buffalo bills

CFXL

July 8, 2021 by nflinlondon

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

July 6, 2021 by nflinlondon

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.

Memes of June

June 24, 2021 by nflinlondon

When life gives you lemons, you throw them at the team when they start playing poorly, those are the new rules of NFL survival.

Given that this time of year is historically boring for NFL news, we present to you another selection of pithy pictures with titles, in our Memes of June post.

NFL Memes are not only a perfect distraction from the lack of the sport, but also a perfect way to serve up one of your buddies with a massive ‘burn’ as to their favourite player, franchise, or the very way that they live their lives themselves.
That’s how good an NFL Meme can be.

Here’s a selection of memes to kick off the end of your June, and rip you right into July.

June Memes

Summer of Sport

June 17, 2021 by nflinlondon

What a bounty of gameplay we have ahead of us in 2021!
All hail the Summer of Sport!

From the NHL and NBA playoffs, to the 2020 Euros (what?).
Baseball is back, and so is TB12 to take on year another QB foe in a golf off.
And let’s not forget those Tokyo Olympics! Sure, they were off last year, but this year they are back with trepidation.
That leads us all the way into September for the big show in sport.

Wade & Ryan look at some of the scant trickling of NFL news that trickles down the wall in June.
The OTA’s are on, but who is really watching them?

Among some of the other big stories the boys talk about are:

Julio Jones

Me and Julio are heading down to the Titans yard, after a big swoop in by Tennessee to secure the veteran WR.
AJ Brown did everything except promise his first born to JJ, becoming the fan boy who made us all a little creeped out.
Julio has a new home, now let’s see what he does this season.

TB12 Joker

Tom Brady doesn’t seem to get an F anymore when it comes to social media. He is the embarrassing dad of the NFL, posting half baked memes, sly digs, and shots across the bow at former foes.
Isn’t it grand?
Brady is obviously having way more fun than in Boston, which should be scary for everyone.

Who stole the Wilfork’s?

Poor Vince Wilfork. There’s nothing worse than that violating feeling of being robbed, only to find out that the thief was your very own spawn.
The children of rich kids, huh?
Vince’s son stole all of his jewellery to pawn off, not really thinking the whole process through.
Instead of therapy, why not put them on a reality TV show?

Kyler Hates Dallas

Everything is bigger in Texas, except Kyler Murray.
Jumping onto a soundbite, Murray was quick to diss ‘America’s Team’, and the hype that surrounds them.
If only Kyler was a wee bit bigger, he might be able to see over that O-Line of his.

Oh Aaron

Aaron Rodgers is still holding out, preferring to spend his summer watching Myles Teller get popped in the mouth around the Caribbean.
All signs point to Rodgers NOT returning this year, perhaps he’ll spend the fall watching Jeopardy reruns and hoping that they would give him that forever call.

Le’Veon Bell Ringing

Le’Veon Bell knows how to talk his way out of a job.
All you have to do is attack one of the nicest coaches in the league, and accuse him of ‘hating’ you.
Bell already led his own face out of Pittsburgh with idiocy, so it goes to figure that Bell would do the same to screw his way out of KC.
What’s the end game Le’Veon?
Do you really think that teams are that desperate for an overweight, and needy RB?
Maybe by week 6.

London Games

Freedom Day is here…almost…sort of.
The UK was due to open up like a beautiful flower on June 21st, 2021, but now that all got scuppered due to another ‘variant’.
This means that the UK is ‘due’ to return to ‘normal’ by the end of July 2021, giving us plenty of time to welcome fans in for the October NFL games at Tottenham.
Of course there is a whole summer of virus ahead of us, so we will take it one down at a time.
When we know something, we will let you know as well.

Here’s the podcast for this week.
It’s short, sweet, and misses the mark on many occasions…just like Kyler Murray.

Have a great summer, stay safe, stay sane…and get ready for some football!

NFLinLondon · Summer of Sport-Ep 144

May Memeries

May 22, 2021 by nflinlondon

Can we get some NFL going? Please?
It’s only May, and we have a drenchingly wet summer ahead of us in Britain-but everyone is ready for some football.
To keep you satiated with NFL content, we bring you some May Memeries.

For those of you not based in the UK, it has been the coldest, wettest spring in over 40 years. The temperature rarely breaks 15c, the wind has been tossing pub marquees across the country, and we’re even wearing wellies to bed. (rubber boots for y’all)

It’s hard to find that football motivation sometimes, but with the October games only a few months away, it’s time to get off your ass and find some NFL inspiration.

London Game Update

We still have no idea what is going to happen here in the UK.
It must be frustrating for the 32 billionaires who own the teams to have to listen to elected officials who have no real ‘power’, but here we are.
A new variant is racing across the vaccinated in Britain, and stadium events are still a questionable activity.
We’re hoping that once the heat of the summer starts to burn away the malaise, (and virus) that we will have more information for you.
Both NFL games are still on, tickets are on sale, and people are getting ready for fun again.

Speaking of fun, here is a selection of memes from the past week to add a little laughter to your wet weekend.