NFL in London

National Football League in London

london avoid

Bleak 15

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Yeah, that’s right. Bleak. What a woeful week in the league, as some teams played off their head, while others looked like they had their heads taken clean off.

I went 4-11-1, which is one of the worst beatings I have taken all season.
Why did I suck so bad?
Ask some of the teams I picked, who couldn’t score in the NY strip club ‘Scores’ with a wad of Benjamins.

Let’s take a look at some of these games to see what the heck happened.

Bears 13 Packers 21

And just like that, it’s over for the Bears. Despite their 3 recent wins, they weren’t able to muster much offence in the face of the Pack. Rodgers attempted to gash the Bears with a few deep ball options, but it was Aaron Jones who did the leg work, rushing for 2 big TDs.
Near the end, it looked like the Bears might threaten, but that didn’t last very long.
The Packers move up in the NFC thanks to the win, but they still don’t really seem like contenders in the face of the opposition.
Mitch Trubisky might want to move out of Chicago as soon as the off season starts.

Broncos 3 Chiefs 23

Let it snow! Let it snow! What the hell? You don’t expect much when it comes to snow games in KC, as the under points are pretty much guaranteed. I had expected the Broncos to cover the 9.5pt spread, but no. They had to suck dramatically on Sunday.
Drew Lock looked like he could use some WD40, as Travis Kelce had more yards that then whole Denver team heading into the 4th quarter.
For a team that had been so dominant in previous weeks, it sucked to see them fall apart like that.
Mahomes was on fire in the snow, and he will use that arm to melt December opposition.

Eagles 37 Redskins 27

Dwayne Haskins was putting the Eagles to sleep heading into the half, with a dominant performance that kept the Eagles on their back feet. Then the choke started to wrap around the throat of the Redksins, like Lord Vader himself was taking their breath.
Greg Ward was an absolute beast, and Miles Sanders ran all over the hapless Redskins.
I liked McLaurin in the game who had a great game.
I wrongly thought that the Redskins would keep it close, and they did…until they started fucking up.

Browns 24 Cardinals 38

This one I got right. I had the Cardinals to beat the bad bad Browns, and they sure did that!
Kenyan Drake had a 4 TD day, as the Cardinals snapped a 6 game losing streak.
Kyler Murray had a great game on the field, and on his feet.
Baker Mayfield and the Browns looked like they were playing on their backs…while hungover.
You can even hear numerous Browns players chatting to Cards players saying they want to be traded.
Reminds me of when Soviet athletes would visit America, then just leave their hotel at night to defect.
Cleveland has another full decade of losing seasons.

Texans 24 Titans 21

This was Tennessee’s game to lose, and boy did they lose it.
They were down 21 points in the 3rd quarter, and rallied to make it look closer than it was.
They now need help to win the division if they want to stay alive in the next 2 games.
Derrick Henry was choked out of another 100 yard game, as the Texans effectively put the clamps on him.
The Titans looked unstoppable in the past 4 games, now they are going to have to refocus and figure out what they need to do to get back to winning ways.

LA Rams 21 Cowboys 44

‘Dem boys were back at home on Sunday, and they delivered an ass-whopping to the Rams.
LA had been on a roll for the past 2 games, and it looked like they were starting to get their form back.
Despite Dak having a brain fart during the coin toss, they were able to dehorn the Rams in an epic fashion, erasing the big wins the Rams put together in the previous weeks.
Zeke looked on fine form, and Dallas out-rushed the Rams 263-22.
The Rams could barely find their legs all game, and Goff was Goff’ing it up once again.
Both of these teams have playoff hopes, but making it past the first round is VERY hopeful for both.

Falcons 29 49ers 22

What a week to lose a game! The flashy pants 49ers went from a first round bye, to needing some wins to guarantee that they can actually make it in.
The 49ers not only shot themselves in the foot in this one, they then shot themselves in the head while looking down their own smoking barrel. The Falcons were able to score 2 touchdowns in 2 seconds, winning the game and shocking the double denim stadium.
Jimmy G and the whole O didn’t look good against the Falcons. Yeah, you heard that right.
There was a sense of dread at the middle of the season that the 49ers didn’t have the ‘right stuff’ to win it all, and this game may have brought that discussion back.
It was good to see Julio Jones smile, but this game was ugly.

Ugh.
I now feel nauseous watching recaps of Week 15.
It reminds me of when I use to text and drink. (I don’t do that anymore)
I felt bad the next day, Monday and even Tuesday.
This was an NFL betting hangover.

 

Fun in London

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Welcome to London, one of the most amazing cities in the world.
Hope you have some fun stuff planned, but if not-we can help you out.
Sports, culture, iconic spots, food, booze-we got you covered.
You’re here for the Texans vs Jaguars? Or just to feel the NFL vibe of the city?
Here are a few things to help you get your weekend sorted and have some fun.

Rugby World Cup

It’s England vs South Africa-not since the Boer War have we seen such animosity on the rugby pitch.
England knocked off the Kiwis with a solid D that would make the Patriots proud.
South Africa got rid of the pugnacious Welsh team, but England has a solid squad, and the Brexit papers to justify the immigrant core who fill out the team.
Head to a local pub-not a chain. Go out of the way. Meet locals.
It will be a fun game.
England SHOULD win..but if they don’t-look at the score, smile and walk away.

Clocks Up!

And there goes your sleep advantage! The clocks change back in North America as we begrudge ‘lazy farmers’ and their work-ethic traditions. Make sure you know the Texans vs Jags game starts at 2:30pm.

Football

Saturday is football (soccer) so dive in, cheer & do don’t talk politics or teams.
Just don’t. You will look stupid & Brits love taking the piss.
You can try to snag London tickets, but the best is to cosy up to a pub and meet some new folks.
Venture away from central London and hit the local pubs-you meet the coolest people there.
Arsenal are at home, which makes north London a nut punch, & West Ham & Watford play later, so maybe try to get a ticket?
Loads of punters will be WASTED if England win, and wasted & angry if they don’t.
Prepare accordingly.

NCAA Football

So you’re here in LAWN-DAWN and you want to watch college ball? Be patient. It only airs on 2 cable channels here so the pickings is slim.
You can either head to Belushi’s London Bridge (packed) or Bodean’s (closes early).
If you want the BEST way to watch college football, find a friend who has the nicest hotel and convince the staff to open their 24hr bar & put it on BT Sport ESPN.
You will get the games, and if they have more than 1 Sky Box-you will get 2.
You can also find most games on Reddit, just search in.
London bars will not play it, not care if you are missing it.

Fireworks

Hope you don’t have a dog/ war veteran/ recent immigrant from a war-torn country with you, because this weekend gets loud. Rolling up to Guy Fawkes Day, things get pretty boomy in the sky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

If you do want to check out some festivities, head north to Ally Pally. You may not get into the Palace fireworks, but pubs in Crouch End, Highgate & Muswell Hill will give you full vantage.

Fireworks lead up to the celebration of Guy Fawkes Day on Nov 5th. Weekends are ripe with blast shows, so make sure you check them out-unless you hate crowds and loud noises.
Then just stay in.

Diwali

It’s the Hindu festival of light, and wow do they light up London. Many of the activities take place around Trafalgar Square, but you can find events & celebrations around the city. Find out why Indian food is the national dish of Britain-it’s AMAZING!
Most of the celebrations are near Trafalgar Square, but it will be hot all around the city. It is one of those places you have to search out, but it’s well worth it.
Try to get in at Dishoom as well. One of the best Indian places in London. You will see massive queues, but once you eat it, you will see why.
www.diwaliinlondon.com

Camden Market/Zoo

Camden Market is crazy on the weekend, & so is the London Zoo. But there is a way to do both in one day without hassle. Want to know how? Book a barge from the locks, prebook a London Zoo ticket and you can explore the market, and get a quick, backway to the zoo.
It’s totally cool.
Camden is a fun daytime place to hang, although it is crazy busy-so venture afoot from the market.
Gets a bit dodgy by the canal at nights-so watch your head.
Ask a pretty face where the party is, and you are guaranteed for a fun night. Head past the stables for late nights. If you’re looking for NFL or sports-no dice.
We aren’t going to give you links.
They don’t pay us, & you’re big enough to Google.

Saturday Night

So you’re heading out, and ready to party in London?
There are loads of areas to go, but surprisingly the best places are around your hotel.
Don’t chase late night venues with clues given by cab drivers-go where the action is, and in many cases it’s close to you.
London loves to drink & do drugs-so be prepared.
Where you go will determine your night.
Buckle in. We will give you a brief allotment of choices based on your being.

Upper Street

One of the coolest walks in London. Between Angel & Highbury & Islington station, there are loads of bars and fun here. The best place for a Sat night out. If you’re looking for the most solid place for food, drinks & fun-just head here.
Just up from the station and moving towards Highbury & Islington is Upper Street, one of the coolest bar strips in London. Amazing venues, cool people, and a fun London vibe.
Angel is your BEST place to have fun on a Saturday night, as well as find late night Sunday fun.
Walk the length of Upper street & you are bound to hit a few bars that pop all night.
Best of all, it’s ‘local’ so it’s not as touristy and dickish.
Late night transport, drunky food & more.

Old Street

Roadtrip Bar & loads of places up Commercial st are open late. Meet some cool people-you might get an all-nighter.You are close to Shoreditch and all of the cool underground venues.
Walk around the side streets and pop into whatever venue peaks your interest. There are so many venues to explore.
Shoreditch high street also has some joints open until the wee hours.

 

Leicester Square

Leicester Square is London’s dumpster fire. While tourist marvel at the pigeons, & M&M store, a darker evil lurks. Pretty much, it’s where gangs and sex traffickers ply their trade and steal your stuff.
The casinos lack the class, size and fun of a US casino, & their sports offering is suspect.
You might lose your wallet/ phone/ identity.
Why bother?
Crobar is fun on a Saturday-that’s the only reason to be there. Bar Italia is also a peach for a 24 venue. Great if you lose your friends and need a place to meet up.
www.crobar.co.uk

Comedy

Want to see some great comedy? Head to Bethnal Green where the Backyard Comedy Club has great shows going on this week. The fabulous American comedian Russel Hicks is doing a set, plus the rest of the line-up is ace. London has more stand-up shows tan NY, LA, & TO combined-find out why comedy is ace here.
The Backyard is in hipster-villa Bethnal Green, so you will find plenty to do after.
backyardcomedyclub.co.uk

Here are some of our top safety tips for London this weekend:

  • The tube is always better-download a tube map.
  • Download Citymapper-it will make your journey easier
  • 90000 people leave Wembley-expect delays-police on horseback, and jammed trains
  • Book ahead-have Uber on your phone & know where you’re going after the game
  • Watch yourself at ATMs-Soho junkies will try to roll you
  • Stay local-if you’re in a cool hood-explore & meet the pub/ people/ vibe
  • London is NOT a 24 hr city-have a plan
  • NEVER get in an unlicensed taxi

London-Sunday

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Are you one of the lucky few that will be watching the epic, yet soggy match-up between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Tottenham?
Have fun!
It looks to be a great game, and you will have a great time.
Don’t forget-the game starts at 2:30pm GMT so make sure you pace yourself if you’re planning on having a fun one.
After all, Sunday Funday is in full effect-so we have some tips and advice to make your Sunday even better.

The Game

Carolina Panthers face Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 14:30 GMT at London’s White Hart Lane (Tottenham) stadium in Tottenham north London.
There is no football (soccer) on-so you should have a straight and easy journey to the stadium.
Take the Victoria Line (light blue) or the Overground (orange) lines for direct access to the stadium.
Make sure you check your journey status before you go-as Sunday’s are not fundays when it comes to UK travel.
Alternatively-take a bus. There are loads of direct ones to the stadium as well.
The forecast calls for rain, but you should be safe and dry in this brand-spanking new stadium.
There aren’t a lot of places to tailgate before hand in Tottenham, so find a good place to hunker down before you head up there.
Beers at the game are £6-£7-so save up your sheckles if you plan on getting wasted.
But don’t get wasted at the game-you will lose things and piss off everyone around you.
The game will finish around 5:45pm-and it will take you a while to get out of the stadium.
Sometimes pre-ordering an Uber as the game is getting out, and having them meet you on a side street is a smart option.

Sunday Roast

The Sunday roast is a storied British tradition of gastronomy.
Wealthy land-owners would feed their workers, staff and minions on Sundays as thanks for a full working week, so it became a staple of good food, company and booze.
Since the game starts at 2:30-why not grab one beforehand?
Many Sunday roast places can be hit or miss.
Big pub chains will rollout a sloppy mess of ‘guess the meat’, so you might want to opt for one of the smaller pubs, where the focus is on quality.
Think globally-but shop locally for the best options.
Here are some of the ones we would recommend.

Princess Alexandra-Crouch End
A great British boozer closely located to stadium. Grab the W3 directly there, and you’re good to go.
They will be serving roasts after the game if they still have some.
https://princessalexandran8.co.uk

The Woodman-Highgate
A truly lovely pub in one of the poshest areas of London. Luckily this reasonably priced roast will have you doubled over with belly-love. It is a smashing roast and they have loads of great beers on tap as well.
https://www.the-woodman.com

The Pig and Butcher-Islington
Wow! This place will blow your mind with the meats on offer. Grab a traditional beef or savour a pork or lamb roast as well. Veggie roasts for your veggie friends…if you have any.
https://thepigandbutcher.co.uk

Blacklock-Soho
Head to the basement for meat, meat, and more meat. This place is sear-iously good when it comes to grilling animals. Go with a big appetite.
http://theblacklock.com

After the Game

Lucky for you, the game ends early. This means you can enjoy both the 6pm and 9:30 pm games after the Tottenham match.
Sadly-the NFL is only catching on with many pubs-so they usually get it wrong when it comes to showing the games.
They will either forget to put it on, put it on without sound, or kick you out before the game ends. (pubs close early).

Here are a few places that will show the game a bit later.

Belushi’s Hammersmith
Way out west in Hammer-land, this refurbished pub has 22 screens of NFL action for you to enjoy.
It’s open until 1am so you can push it until the last trains from the nearby tube stations.
There is also a hostel upstairs, which will explain the many jammie-panted youth you might see walking around the pub.
https://www.belushis.com/bars/london/hammersmith

Bodean’s Covent Garden/ Soho/ Old Street
This Canadian BBQ joint is a great place to catch the game while getting the meat sweats.
They will have the Sky game on, but it might not have sound.
Bodean’s usually closes at 10:30 on a Sunday, so you won’t be able to watch the late games.
https://bodeansbbq.com

Meathouse-Kings Cross
This meat joint has loads of steaks, burgers and wings with an impressive menu.
There are a few TVs in the bar and restaurant, but you might have to remind them to switch it over.
http://www.meathouselondon.co.uk

Princess Alexandra
Join us here after the game. Loads of TVs, plenty of space, great food-and close to central London via tube or night bus.
https://princessalexandran8.co.uk

Canadian Thanksgiving
It’s also Canadian Thanksgiving on Sunday. Hooray for holidays. Much lamer than the American one, it involves having to say sorry to 17 people in your life. Try it out. Bodean’s and the Maple Leaf will be having turkey dinners as well as NFL action.

Sunday Tips

We have compiled a list of top tips for you on Sunday as well. Hopefully these can help you out.

  • Extinction Revolution-The earth is dying! So avoid Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus unless you want to get caught in a wave of protests. These areas are kind of sketchy at night anyway-so it’s no big loss.
  • Late London-it isn’t a late town-see our previous article on things to do when the sun goes down.
  • Sports-It’s a sport free Sunday which is a blue moon rarity. There will be more NFL on that you think!
  • Sports Bars-We don’t really have them, & they are nothing like North America. They will also close early so have your late plans prepared.
  • Travel-the tube will close around midnight depending on which area of London you are in. Know your route home and have Uber ready if you want to really cane it.
  • Burgers, Wings, Pizza-Yes, it doesn’t taste like home. No, don’t say anything about it. If you came here for North American food-try Indian, Thai or fish and chips to spice it up.
  • Safety-London is a safe area, but at night touristy areas get very pick-pockety. Watch your phones. Also watch dodgy security guys ushering you into basements with trafficked women and £300 bottles of prosecco. Stay Safe.

If you need any info from our team, feel free to reach out! See you Sunday.

London-This Weekend

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Looking to hit the town this weekend before the big Tottenham game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
We got you covered with some fun stuff to do-whether you’re visiting from the US, Europe or even the UK.
Comedy, music, quizzes, walks or just getting hammered at a pub then stumbling to the next.
Mostly the drunk pub stumbling through.

Rick and Morty Quiz
Love the Adultswim series Rick & Morty? Then come by an interactive video quiz in Crouch End all about this hilarious series. Comedian Wade McElwain hosts this 90 minute pub quiz, where teams vie for a £50 bar tab, a £25 bar tab, plus prizes for best costumes.
It’s £10 a team, so make sure you get in touch to sign up now.
The new series starts in November!
How much do you know?

www.moorsbar.com

90s Boozy Skating Party
Club De Fromage is a notorious UK pop club night that has hit some of the biggest cities and festivals. They are hosting a totally funky 90s-00s disco on ice party with booze, food, games, and great songs from the past.
Bring your own skates or rent some of the shared ones. They’re cleaner than riding the tube.
It starts at 8:30-so expect a late night Saturday of fun.

www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/club-de-fromage-on-ice-90s-vs-00s-5th-birthday-party/

NCAA Football
You will be hard pressed to find college football playing in London. Football might be off for the weekend, and morning rugby is blown out by a typhoon, but that doesn’t mean bars are keen on NCAA.
There are a few small bars like Passyunk, Bodean’s and Belushi’s London Bridge, so call ahead to make a reservation as they might be packed and not have sound on some games.
We also don’t have all the games in the UK, so don’t freak out on staff if they can’t find it.
You can only really watch it on BTSport ESPN, so you kind of get what they give you, but it is generally the most popular game.
This week it SHOULD be Texas vs Oklahoma, and Texas A&M vs Alabama.
The Princess Alexandra in Crouch End will be showing it on multiple TVs.

princessalexandran8.co.uk

Canadian Thanksgiving
No, it’s not a joke.
Canada actually has a Thanksgiving too. We abused our natives WAY before the Americans did.
While not a huge festival here, it’s still a chance to get out and have some turkey, pumpkin pie and all the fixings.
Best place to see it would be the Maple Leaf in Covent Garden.
They show a lot of NFL too, so you can get in there early and get a big table.
It will get very busy so get there asap.
Expect many ‘I’m sorries’ from the polite Canuckleheads, as they jostle to the bar for a Sleeman’s.
Good times.


www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/maple-leaf/

Pub Crawl

It’s London, get pissed & stumble from pub to pub meeting strangers, laughing and struggling to find your way home. It’s what the city was built on.
Give in, you know you want to. Just a sip.
There are loads of areas to get wasted in the capital, so it depends on where you are situated.

Farringdon
Farringdon is nice on a Saturday afternoon, because it’s generally dead, and there are loads of great pubs that get abused on Friday nights when toiled workers slug it back and coke up the toilets.
The Jerusalem Tavern is a great one to start at because it’s tiny. Feel like a giant before you fall!

www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/london-pub/

Shoreditch
Sha-pa-town has been gentrified to balls, so expect to pay £7 for a pint you never heard of and tastes like slugs and feet. After 2, they taste good-but don’t expect to be sitting long if you’re going to the game on Sunday.
Loads of bars there. Dive into a nice side street off Commercial and just start bopping.
Roadtrip Bar on the corner is a local dive hole that’s open late. That’s what she said.
It’s open until 3am, and shows NFL until 1am on Sundays.
The kitchen is smaller than a porta-loo, so keep that in mind when ordering.
Great bar, amazing DJs, friendly staff and colourful guests.

roadtripbar.com

Acton
Acton has had a sullied reputation of shame. In many cases deserved.
But the joint has been cleaning up since the poor immigrants have been pushed out, and the condo folks have helped bring in civilisation. Bless us all.
There are loads of great pubs, and the Circus pub is a delight for entertainment.
Start out with a glass of wine at Vindinista, then wander into the pubs and high street where you can grab some great kebabs, and some of the finest Polish food and grocery stores you can savour.
Say hi to Stacey and Vindinista, he’ll take care of you.

https://vindinista.com

There’s also a really cool mini golf course in Acton park that you can drink on for 15 holes.
Head up the road from there and hit the town West.
You’re also close to Shepherd’s Bush and Westfield if it sucks.

www.puttinthepark.com/courses/acton-park

Enjoy the city.
Generally:

  • Avoid Leicester Square if you like your sanity, phone, safe space.
  • Look both ways-you don’t have diplomatic immunity
  • Pub chain food is what it is. If a burger is £3 it might not be beef
  • Unlicensed taxis are bad. Just don’t.
  • Tip if they serve you or are nice in general
  • Friday nights after work are chaos. If you plan on imbibing then, good luck. Otherwise wait til after 8
  • It’s not America. Be prepared to share a table, your personal space and expectations of wait staff potential. If your table has a number on it-walk to the bar.
  • Watch live arts-there is loads of comedy, music, theatre and interactive cool stuff in London, enjoy yourself and help independent artists!

 

 

London-What to Avoid

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What should you NOT do in London if you DON’T want to get ripped off?
Jess from ‘Love & London’ on YouTube has created her master list of things to avoid while you are visiting the capital.

We are happy to share her list to any folks that might be visiting from the US, Canada, Europe or Asia, to make sure that you can have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Some of the places Jess recommends if you don’t want to get ripped off?

Leicester Square
Unless you’re a pigeon, street urchin, or rickshaw driver, it’s best to avoid this tourist trap if you like your wallet.
Not only does it attract loads of thieves and charlatans, it is crazy expensive & it isn’t a very nice area to be at night.
Unless you like vomit and violence, then you’re good.

Pub Food
Some pubs have great pub food, and a lot have horrible, just horrible food. So bad that you will dream of Rotten Ronald McDonald. We agree with Jess to look for ‘authentic’ and ‘traditional’ in the window-and avoid these as everything will be frozen then microwaved.

West End Wierdness
London’s West End is home to the theatre and loads of great entertainment.
There are also a whole bunch of horrible, horrible places where you will want to leave as soon as you get in.
Again-Leicester Square is rife with this, as hucksters will ply their paper trying to entice you into some of their lascivious lounges.
The further you move into Covent Garden, the safer you are more likely to be.
Otherwise you will end up schucking loads of dough on an amateur comedy night, a horrible improv show, or even worse…a strip show based on a horrible movie.