American Football on Sky

[spud_gun]

Hollow you seem pretty clued up on College ball in the States.

Is there an issue with college kickers and / or punters? I've seen a few college games and the quality of kicking be it extra points or field goals is generally quite poor. You're almost guaranteed a blocked kick and or blocked punt per college game yet very rarely see this when you get to the pro ranks.

[Hollowman]

Yeah, it's not really a specialised position in the college game. Loads of them are walk ons (i.e. they just pitched up to try out in training rather than having a scholarship). It's not a big pro-prospect position. Some guys are naturally talented at it, but the pro teams reckon they can mould a decent kicker.

Plus, you have over a hundred teams in 1-A college ball. So that's three times the number of pro teams, and some pro kickers are balls, so imagine what the worst at collegiate level are going to be like.

Also, defenses in general are nowhere near pro quality, so the sort of time and protection a pro kicker is afforded isn't mirrored in the college games.

Kyle Botzman got a load of **** for basically taking Boise State out of the national game by missing two sitters in their match with Nevada. But then a few weeks later you see Graham Gano make a ****ing mess of things for the Skins and see it can happen at any level.

[washDCRed]

No, they chose to show the Red Zone. I think it would have been the Indy game on the box though. Apparently they're binning Red Zone off lat week because of the fan reaction. It would be okay as a red button feature, particularly late in the games to see what's happening, but not instead of the live game.

It is great at the end of games. Last week was the perfect example - the Bills game ended early so I was able to watch the end of the Washington/Dallas game and the crazy end to Philly/Giants game.

It was originally part of the NFL Sunday Ticket (access to every game) on DirecTV here in the US and they just started offering it outside that package a few years ago.

It was designed to be an extra feature. If you weren't particularly interested in a specific game, you could turn it on, find out which game was exciting and switch to it.

It's also good to have on a 2nd TV with no sound as you're watching another game.

People here like it because it's very easy to track your fantasy football results, so I'm told.

It is very nerve-wracking. I read an interview with the host and he doesn't move from his chair for the entire broadcast. 6-plus hours is a looong time to hold in a whiz.

[Hollowman]

Vincent Brown for San Diego State is ****ing TORCHING Navy in the Ponsietta Bowl. Lindley has connected six passes, all to Brown. Dude has 143 yards and a TD with four minutes left in the 1st.

[Suarez]

Well, **** me, this has backfired.

[Norbs]

It's **** of the highest order. I've got a rare 30mins to watch what I want and my Virgin box say 'Montys Ryder Cup' on SS4 and yet it's American Statisticball. Load of bollocks, I'd rather watch Graham Norton interviewing Eamon Holmes

[Helios Creed]

I'm watching Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Somethings at the moment - I'm wearing my Falcons t shirt as we all wore LFC shirts for the game yesterday (pity it was about as enjoyable as a funeral thanks to Roy - the only way I was going to be jumping up and down would be if he'd come onto the pitch at half time and resigned)

[Neil Young]

The Carolina Somethings are a fantastic team. Better than the Kansas City Whatsits and almost as good as the New England Thingummyjigs.

[Helios Creed]

The Carolina Somethings are a fantastic team. Better than the Kansas City Whatsits and almost as good as the New England Thingummyjigs.

Go Whatsits! Defence!

(my sister in law started shouting this at us when we were playing - I pointed out that it was a bit like shouting "Win!", also that I wouild never be taking her to a soccerball matchgame)

[little dave hedgehog]

i went to a hockey match once and the lady in front of me kept yelling "skate!"

[Neil Young]

The saddest sight I've ever seen at a sporting venue was a bunch of Coventry Badgers fans (their team isn't actually called the Badgers but I can't remember the real name and they were definitely from Coventry) playing the Solent Shaggers at basketball in Eastleigh Leisure Centre on a Saturday night.

They were obviously regular supporters who on this occasion had travelled down from Coventry on a Saturday to shout 'deeee-fence' at regular intervals to two teams made up of hopeless British players and one American giant, both of whom were better than all the rest put together but far too useless to play in the NBA.

Of course different people like different things and that's fine but these Badgers fans didn't look like the kind of people who had turned down several social invitations in order to spend their Saturday watching **** British basketball. The scene had a real air of desperation about it.

[little dave hedgehog]

[Neil Young]

[little dave hedgehog]

i have always loved the people with the d and the little white picket fence.


skate, neil!

[Neil Young]

I shout 'pedal' at professional cyclists.