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[maggotz]

They're sponsored by under armour isn't that American?

Yes. Under Armour is making a bit of a splash here in NCAA football. Like Nike, they have created some interesting new looks for teams.

But, soccer here is still pretty much looked down upon here. Almost as inferior to gridiron. We have what is known as the 4 major sports: football (gridiron), baseball, basketball and hockey. Soccer is struggling to break into the American sports scene as a 5th "major" sport. Which is ironic, because prior to gridiron's rise in popularity, soccer was the second most popular sport (behind baseball), and there was a pro league in the 1920s and '30s, I believe (info on it is hard to find though), and we actually finished 3rd in the inaugural World Cup in 1930. Gridiron became the second major sporting pastime soon after and soccer just sort of faded out of our collective consciousness here.

There was a pro league here in the '60s and '70s (NASL) that had Euro and South American players at the end of their careers come here and play for some big money. Pele, Georgio Chinaglia, Franz Beckenbauer to name a few. But the league went belly up because of overspending and the honeymoon was short-lived. That killed any hope of soccer here until the U.S. got the World Cup bid, and part of the deal with FIFA was the establishment of a pro league, which is MLS.

Outside of that, a few Americans could probably name a Euro club or two, but not many. And, to be honest, that's the first time I've heard that Under Armour was doing Euro club kits.

 

[Groupie_]

Yes. Under Armour is making a bit of a splash here in NCAA football. Like Nike, they have created some interesting new looks for teams.

But, soccer here is still pretty much looked down upon here. Almost as inferior to gridiron. We have what is known as the 4 major sports: football (gridiron), baseball, basketball and hockey. Soccer is struggling to break into the American sports scene as a 5th "major" sport. Which is ironic, because prior to gridiron's rise in popularity, soccer was the second most popular sport (behind baseball), and there was a pro league in the 1920s and '30s, I believe (info on it is hard to find though), and we actually finished 3rd in the inaugural World Cup in 1930. Gridiron became the second major sporting pastime soon after and soccer just sort of faded out of our collective consciousness here.

There was a pro league here in the '60s and '70s (NASL) that had Euro and South American players at the end of their careers come here and play for some big money. Pele, Georgio Chinaglia, Franz Beckenbauer to name a few. But the league went belly up because of overspending and the honeymoon was short-lived. That killed any hope of soccer here until the U.S. got the World Cup bid, and part of the deal with FIFA was the establishment of a pro league, which is MLS.

Outside of that, a few Americans could probably name a Euro club or two, but not many. And, to be honest, that's the first time I've heard that Under Armour was doing Euro club kits.

Aussie Rules >>>>> any American sport

 

[maggotz]

Aussie Rules >>>>> any American sport

I totally agree. I don't watch MLB, NBA or NFL. Haven't watched a Super Bowl in I couldn't tell you how many years now. Every once in a while I watch the Columbus Crew play (MLS) or watch the Columbus Blue Jackets lose (NHL), and if the Bengals are playing well (like they have the past couple of years) I'll watch them in the NFL playoffs (until they lose, which is usually the first game). Also occasionally watch the Buckeyes or Ohio Bobcats play some football. (Planning on watching the NCAA National Championship Game next season, because the Buckeyes are going to win it. Guaranteed.) But...

I watch more AFL matches than all American sports games combined over the course of a year.

(Oh, by the way, my current avatar is the original Brutus Buckeye mascot for the Ohio State University.)

 

[Groupie_]

I totally agree. I don't watch MLB, NBA or NFL. Haven't watched a Super Bowl in I couldn't tell you how many years now. Every once in a while I watch the Columbus Crew play (MLS) or watch the Columbus Blue Jackets lose (NHL), and if the Bengals are playing well (like they have the past couple of years) I'll watch them in the NFL playoffs (until they lose, which is usually the first game). Also occasionally watch the Buckeyes or Ohio Bobcats play some football. (Planning on watching the NCAA National Championship Game next season, because the Buckeyes are going to win it. Guaranteed.) But...

I watch more AFL matches than all American sports games combined over the course of a year.

(Oh, by the way, my current avatar is the original Brutus Buckeye mascot for the Ohio State University.)

How'd you get into afl?

 

[maggotz]

How'd you get into afl?

First exposure was VFL matches that were aired on ESPN here in the late '80s. I believe it was two years, but could have been just one, so either the only year or one of the two would have been '87 (or later) because I recall thinking Brisbane's logo was too "cute" for a pro football team. (The intro flashed all of the club logos on the screen.) I specifically recall watching Richmond because there was a Tiger at the time that had a last name that sounded like mine. (Caught my attention whenever he got the ball.) Loved the game from the start. Holding the ball was pretty confusing though. We don't have anything like that in our codes. Just the opposite. In every sport it's important to hold onto the ball.

Then they didn't renew which kind of bummed me out. (I've always been a night owl, and worked at home so staying up all night and watching a match wasn't any trouble for me.) No way to keep up on the sport, so I couldn't keep up with it really, and though I liked it, I didn't understand it enough to warrant going out of my way, which would have been pretty expensive to get satellite back then. So it wasn't until the internet age that I became reacquainted. Had pretty much forgotten all about it and stumbled upon Mero's site while researching some jersey history of some kind of another. Started watching a bit on youtube, started following the league through afl.com.au and was able to watch here on ESPN2 and espn3.com (i think it's espngo.com now, not sure), but that has since ended. Of course, in the meantime, I've gotten to meet some footy fans here and online, and it's been my favorite sport for at least half a decade now. All the sports I've watched over and over for years and years here got very quickly boring to me (if they weren't already) about that time.

I started by just enjoying and learning the rules fully, then strategy, etc. Over a couple of years (as I was able to watch full matches here online) I found myself wanting to see certain clubs win their matches. And when a couple of those clubs played each other, I would find myself taking one side and cheering them on. I guess it was initially the jumpers I liked, then the players and style of team play for each club that started influencing that. It was down to a few clubs (I won't say, ha), and one of them was the Pies. I really wanted to like them, but I knew they were one of those clubs everyone loves to hate, and I hate all those teams here. So I didn't want to like them because of that. I also didn't want to like them because the jumpers look like traditional referees' uniforms here. Malthouse, the quickness and ability of the small guys Didak and Davis, and the speed of the big man Harry O in the back, and one thing led to another and I realized they were my team.

Odd journey here, but I'm glad it happened.

Now, stand with me and sing, "Oh, praise the internet, let it be always and forever, a means to watch footy around the globe..."



EDIT - On second thought, I can't say it was just the internet, because the AFL has put some effort into making footy available on television here over the past few years or so.

 

[Groupie_]

First exposure was VFL matches that were aired on ESPN here in the late '80s. I believe it was two years, but could have been just one, so either the only year or one of the two would have been '87 because I recall thinking Brisbane's logo was too "cute" for a pro football team. (The intro flashed all of the club logos on the screen.) I specifically recall watching Richmond because there was a Tiger at the time that had a last name that sounded like mine. (Caught my attention whenever he got the ball.) Loved the game from the start. Holding the ball was pretty confusing though. We don't have anything like that in our codes. Just the opposite. In every sport it's important to hold onto the ball.

Then they didn't renew which kind of bummed me out. (I've always been a night owl, and worked at home so staying up all night and watching a match wasn't any trouble for me.) No way to keep up on the sport, so I couldn't keep up with it really, and though I liked it, I didn't understand it enough to warrant going out of my way, which would have been pretty expensive to get satellite back then. So it wasn't until the internet age that I became reacquainted. Had pretty much forgotten all about it and stumbled upon Mero's site while researching some jersey history of some kind of another. Started watching a bit on youtube, started following the league through afl.com.au and was able to watch here on ESPN2 and espn3.com (i think it's espngo.com now, not sure), but that has since ended. Of course, in the meantime, I've gotten to meet some footy fans here and online, and it's been my favorite sport for at least half a decade now. All the sports I've watched over and over for years and years here got very quickly boring to me (if they weren't already) about that time.

I started by just enjoying and learning the rules fully, then strategy, etc. Over a couple of years (as I was able to watch full matches here online) I found myself wanting to see certain clubs win their matches. And when a couple of those clubs played each other, I would find myself taking one side and cheering them on. I guess it was initially the jumpers I liked, then the players and style of team play for each club that started influencing that. It was down to a few clubs (I won't say, ha), and one of them was the Pies. I really wanted to like them, but I knew they were one of those clubs everyone loves to hate, and I hate all those teams here. So I didn't want to like them because of that. I also didn't want to like them because the jumpers look like traditional referees' uniforms here. Malthouse, the quickness and ability of the small guys Didak and Davis, and the speed of the big man Harry O in the back, and one thing led to another and I realized they were my team.

Odd journey here, but I'm glad it happened.

Now, stand with me and sing, "Oh, praise the internet, let it be always and forever, a means to watch footy around the globe..."

Great post mate

 

[Silent Alarm]

That's because they have cheap Jewish owners and they don't want to spend heaps of money on Adidas, Nike or Puma.

You might be 14, but you act like a 6-year old.

Calling Jews stingy is akin to any other racial stereotype. I don't think you'd call an Aboriginal a criminal as off-the-cuff. And clubs don't pay manufacturers. The manufacturers pay the clubs.

Far out. You'll hate your internet footprint one day.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

@silen alarm everyone is differnt mate.i think what he is saying is just a figure of speech.
Its like me saying " oh thats just gay" its a term used by teenagers daily its a saying like fully sick or sweet or bro or melbs.

Its somthing that most people may have said. I guarantee most teenagers have said the slamg of there era.

 

[Silent Alarm]

@silen alarm everyone is differnt mate.i think what he is saying is just a figure of speech.
Its like me saying " oh thats just gay" its a term used by teenagers daily its a saying like fully sick or sweet or bro or melbs.

Its somthing that most people may have said. I guarantee most teenagers have said the slamg of there era.

Mmm. Go down to St Kilda then and talk to the old Hasidic Jews about how stingy they are.

It's kind of offensive when it's in an open discourse. Especially when Andonis got upset about a blatant joke I made, that he somehow conned himself into thinking was about non-Anglos.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Its a saying mate. Its not directed at jews. Most people who say it would not even know what it means its just like saying tight arse so they say it.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Its a saying mate. Its not directed at jews. Most people who say it would not even know what it means its just like saying tight arse so they say it.

I love how you make me out to be the unreasonable one. Just because it's an old saying, doesn't mean it's right. There are plenty of euphemism that've been forfeited because they're so harsh and uncivilised. Call someone a tight arse if you want, but don't call them stingy as a Jew.

For what it's worth, we took Aboriginals away from their tribes. Plenty of people thought that was the right thing. Just because it exists, doesn't mean it should.

Show some sensitivity. You go to uni in Footscray. It might come in handy.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

But im not sterotypical of anyone man, i dont hate on race.
In fact i will share i am of aboriginal decent.



Stolen generation & upto the 27th of may 1967 things were very differnt. When i play footy i play with my mouthguard. Which is "the same as goodsey's" i cop shit. Ive swung punchs coz of it.

Its just life ya learn to live with it. Lots of aboriginal sayings my mates have said them when im around i just smile.
A mate at footy calls me boonga. Its life if u can realise people are not trying to offend Me.

 

[Silent Alarm]

A mate at footy calls me boonga. Its life if u can realise people are not trying to offend Me.

Well that's fuarked. And letting it go by with that attitude isn't something I'm entirely comfortable with. Australia should be better than that.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Im cool with it. I sure know i can handle being baited by somone i know (who is just mucking around) calling me that. Than a faceless person i dont knoe constantly teasing me because i may not be able to spell as well as them.

 

[Groupie_]

Buddy pee'd himself

 

[Gibbsy]

I'm gonna be dialing back from BF over the next couple of weeks due to real life stuff. Might still pop in from time to time but not with the regular frequency I do.

Hope everyone had a safe holidays.

 

[El_Scorcho]

What happened to the finding your whale thread? I can't find it.

I got a 2003 Power away Guernsey from ebay which was one of my whales! It's long sleeve but it's better than nothing!

 

[Groupie_]

Long sleeve are tuff

 

[lmach]

tanning at mbah omg

 

[Greater Gattsby]

tanning at mbah omg

Just don't get swept away by the huge currents and swell, eh?

 

[lmach]

We forgot sunscreen.

 

[Craegus]

I'm gonna be dialing back from BF over the next couple of weeks due to real life stuff. Might still pop in from time to time but not with the regular frequency I do.

Hope everything is ok, see you when you come back full time

 

[Gibbsy]

Hope everything is ok, see you when you come back full time

Oh health is fine. Just starting up a fulltime job tomorrow and want to get properly settled in, plus taking a break from BF isn't so bad considering I haven't done so in probably 18 months!

 

[Groupie_]

tanning at mbah omg

Wtf are you doing !?

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Oh health is fine. Just starting up a fulltime job tomorrow and want to get properly settled in, plus taking a break from BF isn't so bad considering I haven't done so in probably 18 months!

I thought u were going to uni mate?