Grid-Iron Time!

Ok, a post a little bit different to the norm for me, but its the start of the Grid-Iron, or American Football NFL season for a another year! Yipee!

I have never been a football (soccer) fan despite being a Brit, and even now living in New Zealand, I have not particularly become a rugby fan ( I quite enjoyed playing it as a school child, but it doesn't grab me as a sport to watch...). And despite New Zealand now having gone completely berserk with hosting the Rugby World Cup, I could care less...

Nope, for me it's the NFL!

My dad introduced me to it many years ago as a young child, when in the UK, we were lucky to get a few minutes of game time on "Grandstand" on 'the Beeb' of the Superbowl, one saturday of the year...

That all changed with Nicky Horne and Channels 4's coverage of the NFL that started some time in the 80's, in the UK.

I think what I love about it, and probably appeals to my wargaming tactical brain is the series of set pieces that the game revolves around, and a distinct Defense and Offense to each team where each tactically tries to out do the other, play to play.

That and the 'razz-a-matazz' of the game, and stupendous athletic action of the players; the quarterback throwing the ball to leaping wide receivers, running backs grinding forward and breaking into the open field, bone crunching tackles by the defence and all the other high jinks that goes on.

For me, as a sport, nothing beats it.

My first foreign holiday as a child was in 1980, to Florida and the main city we visited was Miami, so the Miami Dolphins became my adoptive team and have remained so ever since. Fair to say they have had their ups and downs since then, but I have followed them through and through.

And the obviously wargaming link to this post is GW's Bloodbowl game. A lot of fun that appealed over a long time, and a game that GW hasn't really stuffed up. The game works well in its current format and they havent tweaked it too much or buggered it up since! I used to play it quite a lot at one point though haven't played it for many years now.

I used to run a Dark Elf team, styled on the Dolphins at the time, with my Quarterback or 'Thrower' called 'Daneel Marinar'. Guess who he was named after ;-)

Who knows, I may unpack it and have a play about with it once more. That may depend on how well the Dolphins do this season... ;-)

Here's wishing them the best of luck for the up and coming season!

Educational Resource:
Sports Management Colleges has informative resources that are great for anyone with an interest in sports.

[Disclaimer - all pictures shown on this blog post are used without permission and remain the property of the NFL, Miami Dolphins, and GW, as apropriate, and no copyright infringement or offence is intended]