As I understand it,

The Browns moved to Baltimore and renamed. Cleveland created a new team from draft picks to replace them, but there’s a period – three years – they’d to wait before they could do that.

Disclaimer: last time I followed it with any sort of attention was mid-90s, so this may be fiction.

Cougar is spot on.

The Cleveland Browns are currently a team, just not the same Cleveland Browns of old. They were reformed in 99.

Doing my best to keep the eyelids open for the game, was watching in America this time last year, much easier to stay awake at 3 in the afternoon with a keg next to you!

Picked the Jags as ‘my’ team back in the day when I first started following NFL as they were newly formed, looking forward to first pick in the draft next year!

On the subject of the franchise/teams moving though this has always amused me! [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1-QAF8gLy0[/video]

Oh, and I’m in for the Niners tonight…

I’m stuck in the us due to a delayed flight so watching in an airport bar. Can you make some suggestions of comments to throw in at the right time so I can appear knowledgeable. A couple more beers and I won’t be filtering the comments – could be fun!

“handball!”

Hyundai hot sauce

Oh dear the national anthem is coming up. Where is the vomit smiley.

Walter Payton – now there was a player.

Nice idea, but not the Sidey Sidey dance!

That’ll be the “Star Strangled Banner” by Alicia Keys 🙂

Jeez, I’ve only got a 4 hour delay. They’ll barely have started at this rate.

The ref is seriously camp

I tried to watch this last year and got bored with how slow it is compared to normal footy, but I’ll give it another go.

Can someone explain why the winners and finalists seem a lot more varied than other sports. Why is there not a United or Barca of American footy?

I believe it’s because of the draft system: Basically the worst teams each season get the first choice of the best young talent from the colleges, which means they have a chance of doing much better in the following seasons.

I tried to watch this last year and got bored with how slow it is compared to normal footy, but I’ll give it another go.

That’s a bit of a feature of live games. Edited matches are considerably faster.

Can someone explain why the winners and finalists seem a lot more varied than other sports. Why is there not a United or Barca of American footy?

Primarily the draft system. At the end of the season, the worst teams that year get the first pick of new players coming out of college, so the best new players go to the teams that most need them.

Primarily the draft system. At the end of the season, the worst teams that year get the first pick of new players coming out of college, so the best new players go to the teams that most need them.

Guess it keeps the sport fun for the fans, although it must be annoying for coaches with certain styles of play etc. I like the way everyone stands pitchside with these Herculean guys charging around! **** that!

TOUCHDOWN!

Primarily the draft system. At the end of the season, the worst teams that year get the first pick of new players coming out of college, so the best new players go to the teams that most need them.

I wonder if the Americans realise how socialst the national game of the home of capitalism is? 😀

I believe it’s because of the draft system: Basically the worst teams each season get the first choice of the best young talent from the colleges, which means they have a chance of doing much better in the following seasons.

That is correct. There is also a salary cap, so each team can only spend a certain (very, very large) amount on players salaries and bonuses. So no team can keep all of the best players that they would like to, unless those players are willing to be paid less than they would be on another team. The NFL really has done a good job of creating “parity” where all of the teams have a reasonable chance of being successful.

You do still get dynasties, such as the Chicago Bears in the nineties, 49ers, Dallas and the Dolphins in the eighties, Indianpolis in the 2000s (some of the decades my be slightly off there) but they don’t last that long; usually 3-4 years.

I stand to be corrected by those more knowledgeable on the subject.

I wonder if the Americans realise how socialst the national game of the home of capitalism is?

That very thought has crossed my mind too.

Can I just say, its a bunch of shite that the BBC are not broadcasting this in HD.

Wahooo it’s so goddamn… American! Where’s my oreos?

Try channel 187 on virgin at least for HD

Few bellies on some of those lads.

I’m on Virgin, it’s in HD on BBC HD channel 187. Didn’t even know it existed until about 15 minutes ago!

169 on Sky.

Ok. I’m an idiot. Was looking at BBC1 HD.

Apologies, Auntie.

It’s too bbc. I don’t want british commentators! I want the crazy shouty yank ones. I want all the american adverts every 15mins. I want the full experience! Pass me aerosol cheese!

*wow* what a shot.

I’ve run out of snacks 🙁

Start on beer?

Start?

I started at 4pm, while watching soccer. 8)

If I had to watch that I’d probably start drinking too.

Hey now!

It’s all good in the hood.

Football > Football.

We;ll have to agree to differ.

got some corona(ok it’s mexican) Gonna have some blueberry Ice cream with melted nutella on top. Seems the american thing to do.

We;ll have to agree to differ.

Hell no!

Pistols at dawn!

…oh, am I the only one using the 5Live audio?

Edit: Heh. Rumble!

FIGHT!!

Woof!