NFL - American Football

[Bill Radford]

ITV have done it again!!

 

After aquiring Match of the Day from the BBC they nearly killed off football (?soccer) highlights. Next they got F1 and put adverts in the races.

Now they've got Osi and JBell and The NFL Show. 48 minutes of absolute rubbish, there were 2 minutes of TNF highlights to pad out the 50 minutes. Even Osi And Jason look as though they are going through the motions.

 

At least NFL.com does some highlights.

[Ian J.]

I pay my NFL GamePass subscription, and watch the games I'm interested in (Falcons + Raiders) live, or very shortly after broadcast if they're very late games here or are blacked out due to Sky. I find the various commentary shows, whether U.K. or U.S., in general not particularly useful.

[Bill Radford]

I went on NFL.com after posting yesterday and there was an article about how to watch in the UK. Low and behold MNF is live each week on C5 - that was well publicised!! There is also half an hour on a Sunday morning on C5 at 1030 - so I'll log off here and find out what that's like.

[Bill Radford]

Oh &*%^. Even worse!! Only lasted until just after the adverts - the best bit of the programme!

[ejstubbs]

1 hour ago, Bill Radford said:

There is also half an hour on a Sunday morning on C5 at 1030 - so I'll log off here and find out what that's like.

 

I recorded the first one and deleted it after skipping through some appalling rubbish and a "highlights" segment that seemed to be more about drunken fans celebrating TDs than actual action.  It's been deleted from my recording schedule.

 

C5 had some kind of NFL show last season as well, which was cringe-makingly crass the one time I tried to watch it.  They really do seem to pitch it at a lowest-common-denominator audience.

 

1 hour ago, Bill Radford said:

Low and behold MNF is live each week on C5 - that was well publicised!!

 

IIRC C5 had live Monday night games last season as well.  It didn;'t appeal to me, though, because I don't watch full game coverage as a general rule.  I'm not going to stay up into the wee small hours to watch something where, frankly, not a lot happens a lot of the time and it's full of adverts.  I could record it, but those objections still apply (and skipping the ads would still disrupt the continuity of the coverage), plus the missus would not be happy at having her favourite programmes bumped for an evening.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think a live-as-in-being-there NFL game is a great spectacle and immersive entertainment, and well worth the time spent.  When the World League of American Football was running in the 1990s I went to every Monarchs game at Wembley in the first two seasons.  That said, when the league relaunched in 1995 and the Monarchs were playing at White Hart Lane - which didn't even have a large enough pitch to accommodate a proper NFL gridiron, and which never generated the atmosphere that Wembley did - my interest waned somewhat.  But on a box in the corner of the sitting room with commercials every few minutes...nah.

 

I agree that the ITV version of The NFL Show is a poor imitation of the BBC's from the last few seasons.  And there's no NFL This Week, which was the main highlights package.  Did ITV out-bid the BBC for The NFL Show?  Or does the NFL think it'll get better ratings on more "popular interest" channels?  The fact that C5 have got a show again this season suggests that they think last season's abomination was a success.  Is the NFL trying to drum up enthusiasm by pursuing the Liberty Media Drive To Survive fabricating-drama-at-the-expense-of-the-actual-sport kind of nonsense?

 

I think some of the best NFL coverage that's ever been done on free-to-air TV in the UK was when Channel 4 included NFL in its programme roster when it first launched.  But they were forced to drop it because some OFCOM wonk decided that the other channels were already doing "sport", so it didn't fit with C4's mandate to produce "innovative and original programming".  This was despite the fact that no other terrestrial channel had ever had anything but sporadic coverage of American Football - and that was usually the college bowl games.  So now C4 fulfils its "innovative and original programming" remit with interminable property porn, tawdry "reality" shows like Naked Attraction (remember it was C4 that first foisted Big Brother on the UK TV schedules), and deformity exploitation shows about people suffering from obesity or unfortunate physical disfigurements.  Nice.

Edited September 18, 2022 by ejstubbs

[Ian J.]

Watching games live on NFL GamePass is fun - my friend (a Raiders fan who got me into the sport) and I like to take the p*ss out of the adverts. If our teams are losing, which they have a habit of doing, it at least provides a bit of entertainment 🙂

[Re6/6]

4 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

 

 

Duplicate post.

Edited September 18, 2022 by Re6/6

[Re6/6]

4 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

I think some of the best NFL coverage that's ever been done on free-to-air TV in the UK was when Channel 4 included NFL in its programme roster when it first launched.  But they were forced to drop it because some OFCOM wonk decided that the other channels were already doing "sport", so it didn't fit with C4's mandate to produce "innovative and original programming". 

 

Their coverage was really quite good as I remember. Also they use to show Sumo but that disappeared after a while. What did the programme devisers do to Jason and Osi to get them so over-excited?

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

The only coverage gripe on this side of the pond is that you now need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch Thursday Night Football.

 

Is that available to Prime members in the UK?

 

At least three games are still 'free-to-air', broadcast on Sundays. Monday Night Football is sometimes available 'free-to-air' and always on basic cable on ESPN.

 

[flubrush]

11 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

 

I think some of the best NFL coverage that's ever been done on free-to-air TV in the UK was when Channel 4 included NFL in its programme roster when it first launched.  But they were forced to drop it because some OFCOM wonk decided that the other channels were already doing "sport", so it didn't fit with C4's mandate to produce "innovative and original programming".  This was despite the fact that no other terrestrial channel had ever had anything but sporadic coverage of American Football - and that was usually the college bowl games.  So now C4 fulfils its "innovative and original programming" remit with interminable property porn, tawdry "reality" shows like Naked Attraction (remember it was C4 that first foisted Big Brother on the UK TV schedules), and deformity exploitation shows about people suffering from obesity or unfortunate physical disfigurements.  Nice.

 

I do remember the C4 NFL programmes in the 1980s.  The earlier years were excellent,  usually with a longish feature on a top game and short features on other games in the week,  and with intelligent commentators.  Wasn't that where Nat Coombs and Mike Carlson first appeared on our screens?   But later on they changed it and had younger presenters and I switched off on them -  - young and cool and with it - not!!!   A bit like the C5 programme I had a quick look at last season.

 

Can someone confirm if the early C4 mainly covered NFC games?     I have a memory that the AFC teams were ones we only saw very occasionally until the play-offs and Superbowl.

 

The C4 sports section also interfered quite a lot with the productions.   In the 1990s,  my company worked on the Kabaddi series and I remember the producers complaining about the C4 management dictating styles which they really didn't like.

 

Jim.

[rockershovel]

10 hours ago, flubrush said:

 

I do remember the C4 NFL programmes in the 1980s.  The earlier years were excellent,  usually with a longish feature on a top game and short features on other games in the week,  and with intelligent commentators.  Wasn't that where Nat Coombs and Mike Carlson first appeared on our screens?   But later on they changed it and had younger presenters and I switched off on them -  - young and cool and with it - not!!!   A bit like the C5 programme I had a quick look at last season.

 

Can someone confirm if the early C4 mainly covered NFC games?     I have a memory that the AFC teams were ones we only saw very occasionally until the play-offs and Superbowl.

 

The C4 sports section also interfered quite a lot with the productions.   In the 1990s,  my company worked on the Kabaddi series and I remember the producers complaining about the C4 management dictating styles which they really didn't like.

 

Jim.

I'd have to check the actual league structure but I certainly remember that C4 was heavy on Washington (who can forget Joe Theismann and John Riggins?)  Indianapolis (with the quite astounding Eric Dickerson) and the unapproachable Walter Payton at Chicago. Dan Marino in Miami and Joe Montana at the 49ers... Great days. 

[flubrush]

7 hours ago, rockershovel said:

I'd have to check the actual league structure but I certainly remember that C4 was heavy on Washington (who can forget Joe Theismann and John Riggins?)  Indianapolis (with the quite astounding Eric Dickerson) and the unapproachable Walter Payton at Chicago. Dan Marino in Miami and Joe Montana at the 49ers... Great days. 

 Not forgetting The Refrigerator. :-)

 

Jim.

[rockershovel]

11 minutes ago, flubrush said:

 Not forgetting The Refrigerator. :-)

 

Jim.

Chicago 46 Patriots 10

 

Plus the scariest player I've ever seen in any sport, Lawrence Taylor 

Edited September 19, 2022 by rockershovel

[Bill Radford]

C5 MNF watched in less than 90 minutes by fast forwarding past 3 people in the studio. (I say people to be kind!)

 

Eagles may be 2-0 but I didn't think much to the Vikings defence or QB.

[Invicta Informant]

On 19/09/2022 at 16:58, flubrush said:

 Not forgetting The Refrigerator. :-)

William 'The Refrigerator' Perry. He still remains the heaviest player to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl and has largest ring size (25) for a Super Bowl Ring. He also played for the London Monarchs in the 1996 season of the World League of American Football, which later became NFL Europa (now defunct).

On 19/09/2022 at 17:06, rockershovel said:

Plus the scariest player I've ever seen in any sport, Lawrence Taylor 

I don't disagree with that. Considering what he did to himself (he liked a certain recreational substance), I dread to think what he could have achieved if he was fully focused.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, Bill Radford said:

Eagles may be 2-0 but I didn't think much to the Vikings defence or QB.

Kirk Cousins is one of about a dozen "journeymen" QBs in the league who have had several stops on the way - who I don't consider as top or even second tier talents.

 

In most respects the league is designed to have a lot of equity but I think they are struggling with QBs. There are a dozen or so 'developing' QBs with less than four years experience, and there are a bunch of teams who have "given the car keys to experienced drivers who won't wreck the car, but won't win the drivers' championship either".

 

NFL defences are fast and frightening. The best QBs make it look easy. It isn't.

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Ian J.]

There aren't many QBs who can handle short pocket times and collapses. Patrick Mahomes always seem to manage to slip his way out of trouble, but many others, even some of the more mobile ones, can't. So teams with poor pass protection against the pass rush are still going to struggle, even with a good QB.

[rockershovel]

Digressing slightly, we seem to have dodged a bullet over the rail strikes. Strikes for October seem to have been focused to maximise disruption over the London Marathon and Conservative Party Conference, which I suppose is a fairly predictable tactic for a number of reasons ... so trains should be back to normal for the Packers/Giants game, touch wood.

 

Mind you, they were a shambles for the after-game service after the Dolphins/Jaguars game last year.... 

Edited September 22, 2022 by rockershovel

[Invicta Informant]

As a Miami Dolphins follower, I am shocked at what has happened to Tua Tagovailoa. From what I have seen and read, this sits very uncomfortably with me. I wish him a full recovery.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, Invicta Informant said:

As a Miami Dolphins follower, I am shocked at what has happened to Tua Tagovailoa.

That he played and was sacked on Thursday night, or that he was permitted to return in the second half on Sunday after being sacked in the first half then?

 

I don't know how he was permitted to return on Sunday, or play on Thursday. Despite the NFL officially wanting to appear to address brain injury situations, it remains the elephant in the room.

 

I was watching highlights on Sunday with my eldest (when Tua's absence was described as a 'back injury' and before we saw the replay of Tua wobbling after having gotten up) and wondered whether Tua was 'injury prone'. Including college he's been out for high ankle strain (surgery), hip surgery, thumb injury, fractured ribs and now (multiple) concussion(s).

[Jeff Smith]

Being a full contact sport, the more 'protection' they wear the more invincible they feel.....

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, Jeff Smith said:

Being a full contact sport, the more 'protection' they wear the more invincible they feel.....

My eldest, who played in high school (but only up to sophomore, and put a quarterback in an ambulance*) agrees and is firmly of the opinion that the only way to mitigate head injuries is to take off the helmets.

 

* A terrible moment as a parent, imagining what the parents of that other boy must have been going through

[Ian J.]

9 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My eldest, who played in high school (but only up to sophomore, and put a quarterback in an ambulance*) agrees and is firmly of the opinion that the only way to mitigate head injuries is to take off the helmets.

 

* A terrible moment as a parent, imagining what the parents of that other boy must have been going through

 

That reminds me of 'Friday Night Lights'...

 

As for taking the helmets off, that's been an idea for a while. Back to the leather bonnets then...? 😉

[rockershovel]

46 minutes ago, Ian J. said:

 

That reminds me of 'Friday Night Lights'...

 

As for taking the helmets off, that's been an idea for a while. Back to the leather bonnets then...? 😉

Rugby is going through something similar. The lightweight head protectors are now becoming common, along with lightweight shoulder padding and various straps and compression garments. 

 

The real difference is the development and prevalence in American football, of high-impact collisions with no attempt at an actual tackle, which really began in the later 1970s. Look at videos of past players like Dick Butkus and Jack Lambert and compare the techniques. The importation of rugby league players since professionalisation is having the same effect on rugby union. 

[ejstubbs]

10 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I don't know how he was permitted to return on Sunday, or play on Thursday. Despite the NFL officially wanting to appear to address brain injury situations, it remains the elephant in the room.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/sep/30/tua-tagovailoa-miami-dolphins-concussion-head-injury

 

Quote

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the media following Miami’s loss to the Bengals and in one line demonstrated all the league’s ills when it comes to brain trauma messaging. McDaniel reported the “good news” that his quarterback “doesn’t have anything more serious than a concussion”. It is inconceivable that after a $765m settlement and cases of CTE in former players and general unknowns about brain trauma, that an NFL head coach would have the audacity to minimize any concussion, especially under Tagovailoa’s circumstances.

 

10 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I ... wondered whether Tua was 'injury prone'. Including college he's been out for high ankle strain (surgery), hip surgery, thumb injury, fractured ribs and now (multiple) concussion(s).

 

I'm not convinced about that.  These days, with the NFL having become predominantly a "passing league", QBs - especially classic "pocket passers" - are increasingly dependent on their O line for protection.  And some of those O lines - or their coaches - demonstrably aren't up to the job against an aggressive pass rushing defence.  That might also be a factor in the prominence in recent years of more mobile QBs like Jackson, Murray, Russell, Mahomes (dare I say even Rodgers?) etc.