The NFL Thread (with added College Football)

[ADVILLAFAN]

Raiders clinch a playoff spot

First time since 2002, which was the first NFL season that I watched pretty much in full.

I don't want to make it seem like a long time ago, but Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Rich Gannon were playing....

I've been following the Raiders for so long that in 1982 I had a Marcus Allen jersey.
I'm pretty confident that there weren't many of those in the UK back then 

It was all about Kenny Stabler, Casper and Biletnikoff for me....

[usav]

Huge game Christmas day in prime time Steelers vs Ravens for all the marbles in the AFC North.   Should be a good one!

[Jon Crofts]

Twickenham is a pain to get to and a dump of a venue. I was going to suggest to my mate that we skip those games and just do the two at Wembley.

Twickenham a dump?

Yep, its a horrible concrete lump*. Also, despite being in London, it somehow manages to be without any decent transport links.

(* with its claustrophobic spirals/concourses, to me it resembles the Oakland Coliseum or maybe old Yankee Stadium)

Whitton station and walk down?

Not a single restricted view seat for 80,000 plus people.
Numerous huge bars.
Numerous food & vending opportunities.
4 mainline railway stations all in walking distance.
Free buses to and from Richmond station for all events over 35,000 spectators.
7 bus services serving the stadium.

What a dump.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Huge game Christmas day in prime time Steelers vs Ravens for all the marbles in the AFC North.   Should be a good one!

I may have suggested an evening of Festive Football on Christmas to my missus and been met with a suitably frosty reception....

[Somniloquism]

Raiders clinch a playoff spot

First time since 2002, which was the first NFL season that I watched pretty much in full.

I don't want to make it seem like a long time ago, but Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Rich Gannon were playing....

I've been following the Raiders for so long that in 1982 I had a Marcus Allen jersey.
I'm pretty confident that there weren't many of those in the UK back then 

If you were in Birmingham in the early 80's all the NFL gear was in Oasis. I didn't realise Jerry Rice was a Raider. I thought he pretty much ended his career in SF. Were you a Raiders fan simply because they pretty had the coolest badge and colours or was there some other reason from the 80's I'm unaware of?

[PeterWithesShin]

Great American Sports. They left Oasis early 90s as they kept getting steamed. I worked in Oasis occasionally back then and it could get a bit 'interesting' in there at times. They moved to a shop up Five Ways but think they closed down for good a few years ago.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Jerry Rice had 2-3 seasons in Oakland and did quite well. I believe he was playing into his 40s.

There is a good reason why U.K. Redsox is a Raiders fan, but I'll let him explain.

[nigel]

Raiders clinch a playoff spot

First time since 2002, which was the first NFL season that I watched pretty much in full.

I don't want to make it seem like a long time ago, but Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Rich Gannon were playing....

I've been following the Raiders for so long that in 1982 I had a Marcus Allen jersey.
I'm pretty confident that there weren't many of those in the UK back then 

I started watching around '82.
Washington v Miami Super Bowl year.

I attached myself to the Cowboys, mainly because others followed the Redskins.

[UK Redsox]

Were you a Raiders fan simply because they pretty had the coolest badge and colours or was there some other reason from the 80's I'm unaware of?

My father worked for Xerox. The site that he worked at in El Segundo near LA was close to the Raiders training facility.

I also had a T-Shirt that said ...

Oakland
Los Angeles
El Segundo
Raiders

on the front and....

Where the hell is
El Segundo?

...on the back

I don't think that this one was official NFL merchandise


Later on he worked near Rochester, so I developed a soft spot for the Buffalo Bills as well.

[SteveN]

No idea when it was but Jim Kelly was the man for me so I went for the Bills.  Always liked watching John Riggins and Bo Jackson.  Nothing better than seeing them running straight through someone, particularly The Diesel Truck.

[Rotterdam]

A distant relative moved from Wales to San Fran in the mid-70's, he bought me a t shirt and cap back once, so its always been the 49ers for me. Peaks and troughs...

[ADVILLAFAN]

Jeez, I thought it was bad being a Bears fan at the moment 

[MoetVillan]

Are the Packers going to make it?  I don't really understand how they clinch a place, but a lot of my colleagues are from WI, and big fans

[ADVILLAFAN]

Are the Packers going to make it?  I don't really understand how they clinch a place, but a lot of my colleagues are from WI, and big fans

Can see the Lions losing to the Cowboys and the Packers beating the Vikings this week and if that happens then the Packers would go top of the NFC North, with a game to go.

Vikes have loads of players out injured this week:-

Peterson, Treadwell, Diggs, Harrison Smith and a Guard on their already terrible OL.

[UK Redsox]

is anyone interested in an Endzone club level ticket for the first Wembley game next season?

I'm up in Liverpool that weekend, so will struggle to make it back.

i'm planning to renew my season ticket tomorrow and hope to sell on the ticket for the first game at face value.