[Melissa]

So I see they are playing at wembley this weekend? anyone going to watch it? I must admit I am not fully sure about whast going on in the sport when I have watched it before.. I might check it out though.

Although I gotta ask the question, dont you think all this gear and protection they wear ruins the sport? If they didnt wear it, it might encourage skill and discipline... Plus it would stop rugby players laughing at them hence more people would take the sport seriously over seas...


Anyway is the idea to gain terratory with so many attempts before scoring or turnover?? just so i get the gist of it??

I will make an effort to watch it, although I hear it will be one sided


By the way this article is shocking:

QUOTED FROM

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200710 ... dbed5.html

Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder has admitted not knowing people speak English in London.

(Advertisement)
The NFL player might want to check a map before he gets on board a plane for Sunday's prestige game against the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium.

Crowder, who comes from Atlanta in Georgia, may be praised on the field, but confessed geography was not his strong point.

He admitted he did not know until now where London was - or that Londoners spoke English.

"I couldn't find London on a map if they didn't have the names of the countries," he said.

"I swear to God. I don't know what nothing is. I know Italy looks like a boot. I learned that."

Crowder added: "I know (Washington Redskins linebacker) London Fletcher. We did a football camp together. So I know him.

"That's the closest thing I know to London. He's black, so I'm sure he's not from London. I'm sure that's a coincidental name."

The Miami Dolphins are play the New York Giants at Wembley this Sunday in the first NFL regular-season game to be played outside the United States

[Raziel]

lol this article made me chuckle xD

[Chantelle]

dont know all the rules.. tbh i think it is similar to rugby league (not Rugby Union which is what most people watch/ play (union is a much better version of rugby by far than league)) in that you have so many times or something to progress forward to score.

A fair amount of skill and pace involved!! although I agree it woudl be much better if they did away with all that padding and gear, it would improve discipline and the skill level also the tackle points too.

as for whether the ball in contested like in Rugby Union I don't think it is?? maybe I am wrong?? I think they just tackle and set off again..

Personally I prefer the Union style of game but thats just me since I am a rugby fan

Nether the less I shall still probably watch the game just out of interest..

I do wonder if there will be a big crowd??? US/ NFL football isn't popular at all over here?? if at all outside the US?? we shall see, im sure there are plenty enough fans to will wembley

[saunby]

Im sure we will have a lot of americans fly over to see the game (onees with lots of money) and I quite like to watch it sometimes purely because of the agressiveness of it, like rugby with a bit more brute to it, excellent!

Though having said that I do not follow places at all and barely know any team names XD

[Chantelle]

more brute?? I dunno I disagree, I would say it was the opposite

Rugby forwards have to be alot stronger as they contest for the ball ruck and maul.. It is literally muscle iron fist vs iron fist.. whereas in league and NFL assuming I am right they dont contest..

You dont have 3 18 stone monsters of muscle smashing into youto force the turn over and dump you to the floor and god knows what else goes on.. in those rucks...!!!

[saunby]

Well I just think that NFL looks better the way they really collide and smash into each other, in rugby the tackling is usually grabbing their waste and dragging them to the floor, in NFL its more like run into the opposition as fast as you can and hope they fall over XD

[Chantelle]

Saunby I think your thinking of rugby league which is to get them on the floor. union involves big hits and tackles sometimes not just arond the waist since they have big heavy props 300 -400IB muscle weight charging at u and dumping you to the floor. THEN you dont stop and have the whistle blow.. another 2 or 3 smash into you and maul you to get the turn over whereas your team do teh opposite..

It requires alot of body physical conditioning.. Fortunateley Richard is a back but at Fly half he gets targetted alot since he is the play maker.. I die every time I see him get smashed... but he comes up well and the flankers have to get in to support him physically.. otherwise you practically get beat up..I think a forward in Unin, you have to be a hard man for that with a body thats solid and conditioned..

[Melissa]

Well I just think that NFL looks better the way they really collide and smash into each other, in rugby the tackling is usually grabbing their waste and dragging them to the floor, in NFL its more like run into the opposition as fast as you can and hope they fall over XD

Thats the problem I was saying, ist the padding makes them just charge and headbutt, if they took that away and played the sports as a conditioned man in a shirt/ jersey there would be more skill in the game plus more discipline and probably less injuries..

[Raziel]

im with saun, in NFL its awsome and hilarious to see those buffed guys tackling each other to death ^___^



BTW THIS WAS 24,000th ARTICLE AND I GOT IT!!! YAY ME:P

[RaVeN]

lol this is funny from an American POV.

It's nice to have had this convo earlier when i was in Europe so now i can bring it here.

The pads have been brought up b4. Mainly what I got in Europe was, "Why are they wearing pads? Are they pu$$^3$/wimps?"

THE REASON!
(dum dum dum)

I don’t know how it works over there, but players in the NFL and the MLB (baseball) and the NBA(basketball) and the...whatever sport comes next, make a living off the sport they play, probably like soccer or European football.
However when I say they make a living I mean that is all they do for a career in life. There is no side job, that’s it, just American football.

Now you might be saying “Well that’s just like here.” That may be so, and again I don’t think I know what you guys do over there, but our players are paid into the hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars.
So for you guys - ranging from 100,000 Euros to about 1 if not 2 million Euros a year…if not more…it gets pretty ridicules if you ask me.

So when you have that much money invested in something like that…you kinda want to protect it. This is coming from the players who want to protect their career and the owners of teams who want to protect their investment.

Now, that doesn’t mean people don’t get seriously injured…I don’t think I have gone to a fooball game in my life and not seen someone get seriously injured.

I’m personally not a fan of it myself…I’m not really a fan of any sport really. But oh man…football is the biggest sport here in America…people go crazy. The Super Bowl (the championship game) is almost a new holiday here in America.

Any who, all this talk about football made me search online for a video of tackling…so here ya go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgXjrlZv-dk

[saunby]

Chan I dont understand the difference between leage and union, Im guessing it is something along the lines of Union being worldwide and leage smaller or vice versa or something, personally like Raz said, its hilarious watching them run into each other, you just dont see what happens in NFL in any Rugby games in the UK.

[Chantelle]

lol this is funny from an American POV.

It's nice to have had this convo earlier when i was in Europe so now i can bring it here.

The pads have been brought up b4. Mainly what I got in Europe was, "Why are they wearing pads? Are they pu$$^3$/wimps?"

THE REASON!
(dum dum dum)

I don’t know how it works over there, but players in the NFL and the MLB (baseball) and the NBA(basketball) and the...whatever sport comes next, make a living off the sport they play, probably like soccer or European football.
However when I say they make a living I mean that is all they do for a career in life. There is no side job, that’s it, just American football.

Now you might be saying “Well that’s just like here.” That may be so, and again I don’t think I know what you guys do over there, but our players are paid into the hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars.
So for you guys - ranging from 100,000 Euros to about 1 if not 2 million Euros a year…if not more…it gets pretty ridicules if you ask me.

So when you have that much money invested in something like that…you kinda want to protect it. This is coming from the players who want to protect their career and the owners of teams who want to protect their investment.

Now, that doesn’t mean people don’t get seriously injured…I don’t think I have gone to a fooball game in my life and not seen someone get seriously injured.

I’m personally not a fan of it myself…I’m not really a fan of any sport really. But oh man…football is the biggest sport here in America…people go crazy. The Super Bowl (the championship game) is almost a new holiday here in America.

Any who, all this talk about football made me search online for a video of tackling…so here ya go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgXjrlZv-dk

Well thats the thing I would think the pads enrcourage the helmets being used as weapons..

I think without all the aromur and stuff they wouldnt be so couragious in their tackles.. its lack of discipline.

I just think without it also might allow a bit of skill to open up aswell, might get a bit of interest outside US.

And your right it is the same over here, major sports are peoples lifes and carrears.

[RaVeN]

This is what I think is so weird. Despite the internet, the world is still very big and separated!

It's amazing how, especially between America and the UK, two of the "closest" related countries in the world, that we have not only completely different sports, but completely different interests when it comes to sports.

It's astounding really if you think about it.

For example, I know just how important soccer (European Football) is to the rest of the world. People literally go nuts.

In America I think if there was a poll...Soccer would be voted the most boring sport on the face of the Earth.

Now I'm not trying to start a fight, not in the least bit. But I want to share a for instance:

I've seen soccer games, I even played in it when I was a little girl...I think most kids in the states have.

I find it EXTREMLY boring...like "omg turn this off!" I hold Baseball (which is a very very boring sport IMO) above soccer that’s how bad I am.

But football. Whoa.

Now I'm not going to know the players and I might not even know what team I should or shouldn't be rooting for (unless I ask my Dad)...but I cant help but glance over every now and then if it is on.

Big buff men...wearing tight...pants...hitting each other

It's something primal really.

Come to think of it I dont see what guys get out of it...

[Chantelle]

I agree I am not a soccer fan at all..!

Yeah your right America really seems to have its own sports which I dont think anywhere else is interested in.. and then the 4 perhaps major sports worldwide they are not interested in

Football ( i mean football as in what most call it, its North america that call it soccer ) is probably a clear winner in popularity.. I can watch it but yeah I find it dull.. and its played by players who love themselves too much and get paid too mucha nd dive and cheat... hence the sport is ruined!!

I think I heard and i struggled to believe this but apparently Cricket is now the worlds 2nd most popular sport... that to me IS DULL!! My sister loves it but jesus do I find it zzzzzz.. But very Southern Hemishpere dominiated in popularity.. I suppose its your eqivalent to baseball. SO yeah you find that boring too I understand... same kinda sport

Then I think Formula one... again bores me a bit.. but its agian european , asian and south amerian drivers.. Especially when Michael Schumacher was winning season after season, he was just a it too good.

So there we have it 3 major top sports and I find them dull lol!

I suppose Raven me and you share the same thinking about our sports

American footaball afterall is a descendant of rugby so its kinda similar. I just think as the thread opener started the padding and protection might devalue the game.. At the end of the day you raise a good point, No US sports are worldwide popular... removing that out woudl increase dicsipline and might improve the game and interest,..

Anyway I am looking forward to the game tomorrow!!

Are they playing at Wembley or Twickenham??


Ironic if it was Wembley the home of Football (soccer)

[RaVeN]

At the end of the day you raise a good point, No US sports are worldwide popular...

Except Basketball, and Hockey right? People play hockey outside the US right?

Also Japan plays Baseball but other than that, nothing.

In the states, for all the Major Sports, I think it goes in order for popularity - Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Pro Wrestling (which is fake), Golf, Tennis,...umm then maybe Soccer. (but I might be missing a few)

If there is a sports fan from America reading this feel free to chime in lol, I'm not the most qualified.

[Melissa]

We have Ice hockey here, I only know that since we are like teh champions ... but the entire side is canadian... its very much a minnow sport..

Basketball a little bit in school but I dont think its done here at all..

It is very much minnow sports in Britian

Most people watch chavball first, then rugby or cricket second.

I bet 95% of the people here dont know about their local hockey or basket ball team.

although funny you mention wrestling WWE was advertised as coming to our town last year?? although i obviously never went, i think its 8-13 year olds here do follow it..

yeah golf and tennis .. but they are like in US probably like sports but not major ones..

[saunby]

Pro Wrestling (which is fake)

Yes it is fake, but WWE (Im assuming you mean WWE) is more to the entertainment factor than sports, I used to watch a lot of it a few years back, I still follow it a little, and even though I know its fake I'd much rather watch it than the real thing which they show on English channels, fake may be fake but its a hell of a lot more exciting than the real ones.

[Melissa]

When I was younger (about 10) it was WWF ... they could sort of act then

Nowerdays the the quality of acting in WWE is poor.. I feel embarressed for the actors on stage if i see any of it..

Although saying that I bet there is alot of people over here who watch it, although I bet most wouldnt admit it or would be too embarressed to say so. lol

I cannot say I have ever seen real wrestling on telly here..

[saunby]

I cannot say I have ever seen real wrestling on telly here..

Real wresting on TVC here is rubbish, theres no real action to it IMO, all they do is kinda grapple a bit and then take the other man to the floor and sit on him, all looks a bit homosexual tbh

[Melissa]

suppose it is boring, although there is alot of skill in that grappling and at least they do it the hard way, not have greasy hair pump their bodies full of steroids and wear less flattering leotards.

If prefere that other one to watch.. is it UFC? the one where they fight in an octagon in US?

[Melissa]

When does this match start?? I hate it when I watch a sport on telly and you have to sit through an hour of pundits discussion the build up..The football (soccer) sometimes they talk for an hour before.

At least NFL dont have to put up with this nonsense from New Zealand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bMJyqGrbrs

[Chantelle]

Is it me... or is there hardly anybody in the stadium?

Either that or they are gonna go on talking for another hour or so

[RaVeN]

It looks pretty packed to me


...omg I'm watching sports

[Chantelle]

Yeah it does look pretty packed!

I was wrong they talked for 2 hours!!! thats why it looked empty..

I must admit I kinda like the ethic and design of the game... But they stop too long too often, why can they just not reset and get on with it, instead they have 5 minute breaks throughout the game.

It breaks the intensity and momentum for me..

Also that 94 (I think) for Miami.. Is that a player or a drunk fan he was obese!! I just looked funny when you have these packed althetes and some very muscular guys then someone who just looks unfit and huge.

[Melissa]

I think if they made it so that after a tackle was made they had 20 seconds to get it out that way both teams would have an extra energy about it, they could keep the pressure on and the intesity plus it would mean the defenses woudl have to reset quickly..

They went for commercial breaks between tackles... then they woudl linger around a bit talk to the pundits and get going again..

it was like watching 50x 20 seconds of sport.

Can I ask a serious question though... am I right in assuming the weather ruined that game?