What do you all think of American Football and it’s fans here?

Mr. CooL ICE · 03-02-2021 12:26pm

Only know one person who watches it beyond the superbowl. He's 50ish, has a young family and works in manufacturing. He follows two sports religiously; hurling and AF.

I tried staying up to watch it years ago with friends but just passed out I was so tired. Have a rough understanding of what's happening due to getting Madden NFL on the megadrive back in the 90s.

beauf · 03-02-2021 12:38pm

Omackeral wrote: »

American Football, Gridiron, NFL... whatever you want to call it. I can’t place it in Irish society. Is it niche? Is it popular? Is it somewhere in between? What’s the profile of the Irish NFL fan?

Why would you want to profile the fans? That's really odd.

American football originating from the sports of soccer and rugby.

In the United States, American football is referred to as "football".[4] The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season, when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby".[5] The terms "gridiron" or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.[6][7]

I would only watch the highlights now and then, as it much shorter and they go the analysis and tactics and how it fits in the season strategy.

BrianBoru00 · 03-02-2021 12:54pm

KaneToad wrote: »

I've been to NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB games. All entertaining in different ways. The only one I'd be bothered looking at on TV would be NBA.

The average American sports fan really likes their precision stats. Although this is creeping into 'our' sports now...rugby/soccer now record the most obscure of stats...

Don't be ridiculous - just because 22.22% of your posts are in After Hours doesn't mean you're correct in your assertion*

*

Yes, I did go to the trouble of working that out

beauf · 03-02-2021 1:02pm

Looking at stats in Sports has been going on a long time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabermetrics

IAMAMORON · 03-02-2021 1:09pm

I watch it like any other sport. It can get interesting if games are tight in the last 1/4 of the game. But it is a walking television programme, as opposed to be a sport that I am all that energised about. When the pubs were open those Sunday night NFL friendly boozers in town were great places to pick up hot American chicks too. Gamey as.

Seemingly in the States if you don't make it as a professional player the game is over for you? There are no amateur leagues or local clubs. So you either get a College scholarship as a teenager, with a view to turning pro, or you don't play any more. When I first learnt that I was gobsmacked.

RTighe · 03-02-2021 1:12pm

Sure it's a sport here. But it does have its following here in Ireland. Especially when you look at the fact that Ireland itself (pre-covid) had 3 divisions with approx 24+ teams spread over said divisions.

There's also a non contact version called flag football (think Tag Rugby) Which was slowly gaining a good following here in Ireland. this has gone from one division with 8 teams to two divisions with over 14 teams as of Feb 2019. There is hope that there will be a fully formed irish Team that will partake in international events when the sport resumes. We've seen good success already with Two teams from Ireland competing in Manchester in 2018 at the "Jags 7" finishing in 3rd and 4th overall out of 20+ international Teams

I've been involved with the local contact team here in Kildare, and also the Non contact (Flag) Team in Edenderry for the last few years. Obviously thanks to Covid-19 There hasn't been any training or games since March 2020. but we're hoping all going well we might be able to return to the game later this year,

The players range from 18- 60 (various trades, walks of life etc) some play because they enjoy the game, some because its something different. There's plenty of friendly rivalry amongst the teams and some not so friendly.

Speaking for myself (and only myself) i can see why some take to it a and some don't. I've been keeping an eye on NFl season this year purely to see if Kansas can do two in a row.

If anyone is looking for further information on American football in Ireland here's a link for more information

https://www.americanfootball.ie/

If anyone has any questions about American Football in Ireland i'll do my best to answer, and i hope i havent derailed the thread!

Many thanks

Robbie

Mad_maxx · 03-02-2021 1:14pm

american football is sh1t

Church on Tuesday · 03-02-2021 1:24pm

I think it's a poor sport but to each their own.

I find you have to be a fan of all things Americana to get something from it.

RTighe · 03-02-2021 1:27pm

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

I think it's a poor sport but to each their own.

I find you have to be a fan of all things Americana to get something from it.

I dont know about the Americana element. I know for myself and a lot of my team mates it was to try something new and since it's still a growing sport there's a lot to be said for it.

for example you don't have to be athletic and be able to sprint a minute mile in order to make it to the team.

but I understand where you are coming from

beauf · 03-02-2021 1:27pm

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

I think it's a poor sport but to each their own.

I find you have to be a fan of all things Americana to get something from it.

I see so I don't like C&W music. So I can't get anything from a sport.
Do you have like Leprechauns to like Irish sports.

Makes perfect sense.

Fr Tod Umptious · 03-02-2021 1:28pm

I liked it in the mid 80s and early 90s when I watched it on C4.

I then lost interest until the mid 90s when I moved to the US and that definitely rekindled my interest.

I don't think I'd have the same interest in it now if I had not lived in the US

I find it a million time more interesting and exciting than soccer.

Long ago I stopped arguing with soccer or rugby fans about which is better.

CalamariFritti · 03-02-2021 1:31pm

Just can't relate to the game at all. Maybe if you were American and you grep up with it played it in school maybe. Might watch the supwerbowl simply out of lockdown boredom.

Sunny Disposition · 03-02-2021 2:15pm

Enjoy NFL but pretty casually, watch it any Sunday night I can get the remote. I think it’s more entertaining than a lot of soccer games, because when the ball is in play it’s always very intense, which compensates for the many breaks.

Know this stereotype of the geeky Irish guys watching it and pretending they’re huge fans but don’t actually know any of them. All the people I know who watch it would be into a lot of other sports too.

It’s interesting, a lot of people take a big part of their identity from supporting a team or following a sport. It’s quite sad that Irish guys would be making themselves feel superior by knowing more about the Jacksonville Jaguars than someone else!

ELM327 · 03-02-2021 2:18pm

Mad_maxx wrote: »

american football is sh1t

I think you are sh1t but each to his own.
I watch NFL and I dont watch you.

neris · 03-02-2021 2:21pm

I think baseball is even worse and more confusing

Omackeral · 03-02-2021 2:48pm

beauf wrote: »

Why would you want to profile the fans? That's really odd.

Im interested in who watches it, in short. How far its reach is etc. If it’s as popular or as niche as I think it is. I’m interested in opinions. It’s a thread on a forum asking questions. That’s what the site is for.

Bobblehats · 03-02-2021 3:13pm

I see these what I can only imagine are isolated cases, in the rare event the show does comes to town all trussed up like it’s halloween or something. Unnecaserrily going “wooooo”

Fr Tod Umptious · 03-02-2021 3:24pm

FatherTed wrote: »

I've been in the US for a long time and although I've been to Giants Stadium/Meadowlands over 20 times(concerts/soccer), I haven't had the stomach to go to an NFL game. I've been to a few college games locally like Yale-Harvard which is good fun and also High School games as my nephew was a kicker on his HS team.

As for the NFL, there are only actually 8 minutes of action per game i.e. snap to snap. When you add in there is the offensive and defense teams, a player on average would see only 4 minutes of action per game. Also, a stupid name, Football.... on an NFL gameday roster of 47 players only two(kicker and punter) will actually use their foot lol. Plus some players can go through a whole 10 year career never having touched the ball.

That's a stupid point

It's not their job to touch the ball, they can have brilliant careers without ever touching the ball.

That like saying a goalkeeper in soccer can go a whole career never having had a shot on goal.

Coybig_ · 03-02-2021 3:34pm

As someone who is an avid sport player and watcher, it was fairly inevitable that I would develop an interest in American Football. I have a group of friends who are similar to me, in that we play a bit, even if for some it is just 5 a side - but all have an interest in a ton of sports. Many (not all) of those would also have an interest in American Football.

As mentioned earlier in the thread by another person, I could sit and watch about 5 different sports over a given weekend. I have a season ticket for United and Ireland, go fairly regularly to LOI, go to the majority of my counties GAA games in both codes (only 2 or 3 league games I will admit). I've been to NHL hockey, NBA basketball, Golf. I'd happily watch Darts, F1, Horse Racing, Baseball were they on the TV. I've massively fallen out of love with rugby in recent years so you would be hard pressed to get me to watch that, even the Six Nations in a couple of days. I find that it has become insufferable in recent years and the fanbase and coverage has warped from what it used to be, say 15-20 years ago.

I have been to 3 American Football games, 1 in London and 2 in the US, atmosphere is certainly different but still enjoyable. It is far less intense than you would find at the GAA or football for sure. More of a spectacle though. The tailgate is so fun, getting pissed in a car park outside the stadium at 10am on a Sunday morning.

I know it's the same for many sports but the live experience is so much better than the television watching experience. And going to see it in America was massively superior to the London games.

Giants were the first team I saw and are the team I support. They are quite poor right now but there are some signs of improvement under new coaching.

Sugarlumps · 03-02-2021 3:42pm

Why do they all say "Let's go"? It's irritating.

Feisar · 03-02-2021 3:46pm

Coybig_ · 03-02-2021 3:46pm

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Why do they all say "Let's go"? It's irritating.

Irish fans scream "Come on" incessantly at games. Same thing.

Prefab Sprouter · 03-02-2021 3:53pm

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Why do they all say "Let's go"? It's irritating.

Nearly as irritating as Soccer players having to "watch their house" all the time.

:D:D:D

Fr Tod Umptious · 03-02-2021 3:59pm

Coybig_ wrote: »

As someone who is an avid sport player and watcher, it was fairly inevitable that I would develop an interest in American Football. I have a group of friends who are similar to me, in that we play a bit, even if for some it is just 5 a side - but all have an interest in a ton of sports. Many (not all) of those would also have an interest in American Football.

As mentioned earlier in the thread by another person, I could sit and watch about 5 different sports over a given weekend. I have a season ticket for United and Ireland, go fairly regularly to LOI, go to the majority of my counties GAA games in both codes (only 2 or 3 league games I will admit). I've been to NHL hockey, NBA basketball, Golf. I'd happily watch Darts, F1, Horse Racing, Baseball were they on the TV. I've massively fallen out of love with rugby in recent years so you would be hard pressed to get me to watch that, even the Six Nations in a couple of days. I find that it has become insufferable in recent years and the fanbase and coverage has warped from what it used to be, say 15-20 years ago.

I have been to 3 American Football games, 1 in London and 2 in the US, atmosphere is certainly different but still enjoyable. It is far less intense than you would find at the GAA or football for sure. More of a spectacle though. The tailgate is so fun, getting pissed in a car park outside the stadium at 10am on a Sunday morning.

I know it's the same for many sports but the live experience is so much better than the television watching experience. And going to see it in America was massively superior to the London games.

Giants were the first team I saw and are the team I support. They are quite poor right now but there are some signs of improvement under new coaching.

I am a very big fan of American Football, will spend most of Saturday night and Sunday night watching it , college and NFL, from September to February

But I've been to a few games, both college and NFL in the US and to be honest I did not find it all that interesting.
I would not be racing back to a game, never crossed my mind to go to any college game in Ireland or NFL game in the US

It's a sport very suited for TV I think.

What I also have no time for in the BBC coverage and their NFL shows, for some reason non Americans talking about the NFL just does not do it for me.

Coybig_ · 03-02-2021 4:07pm

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I am a very big fan of American Football, will spend most of Saturday night and Sunday night watching it , college and NFL, from September to February

But I've been to a few games, both college and NFL in the US and to be honest I did not find it all that interesting.
I would not be racing back to a game, never crossed my mind to go to any college game in Ireland or NFL game in the US

It's a sport very suited for TV I think.

What I also have no time for in the BBC coverage and their NFL shows, for some reason non Americans talking about the NFL just does not do it for me.

Would disagree personally, but each to their own. I had a great time at the games I was at. The only problem with the London games is that you attract people that couldn't care less about the teams playing for the most part - as everyone wears the jersey of who they support, even if they aren't playing.

I saw the Giants vs the Lions in Giants stadium the year they last made playoffs, it was a must win game and I still look back on it as one of the best days of my life, the atmosphere was great, the tailgate was great, great result, fantastic experience, and I find that you notice the stoppages less in the stadium. Obviously Red Zone on Sky is great because you dont have to see any stoppages.

If you're going to games with nothing on the line the experience will reflect that I find too.

Feisar · 03-02-2021 4:09pm

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

Nearly as irritating as Soccer players having to "watch their house" all the time. :D:D:D

They all pale in annoyance compared with, "get in the hole!".

Prefab Sprouter · 03-02-2021 4:11pm

Feisar wrote: »

They all pale in annoyance compared with, "get in the hole!".

That is very true!

Church on Tuesday · 03-02-2021 4:48pm

beauf wrote: »

I see so I don't like C&W music. So I can't get anything from a sport.
Do you have like Leprechauns to like Irish sports.

Makes perfect sense.

I thought that was a given?

weldoninhio · 03-02-2021 5:31pm

Panrich wrote: »

I'll be having a few beers alright but not as much these days.

Just booked Monday off myself. Looking forward to it

greenspurs · 03-02-2021 5:34pm

the state of it ...

Must have been started by a lager swilling soccer fan/full kit w$nker?
A hoity toity rugger fan?
A muck savage gaaaah fan?
A spectacle wearing snooker fan?
An over weight chain smoking darts fan?
A fact loving F1 nerd ?
An angry roid using gym bunny MMA fan?

Yeh, generalising sports fans is fcuking great craic ....

weldoninhio · 03-02-2021 5:34pm

neris wrote: »

I think baseball is even worse and more confusing

I find baseball very soothing and relaxing to watch

corks finest · 03-02-2021 7:28pm

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

Nearly as irritating as Soccer players having to "watch their house" all the time. :D:D:D

VG or the GAA guys (I'm one) shouting "recycle it"

Omackeral · 03-02-2021 7:59pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

I find baseball very soothing and relaxing to watch

That’s snooker for me. Only wanna watch it on my own in a cosy room.

What do you all think of American Football and it’s fans here?

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