The Super Bowl 101: For Nigerians..

The Super Bowl is the national championship game of the National Football League(NFL) in the United States of America.
This football is not the same as our football where you kicked the ball into a goal.
Some Africans call it handball because the players literally hold the ball and try to get to the opponent’s side of the field to score a TOUCHDOWN.
TOUCHDOWN is similar to saying SCORE or in our football: GOAL.

There are three different types of scores in American football. The first is called a touchdown worth 6 point which comes with an extra 1 point to make it 7. Second score is a field goal worth 3 points. Third score is called a safety which is worth 2 points. In case you are down by four points and you are trying to tie the game, you can score a touch down which is 6 point and go for a 2 point conversion which is obviously 2 point (knowledge by Nsi aka. Possible Etim).

This is our football or soccer to Americans: Soccer  and this is American football American Football

The Super Bowl is a big deal for Americans the same way the World Cup is a big deal to Nigerians when Nigeria plays.
People gather together to watch the game. People order a large amount of food for the game. Some people like me watch the game for the commercials. The Super Bowl is also a big deal for businesses. Businesses pay a lot of money to make sure their commercials are shown during the game because they know a lot of people are watching.

Nigeria vs. Argentina by Vincesanity

 

The super eaglesNigerian football is always of great controversy, will the team complain about not being paid enough just like other African countries do or will the play with the passion and national pride we all know they can. Even though some games they do play with passion, something unexplainable always happens that defies all laws of the universe and Nigeria loses the game (Yakabu eh!!).

This game can be summed up in three words “Messi Versus Enyema”. At the last world cup, messi, fresh off a Ballon D’or winning season and the weight of Argentina came face to face against Vincent Enyema of Nigeria.  Everyone thought the game would end with a possible thrashing dealt to Nigeria due to the opposition only using two defenders but a Hollywood twist occurred. Enyema rose to the occasion and stifled messi with five point blank saves. The inquest is will the same performance be replicated today? Will the villain (messi) succeed at the second trial or does the Hero of the super eagles come through as always. The stage has been set, enter actors and plot twists.

COUP DE MAIN by Vincesanity

Coup de main, French for (blow with the hand), is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objective in a single blow, today is a day for Coup de Pied (blow with the feet).

Image         Act 1 of the world cup comes to a close with its crème de la crème group taking center stage. The group of death with Portugal Vs. Ghana and USA Vs. Germany are set to kick off, each with their very own subplots.

Portugal VS Ghana sets two teams currently looking in turmoil against each other. Portugal, infected with the same distrust that corrupted the 2010 French side will have to find a quick remedy and start believing in each other and get the ball to their main man Cristiano Ronaldo. Although Ronaldo looks less than 70% fit, that is still more talent than anyone else on his team and a player of his caliber only needs a split second to remind the world why he is loved and hated in equal parts. Portugal needs a win with a 4-0 margins or hope that Germany beats the US by 4.

Ghana also in turmoil but because of the same issue that afflicts African teams, their football associations denying them pay.  This issue has cause the Ghanaian association to send Kevin prince boating and its key midfielder Sulley muntari home from the world cup.  Ghana now looks to the leadership of Andre Ayew and the talismanic Micheal Essien to keep the team spirit afloat and focused to beat the Portuguese. Ghana’s pace and ferocity in attack gives them more than a chance to win the game and also the portuguese’s lack to stamina which was put on notice by Germany and the US will decide the game in the last 30 minutes. Ghana wins with the score 2-0.

David VS Goliath, Maximius Decimus Meridius vs Ceasar, and Germany VS USA, the hype for these face-offs are unparalled.  Both teams  are coached by Germans, but US coach Jürgen Klinsmann has been the special one in his own right from his work with rebuilding the 2006 Germany team and making this US team have a chance to advance from the group of death.  It takes a great coach to set achievable goals (semi finals), come up with the tactic and formation he thinks gives them the best chance and scouting the players that fit the mold and are wiling to work for the better of the team and finally the …..BALLS…to drop iconic Landon Donovan from the national team. All these moves have lead to the arrogance and confidence that exudes from the US team but they are facing a juggernaut in Germany, coached by klinsmann’s successor Joachim low. Although he inherited Klinsmann’s team he has yet to get to the final of the world cup and might be on the hot seat if he does not deliver with this team which most think is the best German team every assembled.

Both teams advance with a draw, which the US will be hoping for but Germany is a prideful nation and will want to show klinsmann that he should have stayed home. The Germans are professionals at Coup De Pied and with the world watching why not let it fly.