NFL in London

National Football League in London

Sky Sports NFL

Sky Week 2

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For those of us that live in the UK, there is a tinge of sadness that we don’t get to watch all the NFL games.

To find out which games will be blacked out in England, we point you to the games on Sky Week 2.
Luckily, some of them stink so there are others to watch.

A true NFL fan abroad will invest in Gamepass, which is a way to watch MOST of the NFL games, as well as a whole host of replays, options and other programs.

Sadly, if Sky Sports is showing a game, it will be blacked out on Gamepass, forcing viewers to either fork out money for Sky Sports, watch another game, or just flip on the VPN.

The gang on Sky Sports bust their humps every week to push out of a broadcast from their Osterley studios.
For many viewers, they are a UK institution…for others….well, just read the forums.

TNF

Sky Sports shows TNF, as does Gamepass and Amazon.
To be honest, Amazon offers the bets show here, as the streaming quality and broadcast team are heads and tails above the rest.
With rumours circling that Amazon is planning on buying ALL the NFL rights, it seems logical that they play around with it to get it right first.

49ers vs Eagles

6pm GMT

20 years ago, this would have been one heck of a contest…in 2021…not so much.

Both teams are coming off of wins, but also coming off of a playoff less season.
Everyone is throwing heat at these two franchises early on, forgetting what a steaming pile that they both were only a few months ago.

In week 1, both of thee teams won…beating Detroit and Atlanta…dumpster fire central in terms of franchises.
Now they get to beat up each other…except it won’t go as easy, and as fun to watch as last week.

Sky Sports will be showing this game which looks to be a defensive battle of few points, turnovers and oodles of penalties.
Given this, there should be plenty of commercial breaks, which gives the Sky team a little more face time.

Like a child’s drawing, this looks good on paper, but there’s nothing else really to do with it.

Cowboys vs Chargers

9pm GMT

Dak & the boys head to the coast to take on the fast paced LA Chargers in a half empty stadium, in a game that really isn’t the best of the rest.

After getting humbled by TB12 & the Bucs last week, the Cowboys will be looking to use that extra time to plug some holes that Tommy boy shredded through their back side.

Justin Herbert and the boys will be smarting from a tough Washington game last week, that saw them rip Fitzmagic from the fabric of space, time and shoulder.
Joey Bosa and company are going to make Dak’s life hell for the second week in a row.

If you DO want to watch this game, just an FYI that it is on Sky Sports, and you WON’T be able to access it regularly through Gamepass UK.

Chiefs vs Ravens

1:30am GMT

Who stays up at this unGodly hour?
True NFL fans!

There won’t be too many places that show this game live in London on a Sunday night, and if you go, you might be missing an internal organ or two.
(Central London late at night gets stabby)

This game is also on Sky Sports as well as Gamepass.
You won’t have a delay on Gamepass.

That’s it for the Sky Sports schedule this week for week 2.

Hope you join us this Sunday at the Sports Bar & Grill Old Street for 40+ TVs of NFL action.

See you Sunday.

 

 

London Throwback

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With the 2020 NFL season almost done and dusted, we thought we would hit you with a bit of nostalgia, as we give you a London Throwback video.

The year was 2018. Trump was still president, the youth were still glued to their phones, Corona was still a watered down Mexican beer, and we could watch the NFL in public.
Oh what a time to be alive!

This game would be later known as the ‘Minneapolis Miracle’, for an incredible game which saw the Minnesota Vikings come back after being down to the New Orleans Saints.
Those of us gathered in a former London casino in the wee hours of a cold January night were in for a treat of a game.
Who could forget the heroics of a certain Case Keenum  who took over from Sam Bradford & Teddy Bridgewater to mount a comeback against the plucky play of Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

The last play brought with it a ‘Buffalo Right-Seven Heaven’ which saw Case toss the ball to a leaping Stefon Diggs who would go on to score.
Marcus Williams would go on to be a 2018 meme for his missed tackle, and last efforts that saw the Vikings move on.

Where were you for the Minneapolis Miracle? Did you join us at the casino to watch the game? Who was the guy at the end screaming at Saints fans? Did you happen to say hi to Cecil?

The NFL is better when we can all watch it with you! We look forward to that potential in 2021.

Stay safe, sane and have a happy new year everyone!

Sky Week 9

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Sky Sports has released its lineup of Week 9 games, so you can decide whether you’re watching it there, blacked out, or on Gamepass. We’re back on a 5 hour difference with the North American East Coast, which is a bit of a bummer once you taste a 4 hour difference.

TNF

Thursday Football is like an old high school girlfriend. She’s nice to think about, but once you commit to spending a whole night together, you wish you were sitting with your sweet gal Sunday.
Hardly anyone watches TNF even in America, instead opting for a CSI Utah marathon.
It’s a Friday at 1:20 am game, so why not watch it? It’s lockdown baby! Are you getting up in early to chug coffee before a Zoom meeting.
The Packers are smarting off a huge loss to Minnesota & the 49ers are dealign with a huge loss to their team, who all seemed to jump on the injury bandwagon.
Packers should pound San Fran in this one.

Sunday

Seahawks vs Bills 6pm

Finally, we don’t have to watch the Steelers again this week. Sky rode Pittsburgh for 3 weeks straight, pissing off loads of Keystone state fans who can’t afford Sky. The Bills escaped a lucky one last week against the Patriots, this one won’t be as forgiving though.

Dolphins vs Cardinals 9:25pm

Miami vs Arizona? Unless you’re talking about a Senior Citizen Battle Royale, you wouldn’t expect this to be much of a contest. Luckily, both these teams have some quick armed, fast moving QBs who know how to win. The Dolphins also have Tua, who does none of that.
This game might be interesting for a bit, but you can always catch highlights on Redzone.

Saints vs Bucs 1:20am 

Unless you were born in a cave, you might have noticed the weekly tally of Brees vs Brady with the most passing TDs. Please just STFU pundits, it’s annoying. We don’t need to see a ‘Breaking News’ banner across the screen every damn play. Let them finish the season, and then we can talk.
‘With a combined age of 83…’ is the kind of crap we’re going to hear all night.
Has no one heard of ‘ageism’? You just going to shame them every week based on how old they are?
Pretty sure if both guys were of colour, gay, coloured & gay, they would be less likely to hammer home the point each week.

MNF

Patriots vs Jets

Technically TMF (Tuesday Morning Football) as the hapless Pats take on the hopeless Jets. Who’s the real loser in this one? You, if you stay up to watch it. The Jets are not only tanking for Trevor, they’re taking one for the league, allowing themselves to be the butt, dick and stinky finger of every joke. Cam Newton should spend less time hat shopping, and more time reading defences.
A great game to watch the next morning over your first coffee dump.

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Kevin Cadle

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It’s been 3 years since we lost ‘Ma Man’ Kevin Cadle, and the UK sports broadcasting scene still has a gaping hole in talent from his passing. We really miss you dude.

I first saw Kev hosting sports on Sky, and I thought ‘wow, this guy is actually really good.’
Having moved to London from North America, I was struck at generally how bereft the UK scene was for quality sportscasters. Flipping through Channel 5, BBC and Sky Sports the presenters not only seemed like that they had no experience or personality or presence, but they also seemed to be responsible for their own wardrobe.
One pundit on C5 was so bad, my friends and I would tune in just to watch the train wreck unfold. He was a pretty obese guy with a penchant for wearing tight purple sweaters, we nicknamed ‘Grimace’.
Kevin Cadle stood head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. Literally.
Kevin was always well dressed, dapper, and could helm a show as a proper presenter.

The more I got to know Kev, the more I was drawn into his aura. He epitomised cool, and his relaxed demeanour on screen was just as chill when you were having a drink with him.
This made him a ‘star’ in the UK, as fans genuinely gravitated towards him, because he was the man who helped them not only learn about North American sports, but love them.

One would think that this ‘fame’ would feed his ego as it did to several Sky Sports presenters, but it did quite the opposite. It made him appreciate the love from the UK, and he would spend hours talking to everyone who approached them, giving them his full attention and flashing that wonderful smile that charmed us all.
His laugh was something that could rip across a room, and as a comedian it gave me great pleasure in unleashing it in public. When he laughed, people looked (and usually laughed as well).

Few Sky Sports viewers knew just how famous Kevin Cadle was. Not only was he the most successful UK basketball coach in the history of the sport here, he is also recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for his time coaching the Kingston Kings in the late 80s, early 90s.
Basketball might have been his jam, but he certainly knew how to butter up every other sport with a thoughtful and balanced voice of a true journalist.

Like many UK sports fans I was shocked when his role on Sky Sports was continually relegated. From watching him as the main host to being shuttered to the sidelines, or even worse reporting from empty bars under the auspices that he was the man on the street.
Several times Kevin would text me asking if I could send some fans down to the bar in focus that week as it was ‘dead-ass’. Of course I did, as I couldn’t stand the thought of such a respectable man being disrespected.
I wasn’t alone in this feeling, as all you had to do was pop onto social media to see a flurry of hashtags wondering where Kevin was.

When Kev was eventually replaced by different flavours willing to trek out to Osterley, fans across the UK felt like a family member was missing from the dinner table.
I pushed the Hippodrome to bring him down for appearances during Sunday nights, convincing them that his presence would spur on the fans that came down to watch the games.
Boy was I right!
Upon entering the theatre in the casino, all eyes turned to the big man, as did the whispers. Then the chants came ‘Kev! Kev! Kev’, he waved to the fans and happily acknowledged the genuine love in the room.
Not only that Kevin took a picture with everyone who asked. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
He would sit and talk with fans for hours about everything and anything.
Occasionally he would look up to the scores, but never took his focus off the most important person in the room, the person talking with him.

Once Kevin was eventually led out to pasture by Sky, I made it my mission to get him back on the telly.
Not only was Kev a British sporting icon, but sports fans really missed him on their screens.
UK television commissioners were less enthused however, citing a lack of ‘passion for American sports’ Kevin’s age, and alternatively suggesting younger, female presenters whose only media experience came from reality TV.
Undeterred, I continued pitching the show until we got some solid interest to develop a program in September 2017.
Sadly Kevin Cadle passed on October 16, 2017.

In November 2017 we hosted ‘Kev-Giving’ at the casino, honouring Kevin and giving thanks to him for all that he gave to us as British sports fans.
His family said a few words, some fans shed tears, and the casino raised money for his family in this time of need.

It’s been three years since his passing, and every year as the NFL season starts I think about him and what life would like here if we still had him in our lives.
He brought smiles to all UK sports fans, and enriched our viewing experiences with class, dignity and a huge beaming smile.

I miss my friend, and I’m angry with the way he was treated by the British entertainment industry.
But I also know that Kevin wouldn’t want me to be angry, he would want us all to remember the joy he brought us every time the camera light flicked on.
He will always be ‘Ma Man’, and we will always be his.

‘Never accept good over best’-Kevin Michael Cadle

-Wade McElwain is a comedian, TV producer and host of NFL in London live. 

 

Week 10-Sky

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Week 10 already?!?!
How is this season blowing by so quickly?

Week 9 brought some joy, some pain and many more questions.
Obviously it was nice to see the Patriots lose their FIRST game of the season, and add to that a Packers humiliating loss to the lowly Chargers, and things were looking pretty good.
Which of these teams will bounce back in Week 10?

Sky Sports has announced their schedule for Week 10, so that you can catch some of the best games in full HD.
While most people aren’t up for the Thursday and Monday night games, the 6pm and 9pm games should be some pretty big contests.
(These games are blacked out for Gamepass users).

The 6pm game is the Cardinals vs Bucs, which must have been chosen since their fans will probably never see them on TV. Both teams stink bad, and this game will probably stink even worse.
Maybe Kyler can get a win here against Shame-is and his inept offence?
This game screams ‘what’s on Gamepass?’

The 9pm game should be better as the Panthers take on the Packers at home. After watching the Chargers lay a beat down on the Packers D, maybe there is a bit of a roadmap here for future beatings?
The Packers should be ready to toss down after that tough game last week.

Still up at 1am? Then you can watch the Vikings and the Cowboys throw down until the wee hours.
Last week’s beating of the Patriots was a treat, so maybe them Boyz will figure out what it’s like to play teams with a good D.
Should be the best game of the bunch.

Join us Sunday at the Princess Alexandra in Crouch End to watch all the games and Redzone!