NFL

[Gerrumonside ref]

Very interesting article about the progress by the NFL academy in Loughborough amongst its spread of 16-19 year old prospects.

The hope is that more and more of these athletes will be picked up by the top US colleges and processed through the US collegiate system.

This is seen as more likely to lead to pro athletes from in the NFL from around the world rather than mid 20s rugby union talent trying to adapt.

Interestingly the article suggests that currently the ratio of applicants to places is high so the NFL are looking at a global academy structure including one opening on the Gold Coast in Australia.

In order to prove their ability the coaches at the academy at Loughborough are organising top quality matchups against their US high school contemporaries such as the highly esteemed De La Salle Spartans.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/oct/13/tackles-and-textbooks-inside-the-uk-nfl-dream-factory

Edited October 13, 2024 by Gerrumonside ref

[Maximus Decimus]

3 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Very interesting article about the progress by the NFL academy in Loughborough amongst its spread of 16-19 year old prospects.

The hope is that more and more of these athletes will be picked up by the top US colleges and processed through the US collegiate system.

This is seen as more likely to lead to pro athletes from in the NFL from around the world rather than mid 20s rugby union talent trying to adapt.

Interestingly the article suggests that currently the ratio of applicants to places is high so the NFL are looking at a global academy structure including one opening on the Gold Coast in Australia.

In order to prove their ability the coaches at the academy at Loughborough are organising top quality matchups against their US high school contemporaries such as the highly esteemed De La Salle Spartans.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/oct/13/tackles-and-textbooks-inside-the-uk-nfl-dream-factory

They were pushing this at the game last Sunday without explaining much about who either side were.

Just looked it up and De la Salle won 31-9.

[Maximus Decimus]

Very pleased with the Bears performance yesterday. After a slow first quarter, they dominated and easily won a game that they were slight underdogs for.

I have a mate who went both the last two weeks and he said while there were probably more Bears fans than Vikings fan last week, it felt like less of a home game.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Shameless name drop, but I went along to NFL live with Commissioner Roger Goodell on Saturday.

Jolly Roger opened up by stating his first experience was  in the American Bowl series in the 1980's where

Roger also being misquoted in Pro Football talk, he never said the Super Bowl would move out of the states he simply said the Super Bowl would be played in an "NFL city" . In reality there are practical reasons not to do so, noticablty the time diference between the UK and USA. In addition, Ronde Barber added "You give us the FA Cup final and we will give you the Super Bowl"

Someone wanted nightime games in the UK with 7.00pm staerts. that would go down like a line of sick with me and other because it means additional expense through a potential overnight stay given that an NFL game can stretch as far as 3.5 hours. Fortunately it also denies the NFL the 09:30am Eastern states time slot so unlikely.

Roger under fire for no "Family Friendy" fan rallies at Southbank or Battersea Power Station this year aand the lack of planning with player signings and events for those coming fromn afar. I got to meet Kenny Stills and  Travis Etienne at seperate events last year because I happened to be in London at the time, mid-week with signings arranged at 2 hours notice.

The Ireland question with we have 800 fans at a watch party for the Steelers and 9.5 % of the US population with an Irish ancestor "so when are the Steelers coming to Dublin" question came up. As you would expect from the son of a republican politician, Roger the Dodger, swerved the question by replying that he was one of the 9.5%, the Steelers are keen on coming over, but "maybe not next season". The bit that's gone unreported in the media beat up.

Roger however confirmed the NFL would NEVER give up the London games which have been going on in various guises for 41 years now. But No mention of a European franchise.

The NFL international series in London has ended. The Wembley game is a Jacksonville Jaguars event run by them, not the NFL, all profits to the Jags. Perhaps you were not aware but Jacksonville's agreement runs out this year, and is being given a short-term extension.

https://eu.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/nfl/jaguars/2024/10/13/jacksonville-jaguars-london-wembley-nfl-ageement-negotiation-underway/75645331007/

Or that during Stadium Renovation there is the prospect of 2-3 home games played in the UK

https://eu.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2024/06/20/stadium-deal-with-jaguars-spells-out-london-game-options/74157782007/

The big question of course is what happens when the Jags have a 71,000 stadium and the short-term lease expires in 2028/29. (All leases have to be short-term due to NFL market factors) - Make of that as you will...

Speculation for next year, AFC teams will have the additional game in 2025, but I think Miami will be in Madrid and maybe the Jets come over for a home game but maybe not. The key is to look at the Jags 2025 schedule . The names where Jacksonville are the away team that jump out are: Las Vegas Raiders , Denver Broncos and the AFC North, where although the Cincinatti Bengals may, due to their final placing, not be on the Jags schedule but I do think they will be coming over to Spurs.  As for the Jags home game at Wembley I will tip the LA CHargers as the side coming over.

5 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I have a mate who went both the last two weeks and he said while there were probably more Bears fans than Vikings fan last week, it felt like less of a home game.

Yes but it was also less of a game than the week before. In addition a lot of UK fans like me adopt the Jags as their "second team" because they play here That said, there is still too many there who seem clueless as to what is going on on the field and just come to drink beer, sing along to Sweet Caroline or Mr Brightside, buy the gear and just be seen at the event..

The Bears fans from Florida on my left paid me the backhanded compliment that I was the only Brit they had come across in their stay that knew about football (NFL). I should do after 41 years, but although the word is misused in a political context, the fans over here still need to be "educated" in the ways of the NFL.

[Maximus Decimus]

38 minutes ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

Shameless name drop, but I went along to NFL live with Commissioner Roger Goodell on Saturday.

Jolly Roger opened up by stating his first experience was  in the American Bowl series in the 1980's where

Roger also being misquoted in Pro Football talk, he never said the Super Bowl would move out of the states he simply said the Super Bowl would be played in an "NFL city" . In reality there are practical reasons not to do so, noticablty the time diference between the UK and USA. In addition, Ronde Barber added "You give us the FA Cup final and we will give you the Super Bowl"

Someone wanted nightime games in the UK with 7.00pm staerts. that would go down like a line of sick with me and other because it means additional expense through a potential overnight stay given that an NFL game can stretch as far as 3.5 hours. Fortunately it also denies the NFL the 09:30am Eastern states time slot so unlikely.

Roger under fire for no "Family Friendy" fan rallies at Southbank or Battersea Power Station this year aand the lack of planning with player signings and events for those coming fromn afar. I got to meet Kenny Stills and  Travis Etienne at seperate events last year because I happened to be in London at the time, mid-week with signings arranged at 2 hours notice.

The Ireland question with we have 800 fans at a watch party for the Steelers and 9.5 % of the US population with an Irish ancestor "so when are the Steelers coming to Dublin" question came up. As you would expect from the son of a republican politician, Roger the Dodger, swerved the question by replying that he was one of the 9.5%, the Steelers are keen on coming over, but "maybe not next season". The bit that's gone unreported in the media beat up.

Roger however confirmed the NFL would NEVER give up the London games which have been going on in various guises for 41 years now. But No mention of a European franchise.

The NFL international series in London has ended. The Wembley game is a Jacksonville Jaguars event run by them, not the NFL, all profits to the Jags. Perhaps you were not aware but Jacksonville's agreement runs out this year, and is being given a short-term extension.

https://eu.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/nfl/jaguars/2024/10/13/jacksonville-jaguars-london-wembley-nfl-ageement-negotiation-underway/75645331007/

Or that during Stadium Renovation there is the prospect of 2-3 home games played in the UK

https://eu.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2024/06/20/stadium-deal-with-jaguars-spells-out-london-game-options/74157782007/

The big question of course is what happens when the Jags have a 71,000 stadium and the short-term lease expires in 2028/29. (All leases have to be short-term due to NFL market factors) - Make of that as you will...

Speculation for next year, AFC teams will have the additional game in 2025, but I think Miami will be in Madrid and maybe the Jets come over for a home game but maybe not. The key is to look at the Jags 2025 schedule . The names where Jacksonville are the away team that jump out are: Las Vegas Raiders , Denver Broncos and the AFC North, where although the Cincinatti Bengals may, due to their final placing, not be on the Jags schedule but I do think they will be coming over to Spurs.  As for the Jags home game at Wembley I will tip the LA CHargers as the side coming over.

Yes but it was also less of a game than the week before. In addition a lot of UK fans like me adopt the Jags as their "second team" because they play here That said, there is still too many there who seem clueless as to what is going on on the field and just come to drink beer, sing along to Sweet Caroline or Mr Brightside, buy the gear and just be seen at the event..

The Bears fans from Florida on my left paid me the backhanded compliment that I was the only Brit they had come across in their stay that knew about football (NFL). I should do after 41 years, but although the word is misused in a political context, the fans over here still need to be "educated" in the ways of the NFL.

When I went to the NFL in Chicago we got talking to this older couple at the airport and they couldn't believe that we knew about the NFL but also things like college football etc. 

I was really impressed with my one experience and would definitely do it again. I suppose I was too into the game to notice too much about the rest of the crowd.

That said, I was sat next to about 6 young French lads across 2 rows who all came out carrying a set of 4 beers. They lasted the first quarter so they got another 4. Safe to say they were hammered and one was even being given ice to stop him puking up.

It was the most British acting I'd ever seen our French cousins.

[Maximus Decimus]

Just finished the Jets-Bills game. You just knew that when the second FG hit the post that they weren't going to win.

Entertaining first half, but way too many flags in the second.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

On 14/10/2024 at 19:32, Maximus Decimus said:

 

That said, I was sat next to about 6 young French lads across 2 rows who all came out carrying a set of 4 beers. They lasted the first quarter so they got another 4. Safe to say they were hammered and one was even being given ice to stop puking up.

It s an interesting sporting cultural point. The US couple next to me were incredulous that with first down, goal to go line-up in front of the sticks you have people getting up to get more beers. As they put it back home that would have got to Boo Birds letting the individuals concerned what they thought of them.

There are enough natural breaks in a football game for people not to do this and its a part of sporting etiquette the International series crowds need to be educated in

 

 

 

[Maximus Decimus]

On 16/10/2024 at 07:55, THE RED ROOSTER said:

It s an interesting sporting cultural point. The US couple next to me were incredulous that with first down, goal to go line-up in front of the sticks you have people getting up to get more beers. As they put it back home that would have got to Boo Birds letting the individuals concerned what they thought of them.

There are enough natural breaks in a football game for people not to do this and its a part of sporting etiquette the International series crowds need to be educated in

 

 

 

I suppose that's always going to be the case with sports where most people aren't avid fans, especially if they aren't fans of the teams specifically. As a sports fan, I can't understand why you would go in the first place if you aren't interested in seeing a possible TD.

When I went in Chicago, people were in and out a lot. There were 2 guys in front of us who got up after the first touchdown and never came back.

And of course, they nearly all left before witnessing the end of their first home win in over a year!

 

[Irish Saint]

Ben Sinnott's first touchdown for Washington. Congratulations,

Commanders' Rookie TE Scores TD to Extend Lead in Second Half

[Gerrumonside ref]

18 minutes ago, Irish Saint said:

Ben Sinnott's first touchdown for Washington. Congratulations,

Commanders' Rookie TE Scores TD to Extend Lead in Second Half

Great news for him.

It was another convincing win by Washington this time without Jayden Daniels who had to be withdrawn with a rib injury.

No one was sure what to expect from the backup Marcus Mariota exactly as he’s only had a few snaps in ‘garbage time’ this year after a pectoral muscle injury.

Bigger test next week at home to Chicago as the Commanders start the countdown to a huge NFC East clash with the Philadelphia Eagles on prime time TV in week 11.

Edited October 21, 2024 by Gerrumonside ref

[Gerrumonside ref]

On 17/10/2024 at 21:42, Maximus Decimus said:

I suppose that's always going to be the case with sports where most people aren't avid fans, especially if they aren't fans of the teams specifically. As a sports fan, I can't understand why you would go in the first place if you aren't interested in seeing a possible TD.

When I went in Chicago, people were in and out a lot. There were 2 guys in front of us who got up after the first touchdown and never came back.

And of course, they nearly all left before witnessing the end of their first home win in over a year!

 

I’ve been following it since 82/83 season and picked Washington at that time as they had a good team and raucous fans who made the stands actually bounce at RFK!

My father goes back even further as he was developing property in Florida from the late 70s onwards and he plumped for the Miami Dolphins as they were shown the most on local US tv at that time where he would spend part of the year.

He directed me to Channel 4’s early coverage and we both developed a love of the game culminating in trips to NFL games.  I remember watching the Bills play at Tampa, when they were putting together their Super Bowl lineup.

The Bills fans even back then were very much out in force in Florida and one of my abiding memories is passing money across a row of seats so that hotdogs and beers could be bought by people in the middle of a row.  Then we passed the food and the change back down the row.  It must have gone through about half a dozen people.

I remember thinking it would never happen at the football matches I’d been to in England at that time and it was a different world!

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Pleasantly surprised to see 86, 651 in the crowd after reading on twitter that seats were not selling and the usual numpties posting "dont like the match up.. two 1-5 teams and so on". I thought 82,000 when at the ground

More educated crowd at the home of American Football in the UK - Wembley. Less of the Tottenham vibe (at least where I was).

There were two serious errors which damaged the NFL in the UK.

First with the World League  halting the league for two years, switching venues from Wembley to the Old Tottenham and then Chelsea and canning the Crown Jewels and replacing them with Hip Hop crew Blitz which went down like a line of sick. The London Monarchs finally expiring after becoming the England Monarchs and playing all of the place to a dwindling audience. and in the recent history of American Football at Wembley on the Wembley twitter site,, the Monarchs have been suffered a stalinist style deletion from the history of the game in the UK

The second problem was the move to Tottenham, which most fgans including myself did not like, but the promise was made to Wembley season ticket holders that they would get first dibs on tickets. They did not. Now some like me did wangle a season ticket when they were put on open sale, and I am both a NFL at Tottenham and Jaguars at Wembley season ticket holder, but there are a lot of fans who did not and given the ever rising prices at Spurs may now be lost to the game.

Jags now have a new stadium (Not to everyone's taste in Jacksonville given the bill the taxpayers are paying - $775 million of the $1.4 billion of work on renovating the city-owned stadium). and a deal that allows up to 6 games played in London from season 2025-27.  Now I do not expect more than one game next year (2025). In 2026 with capacity at Everbank Stadium down to 43,000, I think there will be two games and depending on demand for those matches could go to three games in 2027 when Everbank Stadium is shut.

The Jags do not sell out home games, partly due to being an unsuccessful franchise and partly due to being a small media market and one of three Florida teams (with Atlanta also near by) all of which are more establshed than the Jags. Wembley contributes 11-15% of Jaguars Total revenue for the year.

On Spurs, the NFL chipped in 5% of the cost of the new stadium to Daniel Levy who has a contract for a minimum of two games a year to 2029 and the NFL locker rooms themselves can hold up to 75 players for pre-season games. The intention of course being that when / if London gets a franchise it will be at Tottenham. Though the NFL are happy to have two NFL stadiums in London with Wembley as well, but at the moment it's a Jags venue.

 

Edited October 22, 2024 by THE RED ROOSTER

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

Pleasantly surprised to see 86, 651 in the crowd after reading on twitter that seats were not selling and the usual numpties posting "dont like the match up.. two 1-5 teams and so on". I thought 82,000 when at the ground

More educated crowd at the home of American Football in the UK - Wembley. Less of the Tottenham vibe (at least where I was).

There were two serious errors which damaged the NFL in the UK.

First with the World League  halting the league for two years, switching venues from Wembley to the Old Tottenham and then Chelsea and canning the Crown Jewels and replacing them with Hip Hop crew Blitz which went down like a line of sick. The London Monarchs finally expiring after becoming the England Monarchs and playing all of the place to a dwindling audience. and in the recent history of American Football at Wembley on the Wembley twitter site,, the Monarchs have been suffered a stalinist style deletion from the history of the game in the UK

The second problem was the move to Tottenham, which most fgans including myself did not like, but the promise was made to Wembley season ticket holders that they would get first dibs on tickets. They did not. Now some like me did wangle a season ticket when they were put on open sale, and I am both a NFL at Tottenham and Jaguars at Wembley season ticket holder, but there are a lot of fans who did not and given the ever rising prices at Spurs may now be lost to the game.

Jags now have a new stadium (Not to everyone's taste in Jacksonville given the bill the taxpayers are paying - $775 million of the $1.4 billion of work on renovating the city-owned stadium). and a deal that allows up to 6 games played in London from season 2025-27.  Now I do not expect more than one game next year (2025). In 2026 with capacity at Everbank Stadium down to 43,000, I think there will be two games and depending on demand for those matches could go to three games in 2027 when Everbank Stadium is shut.

The Jags do not sell out home games, partly due to being an unsuccessful franchise and partly due to being a small media market and one of three Florida teams (with Atlanta also near by) all of which are more establshed than the Jags. Wembley contributes 11-15% of Jaguars Total revenue for the year.

On Spurs, the NFL chipped in 5% of the cost of the new stadium to Daniel Levy who has a contract for a minimum of two games a year to 2029 and the NFL locker rooms themselves can hold up to 75 players for pre-season games. The intention of course being that when / if London gets a franchise it will be at Tottenham. Though the NFL are happy to have two NFL stadiums in London with Wembley as well, but at the moment it's a Jags venue.

 

I remember attending a London Monarchs vs New York/New Jersey Knights match in that first season when I think I’m right in thinking the Monarchs later defeated the Barcelona Dragons in the first World Bowl.

Although there were many failings with the World League, I still remember feeling pretty excited at its inception although when the American element quickly folded it lost its lustre for me.

Did you take in any of the British American Football scene that proceeded it?  I still remember the Manchester Allstars playing at Boundary Psrk Oldham and I think Loftus Rd had over 20,000 for their final against the all powerful London Ravens for which we still have a programme lying around somewhere - exciting times!

[Irish Saint]

When each team was bought and how much they cost!

[Maximus Decimus]

Jets season effectively over after 8 games. What a total disaster.

They haven't played well of course across the board especially Rodgers given his expectations, but I make that 3 games where Zuerlein has missed a kick that affected the win.

He had a kick to win against Denver, missed 2 kicks against the Bills (albeit in torrid conditions) to tie it up and missed 1 kick and 1 extra point today that allowed the Patriots to win.

[Gerrumonside ref]

I thought Washington were in for a hammer blow of a psychological defeat to Chicago just then.

The Commanders dominated in yards, clock and pretty much every measure, but had only scored.four field goals to lead 12-0.

Gradually the Bears picked up the momentum and managed to score a go ahead touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Then Jayden Daniels managed to launch a Hail Mary with defensive linemen slipping and sliding everywhere, the pass was short of the endzone, but somehow the scrum of receivers and defenders managed to tip the ball forward into the waiting hands of a lone receiver to clinch the game for Washington sending the home crowd and home team wild!

Edited October 27, 2024 by Gerrumonside ref

[Maximus Decimus]

9 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I thought Washington were in for a hammer blow of a psychological defeat to Chicago just then.

The Commanders dominated in yards, clock and pretty much every measure, but had only scored.four field goals to lead 12-0.

Gradually the Bears picked up the momentum and managed to score a go ahead touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Then Jayden Daniels managed to launch a Hail Mary with defensive linemen slipping and sliding everywhere, the pass was short of the endzone, but somehow the scrum of receivers and defenders managed to tip the ball forward into the waiting hands of a lone receiver to clinch the game for Washington sending the home crowd and home team wild!

Talk about a real sucker punch. I stayed up to watch the Bears somehow get in front after being dominated.

[gingerjon]

9 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I thought Washington were in for a hammer blow of a psychological defeat to Chicago just then.

The Commanders dominated in yards, clock and pretty much every measure, but had only scored.four field goals to lead 12-0.

Gradually the Bears picked up the momentum and managed to score a go ahead touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Then Jayden Daniels managed to launch a Hail Mary with defensive linemen slipping and sliding everywhere, the pass was short of the endzone, but somehow the scrum of receivers and defenders managed to tip the ball forward into the waiting hands of a lone receiver to clinch the game for Washington sending the home crowd and home team wild!

As you say, absolutely disgusting thing to have happened and the only fair solution is the termination of the entire Washington programme and the awarding of the game, and an additional game for psychological duress, to the blameless Chicago Bears.

[Father Gascoigne]

On 22/10/2024 at 17:23, THE RED ROOSTER said:

 

On Spurs, the NFL chipped in 5% of the cost of the new stadium to Daniel Levy who has a contract for a minimum of two games a year to 2029 and the NFL locker rooms themselves can hold up to 75 players for pre-season games. The intention of course being that when / if London gets a franchise it will be at Tottenham. Though the NFL are happy to have two NFL stadiums in London with Wembley as well, but at the moment it's a Jags venue.

 

The NFL contributed £10 million. The stadium cost £1.2 billion. I suspect that 5% figure you referenced was based on the initial cost of the stadium at £250 million, which was an optimistically low estimate. 

I don't follow the NFL in any great detail, but it's interesting to read that you prefer the experience at Wembley over THS, and that many others may share this view. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

16 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

As you say, absolutely disgusting thing to have happened and the only fair solution is the termination of the entire Washington programme and the awarding of the game, and an additional game for psychological duress, to the blameless Chicago Bears.

That was a tough one to take!

Edited October 28, 2024 by Gerrumonside ref

[Maximus Decimus]

46 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

That was a tough one to take!

It was, but it wasn't as bad by virtue that the Bears had done a bit of a get out jail free thing to put themselves in a winning position anyway.

And tbh I was still stewing by the Jets season being over after another shocker.

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, Maximus Decimus said:

It was, but it wasn't as bad by virtue that the Bears had done a bit of a get out jail free thing to put themselves in a winning position anyway.

And tbh I was still stewing by the Jets season being over after another shocker.

Sorry mate, Jets supporting is a rough road.

[Irish Saint]

Not only is the Jets season over. Rodgers will probably walk away he got the offenisve co-ordinator and three wide receivers he wanted. Unlike some i was never a fan of Rodgers and not for his out-spokeness Even their much talked about defence has basically went awol this year. To think some in our comp had this shower making play-offs, and some journalists in New York .... well lets just say they were very wrong. Another, mess that will take a few years to put right. Jets are a basket case.  Zuerlein apparently on $4 million a year that's a lot for a kicker, as his best days are long gone

 

Edited October 28, 2024 by Irish Saint

[Irish Saint]

Unbelievable but true.

So far this season Patrick Mahomes has thrown 8 touchdown passes and 9 interceptions. The Chiefs are unbeaten 7-0.

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 minute ago, Irish Saint said:

Unbelievable but true.

So far this season Patrick Mahomes has thrown 8 touchdown passes and 9 interceptions. The Chiefs are unbeaten 7-0.

Yes, they seem to be riding high on the back of their defensive unit which some are calling the best in the league.