Albert Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Slowly growing in popularity I'd say. In the same way proper football has been slowly growing in America for years.Not in the same way, surely. In America they have an improving national team, a strong league getting stronger, stars from Europe coming over to play, growing money in the game. I honestly couldn't name a single player of American Football from outside the US or Canada (I'm sure there would be a small handful), let alone a league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombo Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Not in the same way, surely. In America they have an improving national team, a strong league getting stronger, stars from Europe coming over to play, growing money in the game. I honestly couldn't name a single player of American Football from outside the US or Canada (I'm sure there would be a small handful), let alone a league. I mean more the way it was slowly growing pre-Beckham at Galaxy, and in terms of the public interest in the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I really don't think it's grown in the UK at all. 30 years ago, I remember a bit of publicity in the run up to the Superbowl and some of my mates would pretend to be interested in it for a few days. Then it would all be forgotten again. Other than the odd feature game at Wembley, I can't see that much has changed at all in that time, at least with the young-uns I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Would there have been the demand for several games per season at our national stadium 30 years ago? In fact, I think the demand is there for a franchise if the NFL wanted to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I never realised that it was getting any more popular? Is it taking off in England, certainly isn't in Australia. I think you've hit the nail on the head with it being a dream of advertisers, because that's pretty much what it is, and what is likely funding major games being played overseas to try and push popularity. On the subject of things I don't understand, maybe you could help with some antipodean curiosities. Aussie Rules - Admittedly I've seen very little of this sport, but what I've gleaned from that is; A load of blokes get kitted out in their finest wife beaters to have a scrap. If you get the ball it must be immediately hoofed into the air so you can get on with the fighting. Schoolies - I watched something on youtube about this the other day. It looked like an Al Qaeda recruitment video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Further to that - how are you supposed to tell when Home and Away finishes and Neighbours begins? Other than the beach disappearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 On the subject of things I don't understand, maybe you could help with some antipodean curiosities. Aussie Rules - Admittedly I've seen very little of this sport, but what I've gleaned from that is;A load of blokes get kitted out in their finest wife beaters to have a scrap. If you get the ball it must be immediately hoofed into the air so you can get on with the fighting. Schoolies - I watched something on youtube about this the other day. It looked like an Al Qaeda recruitment video.Never really got AFL (Aussie Rules is a odd name for the sport, it's a Victorian thing), but I have played it, watched it and such.Essentially you have two teams of 18 people on a cricket field. They are able to hold the ball, kick the ball, but if passed from the hands it has to be punched between players, you can't "throw" the ball between eachother. You may tackle eachother, jump on eachother and such. Catching a ball that has been kicked (at least 15 metres if I recall) is called a "mark", and the player is awarded a free kick of the ball. The song "Up There Cazaly", what "Steve Bloomer's Watching" is based on, is a song about a player called Roy Cazaly's ability to mark (catch) the ball.Points are scored by kicking the ball between a set of posts. There are 4 in all, 2 tall, two short, with the two tall ones in the middle, the short ones outside them, equally spaced. It's 6 points for kicking between the big ones, one pick if it's between a big one and a small one. A team kicking or hitting the ball into their own "goal" is 1 point, rather than 6. I never really got the excitement in the scoring, it always came across as points and pitty points.A game consists of 4 quarters of 25 minutes, which seems like quite an amount of time for the players to be running around, but they get interchanges, and whilst they're slowing limiting the outright number, it still may as well be unlimited (~120 at this time if I recall right). If I recall, it's 3 "interchange" players, and a substitute. The substitute may replace one player in the team (once they replace them, that's it, the player they replace is gone, they are in, like in Football, interchange still works as usual).The sport is most popular in Victoria (where most of the teams are), as well as South Australia and Western Australia. Attempts to spread it in Queensland and NSW have had mixed success. The most recent new team, the Great Western Sydney Giants (yep, that's the name) is based in Western Sydney, and has struggled to compete against the new A-league (Football) side the Western Sydney Wanderers (recently crowned Champions of Asia) in terms of popularity. The most popular sport in Queensland and NSW is still Rugby League to the best of my knowledge.Overall the sport seems the most enjoyable when you're actually playing it, but I find it completely and utterly boring to watch. Like any team sport though there are plenty of passionate supporters. Just not something I ever really enjoyed on that level.As for Schoolies, I honestly don't really know, I didn't go the year I finished. A bunch of people party after school finishes. Normally makes a few headlines each year.Further to that - how are you supposed to tell when Home and Away finishes and Neighbours begins? Other than the beach disappearing.I've seen in my life, maybe 15 minutes of the two combined. They are however broadcast on two different channels here in Australia, but I honestly don't know anyone who watches the free to air channels for anything other than the cricket or 'footy' (can refer to AFL or Rugby League, depending on context). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 As for Schoolies, I honestly don't really know, I didn't go the year I finished. A bunch of people party after school finishes. Normally makes a few headlines each year. So you've lived for Australia for a long time - or you are in fact Australian?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 So you've lived for Australia for a long time - or you are in fact Australian??I may have explained this before on here, but essentially yes. Born and raised in Australia, moved around a lot when I was younger, spent a lot of time with my Grandmother who raised me on a diet of Football which consisted of Derby in 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uttoxram75 Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Why is snow in the US one of the main items on the national news in Britain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 I may have explained this before on here, but essentially yes. Born and raised in Australia, moved around a lot when I was younger, spent a lot of time with my Grandmother who raised me on a diet of Football which consisted of Derby in 90s. Well I never knew that Have you seen Derby play in the flesh many times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BondJovi Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Why is snow in the US one of the main items on the national news in Britain? As we once were and perhaps still are their poodle, any significant amount of snow could bury us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brammie Steve Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 How do you grow seedless grapes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Well I never knew that Have you seen Derby play in the flesh many times? Sadly no, but I have been saving up slowly to be able to come over and watch a game or two at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 How do you grow seedless grapes?Selective breeding to reduce the size of the seeds, and in some stocks no noticeable seeds. If I recall some actually still have "seeds" that haven't developed properly (not hardened for example)Seedless Bananas are infertile and don't grow seeds at all. They're created by hybridisatio and cultivated from that.It's worth noting planting seeds from fruit you eat isn't likely to produce a plant capable of good fruit. i.e. Planting an apple tree from a seed generally produces rubbish fruit. Most commercial apple trees are grafts. This is done by using one plant as "root stock" (you cut everything above the root) and then graft the more favourable plant you wish to grow on top. This has a lot of other advantages as well, such as being able to produce fruit sooner. This is done for a lot of fruiting trees. Here's a video showing the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 No matter how much I drink the night before it's presumably never enough, because the next day I wake up thirsty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alph Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Fake social media accounts. I'm Not talking the obvious parodies... The ones that that try and ruin people's lives "catfish" ones... I feel for people by the way that do that. They are clearly not well and would love to help them out. You've been Catfished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Why in movies after an epic fight scene with two people fighting to the death... That when the supposed 'bad person' gains the upper hand does he/she proceed to have a conversation before striking the killer blow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Ram Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 That Money Supermarket advert with the man with the huge booty. What is that all about? It's weird verging on obscene and makes me feel queasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Ram Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 And why do people who play online bingo not realise that someone has programmed the damn thing to rob them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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