Interview with Amobi Okoye- Houston Texans DT

African Sports Blog snagged an interview with the youngest player ever drafted in the first round of the NFL draft and the youngest to start an NFL game since 1967, Houston Texans Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye. Amobi sat down with us prior to the Texans final game of the season versus the Chicago Bears.
Here's what went down.

A.S. What are your fondest memories of living in Nigeria?
A.O. Fondest memories would have to be Christmas. Christmas in Nigeria is different man. You get to go to the village and the whole family comes together, more than likely at the Grandma's house. It's kinda like here but you go to the village. As a kid I was just always looking forward to Christmas and going to the village,interacting with all my cousins whether it be on my Mum or my Dad's side.
A.S. Are there any things you remember as a kid, like snacks etc that you miss?
A.O. Of course man, Gala, Okin biscuits, pure water, roasted corn, Boli, Groundnut. I'm going back in the offseason man.
A.S. How many times have you gone back to Nigeria since you moved to the States?
A.O. Once, just went this past year with Osi(Umenyiora) and
Wale(Adewale Ogunleye).
A.S. How was the transition for you, first as a foreigner coming to America then as a Sophomore in High School playing a sport you'd never really watched?
A.O. It was a tough transition but it kinda was like a challenge. Everything I've been put up against with in my life, I've just tried to you know, overcome it. The transition was hard but it was what I was looking forward to because when I was in Nigeria I used to always want to come on trips with my dad to the United States. So when we finally moved here, I didn't know we were gonna move for good but it was a move I'd been looking forward to. I didn't know when I was in Nigeria that there would ever come a time when we would move to America for good, I thought I would always just go visit with my Dad but then Abacha just messed up the economy so my Dad had to move us to a better situation.
A.S. What sports did you play growing up?
A.O. Man, track has always been my first love. Break time in Nigeria that's what everybody goes to do. I remember we also used to play the one with Coke covers and use sugar containers as goal posts on a table and just flick it around. Between that and actually going between break time and playing Soccer, Soccer and Track. Track was my first love because in Nigeria we had the Inter-House Sports and I used to always run track.
I went to Molly International in Ajao Estate.
A.S. How was life in Huntsville Alabama and then in Louisville Kentucky?
A.O. Life was great. It was very different because it was quiet. Moving from Nigeria to Huntsville it wasn't like moving from Nigeria to New York where you move to a big city. What I thought was trouble in Huntsville was nothing compared to what trouble can be in other places like Louisville and Houston. So it's like I've grown in city size ever since I got here, from Huntsville to Louisville and now to Houston. I enjoyed it, it's still home to me.
A.S. Are your folks still living there?
A.O. No they moved to Houston, to be closer. As soon as I got drafted by Houston my dad got crunk, he was so excited because he went to TSU and Prairie View.
A.S. What's it like playing and living in Houston? How do you like the city?
A.O. I love it, I love the city. I underestimated the heck out of the city before I got drafted here. I came to Houston once on a family trip just visiting and I liked the weather but we didn't do much.
I didn't know much about Houston but now trust me, I don't think I'd rather be any other place in the world.
A.S. How would you assess your second season in the NFL so far?
A.O. I'll say my second season definitely wasn't what I or we expected but life is full of surprises. I felt like I didn't start off right and as soon as things kinda started getting rolling that's when my injury occurred and so it was like back to square one as far as trying to get back to the level of play I was at.
A.S. What are you hoping for next season?
A.O. It's definitely a bounce back season. I think play wise I got better but just statistically it wasn't there. Without a doubt I feel a difference between now and my rookie season mentally. I feel a whole lot better, a lot more comfortable but statistically it's just not there.
A.S. What do you think the Texans need to have or do to get to the next level, a winning season and then the playoffs?
A.O. I think we just gotta simplify and not do to much of ourselves. It's hard to explain what we have to do, it's more of an action kinda deal. I think we just gotta use our talent a whole lot more.
A.S. What's your favorite thing to do after practice, like right now when you get home?
A.O. Man, just to go home and hang out with my brother and cousins and family. I'm a family and friends type of guy. Anytime I get the chance to just hang out is cool with me.
A.S. Do you watch any TV Shows?
A.O. I watch a couple but just not consistently. I really wanna watch Entourage. I used to watch The Wire a lot. I'm gonna put it on my Ipod or my computer and just watch it. Especially when I'm on flights, especially for that trip to Nigeria.
A.S. What's playing on your Ipod right now?
A.O. Anything Lil Wayne, Jay-Z. I'm a believer that he(Lil Wayne) is on Jay's level. I think he is right there with Jay to me. I watched him grow from the beginning, I never was a Jay fan until the Black album but when I went back and listened to his other albums I became more of a Jay fan. With Wayne I've been listening since 500 Degreez.
A.S. What video games do you play?
A.O. Madden, Fifa. I'd play Fifa before I play Madden to be honest. I always use Chelsea, that's my favorite. Drogba. If I don't use them then I use Barcelona.
A.S. Last book you read?
A.O. I'm still on a book that Osi gave me man. I've been reading this book for a while. I'm more of a Math and Science, analytical kinda guy. He gave me this book since March and I haven't even gone through one-fourth of it. They used to be on me all the time in the locker room cause they'd see me with the same book and say "Damn, you still haven't finished that yet"?
A.S. Three favourite movies?
A.O. You know Scarface has gotta be on there but before I say Scarface, City of God is my first. City of God, Scarface and probably American Gangster.
A.S. Favourite Nigerian meal?
A.O. Probably plantains with Jollof Rice.
A.S. Did you guys have a big Christmas meal?
A.O. Yeah man, I chop belleful.
A.S. Favorite athlete outside of Football?
A.O. I'd probably say Lebron James. The guy is one heckuva athlete, swagger and all.
A.S. Favorite American football player, past or present, any position?
A.O. I'd have to go with John Randle, he played my position with the Minnesota Vikings.
A.S. Most difficult team in the NFL to play against?
A.O. I have to say every team, just look at us last week(The Texans loss to the Oakland Raiders). I have to say the NFL in general.
A.S. Toughest tackle/guard you've faced?
A.O. It's a tough one but I'll go with the whole Tennessee offensive line. They're dirty and yet still pretty good.
A.S. What was your first purchase after signing with the Texans?
A.O. My first purchase was my mother's car. I got her a White Benz, that was one of my motivating factors in college. I said if I make it I'd get her a white Benz. It was a surprise for Mother's day, she was asking who's car was parked out there and I'm like it's your car. She kinda like broke down for a little bit and cried, she was just excited.
A.S. What's your favorite type of car?
A.O. I just got me an old school, a '79 Monte Carlo for my 21st birthday. That's my baby right there. I'm growing to be a big fan of old schools.

A.S. Anything you dislike about Houston?
A.O. The traffic. It's so widespread, to go from one place to another is at least 25 minutes.
A.S. How did you fare during Hurricane Ike?
A.O. Fortunately for me Hurricane Ike didn't hit me hard. My family we all stay on the same side of town. I wasn't shaking, I was outside when it was windy that's a fact but let's say that wasn't the best sleep ever. We dealt with it though and it wasn't that much to me but when it came to the community and other people, my foundation and the Texans stepped up and did what we could to help out.
A.S. How did you decide on the five points of your foundation?
A.O. It's pretty much just from stemming up ways that we can always help Children and the community. My thing is helping kids first. I wanted to be a pediatrician. When I think about it I may go back when I'm done if not I might just continue with the foundation because I'll still be able to help.
A.S. What advice would you give to other young Nigerians deciding on playing American Football?
A.O. I would tell them this, the easiest thing to do is to quit. That would be my best advice. If you want the easy route then take the easy route. There's gonna be plenty of opportunities to quit especially after you think that it is what you want and after you know it's what you want to do. The easiest part about Football is quitting. If you know the easiest thing is to quit then you gotta fight. If you think to yourself the whole time that the easiest thing to do is to quit then you're not going to quit. I was in that situation plenty of
times because (1) you're new to it and (2) you might get laughed at because you're not doing the right thing. There's a lot of negativity when you just start playing especially at the High school level but starting at that level is what I would encourage.
A.S. What are your impressions of Nigeria after your last visit?
A.O. It was better than what I thought. I'll be honest I didn't know what to expect going back for the first time since I moved to America. I never went to Abuja before I left, it was on the come up back then and now I'm impressed but I won't necessarily say I'm satisfied with the country. There's still a long way to go especially for the kind of country we are and what we have. There's too big of a gap between the rich and the poor.
A.S. Thanks Amobi.

Yobo to extend Everton contract

According to News of The World, Everton and Super Eagles defender Joseph Yobo is set to sign a five year extension to his current deal which will see him stay on at Goodsison Park till 2014. The new deal is said to be worth £50,000 per week and will also enable Yobo to receive a testimonial before the deal ends. Since it is difficult to give much credence to NOTW, when the Super Eagles skipper and his agent John Shittu put pen to paper we'll know for sure how serious Everton are about retaining a key cog in their defence.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/111660/JOSEPH-YOBO-STAYS-PUT.html

EPL roundup

Egyptian striker Amr Zaki continued his good form as he scored from the penalty spot to lead Wigan to a 1-0 win over Bolton. Sengalese striker Henri Camara helped earn the penalty for the Latics.
Zaki's goal was also a late Christmas present for his former club Zamalek as they pocketed a £500,000 bonus due to terms in Zaki's loan deal that stipulated a payout if Zaki netted 10 goals.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/89/africa/2008/12/29/1032113/zakis-goal-for-wigan-athletic-earns-zamalek-more-cash

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article5408083.ece


South African striker Benni McCarthy is back on form for Blackburn Rovers as he scored the first goal in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City at Ewood park. Benni has now netted thrice since "Big Sam" Allardyce took the reins for Rovers and the striker is warning Blackburn's premiership rivals that Rovers are back.

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/sport/3994981.McCarthy_warns_Premier_rivals__We_re_back_/

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4681328,00.html

Jarome Iginla- season update

Calgary Flames centre Jarome Iginla is not having his best season by any stretch of the imagination but he is still contributing to the Flames stay atop the Northwest division in the NHL's Western conference. The Edmonton born player has quietly amassed 16 goals, 24 assists and 40 points but more importantly, the attention focused on him by opposing defenders has allowed him to contribute to his team and line mates stellar numbers. Look for Jarome to get the nod as the Western Conference's third starting forward in the 2009 All Star game in Montreal.

NBA bits & pieces

Quick NBA tidbits- Charlotte Bobcats fans aren't the only ones noticing the re-emergence of Bobcats PF Emeka Okafor on the offensive end. The former UCONN Huskies star has averaged 18.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks during the month of December. Apparently the trade of Jason Richardson for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw has also helped Emeka become an important part of the Bobcats offense.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3794831&name=boxscore_basketball

Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng is out injured 1-2 weeks with a sprained left ankle. Deng injured the ankle while attempting to grab a rebound in the Bulls game last Friday vs the Miami Heat. Despite the presence of rookie of the year front runner Derek Rose in the Bulls backcourt, the team are 13-17 and will most likely encounter mixed results without Deng as the team faces New Jersey, Orlando and Cleveland this week and then faces bottom dwellers Minnesota, Sacramento, Washington and Oklahoma City.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-28-bulls-bits-chicagodec28,0,4056684.story

EPL Boxing day round-up

The English premiership provided its usual Boxing day feast of football and with the battle at the top and bottom tightening up, three points were at a premium.
Here's a round-up.

Stoke City-Manchester United
Stoke suffered a 1-0 loss to the Red Devils, a match that Abdoulaye Faye went 90 minutes at the back and Amdy Faye started at center-midfield before leaving in the 90th for Seyi George Olofinjana.

Manchester City-Hull City
Manchester City delivered a 5-1 thrashing to Hull at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Nedum Onuoha came on at half-time for Micah Richards. Benjamin Mwarurari aka Benjani is still out with a thigh injury.

Chelsea-West Bromwich Albion
The Blues defeated West Brom 2-0 on goals from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.
Droggles and Lamps knocked in goals a few minutes after the start of the match and right at the end of the first half to end any hope the Baggies had of making it competitive.

Everton-Middlesbrough
Everton used a goal from Tim Cahill in the second half to defeat a Middlesbrough side with Egyptian striker Mido leading the line. Victor Anichebe was an unused sub for Everton while Joseph Yobo is still out with a hamstring injury suffered in last week's match to Chelsea.

Portsmouth-West Ham
Kanu Nwankwo was a 73' minute sub for Jermain Defoe in Pompeys 4-1 defeat to the Hammers. John Utaka didn't make the bench for Pompey but D.R. Congo international
Herita Nkongolo Ilunga got the full 90' at left back for the Hammers.

Liverpool-Bolton
Fabrice Muamba played the full 90' in Bolton's 3-1 loss to Liverpool. Young forward Tope Obadeyi made the bench for Wanderers again as he makes progress in his bid for playing time while Super Eagles defender Danny Shittu is still stuck to his seat in the dugout as he is out favor with Wanderers manager Gary Megson.

Tottenham-Fulham
Fullbacks Benoit Assou-Ekotto and John Paintsil got the starts for Tottenham and Fulham respectively as did Didier Zokora at midfield for Spurs.All three players went the full 90 in a boring 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane. Dickson Etuhu was on the bench for Fulham but got in the game before the end of the first half due to an injury to Jimmy Bullard.

Sunderland-Blackburn
El-Hadji Diouf was an unused sub for the Black Cats of Sunderland in a 0-0 draw with Blackburn. Christopher Samba got the start at the back as usual for Blackburn and Benni McCarthy continues to show he deserves to be a part of the Rovers starting
eleven. Aaron Mokoena came on as a sub in the final minutes of the match.

Wigan-Newcastle
Amr Zaki knocked in the winning penalty for Wigan in a 2-1 win over Newcastle. Henri Camara came on as a late sub for Wigan while Habib Beye started for Newcastle on the right but had to leave after 38' due to a leg injury sustained after a typical reckless challenge from Wigan's Lee Cattermole. Kazenga Lua Lua was an unused sub while Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi are still out with groin and hamstring injuries.

Aston Villa-Arsenal
An Abou Diaby goal put Arsenal 2-0 up in this match before Villa tied things up at 2-2 to take a point from the match. Gabriel Agbonlahor went the full 90 for Villa while Diaby, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue played the full match for the Gunners. Alex Song started the match at midfield but left before the end of the first half. Emmanuel Adebayor missed the match due to a suspension.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all our readers out there. Have a wonderful and blessed holiday and enjoy the Footy/soccer on offer from the EPL teams as well as the NBA and NFL action on Christmas day and the rest of the week.

The Hunt for Stephen Appiah

Black Star's central midfielder Stephen Appiah is a wanted man in Club football. The Ghanaian captain is a free agent after leaving Fenerbahce of Turkey and has been linked to many clubs ranging from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premiership to AC Milan of the Italian Serie A. The latest news on Appiah is that he was leaning towards a move to DC United of Major League Soccer but for reasons unclear at the moment, DC United decided not to continue their pursuit. Fellow MLS outfit FC Dallas stepped in and were prepared to make a move to bring Appiah to Pizza Hut Park but apparently the FC Dallas front office balked at the $2 million salary figure.

The $2 million is an amount significantly less than what Appiah would command in Europe and the willingness to take such a pay cut showed the legitimacy of Appiah's intent to embark on an MLS career. Now comes word from Appiah himself that the reports linking him to the MLS are false and that he still has a lot to offer to a European club, perhaps Middlesbrough, as Gareth Southgate's side are apparently willing to join in the pursuit for Appiah during the January transfer window. Regardless of the accuracy or inaccuracy of the Appiah rumors, we wish the Black Stars captain the best in his search for a club worthy of his services in the coming year as his national side will need him at his best as they prepare to finish off the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign on a high note.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2008/12/a_is_for_appiah.html#more

Essien is Ghana's footballer of the year

Chelsea midfielder and Black Stars leader Michael Essien was named Ghana's footballer of the year. Essien beat out Sulley Muntari of Inter Milan and Laryea Kingston of Hearts for the award. Essien impressed for both Chelsea and Ghana this year despite injuries and he was the top vote getter for the Sports Writers Association of Ghana. Congrats to 'The Bison".



http://www.ghanafa.org/news/200812/3362.asp

Prayers for Ogbonna's recovery

Angelo Ogbonna of Torino was involved in a single car accident on Sunday according to his club. The Italian defender of Nigerian heritage was driving back after his team's victory over Napoli when he lost control of his Smart car and it veered off a bridge into a river.
Ogbonna was conscious and responsive when rescued and despite being diagnosed with thoracic trauma, he suffered no fractures. Our prayers go out to Ogbonna and we wish him a speedy recovery.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1635/torino/2008/12/22/1024217/torinos-ogbonna-miraculously-unharmed-after-crash

Champions League draw

Here's the full draw for the European Champions League round of 16.
The matches are going to be on February 24/25th and March 10/11.

Chelsea v Juventus
Villarreal v Panathinaikos
Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich
Atlético Madrid v FC Porto
Lyon v Barcelona
Real Madrid v Liverpool
Arsenal v AS Roma
Internazionale v Manchester United

Some great fixtures are on tap as we'll get to see Mikel,Drogba, Kalou and co. take on Momo Sissokos' Juventus team while Sulley Muntari will be on hand to help Mourinho's boys in their quest to upset the reigning champions. We're in for a treat.

Mid-Season Bundesliga report by Anthony Craig

The German Bundesliga is about to begin it's customary winter break and African Sports Blog has a look back at the play of some of our guys over the past five months thanks to this write-up by Anthony Craig.

The explosive Bundesliga has come to a halt for the Winter break. I like to take a cursory look at our ambassadors in the Bundesliga this season.In my report last season, we had numerous players plying their trade in the Bundesliga. Unfortunately there are not as many Nigerians playing on top notch teams anymore, but we have a handful with the potential to play at bigger clubs.

Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke(1899 Hoffenheim)
The rise and rise of Hoffenheim this season is not a fairy tale. They have surprised skeptics with their free flowing soccer a la Arsenal. Obasi has been pivotal in the fortunes of the club with six wonderful goals and deft assists.

The attack consists of a triangle between Obasi, Ibisevic and Senegalese international Demba Ba. The trio have been causing havoc to their opponents on a regular basis.

I am particularly happy for Obasi because of his tenacity and hard work despite the fact that he is easily injury prone. So far,he has survived the Litmus test of the Bundesliga.



Chrisantus Macauley(Hamburger SV )
Chrisantus acquired a professional contract this season but he is facing teething problems. Despite his huge potential, he has not played a single match this season. Chrisantus is not alone with this dilemma at HSV. There are other youngsters in the team who are becoming rusty because of a lack of playing time. Speculation is rife that Chrisantus could be released on loan soon.



Ishiaku Mennaseh(1.FC Köln)
Ishiaku moved to Cologne this season from his former club Duisburg that was relegated.
He spent a great part of this season recovering from injury. He played only three matches and scored a goal to crown his effort.
Ishiaku is back and he will play a vital role for Cologne after the break. The Coach, Christoph Daum believes in Ishiaku.


Seyi Olajengbesi(Alemannia Aachen)
Seyi relocated to Aachen after he was employed on loan to Alemannia last season. The good news is he is injury free.
Seyi is a central defender with class. I expect him to move to a much bigger club soon.


Eke Uzoma(SC Freiburg)
Eke has finally settled as a professional player in Freiburg. He is young and willing to learn. We wish him all the best in the last half of the Bundesliga season.

NCAA Basketball round up Cont.d

Hasheem Thabeet-(UCONN) The big man from Dar Es Salaam Tanzania is already surpassing his impressive play from last season that led to him being named to the Big East All-Rookie team. Thabeet is already considered a potential lottery pick as a sophomore and his play so far this season has done nothing to diminish thought.

Uche Echefu-(Florida State) The forward from basketball power Montrose Academy in Maryland by way of Lagos has improved each season at Florida State and his senior year has been no exception so far. Already one of the school's leaders in blocked shots as well as one of the top free throw shooters in the school's history, look for Uche to lead the Seminoles into the Top 25 and shock a few ACC powers.
Alexis Wangmene-(Texas) The Cameroonian forward is a vital piece of the Longhorns rotation and will be important defensively in their march to the NCAA tourney.
Obi Muonelo-(Oklahoma State)The guard from Edmond Oklahoma is second on the Cowboys in scoring and leads the team in rebounds. Obi has become an important part of the Cowboys team and they will need him and PG Byron Eaton firing on all cylinders to make it through the Big 12 season.
Mamadou Diene-(Baylor) The Senegalese Center is a fan favourite in Waco and as impressive a student as he is an athlete. "The Mayor" is already second in blocks and blocks per game in Baylor history and was selected the Big 12's best shot blocker last year. Look for Diene to help lead Coach Scott Drews Baylor Bears back to the NCAA tourney.
Teeng Akol-(Oklahoma State)Freshman F/C
Chinemelu Elonu-(Texas A&M)Junior F/C
Emmanuel Negedu-(Tennessee)Freshman F
Fendi Onobun-(Arizona) Senior F
Charles Okwandu-(UCONN) Sophomore C
Mamadou Diarra-(USC)RS Freshman F/C

Young Africans playing NCAA Div. 1 Basketball

Over the past few years, there's been a rise in the number of young Africans polishing their Basketball skills at NCAA division 1 schools and this year is no exception.
Here's a sprinkling of some lads at various Div. 1 schools in the USA and we'll be filling you on others as the season heats up over the next few months.

Arinze Onuaku- (Syracuse Center) The big man is making a name for himself this season and getting more publicity as Syracuse climb the Top 25. Here's a nice article on Arinze.
http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2005/04/18/Sports/Mbb-Arinze.Onuaku.The.Next.Big.Thing-927690.shtml

Solomon Alabi-(Florida State) The redshirt freshman is looking to bounce back this season after a leg injury shortened his season last year. Look for the big man to be a defensive force for Florida State in the ACC this year.

Josh Akognon-(Cal.State Fullerton) Akognon is an experienced point guard that played for Nigeria in the 2006 FIBA world championships. The California born guard tested the NBA draft waters after last season and despite holding his own against his draft competition, Akognon decided to return for his senior season. Look for him to raise his draft stock as the season heats up.

Al-Farouq Aminu-(Wake Forest) The versatile forward was one of the top 10 players in America coming out of high school. Look for Aminu to stake his claim on a starting spot for the Demon Deacons.

Gani Lawal-(Georgia Tech) Another versatile forward, Gani is an explosive player that is quite adept at the many facets of the game. The former "Mr.Basketball" in the state of Georgia had a decent freshman season but has come on in leaps and bounds so far in his sophomore year. The odds are on Gani to make the jump to the NBA after his sophomore year as he is a probable lottery pick along with Al-Farouq Aminu.

Alfred Aboya-(UCLA) The senior Forward/Center has been a model of consistency for UCLA in his career as he played in every game for UCLA last season and was one of the team leaders in FG percentage. Look for Aboya to finish off his UCLA career in the same manner.

O.J Atogwe -Takeaway Artist

The St.Louis Rams are getting ready to end their wretched 2008 NFL campaign and get back to square one in terms of figuring out what went wrong with their season. One player that should have no remorse nor any burden on his shoulders for the miserable play of the Rams is Oshiomogho Atogwe aka O.J. Atogwe.
The Rams Safety has four interceptions, seven forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and is second on the team with 88 tackles. Last year he led the NFC in interceptions with eight. An intense Incredible Hulk fan, O.J is a dedicated professional and is known for coming in on the usual NFL team day off-Tuesday and working on catching the football from the JUGS machine with the Rams coaching staff. The former Stanford Cardinals pre-med student may have been denied a Pro-Bowl spot on the initial list just released today but rest assured that O.J. will more than likely find his place in Hawaii in February and no one on the hapless Rams will deserve it more than him.

Note: Congrats to Nnamdi Asomugha of the Oakland Raiders and Brendon Ayanbadejo of the Baltimore Ravens on being named to the AFC Pro-Bowl roster. Both players have become standouts in their respective postions, Asomugha-Corner back and Ayanbadejo-Special teams, and the honor is well deserved.


http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/sports/rams/story/8119ef7d972b301a8625751c0019cb61?OpenDocument

Nigeria's Osaze Odemwingie looking to make EPL move

Nigerian international striker Osaze Odemwingie is keen on a move to an English Premiership club according to BBC Sport. The 27 year old former Bendel Insurance striker and current Locomotiv Moscow player tells Oluwashina Olekeji of "the beeb" about his experience so far in Russia and his hopes for the future. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7784196.stm

Hopefully we'll be seeing Osaze making his mark on the EPL when the January transfer window opens. The versatile striker is a diligent and smart player and one would have to believe there's an EPL manager willing to bring him on board.

EPL Roundup

Let's start with Saturday's action.

Scorers

Emmanuel Adebayor scored the only goal for Arsenal as the Gunners drew with Middlesbrough 1-1. No Emmanuel Eboue though as the Ivorian was an unused sub.
Abou Diaby and Alex Song got starts in midfield for Arsenal while Mido missed this match.

Obafemi Martins scored Newcastle Uniteds second goal in 3-0 win over Portsmouth.

Players

Bolton
No Danny Shittu but Fabrice Muamba got the start for the Wanderers in midfield.

Everton
Joseph Yobo kept his place at the back for David Moyes side in a 1-0 win over Manchester City. Victor Anichebe missed the match as he failed a fitness test before the match due to a back ailment.


Stoke/Fulham
This matchup had Ibrahima Sonko and Mamady Sidibe getting starts for Stoke while John Paintsil is holding his own at RB for Roy Hodgson's Fulham squad. No goals in this affair as two Nigerians, Dickson Etuhu for Fulham and Seyi Olofinjana of Stoke were unused subs for their respective squads.

Tottenham
Benoit Assou-Ekotto played his part in defence for Tottenham as they held defending EPL champs Manchester United to a nil-nil draw.

Wigan
Amr Zaki started up top with partner Emile heskey as the Latics heaped more misery on Blackburn Rovers in a 3-0 win.

West Brom
Abdoulaye Meite started in the back for West Brom in a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the Roy Keane-less Sunderland.

Interview with the player - Emeka Okafor(Charlotte Bobcats)

African Sports blog had the pleasure of interviewing Charlotte Bobcats power forward Emeka Okafor as he swung through the Southern tip of the United States with his Charlotte Bobcats team. We asked Emeka a mix of questions just to get a feel for him beyond what's already out there. Enjoy.

A.S. Where in Nigeria are your folks from?
E.O. Anambra State.

A.S. How many times have you been back?
E.O. I've been back three times.


A.S. What are your impressions of the Country?
E.O. The economy is messed up,
people are nice but the place could be a lot better than what
it is right now. We have enough natural resources that should
have enabled the country to get into a much better economic
situation than it currently is in.

A.S. What do you think it's gonna take to grow and take
Basketball even further in Nigeria?
E.O. Time and organization. They need spots for people to play.

A.S. Did you ever consider playing for the Nigerian national team?
Did the Basketball federation ever approach you about playing for the team?
E.O. They did but I can't really remember what happened.
I think there was an issue with the time frame.
I think I was coming back from an injury, I can't quite
remember what happened.

A.S. What's your favorite Nigerian meal?
E.O. Favorite Nigerian meal... Plantain, Pottage, Ogbono and Egusi soup.

[Editors note: Bobcats Center Nazr Mohammed (whose parents are Ghanaian) interjects and acknowledges the greatness of Egusi soup as well as Jollof Rice but things go awry when Nazr brings Kenkey into the mix as neither the interviewer nor Emeka have experienced Kenkey, but we end on a high as all acknowledge the tastiness of Puff-Puff(Traditional round doughnuts):]

A.S. What sports did you grow up playing besides Basketball?
E.O. Baseball, Soccer and I ran track.

A.S. What was your parents reaction when you began focusing intently on Basketball later on in your High school years?
E.O. They were cool, as long as I kept up with my academics.
My dad really liked Baseball, he wanted me to play Baseball.

A.S. You were a Finance major at UConn, graduated in three years,
any thoughts on the current Economic crisis as well as the
state that the major Investment Banks have fallen into
like Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns.
E.O. That's basically what happens when people get greedy,
eventually it'll come down.

A.S. How did you decide among the numerous worthy causes
on what to dedicate the focus of your foundation
(One million African Lives)?
E.O. I just decided to
tackle one thing at a time. You just gotta pick
something and go from there.

A.S. Favorite sport outside of Basketball?
E.O. I like Football(American).

A.S. Favorite athlete outside of Basketball?
E.O. Favorite athlete...I gotta go with Tiger man. I like what he's done.
I'm kinda working on my Golf game.

A.S. Favorite video game to play?
E.O. I'm on that Call of Duty right now. I play Madden and I
like a little Fifa. I don't really play with the
clubs I usually use the countries.
[Emeka and I bemoan the exclusion of Nigeria in recent Fifa games]

A.S. Are you still a Madden fiend?
E.O. Nah I'm not as big a Madden fiend as some other people.
If I go online I still get my butt whooped.

A.S. Favourite show on TV to watch when you have a little downtime?
E.O. The Simpsons and Family Guy.
[Argument ensues as I try to convince Emeka that Family Guy has jumped the Shark but it comes to naught as he is a staunch Family Guy supporter]

E.O. Favorite city in Europe
A.S. Saint Tropez was fun man

A.S. You're known for being an avid reader, what are you reading lately?
E.O. I've fallen off my reading, I'm telling you man I gotta get back to my reading.

A.S. Thanks a lot Emeka and have a great season.

Kalou and Drogba lead Chelsea into Champs. Lge knockout rd

Salomon Kalou and his compatriot Didier Drogba scored goals either side of halftime to lead Chelsea into the 1st knockout round of the UEFA Champions league. Kalou scored first in the 39th minute to give Chelsea the lead but a goal from Ivorien born but Burkina Faso national team player Yssouf Kone tied things up for FC Cluj at Stamford Bridge. Drogba came on for Kalou in the second half and it took all of six minutes for Droggles to get reacclimated to sticking the ball in the back of the net as he put Chelsea up for good in the 70th minute. The Champions league draw is set for Friday and we'll fill you in on the rest of the African lads in the mix and who's playing who in the next stage.

Jeff Otah helps Panthers on the road to NFL Playoffs

Nigerian born rookie offensive tackle Jeff Otah was a highly rated player coming out of the University of Pittsburgh and the Carolina Panthers thought so highly of him they traded away their 1st round pick in the 2009 NFL draft just so they could snag him along with RB Jonathan Stewart in the 2008 draft. Otah has improved immensely throughout his rookie season in adjusting to the NFL and in doing so has vastly improved the Panthers offensive line leading to the re-emergence of the Panthers running game. Otah has been receiving plaudits from a number of media outlets including NFL reporter John Clayton with ESPN among others. The 6 foot 6 330 pound tackle opened up holes all day during Monday night's game vs the Panthers division rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The play of the Panthers O-line and Otah led to the Panthers rushing for a team record 299 yards in the victory and 100 plus yards and 2 Touchdowns by both running backs on the team. Keep watching for #79 as he anchors the line and leads the Panthers on the road to the 2008-2009 NFL playoffs.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=3761787

EPL roundup cont.d

Danny Shittu- Still struggling to stay in Bolton's first eleven, here's a write up about Danny boy.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/wanderers/3869079.Shittu_determined_to_prove_his_worth/

Obafemi Martins- Obagoal is struggling along with the rest of the Magpies to get back to winning ways. He threw a strop after being substituted in Newcastle's last match. Here's a quick write up about his apology to Magpies manager Joe "#@*#&$" Kinnear.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/12/02/martins-is-sorry-for-sub-rage-115875-20940680/

John Utaka- Like the linked article states, Johnny U is playing for his future at Pompey(A club whose future without Harry Redknapp and it's billionaire owner Alex Gaydamak is in doubt).
http://www.goal.com/en/news/751/portsmouth/2008/11/26/982875/utaka-playing-for-portsmouth-future-adams
Emmanuel Adebayor- scored his first goal since October in the win over Wigan. Trying to get Arsenal back on form and help the gunners keep up with Chelsea, Liverpool and Man.United.
Emannuel Eboue- Did not have his best game in the win over Wigan and has apparently drawn the ire of the Gunners faithful although as read in this article, Adebayor still has confidence in his teammate.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1712/arsenal/2008/12/08/1002481/adebayor-sure-eboue-can-restore-fans-confidence
Mido- The Egyptian striker was racially abused by a section of "classy" Newcastle supporters in the Tyne-Tees derby last week. Let's see if the English FA show a stronger disciplinary stance than Fifa and UEFA are prone to do.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/01/sports/SOC-Mido-Abuse.php

EPL round up

Here's news on our guys currently in the English Premier League.

John Obi Mikel-Currently enjoying a solid run in the Chelsea first eleven. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1711/chelsea/2008/12/04/996225/chelseas-mikel-happy-with-his-season-so-far

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2008/12/05/youre-only-a-man-if-john-terry-says-so

Didier Drogba- Currently suspended for throwing an object back into the stands at rival supporters http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4555474,00.html

http://www.fansfc.com/chelseafootballclub/news.asp?newsid=193952

Michael Essien- Still rehabbing from his injury http://www.kickoffghana.com/static/news/article.php?id=2392

Salomon Kalou- Still not a 1st choice for Chelsea but one of Scolari's first options off the bench. http://www.premiershiplatest.com/news/arsenal-swoop-kalou-again-5515966.html

Benjani-Back in the attack for Manchester City http://www.goal.com/en/news/710/manchester-city/2008/11/25/981223/benjani-bring-on-the-new-signings

Yakubu- Tore his Achilles and is out for at least nine months. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article5263504.ece

Victor Anichebe-Looking to impress Manager David Moyes as he is the only fit striker Everton has available. http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/vic-will-be-the-new-yak

NBA roundup

Here's news and articles on the guys currently playing in the NBA.

Ime Udoka- Missed the Spurs last game vs Denver as he was battling the Flu. Ime is currently bolstering the Spurs bench and averaging 4.4pts,2.8 rbds and 0.7 assts.
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2008/12/jeff_mcdonald_i_2.html


Emeka Okafor- Recently rediscovering his inner beast as he's averaging 11.7 pts and 10.9 rbds but had 24 and 25 pts in consecutive wins.
Here's a nice article about him and his point guard Raymond Felton.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/bobcats/story/394772.html

Kelenna Azubuike- Currently day to day with a foot injury but averaging 14.3 pts and 1.6 assts for the Warriors.
Here's a write up about him from a Kentucky newspaper.

http://www.kentucky.com/280/story/612402.html

Luol Deng- Just returning from injury but averaging 13.1 pts and 5.1 rbds
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=255626&src=150

Ike Diogu-Not getting many minutes off the Blazers bench as he has to deal with Greg Oden, Joel Pryzbilla and LaMarcus Aldridge ahead of him. Here's a recent article about Ike and his love of video games. http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/11/view_beyond_the_court_explorin.html

Andre Iguodala- Though he has never declared a desire to represent his father's country, we'll still follow up on 'Dre as he hasn't appeared for Team USA yet.
Here's news on the Illinois born descendant of Edo, he is averaging 13.9 pts 6.3 rbds and 5.2 assists. He is not having a great year and here's a writeup on that.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20081109/SPORTS03/811090416/1002/SPORTS


DeSagana Diop- The Mavericks big man is averaging 4.9 pts and 0.9 blocks which are not great for him as defense is where he shines. Here are articles about Diop.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/112708dnspomavslede.2b9cf6b.html

http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/1048830.html

Didier Ilunga-Mbenga- Only played in 1 game so far this season but we expect big things from DJ as soon as Phil Jackson extends his rotation.
http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/dj-mbenga-in-the-house-but-not-the-trian.html

and a nice video from FanHouse correspondent Elie Seckbach

http://www.viddler.com/explore/esnews/videos/10/

Cheikh Samb- Not getting many minutes but has seen action in 5 games.

Mouhamed Sene- The Senegalese big man is averaging 3.8 pts and 1.8 rbds for Oklahoma City.

Super Eagles article + Highlights of Colombia friendly

Fifa.com has a solid article about the Super Eagles of Nigeria and their mission to get back to the World Cup after missing out on Germany 06. Check it out here.
Here's highlights of the Super Eagles 1-0 loss to Colombia in a friendly match in Cali Colombia.

Chris Ogbonnaya's rise to prominence at UT

Chris Ogbonnaya has been patiently waiting for his chance to be the #1 running back for the University of Texas Longhorns and it seems this is his year. The senior from Strake Jesuit High School in Houston played behind the usual NFL caliber runners that UT has been producing routinely and spent his time perfecting the other mundane duties that some running backs take for granted such as pass blocking. This season has seen UT coach Mack Brown show his faith in Ogbonnaya and it is paying dividends. With his dominating performances in wins over the Oklahoma Sooners and Missouri Tigers, Chris is taking pressure off Quarterback Colt McCoy as the Longhorns march to the national title game while also making NFL scouts take notice.

African POY list is out

The list of players in contention for the African Player of the Year award has come out and includes Emmanuel Adebayor, Amr Zaki and Didier Drogba.
Zaki is probably the front runner for the award due to his exploits in leading the Pharoahs of Egypt to the 2008 African Cup of Nations title and he has stayed in form so far during the 2008-2009 EPL season with Wigan.
Here's the rest of the list.

Mohamed Aboutrika (Ahli, Egypt),
Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic, Egypt),
Didier Drogba (Chelsea, Ivory Coast),
Michael Essien (Chelsea, Ghana),
Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, Togo).

Final draw for 2010 WC qualifying

The final draw for the 2010 world cup qualifiers took place in Zurich with 20 teams divided into five groups of four teams each.
The groups are as follows:

Group A
Cameroon
Morocco
Gabon
Togo

Group B
Nigeria
Tunisia
Kenya
Mozambique

Group C
Egypt
Algeria
Zambia
Rwanda

Group D
Ghana
Mali
Benin
Sudan


Group E
Ivory Coast
Guinea
Burkina-Faso
Malawi

The final round begins March 2009

South African WC preparation improves

After months of speculation and turmoil,Fifa president Joseph "Sepp" Blatter expressed his encouragement at the improvement in the building of World Cup stadia in South Africa. Blatter spent four days touring the country and has seen a great amount of progress by South Africa in preparing for the 2010 tournament. The Soccer city stadium in Johannesburg has show massive improvement as 20,000 seats have been installed so far and the new stadiums in Cape Town and Durban- The Green point stadium and Durban stadium will be testament to the work and vision of the South African organizing committee. We look forward to our South African brothers putting on a great show for the world in 2010.

Essien out with Injury

Ghanaian international and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien tore his ACL and is out for the majority of the English Premier League season. The 'Bison' suffered the injury in World Cup qualifying loss to Libya. Essien has shown his value to the Blues ever since his arrival from Lyon and Chelsea will miss him even more now that Claude Makalele has moved on to PSG. The absence of Essien will effectively give the holding role to Mikel Obi and give the young Nigerian an opportunity to keep impressing Chelsea boss "Big" Phil Scolari. We wish Michael Essien the best in his recovery and hope to see him on the green grass for Chelsea and Ghana in no time.

Nigerian Consortium wants to purchase Newcastle

The buzz on Tyneside and parts of London is that a Nigerian consortium fronted by Chris Nathaniel of NVA football and entertainment consultants have put forth a bid to purchase Newcastle United. The Magpies are currently mired in turmoil as they've endured a terrible start to their EPL season, problems between manager Kevin Keegan and Dennis Wise, the resignation of Keegan and now the for sale siign being placed at St.James Park by owner Mike Ashley. The bid will more than likely be scrutinized very carefully to make sure it is legit and while some folk will be thrilled to hear of Nigerians in the mix to own an EPL team, others will be dissapointed that the so-called consortium of Nigerian tycoons aren't investing their money in the local Nigerian League among other worthwhile causes in the country. We'll see how it plays out and keep you updated.

Chicago Blackhawks sign Aliu

The Chicago Blackhawks signed their 2007 draft pick, Akim Aliu out of Canada by way of Nigeria. Aliu is a very promising right wing looking to follow in the footsteps of Jarome Iginla and blaze a trail for players of color in the NHL. Look for the Blackhawks to bring Aliu up slowly as they let him mature in the feeder leagues before he tries to become a regular on the Blackhawks team.

Nigerians in NBA training camps

Just a quick note as the NBA training camps kick off. Nigerian Internationals Gabe Muoneke and Olumide Oyedeji will be trying to get back in the League as they suit up for the Utah Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks respectively over the pre-season. Best of luck to both guys.

DJ Mbenga resigns with Lakers

Belgian Center Didier Ilunga-Mbenga aka DJ Mbenga has resigned with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2008-2009 NBA season. The 7 foot native of the Democratic Republic of Congo spent his first few years in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks before joining the Golden State Warriors then the L.A. Lakers last season. Mbenga was a solid option off the bench for the Lakers while Andrew Bynum and Chris Mihm were out injured, but with both players healthy this season DJ will have his work cut out to get solid minutes for the Championship contenders.

Luol Deng helps GB qualify for Eurobasket 2009.

In his first tournament for Team Great Britain, Luol Deng helped Great Britain qualify for Eurobasket 2009 in Poland. The Chicago Bulls forward Deng, led team GB in scoring but had assistance from former George Washington University and current DKV Joventut player Pops Mensah-Bonsu. Congratulations to the lads and we wish Luol and Pops good luck as they lead team GB next September in Poland.

Mikel comes of Age

The 2008-2009 English Premier League season has just begun but already young Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel has solidified a starting position in Chelsea's first eleven and has become a consistent player in the Blues midfield. The 21 year old has shown greater discipline this season and has taken the holding midfield position as his own, despite the fact he is used in a more creative role with the Super Eagles when on international duty. We will continue to update on Mikels play throughout the season but so far the young Nigerian has excelled, kudos to him.

Manucho gets work permit

Angolan Striker Mateus Alberto Contreiras Gonçalves aka Manucho has finally received his work permit and is now available to play for Manchester United. The Red Devils and Chief Executive David Gill have been trying to sort out the red tape blocking Manucho from lining up at Old Trafford but that looks to be settled now. United are trying to solidify their attacking options which was quite thin last season, Manucho will have his work cut out to break into the United squad but it won't be a surprise to see him contributing sometime this season. Watch out for the young Angolan as the season goes on.

Drogba out injured

More news on the injury front, Didier Drogba injured his knee against CFR Cluj in Chelsea's Champions league match in Romania. The Ivorien striker had just returned from another lengthy layoff before he went down in Romania. Chelsea will have to rely on Drogba's Les Elephants teammate Saloman Kalou. We wish Didier a quick return back to the pitch.

Osi Umenyiora out for 2008-09 NFL season

Super Bowl Champion and NY Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora is out for the 2008-09 NFL season with a knee injury suffered in a preseason game against the rival NY Jets.
Osi tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee and underwent surgery in New York City.
We wish Osi the best in his recovery and hope he gets back to destroying quaterbacks in the 09-10 season.

Nigerian Dream team brings home Silver from Beijing

Nigeria's men's Olympic footy team completed their Olympic run with a loss to the equally loaded Argentinean team in the Men's Finals.
Samson Siasia's boys will have much to be proud of as they head back home and to their various clubs as despite the loss, they have done their country and continent proud.
Some bright stars for the U-23 squad despite the exclusion of John Obi Mikel included:
Chinedu Ogbuke
Osaze Odemwingie
Victor Obinna Nsofor
Dele Adeleye

Congrats to the Lads and we look forward to seeing them do bigger and better things for the Super Eagles

Luol Deng shows why he's one of the classiest players in the NBA

This week, the Times newspaper in the UK had an excellent article on Luol Deng.

Luol just got PAID by the Chicago Bulls and despite a less impressive season last year than in his previous seasons, the Bulls know how vital Luol is to their team. Regardless of his fame and fortune Luol shows that he's still a humble African at heart and still looks to do right for his Sudanese brothers and sisters all over the world.
Stay Classy Luol and keep making us proud.

Olympics

The 2008 Olympics in China have begun and we have seen mixed results for the African nations in Soccer.
Nigeria tied Holland 0-0.
Ivory Coast lost to Argentina 2-1 and
Cameroon tied South Korea 1-1.

Next up Nigeria take on Japan,
Cameroon take on Honduras and Ivory Coast play Serbia.

Osi Umenyiora Rap

Osi decided to show off his "rapping"ability a la Shaquille O'neal on the Mike and Mike Show on ESPN.
Check it out.

CAF 2010 WC Qualifiers

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have started the 2010 WCQ in good form as they've gone unbeaten in their first three matches unlike quite a few other African nations that have stumbled out of the gate. Nigeria served up victories against South Africa, Sierra-Leone and Equitorial Guinea to lead
Group 4.
Egypt, Cameroon, Morroco and Ivory Coast have some ground to make up after losing and drawing to lesser opponents in their qualifying zones.Here are highlights of Nigeria's match vs Sierra Leone in which the Uche boys- Kalu and Ike- shined.

Ime Udoka helps Spurs to WCF

Ime Udoka helped lead the San Antonio Spurs past the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night.
The Spurs used their experience to pull out the win in New Orleans and were aided by Udoka who led the Spurs bench with eight points including two important three-pointers. Ime averaged 11.3 ppg in the last four games of the series and that helped the Spurs bench compete with the little the Hornets got from their bench. Next up for the Spurs and Ime, the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. We here at Africa Sports wish Ime the best and hope for one heckuva series.

The King adds more Silverware

King Kanu brought some silverware to the Southern coast of England on Sunday.
Nwankwo Kanu scored the lone goal in the 2008 FA Cup Final to give Portsmouth a 1nil win over Cardiff City. Kanu already has amassed a colletion of medals and trophies and decided to bestow one on Harry Redknapp aka "appy arry", the Pompey manager who for all his wheelin and dealin had not won a trophy in his managerial career.(Intertoto cup doesn't count).
The King will attempt to add two more years to his EPL playing career if he and his agent can convince Pompey to extend his contract, if not, perhaps an MLS team might offer him a designated player contract.
Regardless, we duff our hats to Papillo aka King Kanu aka Nwankwo Kanu.

Udeze making comeback

Minnesota Vikings DE Kenechi Udeze is making a fantastic revovery from Leukemia. Yahoo sports
has an excellent article on his recovery and it is absolutely inspirational. Our brother's fighting spirit seems to be intact and he appears driven to return to the Vikes lineup. Our prayers are with you Kene and we hope you overcome it and get healthy first and foremost.

Upcoming NFL Draft

Watch out for a few Africans to be selected in the NFL draft on April 26th.
On the list are
Jeff Otah- Highly regarded Offensive tackle out of Pitt.
Frank Okam-Defensive tackle from Texas, also well regarded.
Xavier Adibi-Excellent Line backer from Va.Tech.
Kenny Iwebema- Solid Defensive end from Iowa.
Jack Ikegwuonu-Good CB from Wisonsin. Signed with superagent Drew Rosenhaus.

I may have missed a couple but these are the top African players to go on the 1st day.

NFL stars visit Nigeria

A number of NFL players with Nigerian roots spent a portion of their offseason visiting Nigeria and
helping a variety of people and organizations.
Osi Umenyiora, Adewale Ogunleye and Amobi Okoye among others took some time out of their vacations to visit las gidi and other parts of the country. These NFL stars taught the youth a little bit about American football and also did a fair amount of community service work in the country.
The guys also donated footy/soccer gear to one of the local NPL clubs in the country.
These NFL stars showed that there are some athletes out there that remember their roots and do genuinely care about their communities and their native countries.
Keep up the good work fella's and to my people transplanted in foreign lands, please do your part to assist in the situations in your native countries. Every little bit helps.

Welcome

Welcome all,
This is the preeminent blog about African Sports and athletes on the web. I'll keep you updated on our national teams in footy/soccer, Basketball, and other sports to an extent. I'll bring you the news as it happens and provide you with interviews of your favourite African athletes in the NBA, NFL, EPL, as well as the other sports and leagues our brothers and sisters participate in. I'll also add that the majority of my reports will be on Nigeria and Nigerian athletes but I will do my best to give you info on our other African brethren and the sports they participate in.
So sit back and relax while I provide you with the info.

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