I fancied a go at American Football back in the 80s and went to a few Greenwich Bay Mariner sessions but lost interest.I caught a pass and got tackled,the reaction I d got was as if I had scored a try from 50yds beating ten men or buried a free kick ala Mr Jackson! The potential players were mostly rugby and football players and the funniest bit was how easy to tell who was who,you tackled someone,rugby players got up and the footballers wanted a fight.Got fed up with all the standing about though. I think they would struggle to fill a really big stadium on a regular basis,plus the damage to the pitch would be in the same area all the time so a Premier League ground wouldn't be any good and Wembley has a reputation of being as good as a public park anyway.
I used to play for the Kent Rams Free Safety (only junior though - never at senior level). American Football is a great game - slightly ruined by the fact that because it is the most perfect sport in the world for televising, television completely and utterly dictates the game.
Don't get me wrong, I like a bit of baseball, I saw Roy Haddaway pitch a perfect game for the phillies in 2010 and it was amazing, but I just can't see it ever taking off over here, even if the crazy logistics of MLB could be overcome somehow.
So amazing you can't even remember his name? )
That's fantastic luck - seeing a perfect game in baseball is so rare - can't imagine the atmosphere on the final pitch!
The final pitch was kinda crazy, especially as the batter bunted, the ball dropped down in front of him and he set off, the catcher slids on his knees and threw from that position, looping it over the run to get him out at first base, amazing.
I used to play for the Kent Rams Free Safety (only junior though - never at senior level). American Football is a great game - slightly ruined by the fact that because it is the most perfect sport in the world for televising, television completely and utterly dictates the game.
I'd watch a lot more NFL if they didn't stop for adverts every 30 seconds and got a bit more of a move on between plays. It's a complex and interesting sport once you get into it but 3 hrs to complete 90 mins of actual game time is ridiculous.
I understand that they do have all these different tactics/plays that they go through and a lot of work gets done to put them into operation.
yes our footbal it is all about who scores the most but at the same time it has alot more going on purely because its continuous for 90miniutes rather than stop start. so there are attacks, counter attacks, players out of postion, tactical changes all the way through the game. In nfl as long as you mark the players for those couple of seconds, thats it. you choose a player you run with them, the ball gets thrown you try and put them off or tackle them. Of course then it depends if the reciever is fast and balanced on his feet to get away from defender. (I'm not going to keep on comparing the two sports because it will be far too one sided. and everyone knows the anwser to which one is the best.) will they throw or run, will it be a long or short pass and all the others you mention and agree its just a way of trying to make it more intresting for viewers and more difficult for the defenders who only have a second to get to grip with whats going on. I have seen only the other day Manning for new england i think. their plays had been easily delt with for a while during the game (just well marked and some sacking of manning at quarterback). the defenders marked the players so new england had to run with the ball to gain a few yards. On one play you can tell, they were just hopeing. He picked up the ball scanned around at all the recievers for a while. His defenders were just about holding on to stop the new york giants defenders from sacking him. one reciever finally got free and he threw the ball to him whilst being tackled himself. no play in that just simply waiting for a reciever to be free which is pretty much all they do. why they have to pretend its something more complicated i dont know. a bit like in football a player is free on the wing, you pass to him. I understand up to a point the reasons for the plays, but inventably if all your players are marked it finishes your whole attack plan and you just have to run, punt or in manning case, hope. In football if a player is marked they might be able to still control the ball or give the defender a bit of hassel trying to clear it. in nfl by that point the whistles gone and your now on second and 10. (stop comparing the two sports.) I really do try with american football. every year i watch it. its a struggle but there are some good moments. maybe i should stop being so cynical and let them have it their way and say its complex game (the rules can be, thats for sure) when i dont at the moment feel it is. the problem i find is there isent alot going on. If it was fast paced then maybe i could get into it more. of course that would ruin all their nice plays and advert breaks.
the stadiums would be great to vist though. shame about the atmosphere.
Don't get me wrong, I like a bit of baseball, I saw Roy Haddaway pitch a perfect game for the phillies in 2010 and it was amazing, but I just can't see it ever taking off over here, even if the crazy logistics of MLB could be overcome somehow.
So amazing you can't even remember his name? )
That's fantastic luck - seeing a perfect game in baseball is so rare - can't imagine the atmosphere on the final pitch!
Comments
I think they would struggle to fill a really big stadium on a regular basis,plus the damage to the pitch would be in the same area all the time so a Premier League ground wouldn't be any good and Wembley has a reputation of being as good as a public park anyway.
That's fantastic luck - seeing a perfect game in baseball is so rare - can't imagine the atmosphere on the final pitch!
The crap I remember lol
yes our footbal it is all about who scores the most but at the same time it has alot more going on purely because its continuous for 90miniutes rather than stop start. so there are attacks, counter attacks, players out of postion, tactical changes all the way through the game. In nfl as long as you mark the players for those couple of seconds, thats it. you choose a player you run with them, the ball gets thrown you try and put them off or tackle them. Of course then it depends if the reciever is fast and balanced on his feet to get away from defender. (I'm not going to keep on comparing the two sports because it will be far too one sided. and everyone knows the anwser to which one is the best.)
will they throw or run, will it be a long or short pass and all the others you mention and agree its just a way of trying to make it more intresting for viewers and more difficult for the defenders who only have a second to get to grip with whats going on. I have seen only the other day Manning for new england i think. their plays had been easily delt with for a while during the game (just well marked and some sacking of manning at quarterback). the defenders marked the players so new england had to run with the ball to gain a few yards. On one play you can tell, they were just hopeing. He picked up the ball scanned around at all the recievers for a while. His defenders were just about holding on to stop the new york giants defenders from sacking him. one reciever finally got free and he threw the ball to him whilst being tackled himself. no play in that just simply waiting for a reciever to be free which is pretty much all they do. why they have to pretend its something more complicated i dont know. a bit like in football a player is free on the wing, you pass to him. I understand up to a point the reasons for the plays, but inventably if all your players are marked it finishes your whole attack plan and you just have to run, punt or in manning case, hope. In football if a player is marked they might be able to still control the ball or give the defender a bit of hassel trying to clear it. in nfl by that point the whistles gone and your now on second and 10. (stop comparing the two sports.)
I really do try with american football. every year i watch it. its a struggle but there are some good moments. maybe i should stop being so cynical and let them have it their way and say its complex game (the rules can be, thats for sure) when i dont at the moment feel it is.
the problem i find is there isent alot going on. If it was fast paced then maybe i could get into it more. of course that would ruin all their nice plays and advert breaks.
the stadiums would be great to vist though. shame about the atmosphere.
I'm guessing you meant Roy "Doc" Halladay