American Football

[richardfinegold]

In a few hours I will be watching the local team, the Chicago Bears, compete from London. How is our style of football faring over there? From watching the broadcast here it always appears that the stands are half filled with American Tourists who have traveled to follow their local team

[teamsaint]

In a few hours I will be watching the local team, the Chicago Bears, compete from London. How is our style of football faring over there? From watching the broadcast here it always appears that the stands are half filled with American Tourists who have traveled to follow their local team

Its pretty popular I would say. Lots of British people at the games, which sell out quickly. And there is plenty of coverage on UK TV which must be helping.
I think that the franchise and draft systems, once seen as anathema to the “ meritocracy “ of football , now seem to make the American game seem a rather more open business . The recent recovery of the Browns is a good example.

[johncorrigan]

In a few hours I will be watching the local team, the Chicago Bears, compete from London. How is our style of football faring over there? From watching the broadcast here it always appears that the stands are half filled with American Tourists who have traveled to follow their local team

I well remember the Fridge playing for the Bears, richard. I wondered if they opened the door, would there have been a light on? But he was such a great character. The BBC has highlight shows, but I think for a lot of people I know, there is an enjoyment of the game without the chance to buy into it. I know people who make weekends in London around a game at Wembley, but I think they're as interested in the apres NFL as the footie itself.

[richardfinegold]

The NFL indeed does do everything to even the playing field, from the draft, to assigning weaker teams weaker schedules, which makes it difficult for the good teams to remain good. This makes the two decade run of the New England Patriots remarkable.
Regarding the Fridge, I have a personal memory. He and I both had premature infant children in the same neonatal Intensive Care Unit, this during his remarkable rookie season when he and the Bears were the toast of the town. I would be there seeing my progeny and he would be there seeing his daughter who was born at something like 26 weeks gestation and weighed about one pound. It was so incongruent to think that such a large individual—he was reported officially to weigh 350 pounds but appeared to be at least 100 pounds larger—could have fathered such a tiny human. He was usually surrounded by people wanting his autograph but once we were alone there a few feet apart and exchanged a few pleasantries about our kids.

[Nick Armstrong]

The NFL indeed does do everything to even the playing field, from the draft, to assigning weaker teams weaker schedules, which makes it difficult for the good teams to remain good. This makes the two decade run of the New England Patriots remarkable.
Regarding the Fridge, I have a personal memory. He and I both had premature infant children in the same neonatal Intensive Care Unit, this during his remarkable rookie season when he and the Bears were the toast of the town. I would be there seeing my progeny and he would be there seeing his daughter who was born at something like 26 weeks gestation and weighed about one pound. It was so incongruent to think that such a large individual—he was reported officially to weigh 350 pounds but appeared to be at least 100 pounds larger—could have fathered such a tiny human. He was usually surrounded by people wanting his autograph but once we were alone there a few feet apart and exchanged a few pleasantries about our kids.

What a great story, Richard!

I well remember colleagues at the time talking in humorously-awed tones about The Fridge. I was vaguely interested in the sport back then, but as far as I can recall, there was little coverage on TV save for the Superbowl - and I did attend a couple of Superbowl parties at friends’ houses... more for the hotdogs, beers, atmos. and general ‘pizazz’ of the event than the sport itself, though.

In the last few years, I’ve become more interested, following the enhanced TV coverage here. “Two-time Superbowl winner” Osi Umenyiora is a great character, who co-fronts the programmes here on the BBC - some of his solo spots analysing players and plays are among the funniest things on TV.

The complexity and finesse of some of the action are pretty mesmerising sometimes. The brain - hand - eye skills of someone like Patrick Mahomes are dazzling to watch, or the anticipation, footwork and surprising athleticism of some of the more Fridge-like players...

I’d have to say that I find highlights more absorbing than full games though and I haven’t been tempted to make it to one of the London games....

[LeMartinPecheur]

I'm a fan. Watch all TV coverage I can, including London live games that are covered, and the full Superbowl. Until retirement used to take the following day as leave to recover!

[teamsaint]

I was at the Browns/ Vikes game at Twickenham a couple of years ago. Thoroughly recommended as a day out.
Main gripe was that the breaks in play actually weren’t long enough to get a beer without missing some of the action.

Things looking hopeful for the Browns this season, some success is long overdue.

[teamsaint]

Big game.....right now......Browns need to recover from a bad start.

[Nick Armstrong]

Really into it this season... for the first 16 weeks thanks to the live Monday night game on C5 as well as the BBC highlights coverage.

However once the C5 broadcasts ended (2020 deal only presumably ), and thinking I might as well make a virtue of these winter lockdown weeks between now and the 7 Feb Super Bowl, I took the plunge and invested in the full subscription on the NFL app. It allows all games to be watched in full, either live or in HQ downloads to your device.

I use the downloads, not only because of the timing factor, but also because they are advert-free! (I tried one week 17 game live and it was intolerable, an ad break every few minutes between plays.)

I’ve now watched 5 of the 6 wild card games from last weekend. Then I’ll download this weekend’s games. This does mean I shall probably avoid this thread for fear of spoilers.....

Big game.....right now......Browns need to recover from a bad start.

In contrast to their ASTONISHING start last weekend vs. Pittsburgh!

[richardfinegold]

I tape the games and then watch them during the week. I have a stationary bicycle in my basement and watching and fast forwarding through the adverts is a distraction from boredom, the only downside being I already know the outcome

[Nick Armstrong]

the only downside being I already know the outcome

I managed to watch 5 out of the 6 wildcard games without knowing the result (the exception being the last I watched, Ravens v Titans - still exciting though)

Still amuses me that you do things the reverse of us: if we have Chelsea v Liverpool, we know the game is at Chelsea - home team listed first. You guys: the opposite, it’s the first team AT the second ...

[teamsaint]

I managed to watch 5 out of the 6 wildcard games without knowing the result (the exception being the last I watched, Ravens v Titans - still exciting though)

Still amuses me that you do things the reverse of us: if we have Chelsea v Liverpool, we know the game is at Chelsea - home team listed first. You guys: the opposite, it’s the first team AT the second ...

Very confusing .

and they play them at funny times too, such as midnight......

Let us know when spoilers won't be spoiling , Nick.

Excellent game between the Browns and the Chiefs anyway.

[Nick Armstrong]

Very confusing .

and they play them at funny times too, such as midnight......

Let us know when spoilers won't be spoiling , Nick.

Excellent game between the Browns and the Chiefs anyway.

Cheers teams. Looking forward! I’m a Chief at heart.

We need Lamar Jackson v Patrick Mahomes in the final, don’t we?


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[richardfinegold]

Cheers teams. Looking forward! I’m a Chief at heart.

We need Lamar Jackson v Patrick Mahomes in the final, don’t we?


.

Jackson and Mahomes are in the same conference, so they can’t meet in the Super Bowl; but with Tom Brady moving to the NFC, hopefully he and Mahomes will meet in the Super Bowl, but Aaron Rodgers has been unbelievable this year so it will be Green Bay and Kansas City

[Nick Armstrong]

Jackson and Mahomes are in the same conference, so they can’t meet in the Super Bowl

Ahem. Good point!

Anyway poor old Lamar had a shocker, didn’t he, so.....

Watched the two Saturday games (Rams@Packers, Ravens@Bills) so now, later in the week, on to watch Browns@Chiefs & Buccs@Saints...

Still don’t know the results!

Aaron Rodgers has been unbelievable this year

He certainly was on Saturday....