tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post7430320749835278805..comments2023-11-05T22:35:31.766+00:00Comments on Neil Clark: The Ten Wrong Sporting EndingsNeil Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10479041156190090119noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-28577532937791953992009-10-05T20:50:46.211+01:002009-10-05T20:50:46.211+01:00Vladimir - the NFL was at its most popular in the ...Vladimir - the NFL was at its most popular in the UK (can't speak for the continent) during the mid-late 1980s, when Channel 4's coverage made it a big thing among a generation of kids who increasingly found our own football to be tired, played out and their parents' game. At this point, quite a few British kids - who were also abandoning penny-for-the-guy in favour of trick-or-treat, etc. - started playing the game, which was the fastest-growing participant sport in the UK for a while, though you never saw it played in every single park or anything like that. Obviously, our own football recovered (admittedly only through its embrace of neoliberalism and the use of marketing techniques and presentation picked up from the NFL, something which is now cynically written out of history) and the popularity of NFL here - which had never really been cross-generational - declined, but it still has a decent following, though it is perfectly true to say that American sport is less influential here than most other aspects of US mass culture. It's mainly on Sky (pay-TV, where it comes with our own football) but the Super Bowl is still on free TV, having even been picked up by the BBC in recent years.<br /><br />Czarny Kot: amen. And I'm a Palace fan!Robin Carmodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05825645880870474801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-50053834744251580052009-10-05T19:03:05.793+01:002009-10-05T19:03:05.793+01:00a reference to the super bowl? I am very impresse...a reference to the super bowl? I am very impressed. I didn't think Europeans liked the NFL. I completely agree with the super bowl selection, in particular because i live in phoenix.vladimir gagichttp://defendingarizona.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-39573361051292192982009-10-05T12:54:27.367+01:002009-10-05T12:54:27.367+01:00The Newcastle - Manchester United title race.
Ach...The Newcastle - Manchester United title race.<br /><br />Ach. Still stings.Czarny Kothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17163190792839598823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-50699577275379494362009-10-05T11:14:26.288+01:002009-10-05T11:14:26.288+01:00The world darts championship, 2007: the final. Fir...The world darts championship, 2007: the final. First one to seven sets is the champion; Martin Adams leads 6-0.<br /><br />Almost unimaginably, unseeded Phil Nixon brings it back to 6-6. <br /><br />Adams won it in the final set.<br /><br />(Before the tournament began, I put £10 on Nixon to win at 150-1. <i>Why</i> didn’t I go each way ...!)<br /><br /><br />- Mat CAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-84739871312154805162009-10-05T10:05:02.747+01:002009-10-05T10:05:02.747+01:00I would also list Belgium's cruelly denied goa...I would also list Belgium's cruelly denied goal against Brazil in 2002 in the second round of the World Cup. Belgium had outplayed Brazil who looked awful. <br /><br />But, as FIFA couldn't afford to lose the Samba Footballers, Marc Wilmots' fantastic goal (which would have put a dominant Belgium side 1:0 up and - as I believe - would have won them the match) was ruled out for no reason at all. <br /><br />Oh and what a surprise, Brazil went through 2:0 through late-ish goals, and Belgium's great performance was simply swept under the carpet to cliched calls of Brazilian greatness. <br /><br />Belgium looked a very decent side and, but for the one of the worst refereeing decisions in a world cup, could have gone very very far.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGwjQqXu_IMolchinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12155200018404294369noreply@blogger.com