common in the music industry. And I’m very proud of my performance."

A reporter then asked Beyonce if she planned to sing live at the Super Bowl, and she replied vaguely, "I always sing live" ... but she didn't say whether she planned to use a backing track as well.

Game's over bitches -- TMZ has already found the most beautiful two people attending the Super Bowl this weekend ... and you'll NEVER guess who they are.

Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker and his country singer fiancee Jessie James touched down last night in New Orleans, where they'll be staying to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday.

Decker's not playing -- obviously -- but that won't stop him and his girl from COMPLETELY OVERSHADOWING every other hot couple expected at the big game ... a list that includes tons of other NFL players, Victoria's Secret models, Hollywood actors, actresses, you name it.

Disagree with our expert opinion? Tell us in the comments section, where you'll still be wrong.

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?