I'm a disappointment to Ireland's NFL fans
Posted on Saturday, February 04, 2012 at 01:34 PM
Larger Text
Print
E-mail
3 Comments
RSS 
Recent Posts
- Ireland as Britain's wind farm - weighing up the pros and cons of ugly and heavily subsized Irish windfarms
- Justin Bieber's perfectly judged comment on Anne Frank - "Hopefully she would have been a belieber"
- The Irish property tax problem - everyone wants to own some and no one wants to be taxed on it
- American fans right to ignore the World Baseball Classic
- Will Ireland's emigrants catch a break on property tax?
Archives
 |
| Eli Manning & Tom Brady - known to many Irish sports fans. |
There's loads of talk about the Super Bowl on the radio, in the newspapers even among men chatting in the pub. Of course I find myself included in loads of Super Bowl conversations. People only have to hear my accent and they engage me in a Super Bowl discussion. Unfortunately, I don't really know enough about football today to hold up my end of the bargain unless we take a diversion back to Super Bowls of the 70s.
____________
Read More:
Super Bowl fever is suddenly sexy all over Ireland again
St. Louis Rams to become a London NFL franchise? What this means for Ireland
More news on the Super Bowl from IrishCentral
_____________
So this Sunday when I tune in it's more out of curiosity than as a real fan. And I'll probably only watch the first half, but no more than that. I can't stay up late enough for the whole Super Bowl.
You have to remember, by the time they finally kick off in Indianapolis it will be 11:18pm here. That's a big part of what amazes me about the interest here. The game is on so late and, of course, it's endless. Yet so many people will watch it to the end. {I wonder how much bigger the audience in Europe might be - extra $$ - if the NFL moved the kick-off up by 90 minutes.}
I can't say exactly when I lost my keenness for pro football, but my interest had waned significantly before I had moved to Ireland in '91. When I was in school I watched 6 hours of football every Sunday. I rooted like crazy for my team to win and suffered when they lost. Somewhere, somehow that left me.
None of this would be an issue if it weren't for the fact that every Irish NFL fan I meet seems disappointed that I can't match their knowledge and excitement and provide them with the conversation they crave. Sure I know who Tom Brady & Eli Manning are, but after that I don't know much about any of the others playing on Sunday.
Back in 1986 when I came here as a student, there was a weekly NFL highlight show on TV. It was weirdly, wildly popular, but those who watched didn't really get to know the game. These days Irish fans can watch two or three full games a week - and many do - and they follow internet message boards and take part in fantasy football leagues and so on. They really know the game and I disappoint them when they get talking to me.
Over the years I've gotten used to the fact that there are Irish people who know more about American politics than I do - and I feel like I'm keen follower. Yet, somehow I feel like I'm letting others and myself down by not being able to discuss football with them.
If only the Irish were as interested in baseball. That I could talk about knowledgeably and enthusiastically for hours, days even. Baseball doesn't appeal, unfortunately. Football has gripped the Irish sports fan. I don't know which of the two teams is the favorite with Irish fans, but I'll be giving half a cheer for the Giants simply because they're the NY team.
+++
It's not the Super Bowl, but tonight's college basketball game from the Bronx featuring the Iona Gaels and the Manhattan Jaspers has me excited. If I'm going to stay up late for anything it will be this game - a full-throated Go Jaspers from me.
UPDATE: Jaspers lost. These things happen. Plenty of basketball still to be played this month.
3 comments
Page 1 of 1 pages
Jamcelt | Feb 06, 2012, 12:15 AM EST
There aren't that many, so feel free to relax.
Report abuse
faberm1 | Feb 05, 2012, 09:43 AM EST
Great piece. I loved High School Football when my kids were all in HS. I followed College Football during my days at Texas A&M. But now, I never watch Pro Football and don't worry Yank, I'm as American as American can be. I live on a farm, hunt, fish, believe in the 1st, 2nd, and every other amendment, but I just can't get into Pro Football.. This year however, I'll be rooting for Tom Brady, only because of his recent interest in his Irish roots. He's Sinn Féin (our own) therefore, I'll be cheering him on as I watch my one game of the year and enjoy the half-time show, the crazy ads etc. I saw that same under 35 crowd in Ireland drinking only Budweiser and figured...well the whole world's just gone international and that's okay. I'll still drink Guinness and talk to folks in my Texas accent. Your disinterest isn't un-American....it's just your individual preference and THAT thought alone makes you VERY American.
Report abuse
Page 1 of 1 pages
Report abuse