NFL isn't all that bad!

After coming to the US, I took to basketball within a very short span of time. I've watched more NBA matches than cricket matches in the past couple of years (though I certainly track cricket more closely in the online media). And, I think I would go so far as to say that I would rate any NBA game that involves any two of Suns, Sonics, Spurs, Heat and Pistons to be more exciting than an ODI, even if it involves India! I have certainly not followed baseball as closely, but I do watch it on TV when there isn't a sitcom or a good movie on air at that time. Though it's a pretty boring game, it's better than all those crappy reality shows.

However, I have totally kept away from the other two American sports - football and ice hockey ... until now. I still have pretty much no clue about ice hockey; other than that there was no season last year because the players were on strike :P But, I have started getting into football over the past couple of weeks. Till now, what annoyed me about football is that every play is just a few seconds long. A play that lasts even as long as 10 seconds is possible only if it results in a touchdown. And in addition, I did not have a keen appreciation for the finer points of the game, which btw I still don't have :)

Thanks to Google News however, I have been following the Terrell Owens saga pretty closely since before last season's Super Bowl (those of you who haven't heard of Terrell Owens, go take a hike! ... Or, maybe I'll write a post about him sometime later this week), and that is what initially attracted me into watching a few of the Philadelphia Eagles' games this seasons. And, I found the games to be pretty much like an ODI in Eden Gardens! The crowds are really huge (yesterday's game between the Eagles and the Redskins had a crowd of 90,000!) and they keep roaring all the time. The intensity of the crowd in turn is reflected on the field as well. Though each play lasts for just a few seconds, the tension among the players is clearly palpable, which is what makes it exciting to watch. However, I still am nowhere near becoming a regular follower. I don't even know all the teams that are in the NFL :( I understand only the basic workings of the game, and don't know any of the standard positions other than quarterback and receiver (have heard of others like line-backer and safety, but have no clue what their roles are). I also know the names of only handful of players; how can anyone love a sport without knowing who the stars are :)

Anyway, it certainly looks like my love affair with the NFL has begun. With time, as I gain more insight into the game, it should certainly make more rivetting viewing. Who knows ... maybe I'll begin with the NHL too next year :P

Cheers,
Harsha