NFL impressed with Aussie Punters

Discussion in 'Rugby & Aussie Rules' started by westcoast929406, Sep 11, 2008.

  1. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Actually, it'll be on February 1st there, and Feb. 2nd here.

    Two weeks between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl this year, and most years.

    SBS usually has the free-to-air rights, but maybe that has changed now, with the advent of TenHD.
     
  2. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And since you mentioned Ed Wyatt, who works for SBS (and IIRC, also for SEN radio as well), I remember him as one of ESPN's original reporters back in the late 1970s, when they first hit U.S. basic cable.
     
  3. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
    Thanks for the correction - Somebody somewhere said about Australia Day. Ed gives a good perspective on the matches- He makes allowances for the newbies to NFL when we have watched.
    I suppose the break would be good for player injuries and fitness.

    Also great to see a surge in posts about the world of Rugby which is much bigger in the US and elsewhere than AR.
     
  4. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
  5. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
    Ben Graham has recovered from his groin injury and will play in the Super Bowl in Florida.
    Link--
    http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/graham-fit-for-big-day/2009/01/26/1232818341850.html

    About time the NFL teams realised the likely punting talent available in Australia. The Aussie Rules and possibly the Rugby football Codes are a good basis for US Punting recruiting.
    Link—
    http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24972639-19742,00.html

    Another article on NFL Punting recruiting in Australia- The NFL boss Chris Parsons nailed it in his statement about Aussies and their sporting competitiveness.
    Link---
    http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/afl/story/0,27046,24973926-5016169,00.html
     
  6. Spartacus

    Spartacus Member

    May 20, 2001
    The NO SOCCER Zone
    Caught a bit of a Media Day interview with Graham by former San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci. Graham was trying to give Mooch a quick thumbnail of the great Australian game...and it went way over Mooch's head!
     
  7. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We saw a clip on the local news here about Media Day, too -- and the nuances of Aussie Rules footy even appeared to go over the head of one of his Arizona Cardinal teammates, too! Didn't recall which one, though.

    But presuming the Cardinals win the Super Bowl -- stranger things have happened! -- might that translate into a bit more of a casual interest in the footy here by some NFL fans? It just might.
     
  8. NoRightFoot

    NoRightFoot Member

    May 18, 2006
    Melbourne, at times.
    Club:
    Malmo FF
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Well spotted. But I don't see too much wrong with what I've seen here. The fans just want to see their team win. If North won the flag next year by 2pts, I couldn't care if the goalscorer was Colonel Gaddafi.
     
  9. Spartacus

    Spartacus Member

    May 20, 2001
    The NO SOCCER Zone
    A Chris Berman interview with Ben Graham was included in Boomer's "2 Minute Drill" on today's SportsCenter. In it, Graham says he likes kicking a Sherrin better than the NFL ball ("too pointy, made for throwing"), and defends the honor of goal umpires. Also included in the brief piece was footage of Graham kicking a goal at Kardinia Park back in the day.

    By the way, the official pre-game injury reports were issued today, and Graham is listed as "questionable". As if the Cardinals have another option at punter?
     
  10. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He's been cleared to play by the Cardinals' medical staff, and further confirmed by the club's coach, Ken Wiesenhunt. He'll play, even at less than 100 percent.

    I went into a TAB SportsBet parlor on Glenferrie Road yesterday, being near my day job, and there it said Pittsburgh was a 6.5-point favorite. How does that compare to what the legal U.S. bookies in Vegas and elsewhere have it?

    Nonetheless, I'm going to lobby to have a TV put up in the cafe in the complex where I work on Monday morning!!
     
  11. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
    An audio interview by a US Sports Journo with Ben Graham from a Cardinals Press Conference was replayed on 6PR Sports Radio this morning. BG was giving comparisons with the build up between the NFL Super Bowl and the AFL Grand Final. He is blown away by the huge interest from the US Sports fans in the Bowl. Apparently he said that about 100 million US fans will be watching the game on TV - That equates to 1 in 3 of the US population-
    He said the younger Cardinal players were getting very nervous as the game approached. One similarity between the two events he noted that most players in the team tend to go into their own worlds listening to music etc as it got closer.
    I will be interested in the TV ratings from Sydney and Brisbane as compared to Melb, Perth and Adelaide on the game.
     
  12. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Melbourne will get the best ratings among the capital city markets, minly due to the fact that Geelong's ratings are counted among Melbourne numbers, and there will be a lot of Cats fans tuning in.

    Did you link that "in his own words" article from Ben Graham, that was in the Herald Sun the other day? Very compelling reading. I know I linked it on my Facebook profile, because I felt that it was THAT good.
     
  13. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
    No I have not read some of the articles which developed into a fllood in the Melb press after it was announced BG would likely play.
     
  14. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And the Melbourne media has jumped onbaord, and rightfully so. They would have done the same thing had Sav Rocca's Philadelphia Eagles won two weeks ago.

    But admit it -- Ben's odyessy makes for a much better story.

    Ben Graham, in his own words -- Herald Sun
     
  15. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We caught a snippet of that yesterday on Ten's Sunday "Sports Today" program. And Chris Berman -- who has always been one of my favorite sports broadcasters -- gets a bit of instant street cred by referring to the Aussie Rules ball as a "Sherrin" in that clip.

    And as well he should, seeing he's been with ESPN since its inception, back when they were showing VFL games.
     
  16. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    you must not see/hear enough Chris Berman if you actually like him :p :D
     
  17. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
  18. Spartacus

    Spartacus Member

    May 20, 2001
    The NO SOCCER Zone
    Sorry, no love for Boomer. The Sherrin reference was mine.
     
  19. Spartacus

    Spartacus Member

    May 20, 2001
    The NO SOCCER Zone
    BG almost played a crucial part in the Cardinals comeback. Late in the 4th quarter he dropped a punt inside the 1 yard line (a beautiful drop punt it was). That punt came directly ahead of the holding penalty in the end-zone resulting in the 2-point safety that gave the Cards momentum to take the lead briefly in the 4th. That punt was BG at his best!
     
  20. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But I did hear Berman utter the word "Sherrin" in the clip. Absolutely sure of it.

    Spot on, although I'd even delete the "almost" from that statement. And to top it off, it can be argued that play -- the punt downed inside the Steelers' 2 -- was the catalyst for the Cardinals' comeback, leading to the safety and the next touchdown which gave Arizona its lead.

    On the day, Graham had five punts for a 35-yard average with a long of 45, which doesn't sound overly impressive, but he did drop three of them inside the opposition's 20. Which in itself is a nice effort.
     
  21. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.
  22. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/davis-heads-for-us/2009/04/01/1238261646910.html
     
  23. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  24. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh, yes... she's dreamy. :)

    Great concept, by the way, and one that could be a good PR tool for NFL scouts and those in the know.
     
  25. westcoast929406

    westcoast929406 New Member

    Oct 10, 2003
    Perth Western Aust.

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