Superbowl - Nothing to do with Legends

[One Day Soon]

I think the USA national anthem is pretty stirring but why at these major events do they always seem to have some eejit - in this case Christine Aguilera - mudering it in what usually comes over as a pretty self indulgent way?

Surely the whole crowd belting it out Hampden Sunshine on Leith stylee would be much, much more effective?

[Sylar]

I think the USA national anthem is pretty stirring but why at these major events do they always seem to have some eejit - in this case Christine Aguilera - mudering it in what usually comes over as a pretty self indulgent way?

Surely the whole crowd belting it out Hampden Sunshine on Leith stylee would be much, much more effective?

Can't agree - beautiful rendition with no musical assistance - she has a fantastic set of pipes (and pins :greengrin) on her.

Shivers, every time :agree:

[--------]

I think the USA national anthem is pretty stirring but why at these major events do they always seem to have some eejit - in this case Christine Aguilera - mudering it in what usually comes over as a pretty self indulgent way?

Surely the whole crowd belting it out Hampden Sunshine on Leith stylee would be much, much more effective?


That's the way they do it - their anthem, their occasion, their choice?

FWIW I've heard some pretty sound renditions of the same song over the years. Some pretty bad, but most OK.

[JE89]

I think the USA national anthem is pretty stirring but why at these major events do they always seem to have some eejit - in this case Christine Aguilera - mudering it in what usually comes over as a pretty self indulgent way?

Surely the whole crowd belting it out Hampden Sunshine on Leith stylee would be much, much more effective?

Becuase it is cheesy, over-the-top and essentially crap - pretty much somes up America for me. :tee hee:

[One Day Soon]

Becuase it is cheesy, over-the-top and essentially crap - pretty much somes up America for me. :tee hee:

I think that's both rude and very badly misspelled.

[One Day Soon]

Can't agree - beautiful rendition with no musical assistance - she has a fantastic set of pipes (and pins :greengrin) on her.

Shivers, every time :agree:

The pins I'll give you. Everything else, meh.

[snooky]

Becuase it is cheesy, over-the-top and essentially crap - pretty much somes up America for me. :tee hee:

Don't remember what the venue was, (could've been the Superbowl) but Whitney Houston did the best version of the song I've ever heard.....

........and at the other end of the spectrum of course, there's Rosanne Barr.

[SRHibs]

Christian Aguilera's version was ****. No doubt she's got a nice voice, but there's no need to completely milk every note of the song.

[Frogga]

I saw an interview on Sky Sports earlier with 2 American lads who were chuffed with themselves as they'd managed to get a Superbowl ticket at face value... face value being $600!!

[JE89]

Becuase it is cheesy, over-the-top and essentially crap - pretty much somes up America for me. :tee hee:


I think that's both rude and very badly misspelled.

To be fair I meant it as a bit of banter.


I think the USA national anthem is pretty stirring but why at these major events do they always seem to have some eejit - in this case Christine Aguilera - mudering it in what usually comes over as a pretty self indulgent way?

Surely the whole crowd belting it out Hampden Sunshine on Leith stylee would be much, much more effective?

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones :wink:

[One Day Soon]

To be fair I meant it as a bit of banter.

In which case I withdraw the criticism and will go and have my sense of humour refitted.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones :wink:

It's a fair cop. :rolleyes:

[Sylar]

I saw an interview on Sky Sports earlier with 2 American lads who were chuffed with themselves as they'd managed to get a Superbowl ticket at face value... face value being $600!!

I wish we got ours at face value and that was back in 2002.

It costs an absolute fortune to get to these games, but it's well worth (especially if your team is on the right end of the result :greengrin).

[Spudster]

Don't remember what the venue was, (could've been the Superbowl) but Whitney Houston did the best version of the song I've ever heard.....

........and at the other end of the spectrum of course, there's Rosanne Barr.
91
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DkHs7Kuido

[Sylar]

Brilliant contest thus far - Steelers right back in this! :agree:

[J-C]

I played in the British league for 7 years, stopped 11 years ago when at 41 my body decided enough was enough. We used to go for a few beers and watch the game but since i've been away from the sport, I find it hard to stay awake til 3 a.m ish, eyes are getting heavyier now.

Good to see 2 blue collar teams contesting this final, 2 hard nosed/hard hitting teams, don't mind who wins this one.

[Sir David Gray]

Christian Aguilera's version was ****. No doubt she's got a nice voice, but there's no need to completely milk every note of the song.

:agree: I thought her rendition was awful.

Plus, she mucked up one of the verses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12378790

I've been watching this, on and off all night and I just can't get into it at all, far too many stoppages for me.

Best part so far has been The Black Eyed Peas doing the half time entertainment, along with Usher.

[Sylar]

I played in the British league for 7 years, stopped 11 years ago when at 41 my body decided enough was enough. We used to go for a few beers and watch the game but since i've been away from the sport, I find it hard to stay awake til 3 a.m ish, eyes are getting heavyier now.

Good to see 2 blue collar teams contesting this final, 2 hard nosed/hard hitting teams, don't mind who wins this one.

What team were you with? I played with the Hurricanes the past 2 years, but haven't had the time this year on account of PhD stuff.

I'm struggling to stay awake right now, despite how good the contest is!

I don't really care who wins either - seems to have been a momentum shift to the Steelers, but 3 and out there.

[J-C]

What team were you with? I played with the Hurricanes the past 2 years, but haven't had the time this year on account of PhD stuff.

I'm struggling to stay awake right now, despite how good the contest is!

I don't really care who wins either - seems to have been a momentum shift to the Steelers, but 3 and out there.


Started off with the Lothian Raiders but they folded after a season ( they were the remnants of the old Edinburgh Eagles )

I then played for the Strathclyde Sheriffs, who then became the Glagow Tigers when they linked up with the Glasgow Uni team, so essentially creating a main team with the uni as a feeder club.

I played Rugby for 20 years prior and initially played as a running/fulllback and finally in the later years as the legs gradually went as a middle linebacker.

[Sylar]

Started off with the Lothian Raiders but they folded after a season ( they were the remnants of the old Edinburgh Eagles )

I then played for the Strathclyde Sheriffs, who then became the Glagow Tigers when they linked up with the Glasgow Uni team, so essentially creating a main team with the uni as a feeder club.

I played Rugby for 20 years prior and initially played as a running/fulllback and finally in the later years as the legs gradually went as a middle linebacker.

For some reason, the Edinburgh Uni team almost serves as a feeder team to the Hurricanes, due to coaching overlaps.

I tend to play QB, but I'm really not the biggest, so struggle with the more physical aspects of the game. Still don't do bad as QB, but I've been known to run away like a little girl when a big defensive lineman is charging at me :greengrin

Entering the 4th quarter now.

[DAVE1875]

My god this "sport" is so boring! Too many breaks and too much hype

[Sylar]

My god this "sport" is so boring! Too many breaks and too much hype

So don't watch it, go to bed, and avoid threads which are obviously about it (albeit in the wrong forum) :greengrin

The commercial breaks are the biggest bugbear - it's especially bad during the Superbowl, as ad slots during the game are sold for silly money!

Other than that, it's a cracking game - end to end, physically competitive and tactically well competed by both sides.

[DAVE1875]

So don't watch it, go to bed, and avoid threads which are obviously about it (albeit in the wrong forum) :greengrin

The commercial breaks are the biggest bugbear - it's especially bad during the Superbowl, as ad slots during the game are sold for silly money!

Other than that, it's a cracking game - end to end, physically competitive and tactically well competed by both sides.

F*** all else on the telly, didn't get up till 3pm on sunday so I'm doing an all nighter.

I think the Greenbay Fudge Packers will win this

[Sylar]

TD Packers - 2 TD gap now and the Steelers NEED to score on this drive.

[DAVE1875]

TD Packers - 2 TD gap now and the Steelers NEED to score on this drive.


Do you think the Stealers can come back... again?

[Sylar]

I reckon it's the Packers' to lose in all honesty.

Steelers haven't shown enough IMO, but they're making a good move on this drive.

[DAVE1875]

Try!!!

[Sylar]

Can I change my above answer - good TD and lovely 2 point conversion!

[blairwallace]

can someone (in plain english) explain the rules of american football to me? :confused:

[DAVE1875]

can someone (in plain english) explain the rules of american football to me? :confused:

Basically a bunch of steriod filled American's attempting to play rugby with helmets and armour on

[Gatecrasher]

can someone (in plain english) explain the rules of american football to me? :confused:

Its a very tactical game

You basically get 4'attempts to go 10 yards or more down the field, when a player is tackled that play is over and they line up for the next one, if out of field goal range, most teams decide to punt to stop the opposing team getting good field position when their offense takes the field

I hope that helps a bit

[Sylar]

Its a very tactical game

You basically get 4'attempts to go 10 yards or more down the field, when a player is tackled that play is over and they line up for the next one, if out of field goal range, most teams decide to punt to stop the opposing team getting good field position when their offense takes the field

I hope that helps a bit

You can relax now - that's game over!

Well done Packers :thumbsup:

[Keith_M]

Basically a bunch of steriod filled American's attempting to play rugby with helmets and armour on


:agree:


....wearing suspicously tight trousers.

[greenlex]

I heard Christinas rendition of the National Anthem last night on my way home from work on 5 live. ****in awful springs to mind.

[Judas Iscariot]

Should this not be in "Other Sports" :cool2:

[SRHibs]

Most American Football players are far better athletes than Rugby players. With the bursts of pace and the strength these guys have, it would be suicide for them not to wear helmets and pads.

[Sylar]

Most American Football players are far better athletes than Rugby players. With the bursts of pace and the strength these guys have, it would be suicide for them not to wear helmets and pads.

I agree and disagree with you in equal measures. American Football is all about explosive, hard hitting motions, aimed to put huge amounts of effort into moving the ball as far a distance as possible. With all the breaks in play in American Football, it's much easier to recover your breath in between and build up for the next assault.

Rugby is much more about endurance and gradually grinding down an opposition, with more more constant motion and strength required, in contrast to the short explosions in the NFL. At some point in a rugby game, all players are likely to have contributed at some point, but there are many players in the NFL who will go entire seasons without having any interaction with the ball and just use brute force to stop players getting to the ball.

In all honesty, other than the shape of the ball and similar point allocations for scoring types, I don't think they're all that comparable as sports.

[heretoday]

It can be an interesting game.

The trouble is all the stoppages, either for timeouts or adbreaks.

It gives the pundits too much time to talk nonsense and to be wise after the event - a situation they relish.

[CapitalHibs]

Most American Football players are far better athletes than Rugby players. With the bursts of pace and the strength these guys have, it would be suicide for them not to wear helmets and pads.

You have to remember too that you're likely to be legally smacked pretty hard even when the ball is nowhere near you.

[Jones28]

:agree: I thought her rendition was awful.

Plus, she mucked up one of the verses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12378790

I've been watching this, on and off all night and I just can't get into it at all, far too many stoppages for me.

Best part so far has been The Black Eyed Peas doing the half time entertainment, along with Usher.


106.5 million viewers according to that article...21 times the population of Scotland... :eek:

[basehibby]

Back to the anthems debate - Star Spangled Banner as played by Hendrix is the only one for me - the rest of them can GTF :sick:

As for the sport itself - can be quite entertaining in a cricketish sort of way - ie you can easilly nod off for five minutes and the chances are you won't miss anything.

[HibsMax]

I think the USA national anthem is pretty stirring but why at these major events do they always seem to have some eejit - in this case Christine Aguilera - mudering it in what usually comes over as a pretty self indulgent way?

Surely the whole crowd belting it out Hampden Sunshine on Leith stylee would be much, much more effective?

Her rendition was f'ing awful and according to my wife, full of errors. :rolleyes:

[HibsMax]

A couple of other notes, which I think have been addressed already.

I hate the ad breaks too, and the timeouts (team or otherwise) BUT you can always record the game and fast forward (but you wouldn't do that during the Superbowl because then you would miss all the funny ads). We record games on our DVR and start watching about an hour after it starts to we can F-FWD through all the jobbies. No issue.

I used to think that American Footballers were "pussies" for wearing pads but you don't have to watch the game for very long to understand exactly why they have to. Guys on the line are giants. Strong and surprisingly quick. Sure, some of them carry a little padding of their own but I'm not going to tap on Vince Wilfork's shoulder and tell him so. Assuming I could reach it. lol.

[Gatecrasher]

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-presents/09000d5d81ded7fe/Shots-of-the-year

i posted the above vid on the NFL thread a couple of weeks ago, if you watch it from about 2.25 you will see why these guys wear pads, some of the hits are brutal at full speed as well

[snooky]

91
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DkHs7Kuido

Thanks Spudster.
Phew, it don't get any better than that. :aok:

God bless 'merca :wink:

[hibsbollah]

I'm a massive gridiron fan, have been for years, but the whole superbowl experience leaves me grimacing into my beer and pretzels. All the lunatic hype and razzammataz is not what the game is really all about.

As per the stop-start nature of the game, you just have to learn to watch it in a different way. Tactically, Its more like violent chess than rugby.

[essexhibee]

American football what a load of old ****.

[HibsMax]

American football what a load of old ****.

What a well thought-out, valuable contribution. :wink:

[essexhibee]

What a well thought-out, valuable contribution. :wink:

Why thankyou :wink:

[Dashing Bob S]

I like American football and am delighted the Packers won, but WTF is this thread doing on this board? When I think of the far more pertinent to Hibs/association football threads I've had moved...

[One Day Soon]

I like American football and am delighted the Packers won, but WTF is this thread doing on this board? When I think of the far more pertinent to Hibs/association football threads I've had moved...

Oi, leave my thread alone. I don't have many. Or do I have to start another Scott Brown debate?

[Sir David Gray]

106.5 million viewers according to that article...21 times the population of Scotland... :eek:

And yet, that's just barely over 30% of the population of the USA. I find it quite surprising that the viewing figures weren't more than that to be honest, as I was under the impression that the Superbowl was compulsive viewing in the States.


I like American football and am delighted the Packers won, but WTF is this thread doing on this board? When I think of the far more pertinent to Hibs/association football threads I've had moved...

To any American guests on here, this thread would be "football related". :wink:

[Pretty Boy]

I'm a massive gridiron fan, have been for years, but the whole superbowl experience leaves me grimacing into my beer and pretzels. All the lunatic hype and razzammataz is not what the game is really all about.

As per the stop-start nature of the game, you just have to learn to watch it in a different way. Tactically, Its more like violent chess than rugby.

Same for me.

I've not made a massive contribution to the long running NFL thread on the other sports board mainly because my NFL and college teams (Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes) have both had a rubbish season -or a rubbish decade in the Dolphins case.

I religously watch Skys coverage of the NFL and the ESPN coverage of college football, as well as a few visits to certain online streaming websites. However the Superbowl just does nothing for me whatsoever. I always get the feeling the anthem, the flypast, the ads, the half time show and the analysis is the real event with the game being a bit of an inconvenient sideshow.

It's exactly the same with the big fights in Vegas when it comes to boxing. By the time they drag out the anthems, the ring walks, Michael Buffer and his catchphrase, the intros, the spotting of celebs at ringside etc etc the fight itself feels like something of an anti climax. Back to basics would be my advice to the Americans (or any nation for that matter) when it comes to sporting events.

[Sylar]

And yet, that's just barely over 30% of the population of the USA. I find it quite surprising that the viewing figures weren't more than that to be honest, as I was under the impression that the Superbowl was compulsive viewing in the States.

To any American guests on here, this thread would be "football related". :wink:

106.5 million was the viewing figure for last year - estimates this year were between 111 and 113 million viewers.

90 million of those viewers were expected to be within the United States (hardly a small number, regardless of the total population figure) and that will only include individual television broadcasts, and not the actual number of people watching each TV set at various house parties, bars or social venues. The number could quite possibly be double that 111 million.

Like every other sport though, there are those in the states who don't have the time for the NFL - a combination of the stoppages and overhype (particularly the ludicrous volumes of money you see in the NFL) mean that there are a good number of people who just aren't interested.

It's quite interesting to note that many of the College NCAAF teams actually are better attended than many of the NFL teams, even those who aren't performing well. As an alumnus, I used to attend (and still watch) Michigan games religiously - 105,000 people every single game, and we're absolutely awful right now. Compare that to nearby NFL team, the Detroit Lions, who only average a little over half of that number any given Sunday.

[Gatecrasher]

http://blog.packers.com/2011/02/07/super-bowl-xlv-most-watched-tv-show-of-all-time/
162.9 million viewers

[HibsMax]

Why thankyou :wink:

Anything to get my post count up. ;)

[HibsMax]

106.5 million was the viewing figure for last year - estimates this year were between 111 and 113 million viewers.

90 million of those viewers were expected to be within the United States (hardly a small number, regardless of the total population figure) and that will only include individual television broadcasts, and not the actual number of people watching each TV set at various house parties, bars or social venues. The number could quite possibly be double that 111 million.

Like every other sport though, there are those in the states who don't have the time for the NFL - a combination of the stoppages and overhype (particularly the ludicrous volumes of money you see in the NFL) mean that there are a good number of people who just aren't interested.

It's quite interesting to note that many of the College NCAAF teams actually are better attended than many of the NFL teams, even those who aren't performing well. As an alumnus, I used to attend (and still watch) Michigan games religiously - 105,000 people every single game, and we're absolutely awful right now. Compare that to nearby NFL team, the Detroit Lions, who only average a little over half of that number any given Sunday.
I don't watch college football at all but my American friends who were born and bred over here inform me that college sports are much bigger than professional sports because, supposedly, the game is purer.

And that stat about Michigan, when I first heard that a few years ago I almost shat my pants. It's amazing.

Even High School games are pretty well attended, especially football in Texas!