Went to the SuperBash party at the o2 last night, gotta say american football fans are seriously boring and extremly geeky, flask and blanket brigade ahoy....I guess suited the o2 as the venue itself is a homage to america with just chain restaurants/bars and tack.
Best part of night was deff the live cheerleaders, will now be following st louis rams intensly, Megan got my vote..
The game was good wanted the giants to win, but when the patriots got a TD before hlaf time treally thought would swing in their favour and they would crush the giants but thankfully they didn't. Oh half time show was shocking what was madona doing??!!
Did you recognise anyone from the West Stand Upper?
Went to the SuperBash party at the o2 last night, gotta say american football fans are seriously boring and extremly geeky, flask and blanket brigade ahoy....I guess suited the o2 as the venue itself is a homage to america with just chain restaurants/bars and tack.
Best part of night was deff the live cheerleaders, will now be following st louis rams intensly, Megan got my vote..
The game was good wanted the giants to win, but when the patriots got a TD before hlaf time treally thought would swing in their favour and they would crush the giants but thankfully they didn't. Oh half time show was shocking what was madona doing??!!
Did you recognise anyone from the West Stand Upper?
I know there was at least 2 Charlton fans there. I nearly went myself but decided it would be fair cheaper to watch it at home.
Lost my bet. Didn't stay awake to see the ending ( in fact I thought it would never end) . Has to be the worst sport I have ever seen . The most non flowing game ever invented. I wanted to like it , i tried , I really did but I'm afraid i realised after 4 hours it wasnt going to happen.!
This to a tee! I was in the states a couple of weeks ago, went into the hotel bar and the semifinal? (qualifier for the final??) was on, A couple of American chaps we were with gave us the low down, I gave it my best shot, I did, it has the razzmatazz, a big crowd and great camera work by the TV companies but they are only turd polishing 'cos it is utter cack, I would rather watch cricket than this, and that's saying something!! To balance it out the Yanks just didn't get the beautiful game! But they know who Rooney and Beckham are. Yet they had no idea who BWP was, I think they thought it was a sandwich!
To each there own but when I first watched it I thought it was utter cack as well because I didn't understand it. I think once you understand whats going on and you get into it you will realise that its a great sport. I think the Yanks prob think same about soccer and don't understand it which is why its not as popular over there.
I think one of the main problems with proper football in the States is the limited opportunities for commercial breaks, there is no way you would get 45 minutes of prime network time on any of the major stations with no commercial breaks...just no way. Hockey, Baseball, GridIron all offer plenty of opportunity for the corporations to sell, sell, sell
just watched the highlights. good god it took me a while to understand what the hell was going on at the end. i finally got it and i feel that the new england coach ballsed it right up. Guess he had faith in those recievers who then blew two easy chances. either that or it was all fixed.
The tactics of Gridiron are fascinating. I enjoy it form that perspective. My advice is to Sky+ it. I just breezed through the ads, although for once I needed to hear what the experts had to say!
And in response to the quality of American Footballers...
Went to the SuperBash party at the o2 last night, gotta say american football fans are seriously boring and extremly geeky, flask and blanket brigade ahoy....I guess suited the o2 as the venue itself is a homage to america with just chain restaurants/bars and tack.
Best part of night was deff the live cheerleaders, will now be following st louis rams intensly, Megan got my vote..
The game was good wanted the giants to win, but when the patriots got a TD before hlaf time treally thought would swing in their favour and they would crush the giants but thankfully they didn't. Oh half time show was shocking what was madona doing??!!
Did you recognise anyone from the West Stand Upper?
I know there was at least 2 Charlton fans there. I nearly went myself but decided it would be fair cheaper to watch it at home.
Was it not free for everyone?? I assumed it was.
Funny enough I did make a few comments of it being similar to getting valley express on a new away ground day.....
The tactics of Gridiron are fascinating. I enjoy it form that perspective. My advice is to Sky+ it. I just breezed through the ads, although for once I needed to hear what the experts had to say!
And in response to the quality of American Footballers...
Anyone else find the 2 commentators awfully drab to listen to? They knew their stuff but they were so technical they lacked anything resembling a personality.
I think one of the main problems with proper football in the States is the limited opportunities for commercial breaks, there is no way you would get 45 minutes of prime network time on any of the major stations with no commercial breaks...just no way. Hockey, Baseball, GridIron all offer plenty of opportunity for the corporations to sell, sell, sell
And there lies the big problem with N. American sports, at least in their televised form. The NHL is not as bad, but the amount of advert breaks during the Super Bowl was just crazy. Basically any tiny break in the play and it's advert time. On a couple of occassions that meant advert breaks inside 30 seconds of the last break ending.
The slow build up and stop start nature of NFL doesn't naturally lend itself to a sense of excitement or tension at the best of times. Having the Abominable Snowman popping up trying to sell you a Hyundai every few minutes makes it almost impossible to get drawn into the spectacle. I'm sure it's better live as most sports are, but then there doesn't quite seem to be that tribal element you get at an English Football match.
Watching that last night and having seen a little bit of Baseball, I really do not understand how the Yanks can criticise Association football on the grounds it's too slow.
Watching last night on the BBC was very good, as obviously no adverts. Ok there was obviously still breaks in play, but the discussion in these breaks was often useful and insightful.
I used to think american football was the most pointless sport ever, but when you get to understand it and actually follow it, it is a very exciting sport. The last quarter last night was brilliant, gripping television.
Watching last night on the BBC was very good, as obviously no adverts. Ok there was obviously still breaks in play, but the discussion in these breaks was often useful and insightful.
I used to think american football was the most pointless sport ever, but when you get to understand it and actually follow it, it is a very exciting sport. The last quarter last night was brilliant, gripping television.
Yeah, I kind of wish I'd sacrificed the HD and watched it streaming through the iPlayer. Probably would have learnt a lot more.
Liked the fact that the main FOX channel showed the Chelsea v Man Utd game live yesterday morning......slowly (very) slowly Soccer is creeping in to the mainstream here.
(and David Beckham was the top celebrity trending on Twitter throughout Superbowl due to his erm....H&M underwear ad that was screened during the game!)
Loved this game. It's hard to get into the game when you don't know the rules, and I know many people don't think it flows enough, but it must be hard to not respect how skilled these guys are.
I think one of the main problems with proper football in the States is the limited opportunities for commercial breaks, there is no way you would get 45 minutes of prime network time on any of the major stations with no commercial breaks...just no way. Hockey, Baseball, GridIron all offer plenty of opportunity for the corporations to sell, sell, sell
And there lies the big problem with N. American sports, at least in their televised form. The NHL is not as bad, but the amount of advert breaks during the Super Bowl was just crazy. Basically any tiny break in the play and it's advert time. On a couple of occassions that meant advert breaks inside 30 seconds of the last break ending.
The slow build up and stop start nature of NFL doesn't naturally lend itself to a sense of excitement or tension at the best of times. Having the Abominable Snowman popping up trying to sell you a Hyundai every few minutes makes it almost impossible to get drawn into the spectacle. I'm sure it's better live as most sports are, but then there doesn't quite seem to be that tribal element you get at an English Football match.
Watching that last night and having seen a little bit of Baseball, I really do not understand how the Yanks can criticise Association football on the grounds it's too slow.
I went to an ice hockey game on Friday night, my local team - sadly called The Eagles! Watching it live was quite good fun, but........
- incessant ear splitting loud music at every opportunity, seemed to be the only time the crowd woke up - advertising announcements adnauseum, often during a play - 60 mins of action, 3+ hours in the building - violent game, lots & lots of fighting on the ice - often over stupid things - my kids were quite shocked at how violent the spectacle was - no atmosphere whatsoever from the crowd (hence The Eagles being very appropriate) - the potholes in the carpark were shocking
Hockey is by far the best of the North American bunch in my book, but for me you cannot beat the game of Association Football for simplicity & spectacle.....
Like any watching any sport live in an arena and watching on TV are too completely different experiences.
American football live is so much better as you can see a play develop which is lost on TV the same with football.
My father hated American football until he stayed with me for a month. I would have college football on live every Sunday morning and after a few weeks he got into it and started to appreciate it. - It wouldn't replace cricket as his favorite but at least he could understand the skill and power involved.
At the o2 Super Bash ? They were. Catered by Bodean (pulled pork and cornbread, lovely) and Bud (including Bud Light, which you don't normally see over here).
Thought the Super Bash was excellent and was happy that it was topped off with a Giants win !
like rugby, the defences have got too good, too organised, too quick and too aggressive .. the game has deteriorated, just like rugby union, to a slug it out fest and is becoming boring as a result .. rugby union needs to be reduced to 14 a side, gridiron to 10 a side, or at least 10 on the field at any one play
like rugby, the defences have got too good, too organised, too quick and too aggressive .. the game has deteriorated, just like rugby union, to a slug it out fest and is becoming boring as a result .. rugby union needs to be reduced to 14 a side, gridiron to 10 a side, or at least 10 on the field at any one play
Are you insane? The last two seasons have seen inarguably the most explosive offense of all time. PPG average is way, way up on anything seen in decades, the single-season passing record (which had stood for more than 20 years) was broken by two QBs (and within about five yards of being broken by another) and analysts have been saying all year that the game has changed completely from the dour, defensive game of a few years back. Do you event watch the NFL?
Comments
I know there was at least 2 Charlton fans there. I nearly went myself but decided it would be fair cheaper to watch it at home.
And in response to the quality of American Footballers...
Funny enough I did make a few comments of it being similar to getting valley express on a new away ground day.....
The slow build up and stop start nature of NFL doesn't naturally lend itself to a sense of excitement or tension at the best of times. Having the Abominable Snowman popping up trying to sell you a Hyundai every few minutes makes it almost impossible to get drawn into the spectacle. I'm sure it's better live as most sports are, but then there doesn't quite seem to be that tribal element you get at an English Football match.
Watching that last night and having seen a little bit of Baseball, I really do not understand how the Yanks can criticise Association football on the grounds it's too slow.
I used to think american football was the most pointless sport ever, but when you get to understand it and actually follow it, it is a very exciting sport. The last quarter last night was brilliant, gripping television.
(and David Beckham was the top celebrity trending on Twitter throughout Superbowl due to his erm....H&M underwear ad that was screened during the game!)
- incessant ear splitting loud music at every opportunity, seemed to be the only time the crowd woke up
- advertising announcements adnauseum, often during a play
- 60 mins of action, 3+ hours in the building
- violent game, lots & lots of fighting on the ice - often over stupid things - my kids were quite shocked at how violent the spectacle was
- no atmosphere whatsoever from the crowd (hence The Eagles being very appropriate)
- the potholes in the carpark were shocking
Hockey is by far the best of the North American bunch in my book, but for me you cannot beat the game of Association Football for simplicity & spectacle.....
American football live is so much better as you can see a play develop which is lost on TV the same with football.
My father hated American football until he stayed with me for a month. I would have college football on live every Sunday morning and after a few weeks he got into it and started to appreciate it. - It wouldn't replace cricket as his favorite but at least he could understand the skill and power involved.
Thought the Super Bash was excellent and was happy that it was topped off with a Giants win !