Author Topic: A random thread for sport things that don't really warrant a thread of their own  (Read 126542 times)

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
I have tried watching baseball but do struggle. Which is odd because I enjoy the pace of a cricket match.

Having been to Wembley for the NFL for the past three years I find the TV interuptions go pretty much unnoticed. There's a smoothness to it that is not seen on TV in the UK because it goes to the studio and you get three minutes of talking heads. Three minutes is fairly extreme, I think in NFL they have got a fine art of chucking in a single advert during each game break (and they are less often than most non-fans realise). For the longer breaks - between quarters and two minute warnings etc they send a band or a troop of cheerleaders on to entertain. It's a good day out.

An average professional (American) football game lasts 3 hours and 12 minutes, but if you tally up the time when the ball is actually in play, the action amounts to a mere 11 minutes.

The average NFL game includes 20 commercial breaks containing more than 100 ads. The Journal’s analysis found that commercials took up about an hour, or one-third, of the game.
- Wall Street Journal.

I'd say that reflects my experience of watching it in the US.  Lots of standing around by players, lots of time spent changing teams (Offensive to defensive and vice-versa, plus Kicking teams).  Penalty flags and referrals to TV umpires on almost every single play.

I watched a couple of live games and one on TV.  The best way to watch it is via a Highlights show on TV, that cuts out everything but the 11 minutes of interest.

It's a game where the role of 75% of the massive players is to lunge forward 6 feet and fall on an equally massive person lunging the other way.  I mean that's all they do.  They make Rugby's Brian Moore look like a Ballet Dancer by comparison.

Netflix has, very quickly, changed American attitudes to the necessity of commercials during programs and NFL viewing is in serious decline..possibly because of this.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Bah!  I'll make all of you American football fans feel great with only a few keystrokes:  I'm a Browns fan, born and bred.  :facepalm:

I don't follow the sport any more but I just checked the standings... Crumbs!

Last time I paid any attention to gridiron, the Browns were quite a decent team. Mind you, there were only six divisions in those days and the Raiders were still based in LA.

I'm nominally a Miami Dolphins fan - have been ever since my dad brought me back a Dolphins T-shirt from a business trip to the US some time in the late 70s. I was around 6-7 at the time. I see they're currently sitting in what might be termed comfortable mid-table obscurity. When I visited Miami aged 16 we didn't get to see the Dolphins play as they were on the road that week but we did go to a Gators game at the Orange Bowl, which was brilliant - fast and furious compared to NFL, and with a lot more interesting tactical play (less cagey, more adventurous). I think the whole match was over inside 90 minutes.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Andrij

  • Андрій
  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
Bah!  I'll make all of you American football fans feel great with only a few keystrokes:  I'm a Browns fan, born and bred.  :facepalm:

I don't follow the sport any more but I just checked the standings... Crumbs!

If you're bored, take a look at how many quarterbacks we've burned through in the last few years.
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Salvatore

  • Джон Спунър
    • Pics
50 years ago this month I was on the terraces with my dad watching this game.
https://youtu.be/Y4VQCysLRTo
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
What is that dirty mark down the front of the Arsenal players' shirts? It looks as though they have put them on back to front and ridden a bike with no mudguards.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

I have tried watching baseball but do struggle. Which is odd because I enjoy the pace of a cricket match.

Having been to Wembley for the NFL for the past three years I find the TV interuptions go pretty much unnoticed. There's a smoothness to it that is not seen on TV in the UK because it goes to the studio and you get three minutes of talking heads. Three minutes is fairly extreme, I think in NFL they have got a fine art of chucking in a single advert during each game break (and they are less often than most non-fans realise). For the longer breaks - between quarters and two minute warnings etc they send a band or a troop of cheerleaders on to entertain. It's a good day out.

An average professional (American) football game lasts 3 hours and 12 minutes, but if you tally up the time when the ball is actually in play, the action amounts to a mere 11 minutes.

The average NFL game includes 20 commercial breaks containing more than 100 ads. The Journal’s analysis found that commercials took up about an hour, or one-third, of the game.
- Wall Street Journal.

I'd say that reflects my experience of watching it in the US.  Lots of standing around by players, lots of time spent changing teams (Offensive to defensive and vice-versa, plus Kicking teams).  Penalty flags and referrals to TV umpires on almost every single play.

I watched a couple of live games and one on TV.  The best way to watch it is via a Highlights show on TV, that cuts out everything but the 11 minutes of interest.

It's a game where the role of 75% of the massive players is to lunge forward 6 feet and fall on an equally massive person lunging the other way.  I mean that's all they do.  They make Rugby's Brian Moore look like a Ballet Dancer by comparison.

Netflix has, very quickly, changed American attitudes to the necessity of commercials during programs and NFL viewing is in serious decline..possibly because of this.

Include in that rather limited statistical analysis. Half an hour for half time (1+ hour for superbowl half time show), ten minutes for each change of quarter and I tend to agree. My point was the live show is better than the TV, when you are there it seems to flow much better because it's not broken by TV adverts.

And 11 minutes of action is impossible. The clock is only running when there is action going on and that has to be 60 minutes. It is stopped during TV referals and penalty decisions - during which US TV goes to an ad break. So although at points it runs whilst players are in the huddle it's definitely not 49 minutes of players being in the huddle - which is also all part of the tactics by the way.

I will however, suggest you watch a game before judging so much. The subtle nuances of what's going on in the middle of the pack far outweigh the brute strength of a rugby maul (I like Rugby too by the way). the tactical switching of position, the skill required to catch a ball in bounds whilst momentum and a cornerback are trying to prevent you getting your feet down. All rolled into a show.

I'd rather sit through 3.5 hours of an NFL game than 90 minutes (plus half time) of a soccer match but we are all different.
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
I see that Carlsen successfully defended his title. I haven't seen the decisive games yet, but in the rapidplay tie-breaker he won 2 - 0 with 1 drawn.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Andrij

  • Андрій
  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
I'd still call 0-16 a 'perfect' season as it's unblemished by a win.  ;D

I guess it's just balancing out the Cavaliers and Indians.

The perfect season will be celebrated.  ;D
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

50 years ago this month I was on the terraces with my dad watching this game.
https://youtu.be/Y4VQCysLRTo

I missed that match but was there 6 weeks later when the Owls marmalised Chelsea 6 - 1.
" One Cup Of Tea Is Never Enough But 2 Is One Too Many " - John Shuttleworth

Andrij

  • Андрій
  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
I'd still call 0-16 a 'perfect' season as it's unblemished by a win.  ;D

I guess it's just balancing out the Cavaliers and Indians.

The perfect season will be celebrated.  ;D

And the organiser has now met with city officials, permits have been filed, etc.  Thousands are now counting on the team to make this happen.  :thumbsup:
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

There's going to be a lot of disappointment if that doesn't happen.

Not sure the team will want to start throwing games though.
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
The IOC have voted to recognize cheerleading as a sport. :facepalm:
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

The IOC have voted to recognize cheerleading as a sport. :facepalm:
2016 continues to deliver
<i>Marmite slave</i>

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
As if corruption and drugs scandals aren't making the Olympics look stupid enough  ::-)
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Salvatore

  • Джон Спунър
    • Pics
50 years ago this month I was on the terraces with my dad watching this game.
https://youtu.be/Y4VQCysLRTo

I missed that match but was there 6 weeks later when the Owls marmalised Chelsea 6 - 1.

You picked the right game for goals.

The Spurs 1-0 game was the third we'd seen at Hillsborough. The other  were 0-0 draws against Nottingham Forest and West Ham.

Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Andrij

  • Андрій
  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
I'd still call 0-16 a 'perfect' season as it's unblemished by a win.  ;D

I guess it's just balancing out the Cavaliers and Indians.

The perfect season will be celebrated.  ;D

And the organiser has now met with city officials, permits have been filed, etc.  Thousands are now counting on the team to make this happen.  :thumbsup:

The barstewards have ruined a perfect season by winning a game.  >:(
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

York City fooball club have outdone themselves by losing to North Ferriby (a village team from near the humber)

This is the same football club that would like the council to stump up xx million for a new stadium.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

I'd still call 0-16 a 'perfect' season as it's unblemished by a win.  ;D

I guess it's just balancing out the Cavaliers and Indians.

The perfect season will be celebrated.  ;D

And the organiser has now met with city officials, permits have been filed, etc.  Thousands are now counting on the team to make this happen.  :thumbsup:

The barstewards have ruined a perfect season by winning a game.  >:(

Then they nearly made it two on the bounce but somehow contrived to retain their first choice draft pick.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
York City fooball club have outdone themselves by losing to North Ferriby (a village team from near the humber)

This is the same football club that would like the council to stump up xx million for a new stadium.
That really is quite splendid. I didn't know which league they were in. A couple of seasons ago they were vying with Saarfend in some league division or another.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
There is a bit of a game taking place at the Vitality* Stadium.

*No, I'd never heard of it either.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
I remember York, Darlo and HardlyPoo Untied all being in league Division Bottom.  I stopped off in York for a pint the time I rode up from Brum to watch a couple of Easter matches.  I fell into company, as you do, with a bunch who, although deemed me a complete wanker for being a Pools fan, insisted on supplying me with many pints for the riding there thing.   :D
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
A good result today for League 1 Millwallies, who beat Premiership Bournemouth 3 - 0 int'cup.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
16 groups of 3 in the 2026 World Cup. And then presumably 2 out of 3 go through to the next round? It doesn't sound too rigorous. And it's going to need a lot of venues.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
I suppose it will need half the venues of 16 groups of 4, but the same number of rounds.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
And a new shiny Confederations Cup with 32 clubs every two years. I can see that being good for the smaller confederations but getting a bit of a drag for Europe and LAm.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.