SIGN OF THE TYNES!!!!!!!

 

Well I have finally got all the alcohol out of my system, the indigestion is now a dim and distant memory and my body clock is now only 30 minutes slow, so now is good time to digest what has been an eventful Superbowl.

After all the “Butt Kissing” at the Wembley game last year, the great broadcasting icon that is still the BBC gave their terrestrial counterparts a lesson in how to cover a major gridiron event.

Here you had a presenter showed tremendous improvement in his previous outing at London had done his homework and came across as someone who knew what he was doing whilst not surrounding like an anorak (Geek – that is for our American listeners).

With his only black mark when he referred to the game in the UK as English (Sorry) British Football.

When we got down to the panel of experts, this time there was no room for a famous super fan, but we had an NFL Legend (OK I forgot his name) and the renowned UK Broadcaster/Journalist, Mr Mike Carlson, a man who would be on the top of a “phone of friend” list if gridiron ever raised its ugly head on “Who wants to be a millionaire”.

In all the years I have covered the Super Bowl, this was certainly one for the books, not just because the Patriots were denied a perfect record due to the best come back since Lazarus ending with Eli Manning's winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining.

It was due the fact that we had two Brits in the squad, Londoner Osi Umenyiora and more importantly Scots Kicker, Lawrence Tynes, whose 47 yard field goal earned the Giants their date with destiny at the NFL Championship game.

Both left the UK at an early age, a point, which if it is true, appeared to have been missed by some hacks who (allegedly) asked the English Lineman when they were in London about his memories in England and did he take his team mates there, which according to information was a firm NO as his memories as a kid was “Toys R Us”.

As for young Lawrence, his memories were much stronger, from Port Glasgow (the birth certificate is on line) to Campbelltown, who did and still does, support Celtic and is already destined, if the reports are true, to be a guest of honour at a future game at Parkhead.

When Lawrence was last over in Scotland, it was as a kicker with the Scottish Claymores where even though it was not a season to remember, the legendary conditions at their training ground at Stepps, probably made him the kicker that he is today. I dare you to try kicking a ball there!

OK there may be a distinct American accent, but Lawrence was and still is proud of his Scottish roots, and his success was the best advert for the game in the land of his birth.

And it also caught the imagination of the American media, who were not used to have things like that happening on their patch and not sure how to handle it.

For example, look at the quote during an interview with Lawrence Tynes on the David Letterman show (check out youtube):

Letterman: “ You were born in Scotland , how did that happen?”

So that fact that that we now have a home grown link with the Superbowl now, hopefully the leagues and maybe Inverclyde Council can take full advantage and help the development of the game here and bring Lawrence back to Scotland

There is already talk of Tynes old home town resurrecting their football team again under the name of Inverclyde Phoenix.

How big a boost it would be their recruiting process as well as the profile of the game across the country if their Super Bowl winner returned to his roots along with maybe a few of his pals to pass on the benefits of their experience.

Just an idea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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