These are some of the aspects that annoy me. It's also just too ostensibly "American" for me.

Another factor that annoys me is people over here getting all excited about the Superbowl Final, but they won't watch English teams playing the same sport. They can sell out Wembley for exhibition games involving NFL teams, but a few years ago a European Cup semi final involving a London team and a Belgian (?) team was staged at the National Sportcentre at Crystal Palace; I happened to be strolling through Crystal Palace Park that day and could see right into the stadium from a raised footpath - there can't have been more than 100 spectators present.

I watched one game live almost twenty years ago. I think it was London Olympians versus Birmingham Bandits (who were predictably known as "the Brum Bandits"icon_wink.gif. It seemed to drag on endlessly for about three hours or more and the stoppages were more frequent than in rugby union.

I suppose the fact that I haven't really got a clue what's happening or why doesn't help, but I've never had the inclination for find out.

By contrast I saw a live Aussie Rules game at The Oval a couple of years ago between Geelong and Port Adelaide (an exhibition match between two of the top Aussie teams) and really enjoyed it and found it very easy to pick up the rudiments of the games's laws and tactics.

I agree,when I started watching the NFL,MLB etc I found I enjoyed it more and more as I learned about the rules.As you begin to learn about the games the experience of being a fan gets better and better,now I can watch a White Sox game and shout at the tv to "bring the outfield in" or "walk him and pitch to the next man"etc

This is why I don't get when people on here moan about not knowing the rules



I found it very interesting from a tactical point of view. The enforcers must shield the QB so he can pick out the best pass etc.

Fair play to whoever wrote the Wiki article. They seem quite knowledgeable about both sports and it doesn't seem to show bias one way or another.

Possibly because the standard is a lot lower, so the game is not as entertaining or as fluid to watch?

Personally I always enjoyed British Ice Hockey more than the NHL - that might have been because I watched more of it, and also the emotional attachment you get to the teams and rivalries.

Same here. I watched Streatham Redskins and London Knights, but a few years back I recall someone on a message board getting really stroppy with me because I had no interest in NHL and knew nothing about who played for which teams etc. I've never even crossed the Atlantic and have never seen any of these teams live, that sprt doesn't translate very well to television, therefore I've got little interest in them regardless of how high the standard is.

I prefer to watch sport live (even at a relatively low standard) than on television.

Its great to watch on Sky+ so you can FF the stoppages, whilst keeping the replays etc. I do undertsnad the game but it drags on for far too long (I was at Wembley this year) and has not much excitement unless you are supporting one team or the other.
I bet alot of the people that complain about the stoppages also will watch a full days cricket, which can't have much more action than an NFL game.

Widnes fans complaining about not being in Super League for one.

I love the sport. I think when you take time out to learn the rules and understand the game you appreciate it more. The fact is, alot of people do not have the attention span to enjoy a game of American Football.

Being an English fan of the sport, you get the stick everytime someone finds out you like it. If you don't like it, don't watch it. I do not like fishing, aussie rules or ten pin bowling, so I don't watch it, nor do I start a thread saying that I don't.

Or when Eric Hinske is up....Swing, Swing, Swing and game over!!

One of the better sports for action i think.

Except when he's playing against us.



Spring trianing starts 3 weeks tomorrow.



Still another 7 weeks til I go down to Dunedin though. Can't remember the last time I was this excited about a holiday. I know, I'm sad!

If you find American Football boring then don't watch it and don't make crap posts about it. People will always find a sport boring, i find football, club rugby union and more importantly cricket boring.

As for American Football it's a fantastic sport. One of the most entertaining IMO and is my second favourite sport after Rugby League.

I agree at first American Football can be confusing but i was still interested in it, once i took the time out to learn the rules/jargon etc properly it became completely enthralling to me. The breaks then become ok to deal with as most of the time they go through the previous drive and disect the plays and you constantly learn more about the different systems of offence and defence etc.

It's a great sport to watch live as i found out when i got to watch my team play in Jacksonville.

But surely the fact that the "World Champions of Football" in your eyes being owned by Americans goes someway to suggest that they are already?

Possession being 9/10ths of the law and all that.

I don't think anyone owns the Italian national team do they?

the italian fa

i have to say american football's prolly my second fave sport behind rugby league . its a hybrid between league and chess. the tactical side of the game's really intense when you get to understand it. its a sport i can watch eaisily for 4 hour and not get bored if a "soccer" match lasted that long id be ready to slit my wrists.

I can't watch a match in real time unless I've got a book or a crossword to do. It'll never go back to those fantastic days of Channel Four's highlights show on a Sunday evening.

That was back when it was American Football's turn to be the 'fastest growing sport in the UK'.

The Cosa Nostra own the Italian Football team.

Is the manager Big Don?

Ably assisted by Lisa Mafia.

Where can I contact them? I want to buy some shares. Do they have a website?

No, but I'm guessing they've got a burial site.

Lucky, am really jealous, all i get to go on holiday this year is to Detroit and Pittsburgh....



Remember to send us a postcard <3

Yeh, I like going to hockey games and watching them live, but although I take a bit of an interest in the NHL it certainly is not the best sport to watch on TV.

Rugby Union, cricket, Aussie Rules, amateur RL, ice hockey, equestrian sports, athletics, golf, gaelic football, hurley, winter sports, sailing, Everton, James May, Alan Shearer, soap operas, queuing, ITV sitcoms, Ron Howard films, most sports, listening to Wigooners moaning about the salary cap, a night out around St Helens, people talking about political correctness and keithcun.