Wembley, NFL - Comparisons with O'Connor Park and Croke Park

[azoffaly]

MuckSavage, I understand your opinion of the game, but I don't agree with it. I was a season ticket holder for a few years with the Arizona Cardinals, and I love the game. I agree that the NCAA game has more 'tradition' and more of an attachment to the area (as they are obviously colleges) and the NFL is very much a 'product' with franchises, free agency and all the other acoutrements.

However, the game itself is what I love. I love the ferocious hits, the intensity and the athleticism. Even those big 300 lb linemen would beat you or I in a 15 yard sprint. (Certainly me anyway )

It's not really a comparable 'game' as such to almost anything else, but on its own merits I think American Football is a great game. I would like to see a bit more innovation at times. I love the clever trick plays you see every so often like the 'hook and ladder', 'statue of Liberty' etc etc. I think they could lateral the ball more when they are running etc etc. But there's something brilliant about watching a well drilled offence marching up the field, only to be thwarted by a bunch of psychopaths diving into them horizontally and burying them.

It's kind of like Killavilla

Is your location South West America, or south West Ireland?

Oh, and Bogman, to your questions, I was there as well.

1. How does the Royal Corps of Engineers Marching Band measure up to the Mountbolus Pipe Band? - Badly. the MPB would knock shite out of them.

2. Wembley, Croke Park or O'Connor Park - the best Stadium? Wembley. By far in my opinion. I think a fully formed 'bowl' stadium always looks better. A Roof on Hill 16 would finish Croker in my opinion, but I don't think that's possible with the trainline and land needed.

3. Is the NFL better on TV or as an authentic live experience complete with torrential rain. - Always better as an authentic live experience. And the more you go, the less it's about the glitz and glamour. The rain on Sunday was a pain, but it's still better to be there. You miss nothing.

4. American Football - can it hold a candle to Gaelic Football or Hurling??
Unfair comparison really. Different games and approaches entirely. I find all of them riveting. I suppose the acid test would be, would I prefer to go and see Monaghan v Sligo, or Miami v NYG. Hmmmm.

5. How can they spend € 1 billion on a Stadium and still completely fail on the necessary trimmings of a 3 Hour Game - Catering, Bars and Merchandise!! Kudos to the GAA. - I have to say the Catering and Bars were spot on. There was 3 bars within 50 yards of our seats. And the same number of food stalls, not to mention the popcorn/roasted nut man. Merchandise, yes, but this was an NFL home game for the Dolphins, so they didn't sell other teams stuff. There was plenty of stuff for this game though. Again, 2 merchandise stands within 30 or 40 yards of our seats.

6. Decline (rebirth and renewal?) of once proud teams - the Miami Dolphins and Offaly! Discuss! The Miami Dolphins sleep with the Fish. The Cardinals have a better future over the next 5 years than they do, and the Cardinals would be happy with 1st round of the playoffs. Offaly will be back before the Dolphins.

[turk]

5. I have to say the Catering and Bars were spot on. There was 3 bars within 50 yards of our seats. And the same number of food stalls, not to mention the popcorn/roasted nut man.

That's probably why so many people were complaining about catering folks - AZ claened them out!!

[Muck Savage]

AZ - Think you may be slightly misreading what I'm saying here. The game itself is entertaining but my view is that the NFL is a waste of time. The college game is 100 times better and I think in your comments you kinda prove that, your going to see way more trick plays in the college game. How many times have you see the "Statue of liberty" play? I would be fairly sure that in the last five years in the NFL it hasn't been pulled but if you look in the college game it was pulled by Boise State in the Fiesta bowl with the last play of the game to win it, your not going to see that in an NFL crunch game. That was some game by the way, even the wife was shouting at the TV for the last 5 mins.
Anyway, point is College game is 100 times better. NFL is just a bunch of overpaid convicts in my mind

[azoffaly]

Ah I think you're being a bit harsh on the NFL. Certainly the NCAA football is more off the cuff, because it's amateur. And I aslo like the rivalries etc in College ball. I still think the NFL is higher standard though, and the athletes and plays they make are unreal at times.

re Trick plays, I did see a couple of Statue of Liberty plays, I think the Jets did one recently, and also the flea flicker and things like that are more prevalent in the NFL.

I enjoy both

[Lone Shark]

Myself and Mrs. Shark were also part of the Uibhfháilí.com expedition over to Wembley, and I am amazed to report that despite never having seen an NFL game befoe, she thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't find that it went on too long at all. I'm a long standing NFL devotee so it's hardly a shock to find out that I really enjoyed it, but for someone who wouldn't even have understood the rules to get so much out of what was a vey poor game (relatively speaking I mean) says a lot in my book.

I'd agree completely that the college game has a lot more soul, but the lack of broadcasting of it over hee means I haven't really got to get my teeth into it. Plus it's all very well to say that games have great tradition, but if you don't understand the tradition to begin with, that means nothing to you. Not having spent any substantial chunk of time in Amerikay I can't really claim any kind of knowledge of that stuff, while I am by now moderately informed on most NFL players and what they bring to their teams. I can guarantee you that I'm looking forward to the Patriots v Colts this weekend on many levels.

In terms of the stadium, we were in section K, and by half time they were sold out of food of all types. Lads were going in for 8 hot dogs and returning with what kitkats and mars bars were left - certainly the manager of those outlets had a lot to answer for. Ditto the queues were massive and overall I was quite underwhelmed by that aspect of it. Obviously the stadium itself is quite breathtaking in a way that Croke Park isn't, but in terms of enjoying a game, give me CP any day. The queing barriers for the grub stalls could probably be worth looking at, and visually Wembley wins all the way, but the Hill does give the stadium a partisan element that Wembley lacks.

It'll never overtake hurling for me, but when it comes to Gaelic Football, I do have to laugh at people talking about all the stoppages in NFL - football has been ruined in recent years by tactical stoppages etc - a game clock is badly needed to address all that. Very little between them as games IMHO. Take out the patisan aspect of it for me and I really couldn't say.

[azoffaly]

Mrs. Shark

Mrs Shark? Did something happen in London over the weekend??

[Lone Shark]

Nah, just a turn of phrase. Romantic and all as a third down conversion on your own five yard line is, I just felt the moment wasn't quite right ......

[Bogman]

Wasn’t it funny to see the different reactions the Team Captains for the night got.

• Martin Johnson (Miami), ex-Rugby player and NFL Fan – ecstatic applause from the crowd
• John Terry (NYG), introduced as Chelsea player – booed enthusiastically as you would expect from non-Chelsea supporting sports enthusiasts

Mrs. Bogman wasn’t quite as enamoured with the experience as Mrs. Shark. She loved the initial spectacle with the colour of the uniforms, turf and cheerleaders but she got a bit tired and bored as the night went on.

That streaker was well organised – he looked just like the umpires when he ran on. I noticed the TVs were showing on a slight delay in the Stadium so I’d imagine American TV cut away in time to spare the Yanks’ delicate sensibilities.

Even though I’m a Dolphins obsessive and there were a lot of NFL fans like me in the Stadium contributing to the atmosphere I have to say that I missed the TV replays and analysis. We’re lucky with Sky since most of the time when there’s a break in play they don’t go to adverts with the Americans but instead do some analysis or updates on other games.

Wembley is probably the best stadium I’ve been in. The billion was well spent as far as I’m concerned.

Short Rant!! - My Query about the catering was caused by watching most of the 3RD Quarter on TV due to a 5 minutes per person Queue (most of the staff standing around dribbling beer taps) with the lowlight being held up after being served for 10 minutes extra because of Breathtaking stupidity. It is difficult to believe but the person at the till had no pound coins to give change of £ 13 out of £ 20 and refused to accept an extra £2 so that he could give back £ 15. It took a “supervisor” to tell our genius that this would not affect the till balance.

As for me I’m been a fan of the Miami Dolphins for 23 years now since I saw Dan Marino on Channel 4 during his first full season when he was freakishly brilliant.

At this stage I know way too much about every player on the Miami Dolphins roster and even though the Dolphins are poor and injury-hit this year I am enjoying every flash of potential from the young players and am already speculating about what Miami will do with their high Draft Pick in April.

So Wembley on Saturday night was a gift for me. I was there to boo the kneel-downs at the end. I watched the highlights on BBC2 and most of the game again on Sky the following night on returning to Tullamore. At this stage Mrs. Bogman was threatening divorce.

I’ve watched the college game on and off over the years when I had access to it – they used to show Notre Dame Fighting Irish games every weekend on Cablelink at one time. I keep an eye on Notre Dame’s fortunes (wretched at present) and I was at Croke Park for the Notre Dame – Navy game some years ago.

For me the big problem with the college game is that there isn’t the same competitiveness and parity as in the NFL. The good players and the good teams dominate too much (and I know that’s rich coming from a Dolphins fan who have been beaten in every match). Most of the college games are blowouts and the main interest for me is looking at players the Dolphins might pick up in the Draft.

Although when the college game does come up with a good matchup it can be a Classic like the Boise State game – amazing underdog stuff.

I’m looking forward to the Colts-Patriots game – great rivalry, great quarterbacks, cheating allegations against the Patriots, hoping that neither goes unbeaten to match Miami 72-73.

Anyway I agree - class comments from everybody - and at least it’s a break from looking for signs of hope in Offaly.

[Bord na Mona man]

Lads, it's a sad day for Offaly when fellas are going to matches and complaining about the texture of the mustard supplied with the hot dogs, the glazing on the onions and their beers being over chilled.
Ye're a disgrace!
The Offaly diet should should consist of lard and drippings and opposition corner forwards!

I'm especially surprised at the Ferbane lads in this regard.

[turk]

Lads, it's a sad day for Offaly when fellas are going to matches and complaining about the texture of the mustard supplied with the hot dogs, the glazing on the onions and their beers being over chilled.
Ye're a disgrace!
The Offaly diet should should consist of lard and drippings and opposition corner forwards!

I'm especially surprised at the Ferbane lads in this regard.

Ferbane lads would make good linebackers or tight ends.

The Clara lads would merely make the roster as the kicker or more likely the lad that holds the ball for the kicker

[Bord na Mona man]

Lads, it's a sad day for Offaly when fellas are going to matches and complaining about the texture of the mustard supplied with the hot dogs, the glazing on the onions and their beers being over chilled.
Ye're a disgrace!
The Offaly diet should should consist of lard and drippings and opposition corner forwards!

I'm especially surprised at the Ferbane lads in this regard.

Ferbane lads would make good linebackers or tight ends.

The Clara lads would merely make the roster as the kicker or more likely the lad that holds the ball for the kicker

Surely a Clara quarterback too!
Leave the donkey work to the Ferbane lads.

[TheManFromFerbane]

I have to say the Catering and Bars were spot on. There was 3 bars within 50 yards of our seats. And the same number of food stalls, not to mention the popcorn/roasted nut man.

5. Where were you sitting!!!? Where I was you couldn't walk 5 feet without bumping into a food or drink seller?? Merchandise was a bit minimal but I had spent enough anyway so I was ok with that!

Some of us are still in touch with our roots

[turk]

Surely a Clara quarterback too!

Perhaps, but a very ineffective one that gets sacked and intercepted a lot

[Bogman]

There are a whole cast of characters on an American Football roster that could have their parallels in Offaly football and hurling:

For example - The Prima Donna "cancer to the team" wide receiver with the attitude - "I'm making great runs and they just can't get the ball to me". (Terrell Owens, Keyshawn Johnson) There must be corner forwards like that.