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London Week: A retrospectiveby Tim Love - BBC Sport (U11756775) 24 October 2008   All the excitement over the NFL game at Wembley between the Chargers and Saints has got me reminiscing about last year’s contest between the Dolphins and Giants. Once we’d made it into the stadium proper, I experienced one of the highlights of the day: the Wembley toilets But it wasn’t just the booze. I was really taken with how the field and stadium had been prepared in order to create an ‘authentic’ experience (which I’ve heard will be even more impressive this year). The NFL had done a great job of turning Wembley into mini-America, and I even got goosebumps when I heard the national anthems play. As the game progressed, we seemed to be getting through a lot more beers than we’d anticipated. It wasn’t one of those planned drinking sessions, but we just always seemed to have a beer in our hands. I think it was partly due to our sensational seats. We knew we’d struck gold when we saw them: they there were, all shiny and red… right at the end of the aisle. We could come and go as we pleased, taking it in turns to buy four pints at a time without having to ask anyone to stand up. It was wonderful. My memory of the game is slightly hazy, but contrary to what I have read since I believe that there was a great atmosphere and that the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the event, even those that didn’t know what was going on. There was noise from the stands throughout the game, and good plays were well appreciated (even if they were in short supply). My friend, who was not an NFL fan, thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and given the fact that he's a very moody man, this was quite a success. Of course, this year will be quite different for me. I’ll be in the press area eating as many prawn sandwiches as possible, and will be preparing an extra-special Fumble for Monday which will include a great ‘in the locker room’ feature. The press get great access to players in the NFL, and we get the chance to go down to the players post-game when they’ve just showered and annoy them as they are drying off. Great opportunity? Yes. A bit weird? Most definitely. What are your memories of last year’s game? What will your pre-game ritual be on Sunday? Latest 10 commentsRead members' comments or add your own posted Oct 26, 2008 Well 1 game is on your not forced to watch it are you. TBH it is all money. The NFL realised this was a chance to give a mainstream audience the chance to watch a game because the rest are not on terrestrial TV so don't slate the Beeb for trying to show different sports and the hype was huge as it was in London.
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LeedsDreamer (U13301703) posted Oct 27, 2008 Boring,boring,boring, posted Oct 27, 2008 Last time I checked it was a free country. No once forced you to watch it. Also you don't understand it so you say its rubbish - what a surprise. Check the ratings for it and i think you'll find the numbers were signifcantly higher than what would normally be on the channel at that time of day.
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oabaga (U5976845) posted Oct 27, 2008 what a game, loved every minute. Shame about Joss Stone ruining the national anthem. Katherine Jenkins would have been my pick. I hear they want to have a game at murrayfield, please no. It would be a mistake and kill any future international series. the reason we had so many americans come over was because it was London. Let's keep it that way.
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pietrodelroberto (U3924180) posted Oct 27, 2008 Magpie, no-one forced you to watch it, and I do believe in freedom of speech, but anyone who watched the game last night and declared it rubbish is either A) a closed mind, B) has no clue about the game and C) has never watched baseball.
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SudaNim (U12495376) posted Oct 27, 2008 I was at the Dolphins/Giants game last year. Being a Dolphins fan, it wasn't much to shout about as a game, but then that sums up the season as a whole...
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sean2mush (U1577194) posted Oct 27, 2008 ok i may have dissed it at the beggining, but i do think its the whole spectacle of american football that makes me dislike it more than the actually sport itself. the way americans sing the national i just find slighty disturbing and offputting, then there is things like cheerleading, jumboscreens, and the way they celebrate when they get a touch down.
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blumetatron (U5252929) posted Oct 27, 2008 When i think of the NFL coming to Wembley, I think... posted Oct 27, 2008 Who's going back to Florida?
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keliffa (U8175204) posted Oct 28, 2008 The Fridge has not been around for like 25 plus years and he did not play or live in Florida. Comment on this article |
