On Sunday, the New England Patriots took on the Seattle Seahawks in one of the most nail biting Superbowls ever. After four quarters of suspense, the Patriots emerged victorious thanks to the talents of one of the best quarterbacks of all time, Tom Brady, and his band of wide receivers. After a gripping fourth quarter comeback by the Patriots and
a catastrophic interception thrown by Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, New England took home the glory.
The interception characterised the incredibly strategic nature of the NFL, showcasing the ultimate display of tactics, risk-taking, and
decision-making abilities (or lack thereof) in
the game.
American football exists in Britain on a much smaller scale. Whereas in the NFL, squads have as many as 70 people, teams in the BUCS American football league have significantly less.This year, Oxford’s very own American football team, the Lancers, has seen its most successful season, seeing its first win in the history of the club, with a 62-0 thrashing of the Anglia Ruskin Rhinos at the beginning of the season. This victory was but a taste of greater things to come.
The Superbowl was the second most important game last week, with the Lancers facing off against their local rivals, the Oxford Brookes
Panthers, a team that has beaten the smaller Lancers squad year after year. After a gruelling few hours on the field, history was made
as the Lancers took home the Cavalier’s cup with a 13-6 victory, thanks in no small part to the skills of LMH’s Scott Tan and Merton’s Ian
Simester.
Rumours also exist of a prominent NFL team coming to London – personally, I would be happy to see the New England Patriots become
the Real England Patriots. If you’re interested in getting involved in the Oxford University Lancers American football team, contact President Thomas Fox from St Edmund’s Hall.
