Ray Stonada Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 Just curious, how many people played organized football, at any level? Do you find it helps you a lot to understand what's going on when you watch the Bills/NFL? What kind of insights does it give you? I don't have much real experience. I was a WR/DB on my college intramural team, but it was a small D-III college. Other than that, it's watching the NFL since I was 12 or so (in my mid-forties now), and playing some video games which actually helped me a lot to understand formations and defenses. Always wish I had more of an insider view, and wondered what I would be able to see if I did. 1
Brennan Huff Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 I played as a kid up to JV high school. Then I discovered weed and alcohol 6 18
JohnNord Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 Through middle and high school. Wasn’t good enough to play at a college level 1
Bulletprooftiger Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 I played all through highschool a little in college. I don't think it helps me at all, I'm 44 and the game is played very differently than when I played it. 1
Don Otreply Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 3 minutes ago, Brennan Huff said: I played as a kid up to JV high school. Then I discovered weed and alcohol Add in the desire for the ladies, and I’m there... 😁 sure beat the hell out of high school football... 2 1
eball Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. 10 2
DD4Bills Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 Played youth football for a couple of years when I lived in East Amherst in the early 70s, then played a couple of years in Canada. Stopped playing when I was ~12...wasn't very good and focused on hockey instead. 1
Ray Stonada Posted February 17, 2021 Author Posted February 17, 2021 Just now, eball said: No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I think I'm missing the joke here... 1 2
DJB Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 I'm the greatest NFL player of all time and none of yall have heard of me? 3
GunnerBill Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 I have played precisely 1 game in the UK University league (which looks absolutely nothing like football and is a ramshackle amateurish joke to be honest). I am told it has professionalised a bit since but at the time I am not even sure it was safe there was no proper governing body, no proper officiating it was a shambles. Anyway I played safety and slot receiver. It was kind of fun but I learnt absolutely nothing about the game from that and all of my knowledge has come from watching, reading, listening and generally committing a lot of my spare time to it. 5
Ray Stonada Posted February 17, 2021 Author Posted February 17, 2021 Just now, GunnerBill said: I have played precisely 1 game in the UK University league (which looks absolutely nothing like football and is a ramshackle amateurish joke to be honest). I am told it has professionalised a bit since but at the time I am not even sure it was safe there was no proper governing body, no proper officiating it was a shambles. Anyway I played safety and slot receiver. It was kind of fun but I learnt absolutely nothing about the game from that and all of my knowledge has come from watching, reading, listening and generally committing a lot of my spare time to it. Interesting. I know a little more about tennis cause I played it a lot, and there it feels like the gulf between me and the pros was so big I couldn't connect to much of what they could do. But I could empathize with the mental aspect. I'm amazed they have an "American" football league in UK universities. Is that across the nation?
Chuck Schick Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 I played DIII in college, but what's funny is I never had any deep appreciation for the game until I coached my kids in youth football. Even with 12 year old kids, you see the game a little differently when you're the one teaching, calling plays, etc. 3 2 1 1
JohnNord Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said: I have played precisely 1 game in the UK University league (which looks absolutely nothing like football and is a ramshackle amateurish joke to be honest). I am told it has professionalised a bit since but at the time I am not even sure it was safe there was no proper governing body, no proper officiating it was a shambles. Anyway I played safety and slot receiver. It was kind of fun but I learnt absolutely nothing about the game from that and all of my knowledge has come from watching, reading, listening and generally committing a lot of my spare time to it. Interesting... never knew there was much American football in the UK
Lieutenant Aldo Raine Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) Played HS in the late 80s when football pads were like Knights Armor Edited February 17, 2021 by Lieutenant Aldo Raine 1
GunnerBill Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 6 minutes ago, Ray Stonada said: Interesting. I know a little more about tennis cause I played it a lot, and there it feels like the gulf between me and the pros was so big I couldn't connect to much of what they could do. But I could empathize with the mental aspect. I'm amazed they have an "American" football league in UK universities. Is that across the nation? No back then it was just a handful of Unis that played and it wasn't in a league they were "friendlies". It was just a bunch of NFL fans running about playing a game that roughly resembled American Football to be honest. Since 2007 there has been a proper league structure and while it isn't every Uni it has grown massively. American Football is one of our fastest growing sports over here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Universities_American_Football_League#Earlier_structures 1
Long Suffering Fan Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 I played tackle at the youth level. I also played intramurals and for my frat. Later I played flag as an adult. Oddly, I learned more about the game playing flag - different route concepts, plays, and even defensive concepts I see on the screen all the time. Maybe that is a bit of a statement on the direction the NFL has taken. But, no, I don't think playing experience is at all necessary to understand the game. 1 1
teef Posted February 17, 2021 Posted February 17, 2021 i played pop warner all the way through high school. i think the football that kids get in high school if far more advanced that anything we ever learned. whether that's a function of the team i was on, (the coaches were the math and science teachers) or the times, i have no idea. 1
Ray Stonada Posted February 17, 2021 Author Posted February 17, 2021 1 minute ago, GunnerBill said: No back then it was just a handful of Unis that played and it wasn't in a league they were "friendlies". It was just a bunch of NFL fans running about playing a game that roughly resembled American Football to be honest. Since 2007 there has been a proper league structure and while it isn't every Uni it has grown massively. American Football is one of our fastest growing sports over here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Universities_American_Football_League#Earlier_structures That's pretty cool. Makes sense that they play games in London now... I wonder if they're seriously considering putting a team there.
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