Latinos en la NFL (SPA-ENG)

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Pocos han logrado sobresalir y entre ellos, además de Martín Gramática, recuerdo al peruano Anthony Muñoz, tackle ofensivo de los Cincinnati Bengals y miembro del salón de la fama, al guatemalteco Ted Hendricks que jugó 4 Super Bowls y miembro del salón de la fama y al mexicano Efrén Herrera también campeón de Super Bowl con Dallas Cowboys; entre los que juegan actualmente en la liga, además de Borregales que recién comienza su aventura, destaca el corredor puertoriqueño Isiah Pacheco, ya veterano en estas lides pese a su juventud, ha sido campeón con los Kansas City Chiefs.

Como dije al principio, espero y deseo que el venezolano Andy Borregales pueda emular a alguno de estos jugadores latinos que han sabido llevar a la más alta consideración los deportistas de nuestros países, no es tarea sencilla, sin embargo, tiene todas las condiciones para ello.

Latinos in the NFL

Reading @fermionico's post about Venezuelan Andy Borregales and his great success as the kicker for the resurgent New England Patriots, I was reminded of a great Argentinian kicker who reached the ultimate aspiration of every American football player. In 2003, he won Super Bowl XXXVII playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

First things first, as my grandmother used to say: the young Venezuelan kicker has contributed greatly to the New England Patriots regaining much of their former winning mystique. This revamped team has managed to reach the playoffs after several years of languishing among the worst teams in the NFL. The great multi-championship-winning team, led by the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady, won its last ring in 2019. Then, the departure of the team's leader and other key figures of an extraordinary dynasty led to the collapse of what was once one of the most successful teams in NFL history. Now they're back, and the Venezuelan kicker is a key piece of the puzzle.

And I wish him all the best, hoping he replicates what Argentinian Martín Gramática did with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003 when they won the Super Bowl ring by defeating the Oakland Raiders, who that year featured, in my opinion, the best player I've ever seen in this sport: Jerry Rice. Gramática was the kicker for that team and one of the reasons that reaffirmed my love for this sport. I still remember that final and the several field goals and conversions my compatriot made to seal a resounding 48-21 victory.

Martín Gramática was small by traditional NFL standards, and I'm not referring to tackles or tight ends, who are usually enormous in both height and weight. I'm simply referring to the much more streamlined physique of a kicker. Among them, he stood out for his slender build, which suggested a lack of strength. However, one shouldn't be fooled by appearances. Even today, he maintains an impressive record: 155/203 field goals (76.4% accuracy), placing him in the top 10 in that category.

Besides Martín, his brother Guillermo (Bill) was also a kicker in the NFL, although he never achieved the same level of success or even came close to his brother's achievements. Although there were no other Argentine kickers, there was a third compatriot who played in the NFL as a defensive tackle. His name was Bob Breitenstein, and he was selected in the 5th round of the 1965 draft. Between that year and 1970, he played for several teams: the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Atlanta Falcons. An injury aggravated by a car accident in which he was involved led to his early retirement.

Although American football is not a sport practiced frequently or rigorously among Central and South Americans, it has been gaining popularity, and many young athletes who aspire to reach the highest level move to the United States to have a chance through universities.

Few have managed to stand out, and among them, besides Martín Gramática, I remember the Peruvian Anthony Muñoz, offensive tackle of the Cincinnati Bengals and member of the Hall of Fame, the Guatemalan Ted Hendricks who played in 4 Super Bowls and is a member of the Hall of Fame, and the Mexican Efrén Herrera, also a Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys; among those currently playing in the league, besides Borregales who are just beginning their adventure, the Puerto Rican running back Isiah Pacheco stands out, already a veteran in these competitions despite his youth, he has been a champion with the Kansas City Chiefs.

As I said at the beginning, I hope and wish that Venezuelan Andy Borregales can emulate one of these Latin American players who have brought the highest recognition to athletes from our countries. It's not an easy task, but he has all the qualities to do it.