744 Forum

Apron => Pit => Topic started by: Will on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:45

Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Will on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:45
For any fans of American football, the New Orleans Saints are playing the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC championship game on Sunday night at 23:40 Zulu, 17:40 local.  It's going to be an excellent game!  (Go Saints!)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: John Davis PC on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:35
Is that the game for those who are scared to Play Rugby ? .... the one where they have Helmets and body armour ? .... might as well go on in a Tank :)

Enjoy the Game mate :)

Xheers  PC
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:31
Haha !  
Reminds me of the 'Notice of Revocation of Independence' purportedly
written by John Cleese.  Part of which ran:

" ... The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays American football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nancies). ..."

Hilarious !

Shiv
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:31
Quote from: Shiv Mathur(which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds ..."
:-)

Sometimes, when I zap through the channels and see a "football" game, I stay for a minute. But whenever I'm watching, they are not playing!

|-|
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Will on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:13
Ha!  Funny responses.  I love good sports, and soccer is no exception.  I was one of a few kids at my medical school who showed up at the Students' Lounge at 4:00 a.m. to watch world cup games from 2002... (The South Korea time difference was a killer.)  And American football really is a game for people with short attention spans, I can't argue that!  But as far as ridiculous sports go, John, what about cricket?  Now THAT's a bizarre sport.  As far as i can tell, the main purpose is to try and avoid spilling your cup of Earl Gray on your clean white three-piece suit, whilst standing around on some grass for about ten days, chatting with your mates.  Oh, and yes, about every other day someone scores a point by lobbing a ball at some tiny sticks.  Where's the sense in that? (grin)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:28
Re ridiculous sports: What about those folks who sit in the stadion for hours, then suddenly start running and jump into a sandbox? How fascinating is that?

!-!
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: John Golin on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:55
Australia thumped Pakistan in the one day cricket last night in Sydney. :)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: John Davis PC on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:53
LOL  Dont ask me about any Sport Will .... The comments on my School Report from my P.E. teacher said it all ... "john Shows no interest in Sport at all ... he can generally be found in the centre of the pitch talking to whoever passes"  

Still feel the same about most of it, I never understood Cricket and found it particularly boring :)

Cheers  PC
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Zinger on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:13
Quote from: Hardy HeinlinSometimes, when I zap through the channels and see a "football" game, I stay for a minute. But whenever I'm watching, they are not playing!

|-|
When I moved to the US a long time ago for a few years, a friend handed me a small page listing American Football rules, and two weeks therefater invited me to a Redskins game at RFK Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. When he started living with a local lady, they applied to join their separate seats together, which took seven years to fulfill, indicatiing it is always a full house.
I found the game to be the most intelligent, advanced and exciting team game in sports, although played in the cold season and lasting 3 hours.
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Jeroen D on Mon, 1 Feb 2010 17:03
I don't know much about American Football, haven't seen a game since I arrived here in Kansas City August last.
 I'll be making up for it though. We're flying down to Miami this Friday and on Sunday we'll be at the Superbowl!

Looking forward to it!

Jeroen
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Will on Mon, 1 Feb 2010 17:22
AAAAGGHHHHH!!!!! You have tickets to the Super Bowl!!!!!  I wish I could go.  Make sure you enjoy it, and please root for the Saints!
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:02
Glad you got your wish, Will :D

In fact, almost the whole of the USA seemed to be rooting for the Saints.

Wonder how Hoppie enjoyed the game.

Shiv
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:23
Quote from: Shiv MathurWonder how Hoppie enjoyed the game.

You mean Hoppie-Ho or Hoppie-Dee?
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:47
what game?
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Will on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:10
Eagerly awaiting a report from Hoppie-Dee.
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:56
Quote from: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwerswhat game?

You know, the one where the fellow who scores a touchdown
has his helmet beaten in by his team-mates.
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: John Davis PC on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:53
It was Will who made the original post Shiv not Hoppie :)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:03
And who made the tenth post, John? :-)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: John Davis PC on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:06
Rats ... too many people with the same name around here !  LOL
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:11
yeah, my mistake ... sorry  :roll:
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:03
... somebody must say it ... the only game so slow and boring that they needed to decorate it ...
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:28
Quote from: Shiv Mathuryeah, my mistake ... sorry  :roll:
Why sorry? I find this thread (sitcom?) highly funny :-)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:31
Quote from: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers... somebody must say it ... the only game so slow and boring that they needed to decorate it ...

Last time I zapped into the Superbowl, they were actually playing indeed, at least for three seconds. But this time I couldn't see the ball as my telescope wasn't set up.
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:33
Quote from: Hardy HeinlinBut this time I couldn't see the ball as my telescope wasn't set up.

This is one of the features of American Football that I actually like.
There is often admirable mis-direction about where the ball is and
who has actually got it, and you see several people running
simultaneously, all pretending they have the ball.

Shiv
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:43
Then I guess it's of advantage if one has eye-balls like Marty Feldman.

(.) (.)
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:35
Quote from: Hardy Heinlin(.) (.)

That was Marty Feldman?  Reminded me more of Donna Feldman   :P
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Zinger on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:05
Ever tried to watch a (3 day) test cricket? baseball? Each American football team comprises 44 players, some with unique specialties, others as replacement. This "boring and slow" game exhausts very fit athletes, who use quite a bit of energy for short periods. The time between plays is 30 seconds, about the same time it takes a soccer team to get the ball back into play after it stopped. The very fast American football play takes an average human spectator a few seconds to comprehend and anticipate the next. He is unlikely to see everything which happened due to speed and multiple moves made in this short time by 22 defense and offense players, all engaged in each play.
One thing I like about American football is its fairness and penalty system. There is utter respect to umpires, the like you will not see in most sports. Punishment is given to the whole offending team, by yardage, down and or ball. The first one to take an offending player out would be his coach. The umpires have video replay at their disposal when needed. Soccer I find to be largely unfair, even ladies pull hair and clothes to get a slight advantage. Many deliberate fouls, and too many arbitrary or unfair judgment calls. Just don't bother the referee with facts. Where a hand goal kicks a country out of the world championship and the appeal is unfairly handled, I stay away. For me this is no sport at all.
Quote from: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers... somebody must say it ... the only game so slow and boring that they needed to decorate it ...
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Will on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:21
American football has 11 players per team, 22 athletes on the field... One of the things I like best is the combination of athleticism and strategy.  Each team (offense and defense) can set up an infinite number of ways before the snap, and each formation has strengths and weaknesses.  If you send all your pass receivers downfield to increase your chance of having one open to make a catch, well, it's that many fewer people wo can block on the line to protect the quarterback from being sacked.  The strategy comes in reading the strengths and weaknesses of the oponent's formation, knowing what the opposing coach is likely to call, understanding your individual athletes' talents and weaknesses, etc.  It can be a surprisingly cerebral game.  Then after the snap: athleticism and action!
Title: Saints and sinners
Post by: Shiv Mathur on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:25
Quote from: ZingerSoccer I find to be largely unfair, even ladies pull hair and clothes to get a slight advantage. Many deliberate fouls, and too many arbitrary or unfair judgment calls.

Have to agree with you there, Zinger, having seen so much footage
of Pele and Maradonna being hacked mercilessly with no retribution,
not to mention the infamous body-slam by Schumacher on Battiston
in the 1980 (?) world cup.