Some Observations on the NFL (and other topics)

Just got back online after a 10 day business slash golf trip to the interior of BC last week, and then ducked down into Worshington state for the weekend.


Shlepped over to Seattle to visit friends and attended my very first NFL game on Sunday. Seahawks vs. Eagles. Some observations:


1. Very moving and emotional pregame ceremonies. Somehow I just cannot imagine 60,000 stoic Canadians chanting "Ca-na-da! Ca-na-da!" for anything. I will give Americans full credit for not being afraid to show their patriotism.


2. Loved the hoopla and atmosphere surrounding the game, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances. The tailgate scenes in the parking lot were a lot of fun. Closest thing here might be hitting the drive-thru 5 minutes before an NHL game.


3. Certainly this was only one small sample, but the game, or more specifically, the Seahawks, sucked. I didn't really mind paying the $60 (face value) for the ticket. Might be the only game I will ever attend, and the seat was decent (32 yard line), but Seattle is going nowhere with that crew. Hasselbeck threw? for 21 yards net passing and they got 9 first downs the entire game. Please.


I know it's apples and oranges, but give me the up tempo CFL style game day in and day out every time. And $20 to park your car, on-site, in another zip code. Yikes!


Working in the marketing and advertising industry, I give full marks to the hype machine flacks in the NFL for making the suckers believe this is entertainment.


4. Husky Stadium is a dump. Yes, I know they are building another lovely football-only state-of-the-art, seat-licence cash cow downtown for the Hawks, but UW isnt' going anywhere anytime soon, and I guess I expected more.


Canadians, think Taylor Field with fresh paint. No, make that Clarke Stadium (RIP) with fresh paint.


Hey, Rick N! Maybe you guys in LA are on to something here, what with no team. Could be a trend? Naw.


Go Chargers!


Out.

Dunc,


I'll be proud of Los Angeles if they tell the NFL to shove it regarding taxpayer funding of a stadium. I'm sick of welfare for owners.


Regards,


Rick

Aboslutely agree. There's a new book out by Neil Sullivan about Yankee Stadium called "The Diamond in the Bronx" which talks about how unconscionable it would be for NYC (this, of course, before 9-11) to subsidize Steinbrenner.


I hate football anyway.

Hey Dunc:


Sounds like you're jealously squeezing all the fun you can out of summer before the long cold dark Edmonton winter ;-) But I guess that's where poker comes in, huh?


Seems like you got the same feeling Sunday as I got watching the Monday night game. The American patriotism is amazing. And somehow a Monday Night game is the perfect forum for it. The camera work was great too with the sea of American flags in the stands. My wife caught me shedding my first tear over this whole bloody mess during the national anthem. It was quite a show(ing).


As for the perenial NFL/CFL debate, I have to say the NFL hype machine flacks have won me over. I don't mind the US style game, and it's just so much more fun to watch with the US production values, and yes, the hype. Watching the CFL on CBC is just not the same. It's sort of like watching a hockey game on FOX or ABC (except without the streaming light trailing the ball..haha). For me it's just not as fun to watch.


Flutie is by far my favorite player, and I hope he becomes one of the major stories this year. I want Buffalo to SUFFER for benching a great clutch player just when they needed him. Buffalo was always one of my favorite teams, but now I hope they BURN IN HELL. I hexed them at the beginning of the season. The last time I hexed someone they had their pocket aces cracked 20 times in a row.

Hey, Bill. How ya doing?


You should see the mess they made at the Palace with their new poker room. Yuck. Stuck it way in the back of their renovated premises, only 5 tables, a unisex washroom that is about 3 feet from the 10-20 table, just brutal.


They did attract some business away from Yellowhead off the bat, with 24 hour opening and non-smoking, but I hear last night that Yellowhead is following suit, and it is a much nicer facility and should over time dominate, I think.


Hey, don't get me wrong, I love watching the NFL, too. But the bad games there are IMO worse than the bad games in the CFL, by far. But the good games are probably better, because you see plays and talent that you just don't see here. We have had a nice run of Indian Summer here the past couple of weeks, but the NHL season opens next week, I start curling a week today, so you know winter is just around the corner. Sigh.


Keep in touch.

We'll be in Edmonton for Christmas. Looking forward to checking out the Yellowhead as I've heard a lot about it. It's hard to believe how clueless the Palace management has always been (and apparently always will be) about poker. I always liked playing at the mall though because it's kinda like a game show...you win some money and then you go shopping and pick out your prize...haha


Take care.

Surely you meant to say you hate football unless the Broncos are playing.