Originally published @ 3:04 pm, Mon 25th Oct 2010
If there’s something particularly good about BBC’s Match of the Day, it’s that a former footballer hosts the show. Seems to me that in sport, where so many careers are over for obvious reasons by the time a player is in their thirties, the aim should be for programmes to be hosted by retired sportsmen and sports journalism should be reserved too.
Now I did dabble myself, writing my own reports on Shrewsbury Town matches in the earlier days of the internet, when communications was often by bulletin boards. Once, the Shropshire Star lifted one of my reports and posted it as their own, without acknowledgement. A midweek FA Cup tie at Oxford United saw us “30 seconds from victory; 30 seconds from penalties”. (I’m not bitter; I’m over it and hardly feel the need to mention it.)
Instead I write these political blogs and last night I was working on one heck of a backlog, having been away in China.
Now when I found out Minnesota Vikings were playing Green Bay Packers on Channel 4 last night, I decided to stop up during the night to catch up on the blogs and to witness the second return of Brett Favre to Green Bay in Wisconsin, who I happen to follow.
Now, why on earth would I follow an American Football club? I’ve never seen a game. I’ve only played it once in what has to be one of the more surreal moments of my childhood.
Cos we played football as kids. All the time. The local field, which we shared with cows and their manure, was level for just enough before a 100 yard 30 degree slope into a river. Enough to serve the boys from 100 the homes of our part of the village. Jumpers for goal posts.
And then one evening some Americans turned up and resolved to teach us how to play. This before the game had even featured on television. I remember we lined up in 2 rows to push each other, and then watch 2 of the yanks whoop and holler as one of them threw the ball to the other who’d run 20 yards behind our lines. This was never going to catch on.
And yet I follow Green Bay. Why? Cos it’s from a relatively small city (populations 103,000). Like Shrewsbury Town. And it’s in common ownership. Not so much like Shrewsbury Town.
How can such a small catchment support a top flight club? Partly TV. Partly cos fans from a much wider area support the club. Mainly cos the (American) National Football League supports all the clubs (franchises) by a draft system that means the weakest squads have first picks of each year’s new players.
And last night’s game was special cos it was akin to Wayne Rooney returning to play at Old Trafford having signed for Manchester City after all. Brett Favre was the Packer’s key player for 20 years or so and was returning for the second time, having sort of resigned from the game, but then signed for the nearest local rivals and organised defeats of the Packers at the age of 40 on 2 occasions to boot. Favre is even under investigation for sexual misconduct.
And he nearly won a derby for them again. Given England’s current preoccupations with introducing more technology into the game, it was remarkable to see a game where officials made so many errors and quite a few of them were allowed to stand, despite quick reviews on TV showing the mistakes. A winning score for Favre and the Vikings had to be reviewed by officials – the club coach having used all his appeals - to find that a pass to the end-zone had not been completed within the field of play.
Favre’s last throw was nearly there, despite him falling over once, but it was overthrown. An amazing finale. And some Packer’s fans had the grace to clap off the defeated and limping 41 year old – rare in football and perhaps only something you could envisage at Liverpool’s Anfield.
For a professional reporter’s view, please read - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101025/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_vikings_packers
Comments