NFL in London

National Football League in London

2021 NFL Falcons London

Training Camp

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The NFL is back…sort of, and we’ll take it!

On this episode of the podcast, Wade McElwain is joined by Atlanta Falcons fan Chapman Maddox, as they discuss oodles of NFL news now that Training Camp has begun!

We all know what training camp means!
A chance to see flickers of potential in your team as you imagine them hoisting the trophy at the end of the season.
But in reality, Training Camp is also an eye-opener as to how fat your players got, the ego problems that will hover the locker room all season, and the possibility that one of your star players will go down for the season.

Heck, Carson Wentz is already injured, and that only took 2 days. Going to be a long season for the Colts.

Some of the other topics that Wade and Chapman break down in this podcast includes:

London Games

Are you double vaxxed? Do you have the latest booster?
The London games are a go ahead for October 2021, but we still have no idea what the landscape of the NFL and COVID will look like.
Tickets have yet to go on sale, so if you did buy some already…it’s a scam, sorry.
The most likely scenario for being able to attend the games will be having to be double vaccinated, as well as the potential for testing prior to the games.
We all want the NFL to come back, we all want to watch the games, but we need to make sure that people are safe going forward.
There’s no sense in rushing things if we’re just going to have to step back 4 months from now.

Roddy Weed

Formers Falcons player(s) Julio Jones and Roddy White are finding themselves at the hot end of the bong this week, after being accused of pilfering money from a cannabis company.
Weed is a bug business, and while retired players are getting into the investment sector, current players might find themselves facing a federal issue promoting these products.
As for Julio and Roddy, this smoke will most likely blow over.

Player Vax

Some players just don’t want to get vaxxed period.
America’s battle lines of freedom are being drawn, as many players are turning down the vaccine for personal reasons.
This is all well and good…except their employer (the NFL) has a business to run, and doesn’t really care about your opinion(s), especially if it cause them to lose money.
Teams are already starting to draw the lines on vax safety, just as players are finding their social media groove of supporters encouraging them not to ‘get the jab’.
This is something that we will see all season, and the NFL has already laid down the law in terms of its expectations.
Will players choose ‘freedom’ or ’employment’?

Cheetah Cheetah

Still claiming to be the ‘fastest man in the NFL’, speedster Tyreek Hill has upped his ego game by challenging Olympic phenom Usain Bolt to a race.
There’s no doubt that Hill is fast, but there is a difference between ‘NFL fast’, and ‘100 m fast’, just as there is a difference between the NFL and the XFL.
Bolt doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, and Hill would be totally outclassed by the worlds fastest man.

Rodgers

The drama is over and Aaron Rodgers is back with the Packers…but is the drama over?
Nope.
After returning to training camp, Rodgers went on a media tear, as did Gutekunst, offering a press banter without actually talking to each other.
Aaron got the one year contract he wanted, and restructured his deal to be able to walk away easily in 2022.
Broken teams don’t win Super Bowls, and there is no way the Packers are winning a Super Bowl with a fractured locker room.
There’s way more talent on the table in 2022, with an extra week of games, and a whole new sizzle of new, exciting players.
The ‘favourites’ better look out!

Have a listen to the podcast, and make sure you share and care this bad boy to your friends, family and enemies.

All Filler

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Training camp is almost here to kick off the 2021 NFL season, but until then, we are grasping at NFL news.
Which is why we call this podcast ALL FILLER, as it is mostly a collection of offseason antics and hilarious stories.

Join Wade McElwain & Ryan Cull, as they deliver a heat induced episode of NFL news, predictions, and general jackassery.
Ryan is off of a 2 week vacation to the ‘islands’, and he can barely contain his enthusiasm.

Among some of the nuggets of NFL that the boys talk about in this episode includes:

Sherman Tanked

Poor Richard Sherman. He got wasted in SoCal and all he got to show for it was an embarrassing video of him losing to a door.
A very wasted Sherman is seen trying to bust back into his gated community house while his distraught (and calm) wife describes the harrowing encounter.
Most people who listed to this call point to the very ‘nasty’ 911 operator on the receiver, who definitely made the call worse.
Sherman is going to need to dry out, rethink, and figure out if he’s better off on the field…or maybe the booth.

Tooth Haskins

Poor Dwayne Haskins.
First he gets cut by the Washington football team for erratic play and behaviours, then his love life came back to punch him in the face.
It’s not easy being a young man trying to make it in the NFL.
There is lot of pressure not only to succeed, but also from the Instagram set looking to to cash in on your young fame.
Hopefully this guy gets help before he gets piled on.

Ping You

While we are under Operation Pingdom here in the UK, in the US teams are still struggling to get their players vaccinated.
There are 4 teams whose vax rate is currently below 50% for whatever reason they choose to submit.
Those teams?
Washington, Indianapolis, Arizona, and the LA Chargers.
It’s going to be a long training camp until the players get the jab.

Hold the Chi

You’re a horrible person if you have been pronouncing Travis Kelce’s name wrong this whole time.
Yes, after years in the NFL, it turns out we have been pronouncing his name all wrong.
It’s Kell-se, not Kell-chee.
Boy are we embarrassed!

Younghoe Jeep

Welcome to the ATL Koe! Falcons kicker Younghoe Koe got a slap in the south when his Jeep was stolen from the city last week.
This is probably why they never let Atlanta have nice things.
In true Georgia fashion, Koe claimed he only ‘wanted his cleats’ back.
Who steals a man’s dirty cleats anyway?

TB10.5

It turns out that TB12 played ALL last season with an MCL problem.
Ha ha, wow!
If this is true, it’s quite admirable for a man of his age to play through the pain.
If it is also true….then Tampa Bay cheated their way to the Super Bowl.
Teams have to disclose injuries, and Tom Brady not disclosing his is a MAJOR league violation.
Will the league investigate this, or will they just consider it Brady Banter?
Depends on how true it is really.

Rodgers Out

The final question that remains, is whether to not Aaron Rodgers will suit up for training camp on July 27th.
Aaron made it clear at the end of the 2020 season he would not be retuning to the Packers, but many fans haven’t given up hope.
Ryan is convinced that Aaron Rodgers will be back, and everything else is silly talk.
Wade thinks that Rodgers will call their bluff, go into semi-retirement as a broadcaster until injury forces a team to offer him the moon.
We shall see.

Here is the latest podcast.
Listen, laugh, love, Karen, enjoy.

Coming Home

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The summer of sport 2021 has been all about England, and cries of ‘it’s Coming Home’.
England is in the Euros final, the UK has set a rapid vaccination rate, and we are chuffed to have two NFL games in October.
Indeed, it’s coming home.

In this episode of the podcast, Wade McElwain and guest Callum Squires look at some of the top sporting stories from the Summer of ’21.
Wade also chats to Callum about his impending marriage and move to Las Vegas, and whether or not he will remain a Dolphins fan, or slide down into the fiery hell that is being a Raiders supporter.

The boys output a playlist of NFL hits in this episode, touching on a myriad of fun topics, including:

The Match

Aaron Rodgers has been playing loads of golf lately, but not a lot of football.
Is he just having some fun before the start of the season, or is this a calculated PR move to send a message to the Packers?
Hard to tell at this point, but given that Green Bay is owned by the fans, they can’t be too pleased with the way he is handling his summer of ’21.
Rodgers and DeChambeau laid a beating on Phil and Tommy Boy, but it was the banter that made this gold.
Training camp is only a few weeks away…your move A-A-Ron.

Lamar’s Mommy

Lamar Jackson is also looking for a new deal, but he’s using an old ally to help get the desired result.
Mommy.
Despite Mrs. Jackson not being formally trained in athletic contractual negotiations, mother knows best, and that’s what LJ is hoping to secure with a new contract with the Ravens.
That’s right, Lamar Jackson’s mom is handling his new contract and negotiations. This could either go horribly wrong, or just a little bit wrong.
If Lamar was ever trying to dispel rumours of being a ‘mama’s boy’, this will be the final nail in his coffin.

Apple NFL

DirecTV’s deal with the NFL is about to end in 2022, which means that the media sharks are circling the blood in the water.
Apple TV, Disney, and Amazon are all circling, and sharpening their teeth for a easy ratings meal that could last a decade.
Despite DirecTV claiming that they lost ‘billions’ in the NFL deal, many of the major streamers aren’t worried, because they can prop up their bottom line with product.
In this new digital age, the DirecTV is an antiquated relic. Old school cable boxing, cheesy packaging and tech problems galore, doth not make for something fans want to shell out shingles for.
It’s only a matter of time (and money) before one of the big three secures global NFL rights.
Having a one stop NFL solution, will not only make for more viewing options, but also allow for a more worldwide coverage, so that UK fans aren’t left out of the conversation.
Going digital means going global, and the NFL could use more of that now.

London NFL

The October games are full throttle ahead, so what does that mean for UK NFL fans?
Callum and Wade talk about the games, and how they think they will go down.
The guys also touch on the difficulty of showing NFL games in pubs, and the nature of pub chains to ‘ruin’ the experience for NFL fans.

Go England

The guys would also like to remind all our fans that we believe that it’s ‘Coming Home’ to England in the 2021 Euros.
There hasn’t been much to celebrate in English football for the past 4 decades, but Sunday’s final versus Italy will bolster the spirit of the country.
We believe that it will ‘come home’, and England will ride that wave of euphoria into 2022.

C’mon England!

CFXL

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One of the main side effects of COVID-19 is the loss of smell.
This is particularly worrying for football fans, who are unable to smell what ‘The Rock is Cooking.’
In this case, it’s a burnt melange of the XFL and the CFL.
The potential marriage is now dead, after the XFL announced it would not be moving ahead with merger plans.
The CFXL is dead.

Cracks in the Foundation

The coming together of the XFL and CFL was a lofty exercise to begin with.
Firstly there is the obvious lack of a league for the XFL, they went bankrupt, sold all off of their stuff, then the Rock and his VC firms swooped in to grab the bits and bobs left over.
The XFL isn’t really bringing anything to the table except The Rock, who won’t be playing in any games.
The CFL however has an actual league, with stadiums, team names, and a fan base going back over 100 years.
The CFL doesn’t need the XFL.
Canadians have long been pestered by Americans to the south ‘showing us how it’s done’, so negotiations would have stalled on any ‘demands’, as they really had no position to stand on.

1 Down

Even if the CFL and XFL did merge, what rules would they play?
The CFL is a 3 down game, with a wider and longer field than the NFL, would American fans accept such football treachery?
Canadian football has struggled on American TV, and these ‘new rules’ (even though they are older than the NFL) are a bugaboo for US fans.
The whole ‘how do we play’ would have been an obvious issue that pitted America vs Canada.
The XFL wants to be a feeder league for the NFL and tap into its heat, whereas the CFL is like a honey-badger, and they don’t care about nothing.

Teams

The CFL has The Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Winnipeg Bluebombers, and the Hamilton Tiger Cats.
The XFL has teams in Seattle, Houston, St. Louis, New York, LA & Tampa Bay. You know who else has teams in those cities? Everyone!
While the Canadian cities don’t exude a sense of sporting legacy, these teams are older than loads of actual leagues, and boast fans that are willing to come out in even the coldest conditions.
Competing with not only the NFL, but the NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, and even new sports like e-Gaming and cornhole in major cities is a logistical and scheduling nightmare.
The CFL already has its identity, supporters and Canadian-ness, no American business is going to threaten that.

Finding Identity

The XFL really needs to define what it is, and when it will be played to forge ahead.
Loads of new leagues are lining up to take pot shots at the NFL, but none have ever really threatened the king’s dominance.
Sure, The Rock is the biggest movie star in the world right now, but that’s not enough to put bums in seats week after week.
Fans do want more football during the offseason, but not the kind of crap that has been peddled out the past few years.
Releasing a league to be able to ‘tinker’ with it in progress only hurts the league and the fans, and stymies any chance of future leagues developing.

The CFL will keep rolling on.
Ratings in Canada are enough to keep the lights on, and solidify its status as ‘Canada’s league to watch just before the NFL starts.’

The XFL however has one last shot before it joins the monorail as a foolish endeavour.
Dwayne Johnson is going to need put a lot of energy (and money) into it if he wants to see results.
The XFL might be positive about their future, but after this deal fell apart, it’s tough to see how they will be able to go it alone without a massive commitment NO MATTER WHAT.
Does The Rock have the mettle?

London NFL 2021

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Ding dong, Covid is dead!
The birds are singing, the pubs are ringing, and all signs are pointing to normal.
So what does that mean for the 2021 NFL games in London?
Hopefully…normalcy.

If you haven’t been living in a bubble for the past 2 years, then you’ll know that it has been a wonky-donkey wave.
The 2020 London NFL games were cancelled, as were a holy host of sporting events, and even leagues that couldn’t weather the viral storm.
As the clouds clear, it looks like we might have a better indication of what might go down in London for the October 2021 games.
We are not the NFLUK, just a bunch of fans…so our word is a fart in the wind when it comes to legitimacy.
That being said, let’s look at London NFL 2021.

Covid Great Britain

Great Britain has navigated this Covid storm better than most.
With over 60% of the population double vaxxed, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a timetable for July 19th for life to return to normal.
This means no more social distancing, limits on numbers of people at a table, and late night venues can open up again.
Best of all…no vaccine passports required!
Normal might be normal again!
While these might not be the rules where you live, those are the impending rules in the UK.
As far as foreigners entering the UK, provided you’re double vaxxed, it’s thought that there will be no issues.
So far so good, but watch this space.

Tottenham Watching

Tottenham and the NFLUK will set their own rules when it comes to letting people into the stadium, but it’s thought that they will follow current conventions in place.
Every NFL stadium is planning on full crowds for the 2021 season, so there’s no reason to think that Tottenham won’t do the same.
The only bugaboo for fans might come from those who aren’t quite ready to sit 3 cm from a stranger who is screaming spittle into your warm Stella.
While many of the football matches are alcohol free in the stands, that could change once October rolls around.
The area surrounding the stadium isn’t known as much of a ‘party zone’, so time will tell what requirements for pubs and bars in the area will impose on visitors.

Late Night London

London is not a late night town.
Unlike New York which is dedicating itself to a 24 hour future, London is mostly shuttered after 11pm, even earlier due to Covid.
Sunday evenings are particularly dead in the capital, and that will probably continue as the trepidation of this ‘new normal’ sets in.
Watching the NFL on a Sunday night for the 9pm (4pm EST) games has gotten more difficult in London, as few pubs are willing to stay open past 10pm.
Areas like Leicester Square have only gotten dirtier, with more gangs and stabbings…so we’ll avoid that area for 2021, as people have already been poked enough.
We are working on a few options for after the Sunday games at Tottenham, and will keep you updated.

Things We Are Keeping an Eye On

As we have learned time and time again over the past few years…nothing the government promises us is locked in stone.
Variants are popping up quicker than ‘Loki’ clones, jabs can only do so much, and the virus continues to surprise us like a pyrotechnic gender-reveal.
Things like booster vaccines, on site testing, temperature checks, and social distancing could all make an ugly return like Josh Gordon, but how much they factor into play needs to be seen.
Book your tickets and be positive, that should be worth something.

We are neither the NFL, nor health experts…so what do we know?
Once we hear the real truths, we will let you all know what the word is.
Hope to see everyone in October.