SUPER BOWL XLVIII - THREE LATINO PLAYERS SEEK NFL CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS
NEW YORK CITY - At 6:30 p.m. ET tomorrow, Super Bowl XLVIII will be televised live on Fox TV to millions of people around the globe. While for the most part, media is abuzz about the possibility of Peyton Manning becoming the very first NFL quarterback to win Super Bowls for two different teams. There are a few lesser known stories about some Latino NFL players.
Not since quarterback Jim Plunkett along with his coach Tom Flores (the first duo Mexican American Super Bowl champions) led the Raiders to victories in Super Bowls XV and XVIII have two Chicanos in the NFL had an opprtunity to become Super Bowl champions at the same time while part of the same team.
Super Bowl XLVIII will be additional notable to Hispanic fans of American football in that this years game will have three Latino American starting players simultaneously playing with the same team for their NFL Super Bowl championship rings.
The three Latino players starting for the Denver Broncos in tomorrow's game are: All-Pro offensive guard Louis Vasquez along with center Manny Ramirez who are both Chicanos from Texas; and running back Knowshon Moreno born in the Bronx to a Puerto Rican father. We wish them well while paving the way!
ADDITIONAL NEWS REPORTS ON THE NFL DENVER BRONCO LATINO PLAYERS FROM AROUND THE WEB:
LOS DOS AMIGOS: LOUIS VASQUEZ AND MANNY RAMIREZ KEY TO DENVER BRONCOS' GALLOP TO THE SUPER BOWL
Heading into the 2013 season, the Denver Broncos’ offensive line was looking a bit ragged. Four of their starting 2012 linemen had had surgery – including J.D. Walton, Chris Kuper, and Dan Koppen, all of whom were out for the season with knee or ankle injuries.
So linemen coach Dave Magazu and the Broncos targeted free agent guard Louis Vasquez, signing him last March to a four-year, $23.5 million deal only minutes after teams were allowed to offer contracts. Then they slid right guard Manny.. -- Read the full article: (click here)
DENVER BRONCOS' LOUIS VASQUEZ, MANNY RAMIREZ & KNOWSHON MORENO ELEVATE GAME FOR SUPER BOWL 2014
Super Bowl XLVIII will be especially memorable for three tough and inspiring Latinos who are making NFL history, and in essence paving the way for other Latinos who also share the same kind of passion for American football.
Among them is Denver Broncos guard Louis Vasquez, "the 6-foot, 5-inch, 325-pound Mexican-American from Corsicana, Tex., who was also the only Bronco besides quarterback Peyton Manning named an All-Pro this season," according to Voxxi.
In addition to Vasquez, two other Latino teammates -- running back Knowshon Moreno, whose father is from Puerto Rico, and center Manny Ramirez, who is also Mexican-American, will take on the Seattle Seahawks on Super Bowl Sunday. Vasquez, "the massive right guard" who "gave Manning ample space to step into all those throws to set NFL records with 55 TDs and 5,447 yards through the air," is valued by many, according to The Town Talk. -- Read the full Latin Post article: (click here)
DENVER BRONCOS LATINO TRIO MAKING SUPER BOWL HISTORY
Of all the plaudits given Denver Broncos guard Louis Vasquez, the one most special to him is one that doesn’t come with a piece of hardware. They don’t give any medals or trophies for not allowing your quarterback to be sacked, and Vasquez is only of two linemen among the 38 guards who played at least 900 snaps in 2013 to not permit a sack, according to ProFootballFocus.com.
And that's special for Vasquez, the 6-foot, 5-inch, 325-pound Mexican American from Corsicana, Tex., who was also the only Bronco besides quarterback Peyton Manning named an All-Pro this season.
The payoff has been that Vasquez is one of the reasons the Broncos will be playing in the Super Bowl Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks along with two other Latino teammates – running back Knowshon Moreno and center Manny Ramirez.
It may be historic – the first time three Hispanics have been starters on a Super Bowl team. The National Football League says it does not keep those kinds of statistics, but.. -- Read the full VOXXI article: (click here)
LOUIS VASQUEZ, MANNY RAMIREZ GIVE HISPANIC PRIDE TO BRONCOS
Louis Vasquez — I wouldn't dare call a man the size of Portugal "Lou Lou" — is the anti-La La Vazquez. For one, he wanted to be in Denver. Secondly, the spotlight is his enemy. Requested for an interview, the Broncos' right guard asked to do it in a hall away from the media hordes. He can swat away swarming linemen but, alas, not swarming cameramen.
So, Denver, you've added a touchdown-scoring machine in college (Montee Ball), Tom Brady's old favorite target (Wes Welker), a former Pro Bowl cornerback (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) and a first-rounder (Sylvester Williams) whose favorite food is quarterback — and yet I say the Broncos' top offseason addition is this guy.. -- Read the full article: (click here)
