American Football

[lomatopo]

NFL game in London attracting fan interest

NFL.com wire reports

LONDON (Feb. 7, 2007) -- The NFL's first regular-season game outside North America already looks like a big hit.

More than 500,000 tickets were requested by about 160,000 fans in the three days following the Feb. 2 official announcement, the NFL said.

The ticket request process ends Feb. 18, two months before tickets go on sale for the Oct. 28 game between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium.

Wembley is expecting to seat between 85,000-90,000 for the game.

"Nearly all these requests have come from UK based fans," said Alistair Kirkwood, the managing director of NFL UK. "These figures do not take into account the allocation of tickets for Dolphins and Giants fans from the United States, so we anticipate a very quick sellout when tickets go on sale in early March."

On Sunday, more than 4,000 fans gathered in London to watch the Super Bowl at Super Bash, which is in its fourth year.

[CalicoConsulting]

Let's talk about that game in Wembley.

I do some editing for The Water Cooler, a weekly sports mag based out of Washington, DC. One of our columnists recently suggested that we move the Pro Bowl, which is basically a waste, overseas. That way, instead of Wembley (or wherever) seeing just two of our teams, they get the "best" players from all our teams.

Maybe rotate it back to Hawaii once every few years for nostalgia's sake, but for the most part moving it overseas does mean more people would watch, and more "first choice" players might even attend, and someone might actually care about winning, nd it'd help expand the market overseas.

What do you think?

And hey, are you watching the Pro Bowl this weekend? I'm not. I never do. I wouldn't watch it in England/Germany/Mexico/China, either, but it'd be nice to know it was there.

Michael

[Old Man River]

Let's talk about that game in Wembley.

I do some editing for The Water Cooler, a weekly sports mag based out of Washington, DC. One of our columnists recently suggested that we move the Pro Bowl, which is basically a waste, overseas. That way, instead of Wembley (or wherever) seeing just two of our teams, they get the "best" players from all our teams.

Maybe rotate it back to Hawaii once every few years for nostalgia's sake, but for the most part moving it overseas does mean more people would watch, and more "first choice" players might even attend, and someone might actually care about winning, nd it'd help expand the market overseas.

What do you think?

And hey, are you watching the Pro Bowl this weekend? I'm not. I never do. I wouldn't watch it in England/Germany/Mexico/China, either, but it'd be nice to know it was there.

Michael

The pro bowl is and has been well supported in Hawaii. Besides, as you note, it is really worthless and the Brits would figure that out quickly. While I don't like soccer, it is probably because I can't see a live premiership game in Bangkok. However, I did thoroughly enjoy watching a game in Liverpool because it was a meaningful league game, and the same for a footy game I saw in Melbourne. If we want other countries to get interested in one of our sports, we need to let them make their decisions based on the real deal.

[lomatopo]

The Pro Bowl has it's genesis as a reward, incentive, vacation for players, family and friends. It's a lot like what is done for within many sales organizations to reward those who made 100% or more of their quota. Typically annual reporting ended on Dec 31, so these trips usually took place in an exotic, warm weather location in February.

Moving the Pro Bowl to another location would be met with stiff opposition from the NFLPA.

Far better to have east coast teams (shorter travel, less jet lag) play regular season games in the U.K. and Europe, and give them a bye week after, or before?

I am curious what the timing and TV will be for the game? I'm thinking it will start at 6 PM in London, so 1 PM east coast? Daylight Saving ends on Nov. 4 this year.

If I've seen more than 10 minutes of a Pro Bowl game, over 30 years, I'd be shocked. I might watch it after I've finished watching the paint dry?

[CalicoConsulting]

If the NFL doesn't give the teams who play overseas their bye weeks when it best suits their recovery from the trip, they're fools. But since they don't currently use the bye weeks this way for those who play on Thanksgiving, they've shown they can be fools. We shall see.

As for the Pro Bowl, I'm thinking a post-season trip overseas wouldn't be a bad reward either. Maybe Hawaii gets boring after a while. I dunno. I mean, if I went to Aztec Stadium in Mexico City, for example, a Pro Bowl would be a far better game than Cardinals vs 49ers.

Mucho cerveza! Mucho tequila! Mucho gusto!

(Not to mention how that particular venue would allow the players to bring home more Purple Drank)

Michael

[Old Man River]

If the NFL doesn't give the teams who play overseas their bye weeks when it best suits their recovery from the trip, they're fools. But since they don't currently use the bye weeks this way for those who play on Thanksgiving, they've shown they can be fools. We shall see.

As for the Pro Bowl, I'm thinking a post-season trip overseas wouldn't be a bad reward either. Maybe Hawaii gets boring after a while. I dunno. I mean, if I went to Aztec Stadium in Mexico City, for example, a Pro Bowl would be a far better game than Cardinals vs 49ers.

Mucho cerveza! Mucho tequila! Mucho gusto!

(Not to mention how that particular venue would allow the players to bring home more Purple Drank)

Michael

For some, London might be a post season trip, but I believe the NFL is trying to get the people of other countries interested in American Football, hence, the World Football League. If it is to accomplish that, they have to be showing a meaningful game, even if it were the Cardinals vs 49ers (although it isn't).

[CalicoConsulting]

Hey hey,

I'm back and I'm meaner than Michael Vick's dogs.

So, have you been watching the NFL draft televised live and such? I never have. I think I'd rather watch grass grow. Or die in this Thai drought. Or, to quote my NFL-hating grandfather, watch turds floating in a toilet. But I have been reading those profootballtalk.com live blogs where Florio watched the draft. Those are cool.

Actually, I just wanted to post the dog wisecrack and couldn't think of anywhere else to do it.

Four more months until kickoff!!

Cheers,

Michael the Panther Fan

(Back to the Bucs during the Seifert years...)

P.S. Senior member? I certainly feel senior, but the fine folks at Immigration say I have a few more years to go. Sigh...

Edited April 29, 2007 by CalicoConsulting

[CalicoConsulting]

Randy Moss as a New England Patriot. My first reaction was a "holy chit" in a very bad way. A few minutes later, it was "holy chit" in a very good way. I am just totally discombobulated right now, no offense to anybody named Bob. This is scary. Brady to Moss. Yowzah. I'm incoherent in any language. Hep me please. I'm thinking of abandoning my hometown Panthers and my secondary hometown Bucs in favor of the team who cost me a fortune when I bet on them plus 45 points only to get steamrolled by Ditka's Bears. Seriously. I'm at a loss for words. Send me some. Preferably without an invoice.

Edited April 29, 2007 by CalicoConsulting

[calibanjr.]

As everybody is guessing, it's a roll of the dice as to whether Moss can handle the Belichik system and the Pats' "shut up and take it for the team" vibe. If he can, the Flying Elvises' look in-f'-ingvincible (knock wood). Really, as a NE fan, I liked the way things were shaping up before this deal, don't want the boat rocked, but rocked it is! God, hope it's not the soap opera Moss usually brings, a la TO at Philly.

[CalicoConsulting]

The new Commish is talking about playing Super Bowls outside of the USA.

Given time zone considerations, he means Mexico City or London, not Asia, certainly not little teeny tiny Thailand, although it would be a pretty interesting game if they legalized Muay Thai moves.

Michael

[Old Man River]

Don't bother me now. I am trying to figure out the Cowboy's draft picks.

OK, I have just figured out they are not ever going to make sense. After all, this is a team that last year used its #1 pick to draft a tight end just before they gave their existing tight end a 7 year contract. This year, they gave up and traded their #1 pick to the Browns.

I miss Tex Schram.

[patsfangr]

As everybody is guessing, it's a roll of the dice as to whether Moss can handle the Belichik system and the Pats' "shut up and take it for the team" vibe. If he can, the Flying Elvises' look in-f'-ingvincible (knock wood). Really, as a NE fan, I liked the way things were shaping up before this deal, don't want the boat rocked, but rocked it is! God, hope it's not the soap opera Moss usually brings, a la TO at Philly.

Not to worry, Caliban. I am totally confident that Moss, like virtually every vet before him who has come to this team, will fully adapt to "The Patriots Way". He'll do that because the veterans on this team are dead serious about it. Those of us who closely follow the Patriots know full well that the team atmosphere in New England is not media hype. It is very, very real. Players like Rodney Harrison, Corey Dillon, Mike Vrabel, Rosey Colvin, and several others, have come to New England and publicly proclaimed that they had never before experienced such an atmosphere - such a different culture - such a total commitment by every player, as they experienced here.

Moss has always had a deep desire to win. He's had a lot of poor, or weak guidance along the way as to how to do it. The Patriots veterans, and, of course, Belichick, will leave no doubt in his mind about what it takes.

Randy Moss will return to the top of the list of NFL receivers in New England. He won't post total reception stats to challenge the best of his career. He won't need to here. It is not the Patriots way. He'll be sharing receptions with Stallworth, Welker, Watson, and several others. He may, however, equal or surpass his best TD stats. The necessity for defenses to "cover everybody" in the Patriots offense is likely to give him many more big play opportunities than he's ever had. And, despite the fact that he's now older, hit Randy Moss in the open, and it's BYE-BYE!!

With the speed we will now have at WR from Moss, Stallworth, and Welker; not to mention the WR speed of TE Watson, the Patriots will, I predict, have more big plays than every in their history. They may well be in the neighborhood of, or surpass, the NFL record for such plays.

[patsfangr]

The new Commish is talking about playing Super Bowls outside of the USA.

Given time zone considerations, he means Mexico City or London, not Asia, certainly not little teeny tiny Thailand, although it would be a pretty interesting game if they legalized Muay Thai moves.

Michael

Michael, it is my hope that the Super Bowl is NEVER played outside of the USA. I say that because I don't believe it, or the championship game of any sport in the world, should be played in a country that does not have a team eligible to play in the game.

Adding to that, I don't believe that the NFL will ever go international. The game itself is too tough on the body for it to be played year round. The 16 game regular season schedule in the NFL is about as much as these incredibly condidtioned athletes can take. There is no way the game could be extended to have playoffs on an international scale, with the winners from each country going into a series of games after they have completed the regular season and national playoffs.

OK, I guess there IS a way. But it would require a reduction in the number of regular season games, as well as a reduction in the number of teams, and, therefore, games in the NFL playoffs. I can't imagine a team trying to play more than 20 regular season and playoff games in one season.

So, I say let's just keep American Football ... American! The Austrailians have their great game. The Irish have their rugby. Both are fun to watch, but neither carries with it the risks of American Football. Soccer, of course, is not even close to the same category, physically (or in entertainment value, as far as I'm concerned!). :-)

[patsfangr]

(OOPS! - I incorrectly posted this as a "New Topic", landing it on the general board. Already got one sarcastic reply from some Euro!)

***** There are many different ways to look at the results of the Patriots draft this year. Here's the angle that suits me best. I begin by considering everything that was initially available to us in each day of the draft. -That would be 4 picks on Day One, and 10 picks on Day Two- (incl all Comp picks) .Taking that view, here are the results of all draft related activity.

DAY ONE

The Patriots 4 picks netted them:

S Brandon Meriweather (U of MIA)

WR Wes Welker (Dolphins)

WR Randy Moss (Raiders)

SF R1 pick next year. (I include Moss because he was acquired with the R4 pick we got from SF, in return for our R1 pick #28. So, essentially, Moss was "1/2 of a R1 pick" for us.)

Anybody unhappy with that as a Day One package? I'm certainly not. Looking at it as I laid it out here, I have to consider this an A+ Day One for our Patriots!

DAY TWO

The Patriots original 6 picks netted them:

DT Kareem Brown (U of MIA)

OT Clint Oldenburg (COLO ST)

OLB Justin Rogers (SMU)

CB Mike Richardson (ND)

RB Justin Hairston (CENT CONN)

OT Corey Hilliard (OKLA ST)

ILB Oscar Lua (USC)

G Mike Elgin (IOWA)

OAK R3 pick next year

My feelings about that group carry much less conviction that those for Day One's group, since I know virtually nothing about any of the players we selected. All I can say is that I like the position mix, and trust that BB and Pioli made those selections after the same diligent homework they've demonstrated in previous drafts. I would hope that Brown will upgrade our depth at DT/NT over the mediocre Mike Wright; that the 2 LBs and 3 OL's will at least provide a challenge to the backups we have now; Alexander, Mays, and Woods; that CB Richardson shows some promise; and that RB Hairston can spend a year on the PS learning how to play at this level. As with most Day Two draft picks, we really won't know anything about their future until we at least get some observations on their work in TC, despite the definitive statements of some draft guru's, and some of our own List "experts". ;-)

Obviously, having OAK's 2008 R3 pick in our pocket is a definite positive. Still, the "wait and see" situation for the kids we selected makes it unrealistic, at least for me, to even try to rate Day Two now. As I said above, after, or well into TC, there'll be at least some solid work from which to develop a rating.

What I will say for certain is that those 3 Day One players, plus the FA's we acquired, fill me with a greater confidence in our likelihood for success in the upcoming season than I have ever felt! All I need to maximize my confidence is the signing of Samuel, and the signing of a solid, proven vet ILB, like Hartwell. Get it done, Pats!!

[calibanjr.]

Patsfangr, I'm just carrying the Sox/Pats paranoia with me for the long haul (even after 2004), it's our birthright! My feelings are pretty much along the lines of yours, just can't shake that Murphy's law feeling, even after 3 SB's and a World Series. Although you throw out some heavy optimism at the end, if Moss does fit in, they are going to be a ridiculously badass team, gotta be 13-16 wins. I better alot more NFL pub money, too cheap to get UBC, or just stick with the games on radio via WBCN live streaming, if it's still available this season.

Edited April 30, 2007 by calibanjr.

[patsfangr]

Don't bother me now. I am trying to figure out the Cowboy's draft picks.

OK, I have just figured out they are not ever going to make sense. After all, this is a team that last year used its #1 pick to draft a tight end just before they gave their existing tight end a 7 year contract. This year, they gave up and traded their #1 pick to the Browns.

I miss Tex Schram.

The Cowboys? Are they still in the NFL? I thought they had converted their football team into some Shakespearean troop. Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou, Romeo? :-)

Ahh, but they'll recover. They have the world's greatest coach, Bill Parcells, leading them, right? He's ... oh ... wait ... he's ... umm ... gone!

Yeah, but Jerry's got his Coca Cola contract. Nobody's gonna make HIM play "team ball" with the NFL! Cowboy business is Cowboy business, and Cowboy money is Cowboy money, right, Jerry?

I sincerely hope that the Cowboys never make the playoffs for as long as Jerry Jones is the owner. Teamwork and sharing is what made the NFL the fantastically successful organization it is today. Jones is too f***ing greedy to give a sh*t about that. But maybe I'm just too much into the Patriots team thing to understand Jerry. Let's see, is Bob Kraft making any money these days? :-)

[patsfangr]

Patsfangr, I'm just carrying the Sox/Pats paranoia with me for the long haul (even after 2004), it's our birthright! My feelings are pretty much along the lines of yours, just can't shake that Murphy's law feeling, even after 3 SB's and a World Series. Although you throw out some heavy optimism at the end, if Moss does fit in, they are going to be a ridiculously badass team, gotta be 13-16 wins. I better alot more NFL pub money, too cheap to get UBC, or just stick with the games on radio via WBCN live streaming, if it's still available this season.

I happily pay the 2000 baht per month for UBC's great NFL game access. When the Pats games aren't televised here, I listen via the NFL.com's radio subscription. That costs $29.95 per season. Well worth it for a dedicated Pats fan.

Have you been listening to WBCN on a FREE stream? If so, I didn't know that was available. What's the URL? Is it a smooth, uninterrupted transmission? What's your internet connection? I'm on a VERY slow download, with a 'TRUE' internet card phone connection. I can't get ADSL at my location. TT&T doesn't have a ###### transmitter in my area! If I had ADSL, I'd subscribe to the NFL.com video stream. It requires a minimum of 350kbps. I'm at an unbelievable 40kbps most of the time!!

[CalicoConsulting]

Patsfangr,

The NFL's been trying for years to export the product, but I don't think it'll work. The Commish did suggest that each team play a 17th game each year. It hasn't been stated that would be an overseas game, but it's a possibility. I've also seen flag football catching on slowly in Chinese high schools. But even so, I think it's crazy to believe any Asian nation will ever field an NFL team, and we know how the European "league" is doing. It's probably staying in the Americas, which is fine by me. Even if the Commish does put the Super Bowl in Wembley.

Michael

[calibanjr.]

I happily pay the 2000 baht per month for UBC's great NFL game access. When the Pats games aren't televised here, I listen via the NFL.com's radio subscription. That costs $29.95 per season. Well worth it for a dedicated Pats fan.

Have you been listening to WBCN on a FREE stream? If so, I didn't know that was available. What's the URL? Is it a smooth, uninterrupted transmission? What's your internet connection? I'm on a VERY slow download, with a 'TRUE' internet card phone connection. I can't get ADSL at my location. TT&T doesn't have a ###### transmitter in my area! If I had ADSL, I'd subscribe to the NFL.com video stream. It requires a minimum of 350kbps. I'm at an unbelievable 40kbps most of the time!!

They have live streaming at wbcn.com , had the games on during the season, Gil Santos and Gino Capelletti and all! Hope they have em again this season. I have True 1mb/512kb in Chiang Mai in my office, 512/256 in my house. I remember getting all my NPR radio and home radio WXRV Haverhill, etc. on pretty well with 56k dial-up in BKK!

[patsfangr]

Patsfangr,

The NFL's been trying for years to export the product, but I don't think it'll work. The Commish did suggest that each team play a 17th game each year. It hasn't been stated that would be an overseas game, but it's a possibility. I've also seen flag football catching on slowly in Chinese high schools. But even so, I think it's crazy to believe any Asian nation will ever field an NFL team, and we know how the European "league" is doing. It's probably staying in the Americas, which is fine by me. Even if the Commish does put the Super Bowl in Wembley.

Michael

The only way that I'd like to see a game added to the schedule would be as a "trade off" with the Players Assoc to drop 2 of the pre-season games. Coaches don't need more than 2 games to make their final decisions on the roster. Today's players train year-round, so they definitely don't need more than 2 games to be game ready.

The element of NFL football that I hate most is injuries. We all love the hard hitting, and amazing physical effort of the game. Unfortunately, those things we love, when performed by athletes with the size, speed, and physical condition of today's players, inevitably cause injury. I hate seeing games, and even seasons, destroyed by injuries to key players. (Well, unless the victims are Raiders or Jets, of course!) ;-)

That is the reason why I don't want to see any more games on the schedule than what we have now. I'd love to watch the game 52 weeks a year. But the reality is that the players can't do much more than they do now.

As for the international issue, soccer is much too deeply imbedded throughout most of the world for the NFL to ever successfully challenge it. Let them have their little kick ball games, and keep American Football where it belongs!

[lomatopo]

WBCN streams at http://www.wbcn.com/pages/58612.php?

The River streams live on the web, I listen to it occasionally. http://www.wxrv.com/

Boston's NPR station, WBUR (Boston University Radio) streams at http://www.wbur.org/listen/

[Padkapow Guy]

Pats

"Moss has always had a deep desire to win. He's had a lot of poor, or weak guidance along the way as to how to do it. The Patriots veterans, and, of course, Belichick, will leave no doubt in his mind about what it takes. "

I had the same thoughts about Moss, only that was when the rumors were going around about him playing with Farve in Greenbay.

He will no doubt have a bad day or two but I fully expect him to do very well with Brady. My only concern is how much harder it will make it on my beloved STEELERS!

My vote ? good move by Pats

let the games begin.

PKG

[Old Man River]

Don't bother me now. I am trying to figure out the Cowboy's draft picks.

OK, I have just figured out they are not ever going to make sense. After all, this is a team that last year used its #1 pick to draft a tight end just before they gave their existing tight end a 7 year contract. This year, they gave up and traded their #1 pick to the Browns.

I miss Tex Schram.

The Cowboys? Are they still in the NFL? I thought they had converted their football team into some Shakespearean troop. Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou,

Very interesting comments coming from a Patriots fan. Let's see, both the Cowboys and Patriots made the playoffs, but neither went to the superbowl. Both teams played the superbowl champion Indianapolis Colts. The Partiots played the Colts twice and lost both games. The Cowboys played them once and won.

Still, it is the bottom line that counts. Hopefully, both of us will be happier in 07.

[CalicoConsulting]

This is very cruel, but I have to say it because nobody else will. Does Michael Jackson go to his plastic surgeon with a picture of Brady Quinn and say, "I want to look like this"?

[CalicoConsulting]

I've made history. I visited http://www.profootballtalk.com/podcasts.cfm and listened to the June 15 Podcast. And there, the very first email that Florio ever answered in a Podcast, and which inspired him to answer many more via Podcast, came to him from "Michael in Thailand." One of my many wisecracks to the guy, immortalized. Yep, I've still got it.

[calibanjr.]

Michael David Smith, this is your life! Brushes with greatness!

[CalicoConsulting]

Mike Florio, Michael David Smith, Michael LaRocca. I sense a pattern here.

Mike Ditka, Mike Golic, and the other Mike doing the second half of the MNF double-header. I sense a pattern here.

[calibanjr.]

Al Michaels count?

[CalicoConsulting]

Al Michaels count?

I forgot about him. Which shows you how long I've been away. Yeah, sure, he counts. All Michaels including Al Michaels.

[CalicoConsulting]

I would caution you that the presence of 55 pit bulls and a pry bar does not an organized dogfighting operation make. It's possible Vick and his house-sitting associates merely have 66 dogs around in the event they decide to enter a couple of sleds in the next Iditarod.

--Gene Collier, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette