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Nigerian-born Umenyiora makes history with New York Giants
FOR Nigerian-born Osi Uwenyiora last Sunday Super Bowl win will be ethed in his memory forever. That was if he and colleagues in the New York giants tore the books form into pieces to win one of America most prestigious and biggest sporting event, the Super bowl.
"This was the death of a dynasty!" Pierce veteran linebacker yelled over the roaring Giants fans who would not, could not leave. "We wore all black, and we killed it."
In the wake of a stunning Super Bowl XLII victory that not too many people outside their locker room saw coming, the brash New Yorkers reminded everyone how unintimidated they were by their previously undefeated opponents.
Uwenyiora and his the Giants team mates left Arizona Monday the way they arrived in the desert a week earlier, strutting and chirping and acting like they owned the place - which, in retrospect, they did. It turns out the Giants' collective scoffing at the Patriots, a team that had won three Super Bowls in the previous six seasons and which brought an unprecedented 18-0 record into the game, was a conscious decision. It wasn't designed to tweak the Pats - in truth, the New York players could've cared less how their opponents felt about their antics. Rather, the Giants were making a statement to themselves: We're not scared of the NFL's bullies, and we welcome the opportunity to steal 'their' lunch money.
When the Giants' plane touched down in Phoenix six days before the game, they disembarked as a colour-coordinated unit that would have made Johnny Cash proud. They wore black, Pierce finally confirmed after the game, because "that's what you wear to a funeral" - and, in their minds, the Pats' dynasty was about to die.
Defensively, the Giants accomplished the goal that all teams preach but precious few can execute: "We never saw that glazed look in his eyes that so many other quarterbacks get," said defensive end Justin Tuck, who had a pair of sacks and forced a Brady fumble that teammate Umenyiora recovered 10 seconds before halftime. "But he was yelling at his receivers.
Umenyiora, who wrote his mane in gold, was born November 16, 1981 in Golders Green, London, England His family moved back to Nigeria and later to Auburn, Alabama, where he started playing football in high school. He attended Auburn High School, the same school attended by fellow Troy State alum and current Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Demarcus Ware as well as Washington Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington. He was drafted in the 2nd round (56th pick overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Troy State University (now simply Troy University), where he finished second in the nation with 16 sacks.
Umenyiora is one of three British born players to have won the Super Bowl, alongside Scott McCready and Giants teammate Lawrence Tynes. He also recorded four tackles, three of which were solo.
He established himself as a premier pass rusher in 2005 and is known for his quickness off the line as well as his explosive power. In his first year, starting all 16 games for the Giants, he recorded 70 tackles and 14.5 sacks, which placed him second in the NFL, behind only Derrick Burgess of the Oakland Raiders, who had 16 sacks.
Umenyiora also had 4 forced fumbles and 2 fumbles recovered. His outstanding and consistent playmaking ability earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl, where he played with teammate Michael Strahan. The two collected 26 sacks total, tops in the NFL for any pair of teammates. Umenyiora and Strahan form what is considered to be the best defensive end pass rushing duo in the entire NFL.
In the 2004 season, he scored his first career NFL touchdown on a 50-yard fumble return against the Baltimore Ravens on December 12. He recorded his second touchdown on 21 October 2007 against the San Francisco 49ers when he sacked Trent Dilfer, forced a fumble, recovered the fumble and sped untouched 75 yards down the field for the score.
On December 23, 2005, he signed a six-year, $41 million contract extension with the New York Giants. In the fourth game of the 2007 season, Umenyiora set a Giants franchise record by recording six sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the October 22, 2007, game against the San Francisco 49ers, Umenyiora, in one play, recorded a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a return for a touchdown.
Umenyiora made his second Pro Bowl appearance in the 2007-8 season as the only New York Giants player voted to the team by the fans and NFL coaches and players. He who is known for his speed off the outside edge and his ability to sneak behind the play and strip the ball free from the quarterback as he goes into his throwing motion, is currently dating Victoria Secret model, Selita Ebanks.
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