NFL

[fuzzylogic]

by mikerob » Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:15 am

In particular, I worked in Melbourne for a few years and saw a large number of AFL games - it is impossible to avoid it there. I think the sport itself is just too random with the key aspect being a hoof downfield in the hope that someone will mark it (I hate aerial ping-pong in rugby for the same reason).

And yet gaelic football doesnt make your list?

[Shan]

by mikerob » Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:15 am

In particular, I worked in Melbourne for a few years and saw a large number of AFL games - it is impossible to avoid it there. I think the sport itself is just too random with the key aspect being a hoof downfield in the hope that someone will mark it (I hate aerial ping-pong in rugby for the same reason).

And yet gaelic football doesnt make your list?

What a strange response to what Mikerob wrote. There is no marking in Gaelic Football and very rarely hoofing of the ball downfield and the game, when played properly, is pretty much non stop. Though of course it is not nearly as good as hurling which is just a wonderful sport to play and to watch when played at its best.

I'm not bothered with US Sports. The Football games go on too long and are too stop/start although I've watched the odd Superbowl game and managed to enjoy a lot of it.

[mikerob]

by mikerob » Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:15 am

In particular, I worked in Melbourne for a few years and saw a large number of AFL games - it is impossible to avoid it there. I think the sport itself is just too random with the key aspect being a hoof downfield in the hope that someone will mark it (I hate aerial ping-pong in rugby for the same reason).

And yet gaelic football doesnt make your list?

I've never been to a game of Gaelic football so can't comment on it, but I have seen NFL, NBA and AFL games.

[Boynesider]

Well looks like we're in the minority here. I'm a big NFL fan and have been for a number of years. I know from speaking to plenty of Rugby fans over the years about it, its Marmite. They either baulk at it or love it too. The stoppages are too much to take for some and they do pi$h me off greatly too. But without them they couldn't pay the wages of the players so what can you do.

I think some rugby folks have a slight inferiority complex about it. I played in the Irish league for a few years. Its a great league run by a core of dedicated clubs. We drank in a pub near the grounds after games and there was always one rugby fan who would be telling me or someone else that we shouldn't be wasting our time playing AF and that we could make good scrum halves or whatever. The notion that you could enjoy watching and/or play both sports seemed too much to comprehend for them. One person even went so far as to draw up a play for us on a beer mat that would guarantee a score everytime. It was that easy.


I'm a Falcons fan and have been for about 8 years or so but been following the sport for much longer. poor start so far for us. Shouldn't have lost at the weekend. Too many dropped passes and costly penalties.

[Satans little helper]

[quote][New season starting up, Saints and Packers tonight should be a cracker.
Any of you watch the oul American rules?/quote]
I don't watch the NFL anymore but played since the early 80s & coached since the late 90s. There are always rugby players in Football teams - Humph senior turned out for a few practices with the Belfast Giants - alledgedly - who were made up by quite a few Woodvale RFC members, Murray Kidds son played for us in Cork & didn't Gavin Hastings trial for some NFL team ? The team in Craigavon are called the Cowboys, good bunch of lads.

[fuzzylogic]

I know a few local American Football players, they were a good bunch of lads until they took up the sport now I really cant stand them.

Any conversation out of them is . . . ."yo football ya'll" or something way over the top you would expect to find in a low budget American sports film.

The wannabe Americanism from the guys who all play the sport locally is hard to actually stomach.

[mid ulster maestro]

My first encounter with American footy was a visit to the Miami Dolphins who were playing the Cincinati Bengals in a pre season friendly. 90 degree heat for three and a half hours and the game was decided in sudden death overtime. Final score 3 - 0. The only thing that made it bearable was (pay attention HWM) the cheer leaders! Come to think of it, there was a drunk spouting nonsense behind me at that game as well. Some things never change.
Mum

[Boynesider]

I know a few local American Football players, they were a good bunch of lads until they took up the sport now I really cant stand them.

Any conversation out of them is . . . ."yo football ya'll" or something way over the top you would expect to find in a low budget American sports film.

The wannabe Americanism from the guys who all play the sport locally is hard to actually stomach.

I would have to agree with you there. There was a few like that knocking around. Its bizarre.

Perhaps because no team has really put a real local stamp on how the game is played. The whole mentality and terminology surrounding the game is an imported one.

[Bart S]

I watch most sports (including NBA at times, which I enjoy), but NFL is one of the few that I have never got into. I think the fact that I have never really had the rules explained to me properly may be part of the reason why I don't enjoy it, plus the fact that the bits I do know are all "inferior" IMHO to rugby.

I do know though that there is a sizeable minority of people in the UK/Ireland who follow the game and those that do seem to be very passionate about it. For non-americans, it seems to be a love it or loathe it sport.

[Satans little helper]

I have to agree that watching football without the understanding of the game is pretty boring. But if you ever get the chance to play - take it. The contact is so different from rugby and seriously improves your tackling and game awareness. Watching a well executed sweep is brilliant, pulling guards taking down linebackers, tackle & TEs walling off the dline & running backs showing how to go into contact - body low, 'running downhill', ball protected - even the QB gets to 'crackback' on chasing d linemen.... great fun.

[Vitalstatistix]

Looking forward to heading to Wembley next week.

American Football is a great sport, once you take the time to learn the rules and appreciate the nuances. Its the only sport where the team in the smallest city (Green Bay) can have the best team and no team is more than 1 season away from potentially being in the play-offs! A breathe of fresh air compared to the predictability of the Premier League and most other leagues...

Go Bears!

[mikerob]

Its the only sport where the team in the smallest city (Green Bay) can have the best team and no team is more than 1 season away from potentially being in the play-offs! A breathe of fresh air compared to the predictability of the Premier League and most other leagues...

Is that because of the draft system where the worst team gets first pick of the best new players?

I thought all the US pro sports had something similar.

I've always thought it is ironic that such a capitalist country like the US runs sports along socialist lines.

One consequence of the draft system is that it destroys the link between the team and local players. A player could have grown up in a city and supported the locak team all his life, but if he is picked by a team from the other side of the country in the draft, tough, he has got to go. I suppose in many football leagues, that link no longer exists either.

[fuzzylogic]

by mikerob » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:13 pm


One consequence of the draft system is that it destroys the link between the team and local players. A player could have grown up in a city and supported the locak team all his life, but if he is picked by a team from the other side of the country in the draft, tough, he has got to go

No he doesnt. He doesnt have to accept their contract offer.

[mikerob]

by mikerob » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:13 pm


One consequence of the draft system is that it destroys the link between the team and local players. A player could have grown up in a city and supported the locak team all his life, but if he is picked by a team from the other side of the country in the draft, tough, he has got to go

No he doesnt. He doesnt have to accept their contract offer.

But if he doesn't sign with the club that drafts him, he can't sign with any other club that year (that is the case with MLB anyway)

[Vitalstatistix]

Its the only sport where the team in the smallest city (Green Bay) can have the best team and no team is more than 1 season away from potentially being in the play-offs! A breathe of fresh air compared to the predictability of the Premier League and most other leagues...

Is that because of the draft system where the worst team gets first pick of the best new players?

I thought all the US pro sports had something similar.

I've always thought it is ironic that such a capitalist country like the US runs sports along socialist lines.

One consequence of the draft system is that it destroys the link between the team and local players. A player could have grown up in a city and supported the locak team all his life, but if he is picked by a team from the other side of the country in the draft, tough, he has got to go. I suppose in many football leagues, that link no longer exists either.

it's due to 4 main factors:-

Firstly, the draft whereby the worst team gets first dibs on the college players and the 2nd worst team gets 2nd choice etc. This gives a bad team the opportunity to potentially draft a generation player that could transform their fortunes, ableit about 30-40% of 1st round picks never live up to expectations;

Secondly, the NFL teams participate in revenue sharing so that certain types of revenue are split 32 ways. For example, all NFL teams get a 1/32 split of the profit from each item of merchandising, regardless of the team involved. In addition, under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the more profitable teams such as the Cowboys and Redskins will in effect subsidise the small market teams like Buffalo and Jacksonville by writing them cheques to help create an even playing field. Since the 1960s the NFL has understood thathaving a competitive league means more interest from fans which means bigger TV deals and more money for everyone! The NFL has left Baseball far behind in popularity not least because Baseball is dominated by a big money teams like the Yankees and Red Sox who buy the best players just like in the Premier League;

Thirdly, the bad teams will benefit from an easier schedule the following season. There is a slightly complicated method for working out each teams schedule but suffice to say that the team which wins its division is almost certainly going to have a slightly more difficult schedule than the team which finished last in the same division;

Fourthly, and most importantly, each team must operate within the same Salary Cap (about $120m per annum). This prevents a "Man City" scenario whereby one or two teams throw money around to get the best players. In real terms, teams can only afford a certain number of superstars. In addition, there is a minimum amount each team must spend as well as a maximum level. In practical terms, this season each team must spend somewhere in the $115m - $120m range (figure are not exact but you get the idea), and means that when top free agents come on the market, the teams with the most cap room are in pole position. In other words, you have to manage the cap very carefully.

The NBA and NHL have similar systems (not sure on the details) but they don't seem to work as well as the teams are less profitable. Indeed, there is a fair chance that there will be no NBA season this year becasue the players and owners can't work out a new Collective Bargaining Agreement! Baseball is a bit of a free for all.

Players tend not to worry which team drafts them and are only really worried about when they are drafted, as their first contract will almost entirely depend on how high they are taken. Fair point about teams having few local players, but I suppose in a country the size of the US this would probably happen no matter what the system....

As you say, ironic for such a capitalist nation!