The OFFICIAL NFL 2014 Thread

[Da Man Clay]

Only as a kid played from 6 to 13. And intermittently until about 16. WR/CB.

Who are you playing for?

Sussex Thunder. Who did you play for?

Never played Amer football. Have your coaches played Amer footie? Uni, semi-pro, high school or elementary school?

Couple of coaches played college ball - one ended up on the practice squad for the Cheifs. All have played a pretty decent standard of Britball I believe.

 

[Bladders]

My background is I watched it since 1983 on C4, then lost it a bit when it went to Sky in the 90's (as I didn't have Sky then) picked it back up when I got Sky back around 2001 ish ,

Followed the college game for about 5 or 6 years now since NASN then ESPN started showing over here.

I don't play, just sit on my arse with a beer and watch too much of it.

 

[spring hall convert]

Quite an interesting question in general though: what is everybody's background (if any) in the game?

I watched it with my dad on Channel 4 in the 80s, and have relatively recently got back into it to the extent that it's close to being my favourite sport. Also, thanks in part to Bladders and a couple of others on here, I'm starting to watch some college games.

Dad watched the XVII Superbowl and apparently I watched it with him after that, he became a Radiers fan, I went for the Steelers (I liked the kit - they were in a rare bad spell then) The first I remember was the XX (The Fridge and that mad Bears team.) Played for B52's kids and followed the adult side for about 10 years. Missed '01 to '06 NFL. Got back into it the year the Steelers beat the Seahawks in the Superbowl, been back into it since. Followed the college stuff for a couple of years and where I could previously. I'm a Miami Hurricanes man. My favourite sport.

Dan Marino's probably my favourite ever player. Or Jerome Bettis. Or Rod Woodson.

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

A Check down, means his first and second choice of where the QB wanted to throw it to is covered so he goes to his 3rd reciever or maybe his running back who's gone out on a wheel route (out the back and up the side line) or who dropped of his blocking duty to slip out for an easy catch and some cheap yards.

Hope that helps.

Thank you. I was not familiar with what check down meant. It seems the Colts would be very acquainted with how many cheque downs that Peyton Manning went through before actually committing to running a play. I assumed Manning was more of a coach than a player on many run plays.

 

[spring hall convert]

Sussex Thunder. Who did you play for?

The B52's. The adult side was getting some very respectable crowds at Withdean stadium in the 80's. We had the odd American College coach or the odd American player that had played a decent level.

Did anyone follow the Monarchs in the World League? I was at Wembley every game in the bowl winning season!

 

[Bladders]

Thank you. I was not familiar with what check down meant. It seems the Colts would be very acquainted with how many cheque downs that Peyton Manning went through before actually committing to running a play. I assumed Manning was more of a coach than a player on many run plays.

Apologies, I forget sometimes that this isn't an NFL site just a thread about it, so I'm sure somethings I post must looks like gobbledygook to a few casual fans.

Its not a sport you can learn over night, took me years of watching, and I'm still picking things up I didn't know.

 

[Bladders]

Dad watched the XVII Superbowl and apparently I watched it with him after that, he became a Radiers fan, I went for the Steelers (I liked the kit - they were in a rare bad spell then) The first I remember was the XX (The Fridge and that mad Bears team.) Played for B52's kids and followed the adult side for about 10 years. Missed '01 to '06 NFL. Got back into it the year the Steelers beat the Seahawks in the Superbowl, been back into it since. Followed the college stuff for a couple of years and where I could previously. I'm a Miami Hurricanes man. My favourite sport.

Dan Marino's probably my favourite ever player. Or Jerome Bettis. Or Rod Woodson.

The Canes have had some right dirty players over the years.


Used to love RW on the NFL Network with Rich Eisen. Is he still DB coach at the Raiders?

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

The 1985 season is the first one I remember too. Was a big Washington fan then but due to lapse of time and a hideously PC attitude on my part I don't particularly have a team any more. Shameful glory hunting though it may be, I think I probably enjoy watching the Seahawks most at the moment as I do enjoy a good defense [sic]. For that reason the college games were a bit of a shock at first, but I'm slowly getting accustomed to it.

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

I spent 20 years in the States but mostly in a community of other Brits until the last 10 years when I moved around. Florida, Chicago, NYC, Bay Area and Denver.

 

[spring hall convert]

The Canes have had some right dirty players over the years.


Used to love RW on the NFL Network with Rich Eisen. Is he still DB coach at the Raiders?

They're the Millwall of college football aren't they. They been crap fora bit as well, though they have a decent young offence which bodes well for next year.

He's back home with the Steelers now I think. Loved Barry Sanders as well on that fave players list...

 

[Bladders]

Forgot to mention,

My teams are the Cincinnati Bengls, USC Trojans (University of Southern California) plus I have a soft spot for the Michigan Wolverines. I also have to follow Boise State as my 11 year son supports them (has done since he saw their blue pitch at the age of 6) plus he loves Kellen Moore ( Boise QB from 08-12)

Teams I dont like:

Steelers , Ravens, just laugh at the Browns. The Jags for being so dull.

In College, UCLA (L.A Rivals) Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide. Chuck LSU Tigers in there as well................and the SEC. (South Eastern Conference)

 

[spring hall convert]

I also have to follow Boise State as my 11 year son supports them (has done since he saw their blue pitch at the age of 6) plus he loves Kellen Moore ( Boise QB from 08-12)

If I didn't already support someone, I would have gone for Boise when I was able to watch College Ball again

 

[spring hall convert]

The Lions seem determined to keep this one interesting.

 

[Bladders]

The 1985 season is the first one I remember too. Was a big Washington fan then but due to lapse of time and a hideously PC attitude on my part I don't particularly have a team any more. Shameful glory hunting though it may be, I think I probably enjoy watching the Seahawks most at the moment as I do enjoy a good defense [sic]. For that reason the college games were a bit of a shock at first, but I'm slowly getting accustomed to it.

You have to love all the wacky plays that appear on Offence in College football, they wouldn't exist if the Defence's were of NFL speed.

I think its more akin to Club football as well, institutes that are ingrained in the community, its a lot older than the pro game (which also didn't become that popular till the late 50's) and I personally think theres more passion in the crowds.

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

You have to love all the wacky plays that appear on Offence in College football, they wouldn't exist if the Defence's were of NFL speed.

I think its more akin to Club football as well, institutes that are ingrained in the community, its a lot older than the pro game (which also didn't become that popular till the late 50's) and I personally think theres more passion in the crowds.

Yeah, the passion is absolutely unbelievable. I used to know somebody who was a fanatical Texas A & M supporter and I could never quite believe how anybody could take a college sport so seriously. Once you get used to the relative lack of defence then you can enjoy it on its own terms, and I'm certainly looking forward to the Championship game.

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

They're the Millwall of college football aren't they. They been crap fora bit as well, though they have a decent young offence which bodes well for next year.

He's back home with the Steelers now I think. Loved Barry Sanders as well on that fave players list...

U of Miami in Florida went through a period where the president (Donna somebody who worked for the federal government) demanded that academic standards be as tough on the athletes as they were on the student body. "The U" is a difficult school in the vein of Stanford, Northwestern etc. This changed things for the recruiters who had to make sure the academics were met before accepting athletes. More recently the extremely rich boosters who are trying to operate as normal under the old procedures have gotten some of the coaches and players in some hot water. Miami will finally settle in to the way things are done with high academic standards and blend in with schools of that caliber.

 

[Bladders]

If I didn't already support someone, I would have gone for Boise when I was able to watch College Ball again

They had a great few years under Chris Peterson, and a real BCS buster of a team.

They weren't scared to travel either, beating Virginia Tech on opening day in Washington, and doing the same a year later against Georgia in the Georgia Dome.


Who can forget the staue of liberty play rto beat the heavily fancied Oklahoma Sooners in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, which they brought back this year against Arizona.

 

[spring hall convert]

Oh dear Detroit.

Predictions for next week?

Ravens, Broncos, Packers, Seahawks

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

Oh dear Detroit.

Predictions for next week?

Ravens, Broncos, Packers, Seahawks

I think that's probably right; could easily see the Ravens beating New England. But I wouldn't be that surprised if the Cowboys puled off a surprise against the Packers either.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm saying I don't have the knowledge to know if it makes sense on the field.

There's only 2 pieces of knowledge you and [MENTION=17963]Hampster Gull[/MENTION] need to make sense of:-

1 - The attacking team has 4 goes to get the ball forward 10 yards, without touching the ground.
2 - All Americans can understand this sport.

Arm yourself with that, give it time, and everything else will slot into place.

I follow [MENTION=24838]Bladders[/MENTION], Chl4 watcher since the early 80's.
Kept my hand in with Superbowls, through the early Sky years.
Now able to watch regular season again through computer and Eurosport.

First game watched I saw the Packers beat the Bears.
The Packers, after my Mum and the Albion, are my third longest 'relationship'.
(The Bears went on to be a powerhouse, winning everything, while I was stuck with The MagicMan Don Makowski (sp))

Thinking about 'who to support', I'm going to walk back from insisting all new arrivals support the Packers.
You're just not going to get a full appreciation of the game.

Rodgers to Nelson - touchdown.
While Matthews and Peppers are lying on top of opposing quarterbacks.
They make it seem all too easy, and for that I think the novice will miss out.
You need to understand just how difficult the sport is, before you can properly appreciate the greats like Rodger, Brady.
Not to forget the new fellas like Luck and Seatle's QB who's name escapes me.

I listen to Tony Kornheiser's radio show on ESPN980 Washington.
So I accidentally know the inner workings of the Redskins, an absolute car crash of a team.

The 'Skins and Packers make fantastic bedfellows it's like:-

Vicente v Derby.
&
Albion v Palace (play offs)

But the nature of the NFL means you have to be truly woeful if you can't get your time in the spotlight every 10/15 years or so.