NFL in London

National Football League in London

NFL London

Super Bowl Food

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Game day is here, and we’re all stuck at home getting fat.
So what do you have on tap for Sunday in terms of food and fixins?
Since we all can’t gather in public, it’s time to consider your nosh options for watching SuperBowl 55 in the UK.  So here are some ideas for some Super Bowl food to make your Sunday Funday.
It’s great, it’s on real late, it’s Covid times.

Our American counter parts often make us jealous of their hormone laden food choice pairings, meal deals, influence & indulgence, but we’re alone in the UK, so make your own Sunday Funday menu.
I’m a Canadian farm boy, Bears fan, bbq geek, lazy ass, who loves to throw NFL parties, so I’m going to offer my best Super Bowl Food tips for Sunday.
These recipes are based on parties of less than 6, so none of us get arrested.

Delivery

Seriously the best option for the lazy Super Bowl watcher. Pop & lock your phone to Grease Street and Delivepoo or Must Eat yourself to ease. Problem is that kickoff is 11:30pm GMT, so you won’t really get something warm and ready.
Consider the indie. There are loads of great independent restaurants that are offering eat in options of their food. This makes it easy for anyone to follow instructions and heat up when needed.
Timing is everything, so make sure that you balance the warming times of your meats and sides.
Don’t try to pull off the fact you didn’t make it though. In a game of transparency, call out the teammates of delivery.

Wings

Chicken wings are easy to do, and a staple for NFL viewing. Wings are full of fat, so it’s good to boil them first for a few minutes to render it off for a crispy result.  Throw them in heavily salted boiling water until white, then dab, and oven dry at 30c with a few pats of a towel to get all the water out. Put the wings in a bag of seasoning to rope up the goodness & put in the fridge to cool before cooking. Baked wings work best with this method, but make sure you get the air flow going to circulate the meat. As soon as they’re crispy to your liking, pull them out and shake them in a bowl of your best sauce. Serve hot.

Nachos

Nachos are a tough treat in the UK, because we lack some of the basics to make them really cook.
A proper corn tortilla is key to nachos, as well as knowing what stays dry and what stays wet.
Nacho amateurs will be quick to splooge the nachos in salsa, dips and juices prior to cooking, but you need to be patient. We all have our ideal nachos, so listen to your crew who is going to eat it.
As for chips, Marks & Spencer sells a close to authentic Cantina Tortillas which are more viable than the UK Dorito options. Salty, crispy and a solid balance.
Nacho reminder…
It’s better to basic and cheese first…then to toss a bunch of shit on and piss everyone off.

Chili

I’m doing a beef short rib chili for Super Bowl Sunday, and a slow cooker/ crock pot is key here. A good chili ideally takes at least 8 hours to cook, 24 if you want full flavour, and 48 hrs if you’re cooking human (wikipedia).
If you’re cooking ribs get a butcher to help you out. Trim all the fat first as it makes for greasy chili, then braise the meat by either a bbq or in an oily pan. Don’t cook it fully, just give it a crisp then trim the fat again and put in in the slow cooker. Add beans, tomatoes, lentils, whatever the flock you want for a chili. Have fun with it. The idea of a chili is to cook all the crap you couldn’t eat before, but you boiled it down with some stuff.
As a Bears fan, that’s my season.

BBQ

Cook meat like you want to eat it, not like you want to hurt it. Living in Britain for 15 years have shown me how mean some foodies can be to their potential next course. Chicken is supposed to have moisture after being on the bbq, not to look like it’s a chimney sweep apprentice.
If you want to eat it, watch it, and give it time to rest.

If you’re going to Super Bowl BBQ, keep it quick and focused. All beef hot dogs are a great treat if you can find them in the UK, although a package of 5 cost me £10, so be prepared to pay. They’re good quality too, not just regular old lips and assholes

Enjoy your Super Bowl and reach out for any menu tips.
If you want to learn how to cook any other greasy, comfort food, let me know.

Good eating everyone, and enjoy Super Bowl 55. We’ll all be back eating with each other again soon.

 

 

Tom Brady-Mean Tweets

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SuperBowl media frenzy is here, which means all of the players are run through the hoops of late night TV hosts, and goofy foreign press who have a whole host of wacky games ready for the players. One of the more consistent is Jimmy Fallon’s Mean Tweets, which gets the Tom Brady version here.

It’s always fun to make fun of ole TB12, and you can imagine that there were thousands of tweets that were either omitted because they were too rude, too mean, or too personal.
Sunday nights and Monday mornings have to be a treasure trove of Tommy hate, as he would have just ruined the weekend of some punter and solidified his status as the GOAT.

Florida must be treating Tommy nicely, as that tan brings out the fact that he is still ridiculously handsome, making him even more of a target of jealousy.
Being that insanely good-looking must bring with it a world that most of the world will never know, add to that being the best player in the most popular sport in America, and you get Tom Brady.

Many people will want Tom and the Bucs to fail for being so gosh darn good, and taking a losing team then running it into the SuperBowl in the very next year.
Whatever happens on Sunday, everyone needs to appreciate what a feat it is for a guy of his age in a smash-em-up sport.
Go Tommy, go.

In the spirit though, here are some ‘Mean Tweets’ that Tom could have read out.

-You’ll always be my biTch #tombrady #mybitch #giants @EliManning

-Remember our secrets. #tombrady #rubs #tugs @RobbieKraft

-State Farm always wins! #Tombrady #youllsee #Mahomes @AaronRodgers

-I think she dead #tombrady #shedead #playme @AntBrown

-I’m watching you. You’ll come back. Return to me. #tomBrady #returntome @BellBilichicky

 

 

 

SuperBowl 55 Preview

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And then there was one game to define it all.
One final match for the 2020 season, before we all slug back to hibernate for another 7 months of no NFL.
It’s the Tampa Bay Bucs vs the Kansas City Chiefs, as we bring you our SuperBowl 55 Preview podcast.

Wade McElwain & Ryan Cull are ready for Sunday, as they break down all of the factors that will come into play for SuperBowl 55 in Tampa.
Who do they think will win the big game? You’ll have to read further.

The guys touch on all kinds of fun in this podcast, among some of the issues they discuss in detail includes:

TB12

Sure, he makes half the SuperBowls of his career, but is he really that good? Brady has thrown a bunch of INTs throughout the playoffs, and it’s hard not to think he won’t be tossing one away in this game. Where Brady shines is under pressure, and leading an underdog charge.
Tommy boy knows how to manage the clock and the big stage.

Mahomes

Patrick has surely accomplished a lot for a young man his age. He shows a certain poise and commands the pocket expertly as he moves down the field. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his issues however. If the Bucs put enough pressure on him, he might throw an errant pick down the field. Or he might find a seam and run for 40 yards on you. That’s why he’s so fun to watch.

Chiefs O-Line

You’re going to need to protect Patrick Mahomes from one of the fastest D’s in the league. The Bucs were able to get to him in week 12, and it should be eve easier if 3 of the starters are out.
Mahomes is a phenom anyway you slice it, but if you can get to him early and often, it will mean he has to take deep shots down the field.

RBs

Both of these teams will have all of their backs healthy and ready for the big game. With such a high powered passing attack on both sides, the running game could be overlooked. This would be a mistake, as both teams will want to ‘ground and pound’ to soften the defensive line up a bit.
Where this will get interesting is how often these RBs are used in play action and as receivers.

Gronk

Gronk is always on Tommy’s mind when it comes to the SuperBowl. In the previous Patriots games, Rob was a big factor finding open field and busting a few big gains and even a TD against the Rams.
Betting that Gronk gets a TD is a solid prop bet, and it may have something to do with TB12 helping his buddy’s get their post season bonuses.

Home Field

It may not feel like much, but home field does play a huge factor in Sundays outcome. Knowing every facet of a stadium, how the wind rolls in, where your family are sitting, and how close the toilet is, all help a player out mentally to calm down.

So with all of that in consideration, the guys have made this Super Bowl 55 predictions.

Ryan

Ryan likes the kid Mahomes in this one, as the Chiefs just have too many tools to be stopped. He likes both teams to hit the over here, but Kansas City will just be too much for the Bucs to handle.
Chiefs 31 Bucs 27

Wade

Wade is going with defence, home field advantage, and experience, which is why he likes Tampa Bay to win this at home. Defences win big games, and this will be the one where the better one steps up. The Chiefs might build a lead, but TB12 and co. will work to erase and overcome just like in Super Bowls of past.
Bucs 28 Chiefs 24

That’s it for the final prediction of this NFL 2020/21 season.
Huge thanks to the NFL for making it all feel ‘normal’ again. What are we going to do without you?
Thanks for listening, please share and we will continue to make more during the offseason.

49ers vs Saints-TB

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With the SuperBowl less than a week a way, it’s time to take a hit of nostalgia as we take a look back at one of our NFL in London events. It’s time for some NFC playoffs throwback as we look at the 49ers vs Saints game from the 2012 playoffs.

For those of you who might remember some of our NFL in London early locations, we use to host NFL viewing parties in the basement of the Sports Bar & Grill in Marylebone station.
Back then the SB&G wasn’t a Stonegate chain just yet, so the owner liked to have a lot of fun, ad wasn’t swayed by things like ‘late licenses’ and all that.
We would gather to watch the games until the wee hours of the basement, and those who needed to pop out to have a smoke, made sure not to draw attention to themselves.

Who could forget the loveable staff, amazing wings, funky smelling backroom, and next door Travelodge-where you could get a room for £25 a night, and a hooker knocking on your door a few hours offering company and a continental something-something.

Comedy was also a big part of these NFL nights, as we tapped into some of the biggest comedy acts on the circuit to entertain at halftime to a generally non responsive audience. Comedians like Scott Capurro, Dave Hill, Tom Rhodes and Reggie Watts all performed at the Sports Bar basement for a few beers and the chance to watch the NFL from home. Good times.

The date in question of this video is January 14th, 2012..although given that we are in the early hours here, it’s most likely already the 15th.
New Orleans had built up a pretty solid lead on the 49ers, until they were unable to withstand the comeback momentum of Alex Smith.
All of the fans in attendance had a great night, and the beers were flowing.

Have a little watch of the video and reminisce to the good old days. If you were there that night, please feel free to reach out and say hello.

We miss being able to host all of you guys during these trying times, but hopefully we will all be back soon again.

Stay safe, stay sane and we will all be back together again soon.

If you would like to see the epic final drive of the 49ers as they went on to munch on the Saints in an incredible game, here is the link.

Super Prop Bets

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The SuperBowl is only a few days away, which means it’s time to start thinking of some of the prop, or novelty bets on offer for this year. Sure, you can go the traditional route of betting on Gatorade colour, length of the anthem or whether Tony Romo is going to mention Robert Kraft’s favourite massage oil.

With so many oddities to bet on in this Super Bowl, why not contact your bookie and go hard? Why bet on the basic bitch package, when you can amp it up for Super Bowl 55.
These are some of our Super Prop Bets.

Trump Blows up Florida +165

Trump lost the election, the presidency and some would say the plot as he returned to his Florida retirement home to have Melania soak his boo-boos. Those who know Trump reckon he is seeking some sweet justice, and a public event like the Super Bowl is all he needs. Previous villains have tried to blow up the Super Bowl, but of anyone-Trump probably can pull it off.
If Trump blows it up before halftime, at least we will miss the Weeknd.

Tiffany Rivers Gives Birth +225

Phillip Rivers retired this year to focus on family, so it figures that his wife Tiffany is due to give birth again soon. Look for Tiffany to shoot baby number 23 across the field at halftime, with the umbilical cord firing over midfield as Phillip tosses a pass that snaps the cord, bringing baby and mama softly down on the field. Knowing PR though, he’ll throw the ball short and probably knock out the midwife.

Number of Covid Mentions +/- 300

Look for 300 to be the magic number threshold for mentions of Covid during the SuperBowl. 300 mentions in a 4 hour broadcast is actually reasonable, considering Covid was the star of the 2020 NFL season. Look for other parlays to add to Covid by adding words like ‘virus’, ‘lockdown’, or ‘Wuhan Flu.’
You could be in for even bigger bucks if a new variant emerges during the game itself.

Lamar Jackson takes a Halftime Dump +220

Look for doody-dropper Lamar Jackson to break up halftime by dropping the kids off at the pool, then mentioning it in social media. It could be something obscure, like calling someone a ‘wet-wipe’, or following ‘Charmin’. Everyone plays better when Lamar takes a dump, so look for shout-outs from his colleagues and friends encouraging Lamar to ‘go deep.’

Corona Admits it Caused the Virus  +340

After one of the nastiest trading years on record, Corona bravely fought off the initial link with their beer and a watery death. As the world transitioned from ‘Corona’ to ‘Covid’, the brewer deftly hired Snoop Dogg to help them ‘coolify’ their brand. Look for Corona to go all out on this one, not only boldly claiming that they started the virus, but they now have the only vaccine. This could be a bold brand move.

How many crappy new CBS sitcoms will be promoted? +225

+/- 4 . It’s been a tough year for TV, and CBS so look for them to throw down the gauntlet of fun (or faunt-let) as they go ‘all in’ on wacky sitcoms, promoting 4 new losers on Sunday. Fortunately all of the sitcoms will star Mayim Bialik and have something to do with cats, loneliness and an underlying current of sadness through the canned laughter. ‘What happens when a talking cat saves a suicidal middle-aged woman? It’s ‘Cat Got Your Back’, Tuesdays on CBS!’ The best bet is to wager on how long some of these shows last.
If we’re lucky, one of the sitcoms will be cancelled before the game is done.

Dwayne Haskins watches from a strip club +175

Dwayne Haskins loves his mama, and morally bereft strippers equally. While teammates in Washington bemoaned his lack of professionalism and misogyny, he always made sure to visit the ladies after every game he left early. Look for Haskins on social media to post something cryptic about ‘making it rain’, ‘love in the club’, or even using a weave as a mask. Don’t let us down Dwayne.

The Rock will be seen -250

Dwayne the Rock Johnson is the biggest movie star in the world, so it goes to reckon that he will be seen somehow during the Superbowl. The most obvious would be to show a trailer for one of his movies, but look for the Rock to do bigger.  Maybe an XFL ad, pulling Kevin Hart out of his pockets, or something to do with his eyebrows. Most likely? The Rock will actually be shooting a movie anyhow that somehow crosses over to the Super Bowl. Classic Johnson.

A Karen will be Shown -200

2020 was a hell of a year to be named ‘Karen’. You could have spent 50 years dedicating yourself to helping others, but if you’re named ‘Karen’, it doesn’t matter. 2020 owns you now.
Since the identification of the Karen, we have been all made painfully aware of how to spot the obnoxiousness. There might be only 20000 fans attending the game, but chances are there are a few Karen’s down there in FLA. Get your money ready.

Something Florida will Happen -300

The further you go into Florida, the more of a spiral of humanity you encounter. Laws of natural selection and decorum quickly go out the door. Florida Man Marries a Manatee. Florida woman Swallows 4lbs of Meth and Lives. Perhaps it is the proximity to the famed Bermuda Triangle that brings out the chaos, or maybe it’s inbreeding. Whatever it is, bet on Florida first.

What do you have as some of your prop bets? What kind of madness do you see playing out.
If you didn’t already know, we made these up. But if you can find a bookmaker willing to take this action, please do it!