American Football / Grid Iron / NFL

[Maidenbower Millionaire]

As we are all fans of REAL football, and many on here are fans of many other sports, I wondered what you lot thought about American Football ?

NFL is finding more and more TV space over here, live games at Wembley and in future years will be played at Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium.

I think it is ok, but that's all.

It is too stop / start and you rarely get more than several seconds of play without stopping to re set the players.

Any thoughts , like it , hate it ? Big fan ?

Would be interested to know.

PS, was there a team in Crawley several years ago, I seem to remember passing a training session near Sainsburys many years ago.

[Phil T]

Years ago Channel 4 (I think) gave American football huge coverage for a few years that gained a modicum of interest over here. Enough for a small league to form.

The interest waned, so now someone else is trying again? It won't last.

[Sussex Boy]

Don't mind abbot of NFL but never watched a full match. Usually try and stay up for the super bowl tho.

On talkSPORT yesterday someone was saying we need the NFL type atmos in English football.......*beep* off.....no thanks!

English football has its own atmosphere style (even if it is slowly evaporating)

[Ian]

[Phil T]

[Peter]

[Phil T]

[Born in Crawley Hospital]

It's ok. I'd never go to a game though, but ok on TV. I like the highlights show and usually watch the Super Bowl.

In terms of live sport, I spent some time in the US and really got into baseball. I think it's a fantastic sport to watch live.

My second favourite TV sport is snooker, I can watch that all day amid snoozes.

[thad]

It's a funny sort of sport insofar as it is over-tactical to the degree that in any play EVERY player will be making a significant contribution... and that means following the ball doesn't usually give you the complete picture. It is totally suited to TV as when the action is replayed and slowed down you can spot the vital blocks, dummies & runs that make the entire play. It is quite often about very small margins and the ability to retain possession despite the play breaking down.

I have attended a few live games and quite enjoy the TV coverage, although it does contain an awful lot of psycho-babble and all-american bison-plop.. I got into it cos my son played for the Crawley Raiders a few decades back, he was a nose tackle and his sole mission was to get past the protection and disrupt - hopefully sack - the opposing quarterback... I think he had a lot of fun.

My advice to the uninitiated is to watch the last quarter only, it becomes a lesson in game management and the dynamic really changes when one team are forced to go on the offensive.

[Maidenbower Millionaire]

[Ian]

[Peter]

[Phil T]

[thad]

I can understand why people don't like the sport, I really only developed an appreciation - as I did with computer games, comic novels & hip-hop - because of my parental responsibilities.

What is missing is spontaneity, footy fans are used to a more free-flowing instinctive & intuitive game that can be truly exhilarating when it is executed well, there is nothing quite like it.



Most moves in the NFL are practised drills involving a pass from the QB and a catch, fumble or interception and then play stops (unless the clock dictates otherwise), there is very rarely a 2nd pass or run as it is all about percentages, gaining yardage or denying possession.

When an attacker catches the ball and makes for the touchline it gets close to what we appreciate and you do get the very occasional moment, such as when the QB dummies to pass and runs with the ball or a defender intercepts and sets off down field (relying on teammates blocking in order to create a clear path)... but those unscripted elements are quite rare.

Completely counter-intuitive to our ilk is when a few points behind but in possession, a team will deliberately advance at a slow-rate, often showing little interest in scoring until the last few seconds, but are simply determined to run down the clock and reduce the opportunity for the opposition to reply.

In truth, for the most part it is an attritional battle to gain ten yards, not exciting spectacle but nonetheless very competitive and on its own terms quite skillful and unless you can value the minor skirmishes within the major conflicts, it is not a great watch for people used to the end-to-end nature of proper footy.

[thad]

Superbowl 51 was (to use the local vernacular) AWWWWESOME

If you didn't watch it then catch the highlights... or at the very least the final quarter... you won't regret it.

ps. Lady Gugga did the worst karaoke drag act in history.