Looking forward to tonight's Superbowl

[PAH]

I remember playing Madden NFL on an old Atari ST, quite a lot of years ago, with a friend who was half yank.

Once he'd explained the rules and all the different plays I found it quite interesting. Unfortunately since then I've forgotten most of it so it's back to the "WFT is going on" state.

[Gonzo]

One of the best episodes too - the villain driving the ice cream van to disguise himself - however this was taking place in LA/California where there is 'summer' weather all year round. Superbowl season usually starts in the summer and finishes in the winter.
Anyway, not a great game, but a thrilling finale last night.

The Superbowl always used to take place on the last Sunday in January, but they have extended the season in recent years so it is now the first Sunday in February.

Only a couple of times has it ever been held outside of one of the warmer southern states.

[PAH]

So that stadium last night was really belonging to Phoenix University and not some professional NFL team?

Crikey, no wonder they piss all over us at most Olympic sports if that's the level of facilities the amateurs have over there. Our guys and gals are still running around mud tracks as seen on Chariots of Fire.

[Gonzo]

So that stadium last night was really belonging to Phoenix University and not some professional NFL team?

Crikey, no wonder they piss all over us at most Olympic sports if that's the level of facilities the amateurs have over there. Our guys and gals are still running around mud tracks as seen on Chariots of Fire.

Those are not really the Amateurs though.

In the USA, the University teams all feed into the Professional league, and the locals take their local college football seriously (it is a big country so most people are nowhere near a professional franchise).

Scouts go around the country watching the kids playing at school. The good ones get offered Football Scholarships to go to one of the Universities (I think they get excused the studying when they get there).

In April each year, the NFL holds "the Draft", where each Professional Team gets to pick the people graduating that year that they want to offer professional contracts to.

So in short, University football is taken very seriously over there because it holds the stars of the future, and has some serious money behind it.

[BoredBloke]

My own take on American sports is that their 'football' is about as good as their sports get.

Baseball has to be the single most boring way to get rid of 4 hours. A load of grown blokes in their jim jams @rsin about playing rounders.

Basketball - game designed purely for 7 foot freaks of nature. For a normal person to get the ball through the hoop can be a skill, but for these clowns, what is so hard about running down a short court and placing a ball in a hoot a foot or so above your hand. The game is so easy that it simply goes
we score, you score, we score, you score, we score, you score, we score, you miss, we score,you score, we score, you score, we score, you score, we score, you score. oh we win! Hugely dull!

I went to see a NHL game while I was out there. Hockey is quite a free flowing game until they decide to put it on TV. When we were there, when a red light came on behind the dugout it meant that they were going to the adverts. Then there would be some kack 'entertainment' until it was game on again. I think that might have been why there wasn't 1 fight at the game we went to.


American football is very stop and start but it can contain real elements of skill. The ability for the Quarterback to place the ball in some guys hands half way down the pitch is impressive - especially when he is throwing to a space because the bloke catching the ball has not got there yet. The strength of the linemen and the speed of the receivers is pretty impressive also.

What spoils it for me is the whole draft thing and the way they try to even things out. i.e. because the teams don't play everybody home and away, if you win the superbowl you'll play a higher proportion of the top teams next year when compared to the cr@p teams who play a higher proportion of cr@p ones. Also if you finish bottom in the whole of the NFL you get the first pick in each round of the draft. So if you finish bottom say 3 years running in year 4 you'll have the benefit of all those first choices coming good and an easier season to play in. So the chances are that the teams in this situation will come good for a bit while those who stay at the top for long periods get starved of the best players and eventually fall away.