NFL San Diego and New Orleans playing in London

[aTOMiC]

I'm not sure how I feel about a regular season NFL game being played abroad. I suppose the travel issues and complications endured are fairly equal for both teams. Of course in every practical sense there isn't a home team to speak of though I'm guessing one will be designated. This might be quite a treat for our UK members to see an NFL game up close and personal. I just checked and the 1pm EST kickoff will be 6pm London time which isn't too bad. It would have been quite unfortunate if the game was played at either 4pm EST which would have been 9pm London or the late game Sunday at 8pm 1am Monday London.

Should be interesting to watch from our perspective.

[dANdeLION]

The Saints are considered the home team for this game. Honestly, if it weren't for Reggie Bush getting injured, I'd think they'd be favored to win this game.

[Cleburne]

Well it is good for U.K NFL fans to be able to see a game in our own back yard I just wish I was going. One other good thing is that it will be seen on local tv channels so i,e it will be open to a bigger U.K audience even though I dont think it sold out. But at least I ll get to watch it on tv.

[aTOMiC]

Well it is good for U.K NFL fans to be able to see a game in our own back yard I just wish I was going. One other good thing is that it will be seen on local tv channels so i,e it will be open to a bigger U.K audience even though I dont think it sold out. But at least I ll get to watch it on tv.

Shame you couldn't make it, Cleburne. You are obviously a fan. But of course its still pretty cool that you will likely get to see it on tv and in a stadium and surroundings I'm sure you are familiar with. Of course we'll get to see some shots of London and also see how the local fans react to the game.

[Cleburne]

[Shame you couldn't make it, Cleburne. You are obviously a fan. But of course its still pretty cool that you will likely get to see it on tv and in a stadium and surroundings I'm sure you are familiar with. Of course we'll get to see some shots of London and also see how the local fans react to the game.

Wembley is a great stadium with a great pitch and the teams have said that the training pitches were good aswell. It should be a good game I think thats why the chose the teams they did so to make it more interesting for the fans i.e a high scoring game . Still mad at not going just have to wait till next year. Here hoping it will be a good game anyway.

[jelerak]

My only gripe is that we are losing a home game in the Superdome because of this.

Three years ago after Katrina, the Saints were forced to play a home game in New York against the Giants. Not quite a home game there, now was it? The Saints only got 7 regular season home games that year.

And now they schedule this London game as a home game for the Saints, and again they are having to play a home game in an away setting.

No other team in the NFL has only had 7 home regular season games the past 3 years. If they were going to do it this year, why didn't they make it a San Diego home game instead of a New Orleans home game?

It is not that I am opposed to paying games abroad, it is just that I think that they could have looked at the bigger picture and realize that we just so very recently had a home game already taken from us.

[sgt.null]

Deuce Mcallister and Will Smith have been named in the latest steroids scandal. some sources say two other Saints may be involved as well. with injuries and suspensions the Saints will be having some tough sledding ahead.

[dANdeLION]

Three years ago after Katrina, the Saints were forced to play a home game in New York against the Giants.

I remember that game. I thought the fans did a great job of trying to make the Saints feel at home. As for this years Wembley game, remember, last year the Giants played Miami there' and the Giants went on to win the Superbowl. Today, your Saints won, so maybe they'll follow suit.

[Menolly]

Yay!!
That's two for me in the pick 'em game then!
...I think I picked Nawlins, and I know I picked Miami...

[Queeaqueg]

I really don't understand this game. I watched it on BBC2 n there are a few things I didn't get.
1. why is the game so stop-start all the time. The player runs with the ball, gets tackled and then everything stops. In rugby, the game doesn't all stop when players get tackled or anything, the game flows and continuous. Can anyone explain why this happens.
2. Why every time score or shortly after from kick-off does the game stop and goes back to the studio?

Despite me finding it very hard to follow because play kept stopping every 5 minutes, I did find myself loving the big tackles and shouting 'touchdown!' every time I saw one.
I still prefer rugby, though.