2016-02-07

【Aiden in English】

        Super Bowl 50 is finally here! I’m a Denver Broncos fan, and you all may say that I’m a bandwagon. Actually, I’m not, for two reasons. First of all, the Bronco’s kicker, Brandon McManus went to the North Penn School District where I came from. Secondly, when I was first introduced to football, I asked Dad who the best QB was at the time four years ago, and it was Peyton Manning. Tom Brady was good, but this was right after the one where Peyton lost the Super Bowl to the New Orleans Saints. It just happened that two years later, he came back and went to the Super Bowl. Then, you could’ve called me a bandwagon, but even after they lost, and sucked the next season, I liked watching them play, and so the football fan side of me was born.

        Chinese New Year’s Eve was today, of course. Of all the days it could’ve been, it had to be on Super Bowl Sunday. Actually, it could’ve been a whole lot worse, as the Guanghua Chinese School Gala was next week. The only obstacle was my family traditional dinner I had to go to right after the routine of the Chinese and Yo-Yo. At least it was nice though. Lai Lai Garden Chinese cuisine hasn’t really let me down yet. We ordered our favorites, and I quickly stuffed myself and packed a ton of leftover to get home.

        Peyton Manning, the dude that is so old that he parks in the handicapped section, is back, and I’m actually happy for him. He’s going up against a scary Carolina Panther’s team that gives me doubts on the victory for the Broncos. But, as the first few minutes they played out, my doubts deflated as fast as a New England Patriot’s football. The first drive the Broncos put together was wonderful, although only a field goal was scored. They had the Panther’s on their heels as constant motion on the line of scrimmage confused the defense. Moving into the red-zone, they were stopped, which disappointed me. Those hopes were re-inflated when the following Panther’s procession, Cam Newton, MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, was sacked, stripped and trampled on all in one play. The ball rolled into the end-zone, the result of number 58, Von Miller. He someday is going to be on the Hall of Fame list. Someday. The game became a Denver fan’s dream. Turnovers on the Carolina side saved our butts every time Peyton threw a pick, which happened only once. In the end, it was similar to the Super Bowl two years ago, the defense won games. Like how the Seattle Seahawks crushed Peyton 43-8, this year we won 24-10.

        Now that Peyton has his 200^th career win, he should retire, and let Brock Osweiler run the show. Ironically, the 4th quarter of the game was the 200^th quarter of Super Bowl history. I guess I’ll see him in the Hall of Fame next.

【紅霞譯文】

        第五十屆“超級碗”終於到來！我是丹佛野馬隊球迷，你們也許會說我是個跟屁蟲，實際上，有兩個原因足以說明我並非隨大流。首先，野馬隊踢球手布蘭登·麥克馬納斯與我同是北賓州校友；其次，當頭一回接觸橄欖球時，我曾問爸爸誰是最好的四分衛，四年前那可是非佩頓·曼寧莫屬；湯姆·布雷迪之所以表現不錯，是因為佩頓所在的球隊輸給了新奧爾良聖徒隊。兩年後，佩頓重新復出，旋即闖入國家橄欖球聯盟冠軍決賽，那時你說我追星毫不過分，野馬隊打了敗仗，下一年度也未能翻身。不過我就是喜歡觀看他們打球，一位橄欖球迷從此就這樣誕生出來。

        當然，今天是中國農曆除夕，與盼望已久的“超級碗”星期日不期而遇，倘若碰上下個禮拜天光華中文學校新年聯歡會，情況肯定變得更糟。問題在於我如期完成中文課及空竹練習之後馬上要趕赴全家傳統的年夜飯局，好在一切進展如意，可以說“來來花園”中國風味從來沒有讓我失望過，架不住我們輕車熟路，點的都是自己喜歡吃的美饌佳餚。我們抓緊山吃海喝一通，把剩下的大把飯菜統統打包回家。

        佩頓·曼寧總算成了大叔級人物，甚至要把車子停靠在殘疾人特區。見他重返球場，我由衷地感到高興，這回繼續由他來抗衡氣勢洶洶的卡羅來納黑豹隊不免讓我替野馬隊捏着一把汗，但開場幾分鐘後，我心中的疑團宛如新英格蘭愛國者手中撒氣的橄欖球很快煙消雲散。儘管僅有一次射門得分，但野馬隊第一次進攻組織成功，致使黑豹隊在攻防線上來回跑動讓防衛亂了陣腳。接着，球被投入得分區，野馬隊反倒停了下來，不免令我大失所望，幸虧榮獲本年度最佳球員及最佳進攻獎的黑豹隊凱姆·牛頓一下子慘遭四分衛擒殺丟球圍攻，野馬隊才重新找回希望，58號馮·米勒趁機帶球闖進端區。你還甭說，早晚有一天他會步入名人堂之列，記住早晚有一天。這場比賽實現了丹佛球迷心中的夢想，佩頓確有一次投出的球被對方截住，不過僅此而已。如同兩年前舉行的“超級碗”，勝利屬於防守一方，當時西雅圖海鷹隊以43：8的比分打得佩頓滾回老家，今年我們終以24：10揚眉吐氣。

        如今佩頓已經贏得個人職業生涯中第200場比賽的勝利，該退役掛靴了，還是讓布洛克·奧斯維勒來接班吧。無巧不成書，這次第四節比賽恰好也是整個“超級碗” 歷史上第200節比賽，我想佩頓有望入選下一屆名人堂。