 This Year's Winning Team 7 touchdowns to 0 (Photo LSV) Bronx, NY: For the past 25 years we have been playing a fun, two hand touch football game on Super Bowl Game day. The first game started way before I started Latino Sports a sports marketing & promotions firm in the Bronx.
I remember my son (Julio Antonio) was 5 year’s old and I wanted to get him out of the apartment on 161st & the Grand Concourse on Super Bowl Day. It was cold and we had a lot of snow on the ground. I called my best friend Hector Soto who lived around the corner and was as crazy and impulsive as I was. He joined me on Gerard Avenue to play a game with several community kids who also joined in. It was a strange scene. Two grown men playing against a bunch of kids who got their kicks trying to knock us down on the snow.
Little did Hector and I think that this one game would turn into an annual ritual. Yesterday we played our 24th annual game at Soundview Park just off Bruckner Blvd. in the worst field conditions ever. The temperature was in the 40’s, great for a game, but this caused the ice that covered the entire park to begin melting. Thus, the field was wet and muddy.
This year’s game brought out many of our friends and neighbors who we sometimes do not see all year until we meet at our annual pilgrimage, now called the “Ben Gay Bowl” after many of us began feeling the pain of playing two hand touch with our over aggressive 20 year olds and teenagers.
Yesterday’s game was probably the largest of all the games we had played. We had approximately 24 players (35 showed up, some leaving after only playing a few drives). As usual we had from small children to grand parents. Age has never been a factor in these games.
Just like 24 years ago, Hector and I were the two captains, except that we now were playing with an older generation that plays with greater physical power and a competitiveness that rivals any professional sport.
 Hector's losing team were all smiles because everyone was a winner (Photo LSV)
My team won the game, 7 touchdowns to 0. I believe that this was one of the few shutouts we have had. Both teams were evenly matched, however, my team had a better defense. We had two interceptions to there one. We blocked 2 passes and forced 4 downs on Hector’s quarterbacks (damn, I did that?). Our quarterback, Julio Antonio (most of the game) was never sacked.
Hector’s Team tried 3 quarterbacks, but none could lead his team to a touchdown drive. My team used Julio Antonio for most of the game, he threw 6 touchdowns, Bobby C had one drive, no touchdown. I force my way to quarter back (Julio A doesn’t like letting go of the ball) for one drive and drove the team to a first down and touchdown on seven plays. The touchdown would have made it to a video highlights (if we would have had video coverage). It was a 25-yard touchdown pass to the end zone that could have only been caught by Jerry Rice, or our favorite receiver, Rob Carrillo who dove to his left under heavy coverage for an incredible catch.
As usual, after the game everyone does like we do when we first arrive, we hug, shake hands, share information and wish each other the best until next year. In reality there are no losers in this game because everyone who plays has a great time remembering how much fun it is to be a kid.
Other Highlights:
Hector and I had our customary squabbles on almost every drive as to where the ball should be placed. Hector won this year and probably robbed us of more inches and yards, that I did his team.
Byron should receive some recognition for most passes caught by a losing team without scoring a touchdown. Not bad for a producer with graying hair.
Byron Hunter should also win the “Water World Award” for the most water absorbed by any player. I mean the brother was so drenched that he was literally leaking water from both arms.
The best “Hydro Plane Interpretation Award” goes to Robert Carrillo from my team who lunged for a Bobby C bullet pass deep into the end zone. Rob dove forward to no avail, slid for about 10 yards and picked up about 5 pounds of mud, ice and water. When he got up, he looked like he had just had a mud bath with his clothes on.
The most serious hit of the game was between Adrian Colón (Hector’s team) and Dylon Garcia (my team). Dylon went down after they bumped heads. After a few seconds on the floor we asked who wanted to give Dylon “mouth to mouth?” Even Dylon laughed, he got up, everyone applauded and the game resumed. Dylon has to win the “Macho Man Award.”
The best kick of the game was from Karina Ferrer who kicked the ball twice back to Dylon who had twice thrown it at her. It was not part of the game, Dylon was trying to hit her feet. Karina looked sharp kicking the ball back both times to Dylon. Soccer might be the perfect sport for this young lady. Joan Santiago get's special recognition as the first adult female who played the entire game without quitting.
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