An NFL coach looks at the state of world rugby

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 21 2009, 11:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

its a interesting though but in many ways its giving the advantage back to the team thats just committed an offence if the kick is miss which is a tad bit daft[/b]

Again, unless it was trialled, I couldn't really argue against this however I will say that if a team chooses to kick to touch from a penalty yet kicks it dead by mistake, it's a scrum/22 option to the defence under the existing laws. The missed penalty = scrum/22 merely extends the existing law.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nidhogg @ Jan 21 2009, 10:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The idea is that teams won't actually kick unless they a. have a very good kicker b. are in good range. It's meant to force teams to kick to touch, BECAUSE otherwise the defending team who committed the offence get's the ball again.[/b]

I wouldn't go as far as to say it forces teams to kick to touch although it would make it a bit more frequent. I think it would lead to more positive rugby with teams attacking the corner more often (bring back the maul!!!) and would also demand teams have a smart leader on the field who can decide when to go for the 3 points on offer and when to go for the jugular. At the moment it's pretty easy for a captain to decide which option to take. Empowering captains more can only be a good thing and makes the sport more spontaneous and unpredictable.

 

[DonBilly]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (steynboi @ Jan 22 2009, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

i wouldnt say NFL dwarfs english football viewing figures.

my team the pitt steelers since 1973 they have sold out every home game without fail continuing into the 2009 season. alot of rugby/soccer games there are always seats empty and heinz field is 65,500 seats.[/b]

How many games do they play at home in a season? And by the way how long is the NFL season?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DonBilly @ Jan 26 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (steynboi @ Jan 22 2009, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i wouldnt say NFL dwarfs english football viewing figures.

my team the pitt steelers since 1973 they have sold out every home game without fail continuing into the 2009 season. alot of rugby/soccer games there are always seats empty and heinz field is 65,500 seats.[/b]

How many games do they play at home in a season? And by the way how long is the NFL season?
[/b][/quote]
16 games each in the regular season with up to 4 games in the playoffs. The season runs from early September until the end of January or the start of February.

 

[DonBilly]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Jan 26 2009, 06:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DonBilly @ Jan 26 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (steynboi @ Jan 22 2009, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i wouldnt say NFL dwarfs english football viewing figures.

my team the pitt steelers since 1973 they have sold out every home game without fail continuing into the 2009 season. alot of rugby/soccer games there are always seats empty and heinz field is 65,500 seats.[/b]

How many games do they play at home in a season? And by the way how long is the NFL season?
[/b][/quote]
16 games each in the regular season with up to 4 games in the playoffs. The season runs from early September until the end of January or the start of February.
[/b][/quote]

In Regular season does this mean only 8 games at home? I guess a couple of the games of the play-off. So a successful team has 10 games at home. Isn't sufficient to explain why this is always sold-out?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DonBilly @ Jan 26 2009, 06:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

In Regular season does this mean only 8 games at home? I guess a couple of the games of the play-off. So a successful team has 10 games at home. Isn't sufficient to explain why this is always sold-out[/b]

8 home games per season is correct.

 

[Prestwick]

I had a chat with my chum in America, Sergio who said, rather aggressively:

Originally posted by Ol' Dirty BullGod
NFL wide receivers and running backs probably have 40-50 pounds on rugby players, and can sprint the same speeds.

When I asked him what those running backs actually do other than run forward very fast and catch he told me he'd have to get back to me on that one...

 

[Charles]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 26 2009, 10:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I had a chat with my chum in America, Sergio who said, rather aggressively:

Originally posted by Ol' Dirty BullGod
NFL wide receivers and running backs probably have 40-50 pounds on rugby players, and can sprint the same speeds.

When I asked him what those running backs actually do other than run forward very fast and catch he told me he'd have to get back to me on that one...
[/b]

Haha, good one... :bravo:

Those guys playing american football have a very linmited stamina, and their skill level is also very poor.

 

[Nidhogg]

It's also rubbish they can run just as fast as Rugby wingers. They don't have 100 kg wingers with the same speed and agility as Shane Williams or Jason Robinson. The big recievers like Terrel Owens and Fitzgerald aren't as fast as the better rugby wingers, they just aren't (or they must be slowing down every bit of NFL footage). The small guys are extremely fast (like Devin Hester) but I'd back a good Caucau, Habana, Chavanga or Ngwenya against any NFL player on any day.

 

[Fred187]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I think it needs some serious revision if it’s to attract a larger world-wide audience.[/b]

Coming from the coach of a sport that is only played in a single country...

I honestly wouldn't take a single word this guy says seriously - he knows F.A. about Rugby, and he pretty much stated he just wants to commercialize it, which I think would be appalling - it would basically just become American Football.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Damn right. The game has to change because rugby has always been designed for perfection. You're supposed to be perfect or you're penalized. And that results in player and crowd frustration at the stop/go nature of the game.[/b]

Oh yeah, I forgot that American Football is a very flowing game, with no breaks at all...!?