In the NFL, hair is everywhere. Helmets cannot hope to contain all the locks and manes spilling out this season. It is so prevalent that rulemakers are being urged to penalise the grabbing of excess growth.
By coincidence, two players known for long hair happen to have finished first and second in voting for defensive player of the year.
Something else Troy Polamalu and Clay Matthews share: apart from the quarterbacks, they will be the most significant players on the field today when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers meet in the Super Bowl in Dallas, Texas.
Pittsburgh's Polamalu, with a cascade of dark curls, is a free safety imbued with a sixth sense. By looking at the opponent's formation, then into the eyes of the quarterback or a receiver, he gleans information about the upcoming play, then processes it with computer-like speed.
As a result, he positions himself with uncanny accuracy for an interception, a broken-up pass or a tackle behind the line of scrimmage.
"I think it's important for any football player to first get a really good feel for the defence and to understand what the game plan is, or just schematically what the coach may be thinking when he makes the call," Polamalu said this past week. "After that, I think it's also really important to get a flow of what the offence is doing.
"When you compile all these different things, you can just go out and not really think, but make everything natural and instinctive to yourself."
His biggest plays seem timed to rescue a struggling Steelers offence.
In Pittsburgh's first game, back in September, the Atlanta Falcons were surging toward a tiebreaking score when Polamalu, displaying his closing speed on a receiver, picked off a pass from the quarterback Matt Ryan. Pittsburgh, without a touchdown in regulation, won in overtime 15-9.
Late in the year, Baltimore were on the verge of running out the clock with a four-point lead when Polamalu blitzed the quarterback Joe Flacco, forcing a fumble that set up the Steelers for their lone touchdown. Final score: 13-10.
The eighth-year player, whose team is 6-7 the past two seasons during his injury absences and 16-4 otherwise, is not only advanced cerebrally. On a team of ferocious hitters, he is a bone-rattler.
"He prepares mentally and physically and has the demeanour of a warrior. He was born to play professional football and he is one of the best I've ever seen," said the defensive co-ordinator Dick LeBeau, who, at age 73, has seen a lot, having played in the pros as far back as 1959.
At 5ft 10ins, 207 pounds, Polamalu is hardly imposing. If he does not gain strength physically from his hair - a modern-day Samson of sorts - it is from his upbringing. Among the first generation of Samoan parentage born in America, he grew up apart from his mother and father, reared by an aunt.
It seemed only fitting that Troy became one of the men of Troy, an informal appellation for University of Southern California players.
Enrolling at the same college three years later, Green Bay's Matthews hails from a contrasting background. The linebacker is a football blue blood, a third-generation NFL player who also had an uncle excel in the sport, and his family has prospered in business.
However, nothing was handed to him. In high school, Matthews did not start, though expectations for him may have been unreasonably high from the linebackers coach - his father, Clay, a 19-year pro.
Offered no scholarship by major colleges, he enlisted at USC without guarantee of making the team. Even entering his senior season, his biography, written by school publicists, guardedly said, "Matthews will push for starting time."
His rise has been startling; today's game ends just his second NFL season. A relentless pursuer of the quarterback, he elevated the Packers to second-best for points allowed, 15 per game, just behind the Steelers at 14.5.
The Packers general manager, Ted Thompson, a former teammate of Clay's uncle, Bruce, acknowledged that the bountiful Matthews family tree was a factor in drafting him.
"With Clay's physical ability, you can see the genetics that he has," Thompson said. "You can see some similarities in his play and his dad's play."
Matthews is well aware of the advantages of his football heritage.
"I've had to work to kind of get out of the shadow of my family," he said. "And I've been doing a good job of that.
"But it's a good shadow to be in because they excelled in this league for many, many years."
Just as his father did, the blond Matthews wears stringy hair down his back. Unlike Polamalu, who claims to spend 45 minutes daily on his coiffure, Matthews appears unkempt. Yet teammates have spotted him fetching a water bottle on the sidelines and spraying his hair.
Polamalu has turned his mop into an income stream, with a lucrative endorsement deal from Head & Shoulders shampoo. Supposedly untrimmed since his college days a decade ago, his hair is insured for US$1 million (Dh3.67m).
Matthews, who recently was signed to promote the shampoo Suave, submits that his hair should be insured for $5m. With today's Super Bowl-winners share of $88,000, he should be able to afford the premiums.
sports@thenational.ae
Friday’s fixture
6.15pm: Al Wahda v Hatta
6.15pm: Al Dhafra v Ajman
9pm: Al Wasl v Baniyas
9pm: Fujairah v Sharjah
.
All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Samau Xmnsor, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Ottoman, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Sharkh, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Yaraa, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Maaly Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Jinjal, Fabrice Veron, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Al Sail, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
Most F1 world titles
7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)
7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)
5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)
4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)
4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)
Company%20profile
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The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
The biog
Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
New Zealand 57-0 South Africa
Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Points tally
1. Australia 52; 2. New Zealand 44; 3. South Africa 36; 4. Sri Lanka 35; 5. UAE 27; 6. India 27; 7. England 26; 8. Singapore 8; 9. Malaysia 3
FORSPOKEN
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The%20Legend%20of%20Zelda%3A%20Tears%20of%20The%20Kingdom
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Assassin's%20Creed%20Mirage
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Starfield
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Bethesda%20Game%20Studios%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Bethesda%20Softworks%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PC%2C%20Xbox%0D%3Cbr%3ERelease%20date%3A%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
West Indies v India - Third ODI
India 251-4 (50 overs)
Dhoni (78*), Rahane (72), Jadhav (40)
Cummins (2-56), Bishoo (1-38)
West Indies 158 (38.1 overs)
Mohammed (40), Powell (30), Hope (24)
Ashwin (3-28), Yadav (3-41), Pandya (2-32)
India won by 93 runs
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
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