Following the career of NFL player David Ojabo, who grew up in Aberdeen, has led unlikely sports fan Dallas King to finding his “Flock”.
When it comes to the Super Bowl, the self-proclaimed “greatest show on earth”, I am the first to admit that I never had any real interest in the sports game being played.
The main attraction was always the extravagant, over-the-top halftime show, and the new movie trailers that premiered during the many, many advert breaks.
Fair to say, I was not a fan of American football. I didn’t understand the appeal.
First of all, it was called football, but players only ever kicked said ball when they ran out of options for throwing or carrying it. Though each game had 60 minutes on the clock, they always seemed to last between three and four hours.
My main exposure to American football was through films like Any Given Sunday and Jerry Maguire. Now any given Sunday has turned into every Sunday.
So, what happened? Two words: David Ojabo.
I had no skin in the game – until Ojabo
Here in Scotland, and the wider UK, when it comes to supporting a sporting team, the primary factors are normally a familial or geographical connection to that team. It is either your hometown team, or a passion that is passed down generations.
When it comes to selecting an American sports team to support and you live in the UK, how do you choose, when you have no real connection to any particular franchise or city?
When I was younger, I was a big basketball fan. I watched the NBA, following the 1992 Olympics featuring the Dream Team. Given my name, I supported the Dallas Mavericks for a while. Then I visited New York, fell in love with the city and switched to the Knicks.
However, I was not a diehard fan, enjoying the sport rather than one single team.
So, when it came to American football, there was no real investment because I never had any skin in the game… until now.
From Westhill to Baltimore
Born in Nigeria, David Ojabo and his family moved to Aberdeen, where he grew up in Westhill, before moving to the US at age 17 to pursue his dream of becoming a sports superstar.
I keenly followed his breakout season for the University of Michigan last year, which led to him declaring himself eligible for the NFL draft. The pinnacle of the sport.
He had the misfortune of suffering an injury during the tryout, but the Baltimore Ravens saw his potential and signed him as the 45th pick of the draft. Anyone who watched his emotional reaction to the news will have seen how much it meant to him.
Just six months later, Ojabo has healed from his Achilles injury with more success than the Greek legend, and is set to make his debut in the next week or so.
Joining the Flock
While Ojabo eagerly awaits his opportunity to play, I have been following his team’s progress since the opening day of the season.
From the euphoria of game-winning highs to the heartbreak of last-second losses, it is an emotional rollercoaster, and I wouldn’t have it any other way
It turns out that a fellow film critic I know has been a fan of the Ravens for years, and she has welcomed me into the “Flock” with open wings, bringing me up to speed with the history of the club and its players. (Fun fact: the Ravens are named after famous Baltimore resident Edgar Allan Poe’s well-known poem.)
Sundays, the traditional day of rest, have become the day of being glued to the television or the internet during game-time. Stressing out over every play, jumping for joy at a touchdown, or screaming at the TV at an interception.
Ravens OLB David Ojabo said he “feels great” now that he’s eight months removed from tearing his Achilles. Asked if he will make his NFL debut Sunday, “When my number is called, I will be ready.” pic.twitter.com/9zWGQcyJo3
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) November 17, 2022
I find myself regularly using words like snap, fumble, sack in everyday conversation. Where I used to see a confusing sport, I now watch two coaches playing an exciting game of four-dimensional chess – albeit, instead of pawns, they use 250 to 300 pound athletes.
So far, it has been a whirlwind introduction to the sport and the team. From the euphoria of game-winning highs to the heartbreak of last-second losses, it is an emotional rollercoaster, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sport brings people together
Well, that is not strictly true. So far, my enjoyment and participation has been strictly online. I hope to eventually graduate from fan to fandom – stepping out from behind the keyboard to experience and enjoy the ups-and-downs with a wider community of people.
Sport brings people together, whether it is on the pitch or in the pub. Dons fans have the Pittodrie Bar. Perhaps the Aberdeen wing of the Flock can make their nest in another local watering hole. A place where we can cheer on our local hero from the Granite City, all the way to the gridiron.
One thing’s for sure. If Ojabo can help take the Ravens all the way to the Super Bowl, I promise to watch the whole thing this time. Against all odds, I am now (touch)down with love for the game.
Dallas King is a film critic, writer and podcaster from Aberdeen
Conversation