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Agence France-Presse

The biggest event in American sports kicks off on Sunday (Monday 7.30am Hong Kong time) as the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks at a Super Bowl tinged by controversy over Bad Bunny’s half-time show.
More than 120 million Americans are expected to tune in for an annual pop culture nonpareil, which this year features two teams nobody expected to reach the NFL championship decider.
The Seahawks, boasting the league’s best defence, are the marginal favourites. But they come up against a Patriots team who know how to win.
New England are seeking a record seventh Lombardi Trophy at the 75,000-capacity Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and their first since the departure of Tom Brady, widely considered the NFL’s greatest-ever player.
It is, according to bookmakers, the unlikeliest Super Bowl match-up of modern times. Both teams began the season with odds of 60-1 or worse to go all the way.

“We’re in great shape. Guys are in good spirits,” said Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald after Seattle’s final practice on Saturday.
“Finally. It’s taken a while to get here. But it’s here. It’s awesome.”
Away from the sporting contest, all eyes will be on a historic half-time performance from Bad Bunny, the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican superstar, who is expected to deliver the first-ever Super Bowl set sung entirely in Spanish.
One of the world’s biggest artists, Bad Bunny has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Anger has soared over the killing of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.
Speculation is rife that he could use the giant Super Bowl platform to double down.
Details of his Super Bowl set are under wraps, though Bad Bunny has pledged to showcase Puerto Rican culture in “a huge party”.
The US president has claimed the performance will “sow hatred”, and is not attending this year’s game.

‘Evil Empire’
A franchise once so dominant they were dubbed the “Evil Empire”, New England have floundered since Brady left in 2020, but they have been reborn this season under Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel.
Rising star quarterback Drake Maye led the resurgent Patriots to a league-best 17 wins, including playoffs.
At 23, he would be the youngest starting quarterback to win football’s biggest prize, and this week missed out on being named the season’s MVP by a single vote.
Maye is a prodigious ball-carrying runner who is also the league’s best at throwing long-range passes.
But the young phenom also gets sacked more than almost any other quarterback.
And Maye comes up against a Seattle defence that loves to swarm the opposing signal caller and has yielded the fewest points in the league.
The Seahawks have just one Super Bowl in their trophy cabinet, and their most recent appearance came in a 2015 loss to Brady’s Patriots.
For Seattle to get revenge in Sunday’s rematch, quarterback Sam Darnold must shed his long-standing reputation for wilting under pressure.

Journeyman Darnold passed through four NFL clubs before emerging revitalised with a superb debut year in Seattle.
The Seahawks also boast wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was named the season’s top offensive player.
A win on Sunday would be historic for the Patriots, who are currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl titles with six.
Some 90,000 fans have flocked to the Bay Area, which is expected to receive a US$500 million economic boost from the sports bonanza.


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NFL Super Bowl

Super Bowl: rising star, journeyman, Bad Bunny take stage as Patriots, Seahawks face off

The Super Bowl LX logo being projected on the Ferry Building in San Francisco, on Friday. Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

All eyes will be on Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s half-time show. Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Super Bowl quarterbacks Drake Maye (left) of the Patriots and Sam Darnold of the Seahawks. Photo: AFP

Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (right) catches a pass from quarterback Sam Darnold to gain 16 yards during the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams last month. Photo: TNS 

Hong Kong claim ‘incredible, beautiful’ gold medal at Asian Road Cycling Championships

The Hong Kong team (from left): Chloe Leung, Franco Chu, Ceci Lee, Vincent Lau, Yang Qianyu, Charles Ng and Herve Dagorne. Photo: Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China.

The victorious Hong Kong team (centre) with the Kazakh runners-up (left) and third-placed China. Photo: Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China

Ceci Lee (right) presents Yang Qianyu with a scrapbook of her career. Photo: Handout

Zhao Xintong wins World Grand Prix title in Hong Kong to keep finals record intact

Zhao Xintong acknowledges the Kai Tak Arena crowd after winning the World Grand Prix title on Sunday. Photo: Karma Lo

Zhang Anda lines up a shot in the high-quality final against Zhao Xintong. Photo: Karma Lo

Spectators at Kai Tak Arena were kept entranced by the players’ numerous 50-plus breaks. Photo: Karma Lo

Sport

Other Sport

US sport’s biggest event features two teams nobody expected to reach NFL championship decider set to be shrouded in political controversy


US sport’s biggest event features two teams nobody expected to reach NFL championship decider set to be shrouded in political controversy.


Bad Bunny

Tom Brady

Super Bowl: rising star, journeyman, Bad Bunny take stage as Patriots, Seahawks face off

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}US sport’s biggest event features two teams nobody expected to reach NFL championship decider set to be shrouded in political controversy

US sport’s biggest event features two teams nobody expected to reach NFL championship decider set to be shrouded in political controversy