Comical British Article on American Football

[BritPat]

On the point of the Fish/Giants game, it may give the game over here a more accessible feel (if that makes sense?), but the game is already here, and is here to stay, you wouldn't believe how many Gridiron lovers there are over here, and I'm managing to convert a few more by the day

As for the language thing.....WELL WE INVENTED THE DAMN THING!

:rocker:

 

[BritPat]

Oh, and Channel 4's coverage ruled.

There are a hell of a lot of Fish fans over here thanks to that. Steeler fans too.

Unfortunately.....

 

[mgcolby]

It's a slightly different word : Aluminium

I can so do they pronounce it the same or do they say Alumi-ny-um

 

[BritPat]

I can so do they pronounce it the same or do they say Alumi-ny-um

Ah-lu-min-e-um.

 

[unoriginal]

This is the one that gets me:

In the American tradition, the fans tend to be loud and boisterous.

I really doubt Brits go to football (soccer) games and clap politely.

 

[unoriginal]

I should also say a major difference between American Football and most other sports, including rugby, is that American Football is periodic. They spend all the article comparing it to rugby when what they should be doing is comparing it to cricket.

 

[pats1]

This is the one that gets me:



I really doubt Brits go to football (soccer) games and clap politely.

I was thinking the same thing.

How often do you see those Italian/Spanish/etc. soccer fans literally tearing down the stands until police in riot gear come?

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

I have an issue with this line:

All the plays are evaluated by the commentators and you soon get the hang of what is going on.

It really depends on who is commentating. Madden?! Please. You'll have a whole new vocabulary of "boom" and "bap", but not much of an understanding of American football.

 

[BHSL2]

The thing that drove me nuts when I lived in England was how they always used the team name as a plural.

A headline should be "Arsenal Wins" as it's a singular subject but they always write "Arsenal Win". Drove me crazy - although that particular headline would be OK as that was my favorite team all those year ago.

Actually, "team" is a collective noun, and the name "Arsenal" is the name of a team. "Arsenal Win" is correct grammar. However, "Arsenal Wins" sounds better. More often than not the British speak grammar more correctly than Americans.

Lol, there's an example right there. "British", being the name of a team, or collection of people, causes the verb tense to be plural. It's the same thing for an actual team.

English grammar is some very tricky stuff. Don't ask me for a full explanation...

 

[JoeSixPat]

Actually I was pretty impressed that someone was able to provide a generally accurate picture of American football rules and the overall landscape in about 700 words...

While the fact that most Brits can't seem to appreciate a sport that combines the strategy of chess with the brut force of rugby, since the former Empire has given us plenty of quality comedy I'll let it slide

 

[TMoney]

I am a huge soccer fan (Man U all the way), I just got into Football last season (moved to boston, so luv the pats). American Football is a great game to watch, probably the most intense sport I have ever watched. I am not sure which I like more (which speaks alot for the NFL, cause I just started watching). I will say this, I would much prefer to watch to bad NFL teams play than two bad soccer teams (there is no comparison), the NFL is just much more exciting.

I think one of the great things about the NFL is the downs (I like to call 3rd downs championship downs). It keeps the game exciting, you always need a big play. In soccer there can be really long boring spells, but when it gets going its great.

One of the things I wish they did over is had interactive games. When you watch a soccer game on Sky (British ESPN) you can pick your camera angle. I would luv to be able to flick between the normal view and the birds eye view (to see the play develop). I feel there is some much you just don't get to see.

Baseball is ok, I can relax when I am watching it, I can't wait for the pats this season, roll on september!!!!!!!!!!11

 

[FilPats]

It's a slightly different word : Aluminium

yikes, the Brits

 

[FilPats]

Actually I was pretty impressed that someone was able to provide a generally accurate picture of American football rules and the overall landscape in about 700 words...

While the fact that most Brits can't seem to appreciate a sport that combines the strategy of chess with the brut force of rugby, since the former Empire has given us plenty of quality comedy I'll let it slide

Yeah, thanks to Benny Hill and Mr. Bean

 

[grapedog]

i'd have to agree with the above poster, it was a good job explaining American Football, essentially in a nutshell.

And I'd have to say that American Football, and Football for the rest of the world...both have very boisterous fans.

 

[BelichickFan]

Actually, "team" is a collective noun, and the name "Arsenal" is the name of a team. "Arsenal Win" is correct grammar. However, "Arsenal Wins" sounds better. More often than not the British speak grammar more correctly than Americans.

Lol, there's an example right there. "British", being the name of a team, or collection of people, causes the verb tense to be plural. It's the same thing for an actual team.

English grammar is some very tricky stuff. Don't ask me for a full explanation...

Hey look at this :

"Usage Note: In American usage, a collective noun takes a singular verb when it refers to the collection considered as a whole . . . In British English, singular words like family, team, government, which refer to groups of people, can be used with either singular or plural verbs and pronouns.

* This team is/are going to lose."

 

[unoriginal]

Hey look at this :

"Usage Note: In American usage, a collective noun takes a singular verb when it refers to the collection considered as a whole . . . In British English, singular words like family, team, government, which refer to groups of people, can be used with either singular or plural verbs and pronouns.

* This team is/are going to lose."

Basically it comes down to whether you think of your team as the New England Patriots or the Oakland Raiders.

 

[Dom]

Actually the aluminium thing is quite interesting. When Humphrey Davy discovered it he named it Aluminum. The name was later changed to Aluminium to better fit with the other elements (such as lithium, magnesium etc., there are relatively few elements that ends -um without a preceding i). Then, some time in the 1920s America the name was changed back to aluminum, although I don't know why. At least that's how I've always understood it.

 

[ironwasp]

I should also say a major difference between American Football and most other sports, including rugby, is that American Football is periodic. They spend all the article comparing it to rugby when what they should be doing is comparing it to cricket.

This is a perceptive point. Football, like cricket, is reset at the end of each play. Everybody gets back into their positions and starts again. Rugby is a little more fluid, although still subject to the stop start criticism.

And that is the stick that is usually used to beat football here in the UK: it's stop-start, no momentum etc. And I try to explain that often the stop-start actually ratchets up the tension. Yes you might wait 3 minutes for a 3rd and 3 at the two minute warning, or for a timeout, and to someone used to the game and with good knowledge of strategy and the way momentum shifts, this actually makes the game more intriguing not less.

It's the strategy I like best about it: from the draft, through the salary cap, to the roster building, the Xs and Os, play-calling etc.

But to get an intricate understanding of all that takes a huge investment of time, particularly for overseas fans as they often come with no base knowledge of the game. What drags them in initially is the violence of the hitting and the sheer athleticism and strength of the players, which to my mind is matched in few sports. If you get hooked by that, as I did, you can see that the investment in learning the rest is worthwhile.

So it'll never be a game for the masses here, but will always have a pretty devoted hardcore following.

Holding the Fins/Giants game here will put the sport in the public eye for a couple of weeks, will generate masses of media coverage and hopefully start the process of winning over a whole new generation of fans. And I'm all for that. One of the big problems with being a big fan here is that there are so few people to discuss it with. (Hence spenind hours on this board, and going drinking with Gomezcat...)

 

[NYCPatsFan]

And that is the stick that is usually used to beat football here in the UK: it's stop-start, no momentum etc. And I try to explain that often the stop-start actually ratchets up the tension. Yes you might wait 3 minutes for a 3rd and 3 at the two minute warning, or for a timeout, and to someone used to the game and with good knowledge of strategy and the way momentum shifts, this actually makes the game more intriguing not less.

It's the strategy I like best about it: from the draft, through the salary cap, to the roster building, the Xs and Os, play-calling etc.

But to get an intricate understanding of all that takes a huge investment of time, particularly for overseas fans as they often come with no base knowledge of the game. What drags them in initially is the violence of the hitting and the sheer athleticism and strength of the players, which to my mind is matched in few sports. If you get hooked by that, as I did, you can see that the investment in learning the rest is worthwhile.

...)

Well said.

As one of those overseas guys who came here 11 years ago, it took me a whole season to start appreciating the nuances of this wonderful game. And, I got hooked on to it right from then.

It is still mind boggling for me to understand what the headcoach does down on the field during the game: in addition to being aware of what his players are doing and attempting to figure out what the opposing teams are scheming, the HC has to constantly coordinate with the defensive and offensive coaches, talk regularly with the guys in the booth, and in the midst of this, berate and goad the huge players into playing the way he wants them to. And, after a gruelling three/four hour game, face the media and try to patiently answer all kinds of questions! Wow!

I still fight with my good Irish buddies who get flustered everytime the game is paused for a time out or incomplete pass; I can't understand how they are unable to appreciate that the 'pause' in the game is an excellent way to reassess your strategy and try to do different things to achieve your objective. Plus, it adds to the excitement and builds more tension if you have the experts try to explain the various options to the team and why the earlier strategy worked/failed etc.

NFL games - The best in the world!

(And, I do watch soccer, cricket and F1 too...)

PS: Not sure why the thread says "Comical..." I thought it was a great introduction to the game with some titbits on the current best teams/players/coaches.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Yup very polite soccer fans:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/2000/euro2000/news/2000/06/17/brussels_riots_ap/