Originating from Rugby football in the mid 19th century, American Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, drawing substantial crowds to each of its games. Although there are leagues in several parts of Europe, Asia and Central America, American football is most prominent in the USA, where the Super Bowl final is one of the most watched sporting events in the world. Indeed the NFL is the premier American football competition on the planet.
Working on small details in their last practices, the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints entered Super Bowl weekend trying to keep a normal routine ahead of the biggest game of their lives.
“Guys are going to be anxious. They haven’t been able to play in a couple weeks,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “We’ve done [...] Read article
Malcolm Glazer putting Manchester United into debt for more than $US1 billion ($A1.16 billion) does not worry National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell when it comes to Glazer’s NFL club and solvency.
In his annual news conference Friday ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl 44 between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, Goodell addressed several global [...] Read article
Followers of AFL often hear that our game mustn’t be any good because it’s not a truly international game. Perhaps. But obviously the same must apply to American Football.
However, America is a vast, geographically diverse nation of just over 300 million. It seems that much of their internal sport must be world class. [...] Read article
The recent rugby test results show that we have headed back to the bad old days of stultifying rugby, with play dominated by the kick and chase, and points coming predominantly from penalties.
The (former) ELVs, as practised in Super rugby, did largely eliminate this problem. But the downside was that the short arm [...] Read article
After a painful display of poor skills at Eden Park, the Wallabies are less than dear to Aussie hearts this week. Maybe the fans would be more empathetic and forgiving if they knew what the Wallabies actually feel on the field.
Well, we’re going to find out, because the experience is coming to a TV [...] Read article
In the biggest night of American Football, Australian-born Ben Graham stood up for the Arizona Cardinals in what looked to everyone like the winning play of the match. Pittsburgh had something else to say, however, in a match full of records
Born in Australia, and playing for Geelong in the AFL for eleven seasons, the New [...] Read article
Most of us have grown up having a limited list of sports to which we hold an allegiance. In my case, it was predominantly Australian Rules Football.
However, over a number of years, I have learned to admire or even love some of the other sports around the globe.
Often, this involved a pivotal moment (or set [...] Read article
My mind was drawn to many pieces I’d read on the Roar over the past year or so when I had the chance to speak to the Cardinals’ Ben Graham ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl. Watching Graham at ease in front of the world’s media gave me a lasting impression that footballers aren’t dumb, they [...] Read article
Former Geelong AFL star Ben Graham will carry thoughts of his ill mother with him when he makes history in American football’s Super Bowl on Monday.
Preparing for the biggest game of his sporting life, Graham revealed his mother was battling cancer back in Australia and couldn’t make the trip to Tampa, Florida to watch his [...] Read article
I watch a lot of rugby in California, and also get to see quite a bit of American football at college and NFL level. Generally speaking, rugby is a growth sport in the US and is supported, monetarily, far better than powerhouses like Fiji and Samoa.
Rugby in the States is played all across the [...] Read article
Ben Graham’s place in American football’s Super Bowl has given his former AFL teammates at Geelong a boost in what is generally the tough slog of pre-season.
The Cats had a team meeting scheduled at the time Graham and his Arizona Cardinals were playing the Philadelphia Eagles to secure the NFC place in the Super Bowl.
So [...] Read article
At a rugby bar in San Francisco last week, I met a guy who’d been an assistant to the legendary 49ers coach Bill Walsh during much of his reign in the 80s, when his team won three Super Bowl titles.
The assistant – he’s now retired but doesn’t want his name mentioned for pro reasons [...] Read article
The 43rd Superbowl is shaping up to be a large event in Australia. With Sav Rocca and Ben Graham playing off for a place in the Superbowl on Sunday, the NFL executives must be rubbing their hands in glee at the exposure their game is getting in Australia.
The whole of Australia is getting on [...] Read article
Faster, higher, stronger. If you don’t recognize it, it is the official motto of the modern Olympic games. But it also describes football perfectly.
The game of AFL football is played at a far faster rate than in previous generations. Players are always striving for that Jesulenko mark, and players are being modeled into muscular [...] Read article
Checkers is a game where the pieces do the same thing, and in rugby league, all the players do the same thing: they take the ball up and on the tackle they put the ball through their legs and start again.
There are no lineouts or mauls.
Sure, running the ball up has a different [...] Read article
