This week we will be taking a look at the past of American football and exploring the history of some of it's biggest phenomenons.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Hello and welcome to Limitless Rise of the Falcons.
00:24 I'm Daniel Anonu and this week we'll be taking a look
00:27 at the past of American football
00:29 and exploring the history of some
00:31 of its biggest phenomenons.
00:33 But first up, most of us will know what the Super Bowl is,
00:37 whether that's through the love of the sport
00:38 or tuning in for the halftime show.
00:40 But how did it actually start?
00:42 Jessica Hulks spoke with American football experts
00:45 to understand the history.
00:46 - The Super Bowl is the most prestigious award
00:48 an American football player or team can win.
00:51 But what exactly is it?
00:52 - Super Bowl is the summary of the season.
00:56 So effectively it's the, to put it to soccer terms,
00:59 it's the FA Cup and the Premier League Championship
01:02 rolling to one.
01:03 So it's a league-based competition to start with
01:06 and then it becomes a knockout competition
01:08 in the latter stages.
01:09 And you end up with two teams that effectively square up
01:14 for the championship.
01:17 - It's the TV ads, it's the food, it's the halftime show,
01:22 and somewhere in the middle is a game.
01:24 It's become such a big event now that it's,
01:27 you don't have to be a sports fan to watch it.
01:29 There are people who will watch the Super Bowl
01:31 just for the ads, just for the halftime show.
01:33 It's a massive cultural event,
01:36 especially in America, but across the world.
01:39 - But of course the Super Bowl has to start somewhere.
01:41 The first Super Bowl was in 1966
01:43 after the two leagues of the time joined together.
01:46 - The AFC and the NFC are the two conferences.
01:49 So one used to be the American Football League
01:52 and one used to be the National Football League
01:54 and they were rivals and it merged together.
01:57 So you never get two AFC teams or two NFC teams,
02:00 it's because of the history.
02:02 - There are still lots of rivalries
02:03 within the AFC and the NFC, historic rivalries,
02:06 'cause they've tried to keep the AFL teams together,
02:08 especially those that have been in divisions.
02:12 But there's not really much difference between the NFL,
02:15 the NFC and the AFC.
02:16 It's just a way of being able to split it
02:19 and have a situation where you get one,
02:22 this team against this team and then you get the Super Bowl.
02:25 - Ever since then, it's been played annually,
02:27 even Super Bowl 55,
02:29 which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
02:31 If you win the Super Bowl,
02:32 you win the Vince Lombardi Trophy,
02:34 which was named after the famous American football coach
02:36 after his death in 1970.
02:38 But what does it mean to win the Super Bowl?
02:41 - To win the Super Bowl is just everything.
02:43 In the NFL, that's it, it's one game.
02:47 So you mess it up, better luck next year.
02:51 There's no do-over, there's no, okay, well,
02:53 we might be one nothing down,
02:56 but we can still win four more games.
03:00 That is it.
03:01 For so many players,
03:02 all they wanna do is lift that trophy.
03:05 That one trophy, that is it.
03:07 Imagine domestic football.
03:10 There was, in fact, not just that,
03:11 imagine across the world for clubs,
03:14 there was one trophy all season.
03:16 How significant would that be?
03:17 That is basically it for the NFL.
03:19 One game, you're either the team that wins the Super Bowl,
03:23 or you're just one of 31 losers.
03:24 - Next, let's look into the NFL Hall of Fame,
03:28 where American football players
03:30 dream of one day being inducted into.
03:32 Sean Osasanya has more.
03:34 - The NFL Hall of Fame,
03:36 the ultimate goal for any professional
03:37 American football player.
03:39 In 1963, the induction of potential Hall of Famers
03:42 began with opening the Pearl Football Hall of Fame,
03:45 which is located in Canton, Ohio.
03:47 But what is it, and why is it there?
03:49 The Hall of Fame mortgages exceptional figures
03:51 in the sport of American football,
03:53 including players, coaches, officials,
03:55 franchise owners, and front office personnel.
03:58 Almost all of them made their primary contributions
04:01 to the game in the NFL.
04:03 The Hall of Fame is not the only way
04:04 to solidify the legacy of players,
04:06 but also a reminder of how far the sport has come
04:09 from the beginning of the late 19th century.
04:12 It's also a way to celebrate the achievements
04:14 and accolades of players,
04:15 and everyone else involved in the growth
04:17 and the popularity of the sport.
04:19 So who are the current and future inductees
04:21 of the coveted honor?
04:22 Some notable names of the past include Terry Bradshaw,
04:25 Peyton Manning, Ray Lewis,
04:27 Deion Sanders, and Shannon Sharpen.
04:30 These players could be joined by the likes of Tom Brady,
04:32 Patrick Mahomes, Dwight Freeney,
04:34 Andre Johnson, and Devin Hester.
04:37 I spoke to Ben Isaacs to tell me more
04:39 about the Hall of Fame.
04:40 - So there aren't as many individual honors.
04:44 You can be NFL MVP and all these sorts of things,
04:47 but nothing lasts forever
04:49 like getting into the Hall of Fame.
04:51 It's the most exclusive club in the NFL
04:54 because every year, dozens of people get a Super Bowl ring,
04:58 but only a handful get the gold jacket that you receive
05:03 when you are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
05:07 - I've been asked,
05:08 how does one get inducted into the Hall of Fame?
05:10 - You've gotta be one of the most legendary players
05:13 in NFL history.
05:15 As the saying goes, you need to be someone who,
05:18 if you're writing the history of the NFL,
05:21 you couldn't leave that person out of telling that story.
05:24 You've gotta be someone who has transcended the sport
05:29 in some way.
05:30 - I also asked if it's a big part of the sport.
05:34 - Well, you'll see so many people
05:37 when they're signing autographs,
05:39 they'll put like HOF 2010,
05:43 to say that's when they got into the Hall of Fame.
05:44 That's something that they will forever
05:47 kind of hang their hat on
05:48 because that's something that you've done that all yourself.
05:53 - Being part of the Hall of Fame
05:55 is an honor and privilege most players chase,
05:57 but it's fair to say that when a player does get inducted,
05:59 they achieve their biggest dream and accomplishment.
06:02 Sean Osasanya for KMTV.
06:04 - And now it's time for this week's Tony Teaches,
06:08 where we learn fundamental maneuvers of the game
06:11 with our resident running back, Tony Muzunichita.
06:14 This week, he took us through how to pass
06:16 and throw the football
06:17 with the Kemp Falcons quarterback, Florian Schmidt.
06:20 Let's take a look.
06:21 - Hello, and welcome back to Tony Teaches.
06:23 This week, I'll be taking you through passing the ball
06:25 with Kemp Falcons quarterback, Florian Schmidt.
06:27 Now, let's break it down.
06:29 When it comes to passing, firstly with your hands,
06:36 you want your middle finger or your ring finger
06:38 on the top of the lace or the second lace of the ball,
06:40 so you have a good grip on the ball
06:41 so you can throw that perfect spiral.
06:43 Then, when throwing, you want to plant your back foot
06:46 to generate power from your legs,
06:47 then step forward with your front foot
06:49 and point in the direction of where the receiver will be.
06:52 As well, you want to be rotating your torso and hips
06:55 in the direction of the receiver,
06:56 following through with your arm and back leg
06:58 when you release the ball.
07:00 Now, that's how you throw the football.
07:02 Also this week, I sat down with Flo
07:03 to talk to him about what it's like playing quarterback
07:05 and get insight into his mindset on the field.
07:08 # Throw that to the side, yo
07:10 # I get those goosebumps every time... #
07:13 You know what, I started as a receiver,
07:15 but due to the fact that when I was giving the ball back,
07:18 I overthrew him, and he thought I had an arm,
07:20 so he thought, "Let's transition him to a quarterback."
07:22 And from then on, I've been playing quarterback since.
07:24 To take me through game day,
07:26 what goes on through your mind when you're out on the field?
07:28 Mainly trying to remember the plays
07:29 and trying to remember what receivers are doing
07:31 and how everything else is,
07:32 but also trying to adjust to the defence
07:34 and trying to read them as well.
07:35 So, yeah, it's quite a lot to remember,
07:36 and mainly it's focused on what you do as a quarterback,
07:38 not what everyone else does.
07:40 Is there a lot of pressure being quarterback?
07:42 Because obviously you are one of the leaders of the team
07:44 when you're out there on the field.
07:45 Yeah, there's a lot of pressure,
07:46 because everyone looks up to you.
07:48 You're basically the engine of the offence,
07:50 so without you, the offence cannot really run or function.
07:53 So it's like, with that being said,
07:54 there's a lot of pressure on you,
07:55 but it's about how you cope with the pressure,
07:57 because all the pressure on your shoulders is a team game,
08:00 and you have to rely on other people
08:01 to help you make your job easier for you.
08:04 Do you have any long-term goals within the sport?
08:06 Long-term goals would be...
08:08 Probably, I would say making it pro would be a bit of a long stretch,
08:11 but it's still possible.
08:12 But if I could go to, let's say, Europe to play in the ALF or GLF
08:16 and stuff like that, then I would like to do that.
08:19 And finally, from beginning his American football journey in Kent
08:24 to then attending the NFL International Combine
08:26 to now being a linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts,
08:29 Emmanuel Fololo has played on countless levels
08:32 in the world of American football over his seven-year career
08:35 and joins me on the line now from Toronto to discuss his journey
08:39 and take on the game's development over the last few years.
08:42 Well, Emmanuel, thank you for joining us today.
08:44 The first question I want to ask you is,
08:46 what is it like playing American football overseas in Canada
08:49 and compared to your experience in the UK?
08:52 Thanks for having me.
08:55 The comparison with American football in Canada to the UK is...
09:01 Obviously, there's a lot more money involved in the Canadian game,
09:04 so in terms of structure and the quality of players as well,
09:13 it's a lot higher.
09:14 You get a lot of D1 players from colleges that were high level
09:19 playing in CFL.
09:22 You also get Canadian players that have been playing for a long time,
09:24 whereas in the UK, a lot of people are pretty new to the sport.
09:29 You get a lot of people who start when they're 18
09:33 and they weren't playing whilst they were a child
09:35 and whilst they were five years old,
09:37 so the knowledge of the game and the experience of the game
09:40 is a lot different.
09:41 However, something I do say is a lot of people in the UK
09:45 play for the love of the game.
09:47 They enjoy every time that they're playing
09:50 and they really and truly love the game
09:52 and they have no burnout at all.
09:55 So that's a big difference in both leagues.
09:59 Amazing.
10:00 And in terms of the league structure between Canada and the UK,
10:04 how do they compare?
10:05 So in Canada, in the CFL, there's only nine teams.
10:11 It's a weighing balance.
10:12 You've got five on one division and four on the other division,
10:16 but they make it up through the schedule.
10:20 And in the UK, you can be relegated or promoted
10:26 depending on the division you're in,
10:28 whereas over here, the nine teams, they don't get relegated,
10:32 they don't get promoted.
10:33 They're just the same nine teams in the league
10:37 since the creation, pretty much.
10:40 Excellent.
10:41 And since you've started playing,
10:44 have you seen an increase in the sport's popularity?
10:47 Oh, yeah, for sure.
10:50 I can definitely see that a lot of players
10:52 are playing at a younger age, whether it's through FLAG
10:55 or actually playing through CONTACT.
10:58 I feel like the introduction of the NFL Academy as well and stuff,
11:03 a lot of younger people are more interested in starting a lot earlier
11:07 because of that.
11:08 They see an opportunity, they see a pathway.
11:11 They see a lot of players going to the NFL from different countries,
11:16 whether it's Britain or anywhere in Europe or even Australia and stuff.
11:21 So it's keeping the dream alive whereby they can see a pathway
11:25 for them making it pro.
11:27 And on top of that, the growth of the European games
11:31 and different European leagues as well,
11:36 there's more of a pathway.
11:37 So kids are starting a lot earlier.
11:39 Excellent.
11:40 Well, thank you so much for joining us, Emmanuel, and see you soon.
11:43 Well, that's all we have for this week.
11:46 Hope to see you next week.
11:47 Goodbye.
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