Transcript

3rd & 99 Episode 1 · TDUK

0:15
Hey,
0:28
hey, hey.
0:33
I'll let you introduce you, mate. It's
0:34
not my It's not my show.
0:37
>> Welcome everybody. Welcome to the show
0:39
you've all been waiting for. Some you've
0:40
been waiting for. Some you didn't know
0:41
was happening. Third and 99. This is the
0:43
European American football show. We're
0:46
talking all things American football in
0:48
Europe. namely the big leagues that
0:50
we're talking the big leagues that
0:51
everybody knows about the EFA, the AFLA
0:53
league. Which league is going to come
0:55
out on top? Which league is going to be
0:57
more polished than the other one? Who's
0:59
going to come out on top of both
1:00
leagues? What teams do we have? What
1:02
action do we have? Who's playing for
1:04
who, who's scoring for who, who's
1:07
getting picks for who, and who's balling
1:09
out, and what everything else in
1:11
between. I cannot wait to get started.
1:14
I'm joined by my guest Matteo
1:18
and the man himself. I can't quite see
1:19
the screen.
1:20
>> Simon.
1:22
>> Me and Simon actually me and Simon speak
1:25
quite a lot. Like we we randomly talk
1:26
about like loads of different things on
1:28
football exchanging stories and stuff.
1:31
Um Simon, you want to tell us a bit
1:33
about yourself?
1:35
>> Yeah, I started um interested in
1:38
American football about 1984.
1:41
Long ago. Um well first was the Chicago
1:44
Bears cuz they won the Super Bowl and
1:46
had the bridge and water bait and got
1:48
into watching a local team the Ashton
1:51
Oilers who won the championship that
1:52
year. Then got playing played for a few
1:55
teams. Um know like people that have
1:58
been on the show before like Russ Begby
2:00
from the Enfield Bullets. He played with
2:02
us at the Heart Stags and Craig Barnes
2:04
and various other things. and um went
2:07
away uh played uh junior football for
2:11
Luton Huskers and then senior football
2:14
and then retired ungracefully and just
2:17
started being a big football nos
2:19
watching everything on TV.
2:22
>> Yeah, I I watch a fair bit. I watch a
2:24
fair bit
2:25
>> the way it goes when you finish playing.
2:26
Can't get away from us.
2:28
>> No, definitely not.
2:32
>> Um okay, mate, you lead it. We can crack
2:34
on to the next slide when whatever you
2:36
want to do
2:37
>> already. Y
2:39
>> I'll do that. Don't worry.
2:40
>> I can't even see the slides.
2:43
>> There we go. Perfect.
2:46
>> Oh, one minute. Let me Let's not do it
2:48
that way. Two seconds. Nothing like a
2:50
bit of a There you go. That's a bit
2:52
better.
2:53
>> Lovely. As we all know, as we spoke
2:55
about already, of course, there's two
2:56
leagues right now this summer. The AFL,
2:59
the League Europe, and the EFA, the
3:01
European Football Alliance. Now some of
3:02
you already may know that these two
3:04
leagues came from one know about the
3:06
European League of Football from the
3:08
previous five years. Some teams had some
3:10
disagreements about the way the league
3:11
was run. They decided to leave. Those
3:13
teams couldn't agree on how to run this
3:15
new model and as a result they've now
3:17
split into two separate leagues.
3:20
One has already kicked off. We've seen
3:21
the European Football Alliance. They've
3:22
obviously kicked off their games are
3:24
live streamed on YouTube and the
3:26
performances so far. We've seen some
3:27
pretty good games, particularly the
3:29
opening game between the uh Frankfurt
3:31
Galaxy and the Paris Musketeers. It was
3:33
a really entertaining game. End to end
3:34
stuff, onepoint finish, you know,
3:37
brilliant game to start off the league.
3:39
Um and it remains to be seen with the
3:41
AFL starting this weekend. Can they sort
3:42
of keep up the smoke? Can they keep the
3:44
heat up? Can they be just as impactful,
3:47
entertaining, and well polished as the
3:49
AFA from what we've seen?
3:52
I I I me and Simon were talking about
3:55
this because we both watched this game.
3:57
Um I was quite fortunate there's quite a
3:59
lot of games Friday, Saturday, Sunday
4:01
last week. But look, I I I don't want
4:04
this to be a negative thing towards Brit
4:06
Bull because I love Brit Bull more than
4:08
most people. Um but they are miles ahead
4:11
in terms of the setup and everything.
4:13
First thing that I seen straight away
4:15
was drones. Um, and I thought that, you
4:17
know, the the drone footage and I was
4:19
like, how's what wonder what camera
4:20
they've got there? And then you could
4:21
see the drone move backwards and
4:23
forwards. Absolutely brilliant. Simon,
4:27
what do you what do you think of um the
4:29
EFA where they
4:32
was great. I mean, it's the model to go
4:35
for the future. I mean, the ELF was very
4:38
good. I've been fortunate enough to see
4:40
some games in Europe, in Germany,
4:42
especially at Frankfurt. the GFL, like
4:44
their league is just massive. I mean,
4:47
you're talking thousands of fans go and
4:49
watch each week at their top level. The
4:52
the crowd's amazing. They get they've
4:54
had bands before, bands after, you know,
4:56
not big rock stars, but yeah, local
4:58
music. Um, also the crowd get involved.
5:01
They they love that song, Who the F is
5:05
Alice? You know, that's that song that
5:07
Smokey, they love that. Uh, they throw
5:10
tissue in the crowd. is and it's just a
5:13
game day experience that I don't think
5:16
any Brit team has had or will have soon
5:19
hopefully it'll happen for him but it's
5:22
just huge compared to
5:25
how we are at Brit.
5:26
>> I've got a question for you Simon. What
5:28
does um in terms of Brit, the closest
5:30
teams to this sort of uh European scale
5:35
football, the GFL and all these other
5:36
leagues, in terms of the teams that are
5:38
the closest to it, what do you think
5:40
they need in terms of the next steps to
5:42
really get there other than of course
5:43
the obvious more fans in the stadium?
5:46
>> Uh I mean you got the Warriors who
5:48
obviously chancing their arm in Europe
5:50
and I think they'd do a a good fist of
5:52
it. Um, I know they've been quiet, but I
5:54
think that's their sort of way of doing
5:56
things, but anything that Tony Allen,
5:58
Marvin Allen, all them sort of guys are
5:59
involved with that, you know, they're
6:01
successful. Tony Allen's been around
6:03
football for years. You know, he's not
6:04
going to put his name or his effort into
6:06
something that's not going to work. Uh,
6:07
but realistically, I think it's um the
6:11
level of competition would be the main
6:13
thing. If you know, at the moment, you
6:14
got the Warriors going there. I think
6:15
Bristol with obviously a good team,
6:17
Manchester, but if everyone else just
6:19
raised their game a bit, it it's like
6:22
you're if if you know every week is a
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big game is game time, then then the
6:27
level's going to raise. Uh obviously a
6:30
lot of the GFL teams are bigname
6:32
imports, bigname coaches. Uh so from a f
6:36
you obviously need finances for that but
6:38
I think some of them teams like Bristol
6:40
were going in the right way and
6:41
Manchester were and obviously the
6:43
Warriors are definitely doing it because
6:44
they chance on their own. Fair play to
6:46
know who really works for them.
6:48
>> I I do think there are I agree by the
6:51
way in terms of
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there should be a level of standard in
6:57
in the Prem but I do think team I don't
7:00
think teams aren't trying. So like East
7:01
Coil Bri Pirates um they they live
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stream their games. They've got a little
7:06
mini stadium obviously clearly the best
7:08
team in Scotland. U I think they're kind
7:11
of going in the right direction. They've
7:13
made that home like a proper fortress.
7:16
You know Coventry took M Titans pretty
7:18
much threequarters the way the game
7:20
within a score and then Titans went off.
7:23
>> Yeah.
7:23
>> But Phoenix only just won. Um they I
7:26
think they scored um they stopped the
7:29
field goal and and scored from that and
7:31
you know and that stopped the tie you
7:34
know from being a tie and they got the
7:35
win. Um, even Coventry Phoenix, Coventry
7:38
Phoenix, they've raised it a bit, but me
7:40
and u me and Simon were talking before
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this, the first team I ever played for,
7:45
we used to play in a in a rugby league
7:47
stadium that held like it's got capacity
7:48
of 12 13,000. I assumed every other
7:51
football team played like that and got
7:52
the shock of me life when I went I think
7:54
the first away game was um Morham Bay
7:58
Storm or something like that and it you
7:59
know it wasn't very glamorous but
8:03
I think the the Prem needs to you know
8:07
people talk about 4G pitches usually you
8:08
know the games usually played in them
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and stuff like that. I think there needs
8:12
to be a minimum of, you know, like your
8:14
game's got to be live streamed. Um,
8:16
you've got to play in a type of, you
8:19
know, structure or
8:20
>> stadium where people can watch. Yeah.
8:22
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um, and I think because like
8:26
I'm aware of a team, again, I'm not
8:27
going to name the team. I'm aware of a
8:28
team um that's not got a home pitch
8:31
sorted this season. He can't get a
8:32
pitch, you know, whether that's through
8:34
costs or availability.
8:36
That's not acceptable for me. um it
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doesn't provide it just shows poor poor
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lack of organization and stuff like
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that. So for me to get more teams to
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that level because you know obviously uh
8:51
in the this um Titans and and Bristol
8:55
they just lost the game. Bristols was a
8:57
lot more closer than Titans was.
8:59
>> Much closer. Yeah.
9:01
>> But
9:03
for me Bristol weren't levels off being
9:05
there if you get what I mean. like I
9:08
mean Manchester have a really good setup
9:09
too, but for me Bristol are the one
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people are kind of aspiring to in terms
9:13
of the set. I want to touch on Bristol
9:16
really briefly because um with their
9:18
situation of course everybody well some
9:21
of you are aware of their situation of
9:22
course with the uh luggage and not
9:25
receiving all of their kit having gone
9:27
abroad you know and you have a certain
9:29
way of preparation when you play
9:31
especially if you go abroad or if you
9:32
have a long journey you have a certain
9:34
way of preparation and if that is
9:35
affected in even the slightest way that
9:37
can really affect everything on the
9:39
pitch you know I think um it's easy to
9:41
under underestimate and say yeah cool
9:43
you could just borrow someone jerseys,
9:45
but will you have to buy new cleats, new
9:47
uniform, and literally source everything
9:49
pretty much?
9:50
>> My head would have gone.
9:53
>> I mean, again,
9:54
>> right, it's going to affect them. it's
9:55
going to make the whole thing more
9:56
difficult. And if they had won, that
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would have been a monumental
9:58
achievement. But just to make it as
10:00
close as it was really is a testament to
10:03
how much these boys worked hard because
10:05
a lot of people won't realize they might
10:07
have turned on the stream and you think
10:09
why are Bristol wearing black and not
10:11
really understood why. But definitely
10:13
that puts a lot of that plays into
10:16
perspective a lot. It plays into the
10:17
performance. And I do think that if
10:19
you're away in like CFL, obviously
10:22
because they're doing it themselves
10:23
essentially, I think they're at a
10:25
slightly bigger disadvantage than they
10:27
would be if it was against another Brit
10:28
Bull team or if it was the Aztecs in one
10:32
of these European leagues. You know, if
10:34
they were in the AFL with the Warriors,
10:36
I don't think that the away games would
10:37
be as much of a hindrance as they are in
10:39
the CFL where potentially you can end up
10:41
with all these sorts of issues. I mean,
10:43
fair play to they they didn't use it as
10:45
an excuse, but it must have it as a
10:48
player when I played it have affected me
10:50
wearing someone else's kit or you know
10:52
different uniforms and he's an a
10:54
distraction you know it's is the game
10:56
going to go ahead is this going to
10:57
happen is that going to in fairness to
10:59
them I I really do think it's easy to
11:02
say obviously but if they had turned up
11:04
with their kit and everything there'd be
11:06
no I think they probably would have
11:08
beaten that that Polish team again to I
11:12
you know the game decided on the pitch
11:18
against the the Panthers
11:20
score line there but uh you know and
11:23
also it does affect you traveling to
11:25
another country another time another
11:27
this you know it's a it's a lot to take
11:29
on is a lot to take
11:32
>> yeah let me uh let's just get set up for
11:35
for the EFA um
11:39
so
11:40
we're going to go through the teams and
11:42
the EFA, get some views over. Um,
11:47
start off with Paris Musketeers.
11:50
Anyone want to go first? What they think
11:52
about these bad boys?
11:54
>> I I think they're a bit of an underdog.
11:57
Um, a bit under sorry, under under, you
11:59
know, the radar. Good quarterback, a lot
12:02
of talent on their offense, a lot of
12:04
speed, defense was pretty good. you know
12:06
that uh their safety number 10 was also
12:09
their punter ex CFL player very good
12:12
well coach obviously Jack Del Rio former
12:15
NFL player and coach so I I think they
12:19
might upset the car a bit with this
12:22
season we'll see they're only going to
12:23
get better you know the first week's
12:25
always a bit strange also they got a
12:27
British as well being faithful so
12:30
>> well
12:32
>> they did win the first game against
12:34
Frankfurt all Yeah, they did.
12:36
>> It was a one-point game, a really tight
12:38
one.
12:39
>> Yeah,
12:39
>> I think uh it's a bit of a tough one
12:40
with uh with the two new leagues because
12:42
you're not
12:44
>> I mean, you essentially have two
12:45
different tables, two different
12:46
rankings, and obviously people will
12:48
combine them and everything, but it's a
12:50
lot harder to
12:53
assume or sort of decide where judge
12:56
where the teams are going to be without
12:58
the opportunity for most of the teams to
13:00
play each other. you know, most of the
13:01
teams that were really badly performing
13:02
last year are now gone and now sort of
13:05
the EFA seems to be a lot of the guys
13:07
who were stable middle of the pack guys.
13:09
So, you know, like Frankfurt, some
13:12
seasons have really good years and some
13:13
seasons they're not so strong. Everybody
13:15
in the league last year had at least
13:17
even record. Nobody had a losing record
13:20
last year that was in this league this
13:21
year. So, um somebody will have to give
13:24
and it'll be tough to see who it is, but
13:26
I think Paris will be one of the uh one
13:27
of the safer ones. then they'll be sort
13:29
of middle of the pack looking towards
13:31
the uh they should make the playoffs.
13:34
>> Well, the next game is actually Prague
13:37
Lions.
13:38
How do you see that one going?
13:41
>> It's an interesting one because I see
13:42
Prague as someone a team that has
13:44
improved massively over the past few
13:46
years. I remember when they first
13:47
started, they were really struggling. Um
13:50
I remember I actually went out there a
13:52
few years ago for the triyouts. They
13:53
were really good. They had a whole new
13:54
coaching setup. The model was completely
13:56
different. Um the general manager
13:58
actually we had a conversation we spoke
14:00
for quite a while about the whole new
14:01
setup and how everything sort of
14:03
changing and how they want to really
14:05
push for the playoffs and push to
14:08
actually you know compete this season
14:10
and the coming season and that I think
14:11
was the year that they changed their
14:12
uniforms and since then they've been
14:14
pretty strong. So they've got a good
14:16
setup there and everything. But
14:18
regardless I do think that Paris are
14:20
very strong this year from what I've
14:22
seen in the first game
14:24
compared both teams played. I think uh
14:27
Paris seem a little bit just that little
14:28
bit stronger. I wouldn't be worried for
14:30
Prague. They've still got some good
14:32
performers and some strong players. I
14:34
just think the first game Storm had
14:36
quite a bit for them.
14:38
But I do think that they'll give a game.
14:40
All the games should be close for most
14:43
of the rest of the season, but I think
14:46
that Paris will come out on top. They
14:47
are just ever so slightly stronger.
14:50
>> I I drove past their stadium when I was
14:52
in Prague. Um they've got a nice little
14:55
cush cushy stadium. Um what do you think
14:57
about these Simon Prague?
15:00
>> Yeah, as said they're a fairly solid
15:03
team. They've got a good quarterback,
15:06
good defense. I I just think well I say
15:08
good defense but a few points against
15:11
Nordic, but I think a lot of teams will.
15:13
But I think they're going to come
15:14
through. They'll hold their own. It's
15:16
always difficult that first week because
15:18
there's no pre-season games and stuff.
15:20
So, it might take a while for them to
15:21
get into the rhythm of things, you know,
15:24
and just go from there. But, I'm sure
15:26
they're going to come through. I don't
15:27
think you're going to get too many teams
15:30
really beating on other teams, if that
15:32
makes sense. You know, it's going to be
15:34
competitive. It's going to be
15:35
competitive and and they are going to
15:37
spring an upset somewhere down the road
15:39
in the season. Something will happen.
15:41
The league's too good and too close, you
15:43
know, in talent wise.
15:45
I think that's one of the main things
15:46
that point you made as well, the point
15:47
about nobody beating up on anyone. We
15:50
don't want to see I mean we've seen a
15:51
big score already in the first game. Two
15:54
big scores, sorry. But we don't want to
15:55
see a team getting beat 40, 50, 60 to
15:59
nothing. It's it's not it's not
16:02
productive to the league. It doesn't
16:03
help anyone. You know, the team that
16:05
gets beaten gets the bricks beaten off
16:07
them. They get embarrassed. They might
16:08
learn a bit from it, but fundamentally
16:10
it's not the same as losing a close
16:12
game. you know,
16:13
>> it hurts morale, it hurts the fan base,
16:15
it hurts the league as a whole.
16:17
>> Do you think
16:18
>> helps close games?
16:19
>> Do you think that's less likely to
16:21
happen in this league, but more
16:24
than likely to happen in the um in the
16:28
AFLA with it being there's a lot of
16:31
unknowns.
16:33
I mean, you know, I I'll be honest, I
16:36
know obviously London Warriors didn't
16:38
announce much quite late on. They've
16:40
been practicing this for a long time.
16:42
Um,
16:43
and they they are definitely going to be
16:45
ready. But in terms of it being a fresh
16:48
a fresh league, do do we think that this
16:50
one's more than likely going to have a
16:53
chance of a 50?
16:55
>> I think more chance.
16:57
>> Um, to my understanding, I'm not sure if
17:00
both leagues exactly do the same thing,
17:01
but I know that the scores are capped at
17:04
35 in terms of point differential. So if
17:06
anyone does get beaten 50 now will only
17:08
count as minus 35 to the uh actual point
17:10
differential. But
17:13
the fact that there are four well
17:15
technically three new teams one promoted
17:18
team and four previously existing two of
17:21
those teams were two of the best teams
17:23
in the league previously.
17:25
Um if you look at last year's scores in
17:28
games between like Ryan Fire and Vienna
17:30
Vikings against
17:32
uh against Berlin Thunder you'll see
17:34
sort of a couple of lopsided scores a
17:36
little bit. So my main concern is not
17:38
necessarily just the new teams but also
17:41
those guys you know their playing
17:43
situation their stadium situation their
17:46
coaching all sorts. You know it didn't
17:48
seem particularly great last year. So
17:51
they're the ones that sort of when I
17:53
first found out about them joining the
17:54
AFLA I was a bit like a lot of people
17:57
were sort of Berlin H interesting. I
17:59
mean location it makes sense and
18:01
everything. Uh I just don't think the
18:03
organization was particularly strong at
18:04
the time but hopefully they can be a lot
18:05
better in this league. Hope they can put
18:07
things together and actually compete
18:08
again. But as for the new teams, I just
18:11
hope that they can hit the ground
18:12
running because, you know, starting your
18:14
season against the Vikings on fire is
18:16
not something that's particularly easy,
18:18
especially if you're still putting your
18:20
your roster together and you're playing
18:22
together for the first time.
18:24
>> I mean, especially Vienna, they were a
18:26
dominant team. Well, so was the Royal
18:28
Fire in the ELF. So, they've got their
18:31
structures in place and it's like, as
18:33
you say, it's can the other teams jump
18:35
on and catch up? Um, I I think there
18:39
could be like a little shock here and
18:40
there and as I said before, the Warriors
18:42
aren't going to go in there just to make
18:43
the numbers up. I mean, they're they're
18:45
there to win and that'll be their
18:46
mentality and good luck to them. I
18:48
really hope they do really well. But,
18:50
you know, Vienna and the fire of, you
18:53
know, they've been there or thereabouts
18:55
for a number of years. So, it be it'd be
18:57
very interesting to see. Be very
18:59
interesting.
19:00
>> I just want to say a lot of people don't
19:01
really understand or a lot of people
19:02
don't realize, of course, that the
19:05
Warriors have already existed. They've
19:06
existed since 2007. A lot of people see
19:08
the Warriors as an expansion team. They
19:10
think it's a brand new team full of guys
19:11
that are being plucked from other teams.
19:13
You know, people who aren't aware of
19:15
British American football wise per se.
19:17
So those guys just like the Roslav
19:19
Panthers, just like the Vienna Vikings,
19:21
just like the T raiders
19:23
and the Prague Lions as well. Actually,
19:25
they all came from other leagues when
19:27
they joined European leagues. They
19:29
already existed in other entities. So
19:32
for them it wasn't as much as creating a
19:35
new team and then creating a new
19:36
culture. It's just essentially expanding
19:38
on what you already have, pushing up,
19:41
you know, signing a few imports to
19:42
complement the squad that you already
19:44
have because the squad of homegrowns
19:45
that they have, you know, the Warriors
19:47
and the Aztecs are very, very, very
19:48
strong. You add in the right imports and
19:51
the right positions and the correct
19:53
coaching parts that you need to add in
19:55
pieces of the puzzle, everything comes
19:57
together really nicely. So, I do think
19:59
some like someone like the Warriors have
20:01
the potential to go very far. I mean,
20:02
they'll be definitely looking at the
20:05
playoffs as a minimum, I think.
20:08
>> Well,
20:09
should we should we put some more energy
20:13
back into the EA before we uh go back to
20:15
London Warriors? Let's finish the EFA
20:16
first because this from what I've seen
20:20
in EFA again, and I'm going to be
20:22
completely transparent with you, I'm
20:25
learning as I'm going. Um but when when
20:27
I was speaking to Simon last week I
20:28
think man Simon's phone was going bing
20:30
bing bing bing bing over the whole the
20:32
games because the the standard the level
20:35
I was like wow this is absolutely
20:37
>> brilliant
20:38
>> um so let's let's keep going with the
20:40
EFA um Raiders Troll now they've got a
20:44
rich history they've won a few titles in
20:46
the past I did a bit of research on
20:47
these do we see them top like Simon who
20:52
do you see topping this this year
20:54
because obviously we've got another
20:55
three teams in the league league which
20:56
we're going to go to shortly but who who
20:58
>> I mean the best teams I think are on you
21:00
know Munich and Nordic Storm by a long
21:02
way but you know Raiders to have had a
21:05
rich history as you said they've been
21:07
well coached they've got awesome
21:09
facilities if you ever get a chance to
21:10
go on YouTube and Google like Raiders 12
21:13
facilities it's unbelievable their
21:16
stadium they've got practice field break
21:18
room uh you know it's almost like a mini
21:22
college like a division three level
21:24
college facilities and stars. They've
21:26
got they did to the NFL one Dro paid for
21:31
the Giants. Um you know again they got a
21:35
rich history. They got a lot of talent.
21:38
Their junior setup is unreal. Um
21:42
>> you know which is a big big thing out
21:44
there. Uh again they live stream the the
21:46
kids games you know they're all well
21:48
coached.
21:49
Again, if if things click with the
21:52
Raiders, they could go on and push for
21:55
the playoffs and and a title. That first
21:58
week, as I said, it's because they don't
21:59
play pre-seasons, it can be a bit of
22:02
finding your feet sort of thing. But I
22:04
think they're solid. They're solid as
22:06
well.
22:08
I would have to agree with them on the
22:10
uh the point you made about the new
22:12
setup is that a lot of these teams that
22:16
I mentioned earlier that came from
22:18
previous leagues and joined the ELF or
22:20
EFA or AFL is that they have youth
22:23
setups. They have teams from other ages.
22:25
They have maybe a B team or a C team.
22:27
They have guys they can lean on, you
22:29
know, that they don't need to constantly
22:32
need to fill the entire roster with
22:34
imports or fill the talent holes with
22:36
those guys. And that really helps
22:38
because you've got guys who are
22:39
constantly developing. It's not just the
22:41
team and then expecting other teams to
22:44
do their job, you know, like. So I think
22:46
that will definitely help them
22:47
especially in the long run in like the
22:50
5, 10 years, 15 years from now where
22:52
players come from the youth setup and
22:54
know that there's a pathway directly to
22:57
semi-professional professional football
22:58
like they will they'll stick around and
23:00
it will really translate into the
23:02
younger age groups. I mean, thing with
23:04
uh Raiders, they've obviously got their
23:07
EFA team. I think they've still got a
23:09
team that play in the Austrian league
23:11
and then they've got a third team as
23:13
well. So, as you say, it's the the debt
23:16
is unreal. Just you think that's a club
23:18
with three three sides plus you've got
23:22
junior football from, you know, under
23:23
13s up to under 18s, all kitted all
23:27
flag. And so, so the the talent, the
23:30
pool is huge just for that club.
23:34
I I'm just looking at the roster that
23:35
they've got on and wiki the Wikipedia
23:37
might be out of date. Um but I'll be
23:40
honest, I'd say 85% of the squad is
23:44
Austrian. Um I can see three American
23:47
imports. U two sorry four Germans, an
23:52
Italian and I'm not even guessing that
23:54
flag and a Canadian. Um but there's not
23:57
as many imports as I thought there would
23:59
be. So, it tells me that the program
24:01
that they have in Austria is is
24:04
absolutely spot on.
24:07
Um, let's move on to the next bunch of
24:08
teams then. Um, so Frankfurt Galaxy.
24:12
Now, we seen them in the weekend. Um,
24:13
they were away. I want to say
24:15
>> I want to say they were home. Galaxy
24:17
were home.
24:20
>> Paris.
24:21
>> Paris, weren't they?
24:23
>> Yes, it was.
24:28
>> Let's have a little look. But um what
24:30
are your thoughts on Frankfurt Galaxy
24:32
then? So
24:34
>> yeah, a fairly solid team. The they've
24:36
got a good quarterback. He played at
24:38
UCLA. So that's yeah, I think that's the
24:40
standard. I think he played starting 19
24:42
games for him. Uh they got a tight end.
24:45
I can't pronounce his name. He's a a
24:47
Spanish guy. He's Mr. Worldwide they
24:50
called him. Uh he's like the the
24:52
European Chelsea type of thing. And
24:54
yeah, defense may be a little bit
24:56
fragile. low line maybe, but again
24:59
they're they're a solid team and they're
25:01
only going to get better and they've got
25:02
a good youth setup and teams around the
25:05
area that they draw players from. All
25:07
those sort of German team seems to have
25:09
that sort of massive player base
25:12
around.
25:13
>> How how many how many games did these
25:15
play?
25:16
>> 10, I think.
25:18
>> 10. Yeah, because um on on Frankfurt's
25:21
website, which I'm just ming on, they've
25:23
got all the home games listed. Um but it
25:26
it I mean in comparison to to Brit Ball
25:30
it is over the same amount of period as
25:32
well because if it they finish up the
25:33
regular season in August and then and
25:35
then go to playoffs. Um interesting
25:40
what what's your thoughts on these
25:41
mates?
25:42
>> I think Alex are an interesting one
25:43
because uh in all of these years that
25:45
we've seen them exist they've never won
25:46
in week one. Um they've lost every
25:49
single time. So them losing by one point
25:51
is the loss is not a surprise to me as
25:54
per se. I think um we'll sort of be able
25:56
to see how they
25:58
are going to be as a team after sort of
26:00
two three weeks. But the league itself
26:04
looks very strong. I like I like the
26:06
products. The Ravens and the Storm on
26:08
the other hand
26:10
look like the two strongest in the
26:11
league at the moment. They look like the
26:13
ones who are going to be competing for,
26:16
you know, the championship at this
26:18
moment in time.
26:19
I think it'll be who can who can keep up
26:21
that momentum for the longest and I
26:23
would like to see when they play against
26:24
each other as well. But I don't have any
26:27
particular worries for any of these
26:29
three teams in terms of performance.
26:34
>> Ravens um Ravens first game is Raiders
26:37
Terrell. That's going to that's going to
26:38
be a scary game. Just then they played
26:41
them. They beat them
26:44
>> 50 something to 30.
26:47
>> Oh, so sorry.
26:52
What what what so you think from what I
26:55
gathered there, you think Munich Ravens
26:56
are the favorites to win it?
26:58
>> I I think so. I mean that they they were
27:00
good in the ELF, got a good quarterback.
27:03
They think they've signed up a few
27:05
Stoutgart players who Stogart Serge won
27:07
the ELF final last year, but
27:09
unfortunately folded. They picked some
27:11
of them up. They got wicked receivers.
27:14
They got GA I think it was from
27:16
Stoutgart as a slot receiver. Uh you
27:20
know great quarterback in table, massive
27:22
O line, good running game, good defense.
27:25
The head coach is a defensiveminded
27:27
coach. I I really think that that's the
27:30
it'll be my opinion be them and Nordic
27:33
in the final and that'll be a great
27:34
game. They don't actually play each
27:36
other till week seven. So we got quite a
27:38
long wait before they even play each
27:39
other. So and obviously a lot can happen
27:42
in that time. It be interesting to see
27:43
how they get on when they play each
27:45
other. And I do think they'll be the
27:46
ones that, you know, unless the playoffs
27:48
throw up a surprise of some sort that
27:51
puts them two against each other before
27:52
the final. I wouldn't be surprised
27:55
seeing these two in the final. You know,
27:56
both of them have very strong run games.
27:58
You know, Storm, they've got obviously
28:00
Clark at quarterback who we know how
28:01
strong he is and how dominant. Glen
28:03
Tunga, arguably the best running back in
28:05
all of Europe. That guy is superhuman.
28:07
Literally just insane stuff that he
28:10
does. Um, but yeah, I've I've not really
28:13
seen anybody be able to stop him as per
28:16
se. So, uh, and again, the Ravens with
28:19
their strong offense, but they did give
28:20
up 30 points against Troll as well. So,
28:24
>> you're going to be asking questions when
28:26
you're giving that amount points up
28:27
against
28:28
>> because it could be a situation where
28:29
maybe the Ravens have the stronger
28:30
offense and the Storm have the stronger
28:32
defense or maybe alo we're looking at
28:33
different opposition because they're
28:34
playing against they played against
28:36
different guys, you know, um, maybe they
28:38
was more prepared for Prague's offense.
28:40
So, it'll be interesting to see how they
28:41
get on when they play against each other
28:42
over the next few weeks.
28:45
>> Do you see any of these teams losing
28:47
players because of this other league
28:48
being set up?
28:51
>> What going to the rival European league?
28:55
>> I don't know.
28:57
>> I don't know what the score I don't know
28:58
if they have to sign a contract to that
29:00
team particularly if it's sort of the
29:02
semi-pro pro level. So, I don't know if
29:05
it's quite as easy as just saying I'm
29:07
off. I I I don't know uh what the
29:10
contractual situation is.
29:12
>> Yeah. The only worry that I had um was
29:16
initially for the Paris Musketeers
29:18
and that was obviously because
29:20
>> in the other league we have another team
29:22
from Paris. Um but when it comes to the
29:26
population of the metro areas,
29:30
if there are two cities in Europe that I
29:32
think could hold two teams, it would be
29:35
London and Paris. And that's nothing to
29:37
do with the talent in the countries
29:38
because obviously we've seen how
29:39
talented, you know, Germany and Austria
29:41
are when it comes to this sport, but
29:44
it's more so the fact that London and
29:46
Paris are just so much more populated
29:47
than every other city in Europe
29:51
that if they were able to attract people
29:54
to the stadium, then I think that
29:56
hypothetically you could do two. But in
29:58
terms of the talent drain, I don't know
30:00
how it would work. Only time will tell
30:02
because of course we've seen the
30:03
musketeers still play well. We haven't
30:05
seen the Paris Lights play yet. So,
30:08
if they can both compete in in their
30:11
respective leagues, then they can show
30:12
it can be done and then there could be a
30:14
potential. But if it doesn't work out,
30:16
then there might have to be a situation
30:17
where one of them moves out of the city,
30:20
which I'm not sure how that would work,
30:21
but that would be interesting to see.
30:23
Um, I know that some of the players have
30:25
moved over. So, some guys who were at
30:27
the musketeers last year at the lights
30:29
this year. Um,
30:32
some guys I think had signed for one
30:33
team and then moved over to the other
30:34
team. But it's something that doesn't
30:37
really surprise me as well given the
30:39
uncertainty before any before a ball was
30:41
snapped, before a ball was kicked.
30:43
People didn't know what was happening
30:44
with some of the leagues. You know,
30:45
people didn't know which is going to be
30:46
the better league, which is going to be
30:48
stronger, which is going to survive
30:49
more, which team is more believable to
30:51
join, whichever product is more
30:53
marketable, etc., etc. So, I'm not
30:56
surprised that some of the guys decided
30:57
to jump ship from one team to another. I
30:59
don't think either team have really had
31:01
any struggles fill in their rosters. So,
31:04
it's not something that I worry about as
31:06
much today, but it would be interesting
31:09
to see when the when the play comes in.
31:11
If one team is pushing for the playoffs
31:14
and the other team is, you know, towards
31:17
the bottom of their standings, it might
31:19
be interesting to see what happens from
31:21
then on and then in the offseason as
31:23
well.
31:26
Yeah. Um, it's just an interesting
31:28
thought because like I said when when it
31:31
was announced London Warriors were doing
31:32
what they were doing. Um,
31:36
I thought London would benefit from it
31:38
from teams around them because some
31:40
players, you know, that's what they
31:42
dream of. Um, and then they'd lose
31:44
players who did want to, you know, do
31:46
all the traveling.
31:48
But then were they really players, you
31:51
know, potentially that they wanted to
31:52
keep? It's it's a bit of a mad one, but
31:54
um let's back to it. Nordic Storm.
31:58
Simon, what are your thoughts on Nordic?
32:01
>> Very very good. As touched earlier, they
32:04
got Glen Junger at running back. I mean,
32:06
that that guy is awesome. I mean, he
32:08
really is a a great back. Unfortunately,
32:10
last year he tore his Achilles early on
32:12
in the season, but he's sort of come
32:14
back. He he looked to me looks a little
32:16
bit leaner, a little bit lighter. I
32:17
don't know if that was planned or just
32:19
how it looks. perhaps put a little less
32:22
strain on his Achilles, but the guy's
32:24
back to, you know, rushing the ball and
32:26
playing brilliantly. They got a good
32:28
quarterback in that Jun Clark, good
32:30
receivers, big O line. They they run a
32:33
more, shall we say, pro style off bench
32:35
with QBs under centers, two backs.
32:38
They're well coached again. They got
32:40
it's basically two countries, I think,
32:42
and it's Sweden and Denmark combined to
32:44
make the the storm.
32:46
>> Yeah, and Mar.
32:48
>> Yeah. And you know there's again there's
32:50
talent there in in both those countries
32:52
and they're going to be there.
32:58
>> It's good to see a Brit
33:00
playing really well. Shows you the
33:02
talent we've got actually in this
33:03
country, you know.
33:04
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, they've they've got
33:07
their own stadium as well. I'm just
33:09
looking on the website. They've got like
33:10
a DJ getting the crowd ready and stuff.
33:13
Um and that stadium is full as well. Um
33:16
cheerleaders, all that jazz.
33:18
Um yeah, I mean the pitch as well, the
33:22
whole thing just looks absolutely set up
33:23
for an American football team. It looks
33:25
absolutely brilliant and they've got a
33:27
bar
33:28
>> such an important thing and I just want
33:29
to touch on that actually you mentioned
33:31
stadiums something that is really
33:33
important of course for this league. Um
33:34
and of course going back to Britull the
33:36
point that we were making about Britull
33:38
is that of course if more teams can play
33:39
in stadiums
33:41
it's more of a marketable product. you
33:43
know, the the league itself gets better.
33:45
It becomes more believable and more
33:46
marketable
33:48
and easier to support if you actually
33:50
have stadiums where, you know, they have
33:52
bars, they have amenities, they have VIP
33:54
sections, you know, they have different
33:57
options for people rather than just a
33:59
field where you go and sit on the side
34:00
because fundamentally that's what it is.
34:02
And I see American football in this
34:04
country, I see it as, you know, the
34:05
talent the talent pool is quite high.
34:08
It's quite similar. It's not far off,
34:10
for example, some levels of rugby where
34:12
a similar level of rugby. They might
34:14
have a whole rugby club and a whole, you
34:16
know, stadium in the pitch or whatever.
34:17
And these guys, some of these guys are
34:19
playing on
34:21
parks that are painted on, you know,
34:22
it's the difference is almost night and
34:24
day sometimes. And I think that the
34:26
talent is definitely there for it. The
34:28
position, the options, the opportunity,
34:30
it's all definitely there for it. We
34:32
just have to as a sport, it just needs
34:34
to be grasped. And that's one thing I
34:36
think that the EFA and EFL are doing
34:38
quite well with um the sporting venues
34:42
really well is what I'd say.
34:44
>> I mean it's something I've said to
34:45
Matteo before as well that I think at
34:48
the top level everyone's got to start
34:50
wearing the same kit, you know, matching
34:52
helmets, shirts.
34:54
>> Yeah.
34:55
>> It's just marketable. I mean, you turn
34:57
on, as I said to the tail before, you
34:59
turn on uh like a football game or a
35:02
rugby game, even at a lower level,
35:05
they're not running that in different
35:06
colored shorts and stuff, you know, and
35:08
you get that people with different
35:10
helmet. I don't want to call teams out
35:12
cuz of, you know, it's not fair. But you
35:14
see some teams, you know, they've got
35:16
black helmets, white helmets, you know,
35:18
it doesn't look good. I can understand
35:21
it at a junior level or a lower level
35:23
where it's a bit, you know, big borrow
35:25
deal for equipment. You can't, you know,
35:27
you're a new team or young kids or
35:29
whatever. But when it's that top Premier
35:31
League or the top tier, everyone should
35:34
look the same. I think it's just more
35:36
marketable. If you're Mr. X businessman
35:38
who wants to invest the money, you look
35:40
at it like that and you think, well, why
35:42
are they wearing different colored
35:43
helmets or
35:44
>> Mhm.
35:46
>> Well, do do you not think then then
35:48
because I agree with you. I think the
35:51
only people who disagree with you are
35:52
the people who've got the wrong colored
35:53
lid. Does that need to be made
35:56
enforcable by baff then? So like um
35:59
what's your lid color for the season? Is
36:02
it right? It's black. Okay.
36:04
Part you if you if a player comes on
36:07
with the wrong like with a white lid on
36:09
there's a foul because he's on the
36:11
pitch, you know, or something like that
36:12
or it's just not allowed point blank or
36:14
whatever.
36:15
>> It's tough to do because it's an amateur
36:17
sport. So I mean you can't necessarily
36:20
find individuals because they might just
36:22
say I'll go and do something else. But I
36:25
think it's more of a a pride thing for
36:27
the team to want to look the part as it
36:30
were at that sort of level at the top
36:32
level. If you want to go further, get
36:34
investment to go on a little bit
36:35
further. I mean, also surely there's got
36:38
to be ex players or players who retired
36:40
through injuries or whatever or just
36:41
don't want to play no more have got
36:43
helmets that are in the club color. You
36:46
buy them off of them. Um
36:49
>> yeah, people people do do that. There's
36:52
a there's a page set up for it because
36:53
it's funny because anytime someone posts
36:55
something in there, you know, that isn't
36:56
American football equipment, they get
36:58
loads of saki comments which I love. I
37:00
think it's hilarious. But
37:02
the the thing where going back to way
37:05
baff you can't play if you got the wrong
37:07
colored lid is um we're asking for a
37:11
semi-pro league. We're asking for, you
37:12
know, maybe the Prem to be semi-pro, you
37:14
know, shouts for stuff like that. Um,
37:17
you could be in that that semi-pro
37:19
league if that happened in two seasons.
37:21
You've got to have the right culture.
37:22
You've got to have the right discipline.
37:24
It, you know, there's places all close
37:28
to absolutely everyone that can spray
37:29
paint or layer someone's lid for them.
37:32
You know,
37:34
>> who do that? Um, previous teams have had
37:36
guys who have done that or they'll ask
37:39
you to buy a new helmet or ask you to
37:42
buy a certain color face cage. you know
37:44
certain I think it needs to be done in a
37:47
certain way where it's you know an
37:49
announcement is made and it's the league
37:52
will become
37:54
semi-professional in this amount of time
37:55
or this is these are the changes that we
37:57
want to make to make the league a little
37:59
bit more professional and by certain by
38:02
like for example by next year everyone
38:04
has to have the same color helmet or if
38:06
they play again like it needs to be a
38:08
punishment a team punishment so last
38:11
year we played against a team who didn't
38:14
have a change of uniform. We wore black,
38:16
they wore very dark gray,
38:19
and before every half they had to lose a
38:23
timeout and take a 15 penalty. Now,
38:25
who's to say that if they have players
38:27
on their team, whether or not they're on
38:28
the pitch or not, that the team has to
38:31
take a penalty every time that those
38:33
guys are on. Or it could be a penalty
38:35
every time
38:38
those guys are, you know, sort of there,
38:41
but then another like a larger penalty
38:43
every time they're on the field or
38:44
something that would then punish the
38:46
team, but not the player and incentivize
38:48
the player to get the correct uniform,
38:50
if that makes sense.
38:52
I I don't think you can do as a penalty
38:54
on on the pitch because for every time
38:56
the the the play occurred. I think the
38:58
only way to do it would be right your
39:00
home kit is this. Your away you you've
39:03
got to have an away kit.
39:06
>> Yeah. Your home kit is this. Your away
39:08
kit is this. Your lids. What color are
39:10
your lids? White. Okay. There's no black
39:12
lids. There's no red lids. There's no
39:14
purple. It's just that color. And then
39:17
and then you know the league to dictate
39:20
you know obviously so let's say your
39:22
team's at home and you wear black um my
39:25
team's away and we wear black they'd
39:27
make us wear our other colored kit like
39:28
our home kit which is red. Um you know
39:32
not where it's punishable for the home
39:34
team. You know these are the minimum
39:36
standards for me we we we should have.
39:39
Um,
39:41
and you know, I get it's an amateur
39:43
sport, but at what point you you start
39:46
acting like a semi-professional team to
39:48
make it a semi-professional team? You
39:50
know, it's I don't think it's it's
39:52
nothing hard people are asking, Simon. I
39:54
agree with you on it completely.
39:56
>> Let's take the AFL out and like the EFA
39:59
and that. I've watched a lot of European
40:01
football like the GFL, the Italian
40:04
league, the Spanish league, all of these
40:07
sort of European leagues and if you
40:09
watch the top top level, they're all
40:12
wearing matching kit. They've all got
40:14
their own YouTube channels that there's
40:16
a league or there's that Polish league
40:19
that um you know that Bristol played
40:21
against. They all wear the same kit.
40:24
They all they've got their own
40:26
structure. You know, everyone looks the
40:29
part. There's no, oh, he's got a green
40:30
lid. He's got, you know, teams wear
40:32
black. That's how they do it. They must
40:34
have the rules are enforced by the
40:37
league to say if you're going to play at
40:38
this level, this is what you got to
40:40
wear.
40:41
>> And I'm just thinking or the funding
40:44
>> or both.
40:45
>> Sorry.
40:45
>> It's either the rules or the funding or
40:47
both.
40:48
>> Yeah.
40:48
>> Exactly the same as every other sport,
40:50
right? Have you ever seen even a Sunday
40:53
league football team, right? Football
40:55
with the kick about with the feet. You
40:57
ever see a sudden league football team
40:58
where guys are wearing different colored
41:00
shorts? You know, you'll never go to a
41:02
Newcastle game where a guy is wearing
41:04
purple shorts just cuz he feels like it.
41:07
You know, that's not the kit. Whereas in
41:09
other It's I understand it's more likely
41:11
to happen at uni wall because, you know,
41:13
guys will play for their teams, they'll
41:15
play for their senior teams, then
41:17
they'll go back to uni, play for their
41:18
local team, and sometimes you have
41:20
different kits and, you know, it's not
41:22
easy to spray a kit and then four, five,
41:24
six months later spray it back. most
41:26
people don't have two helmets. So in
41:28
that sense maybe it's a little bit more
41:30
understandable and some teams will some
41:32
players will prioritize their uni team
41:34
and some players will prioritize their
41:35
um adult team. So in that sense I can
41:40
understand but there still needs to be
41:42
some sort of concrete rule. I think one
41:45
league needs to take priority over
41:46
another or something like that because
41:50
otherwise you'll always end up with
41:52
that. you know, you go to like, for
41:53
example, America, um the guys play for a
41:57
high school team, they play for a
41:58
college team, then they go to the NFL or
42:00
they go to the or whoever. It's rare
42:02
that they'll play for two teams at once.
42:04
Like in the UK, like you'll play for you
42:07
might go to Uni of Leicester and then
42:09
you play for say the London Blitz for
42:11
example, you know, like they wear two
42:14
different kits, they might wear two
42:15
different helmets
42:17
and then it's it's then a money money
42:19
issue and all sorts. So, in that I
42:21
understand, but
42:24
>> sorry, I've just got a free um I'll tell
42:26
you after this. I've just got a lovely
42:28
football pass for free. Sorry.
42:30
>> Go on. Spread the news.
42:33
>> Spread the news.
42:33
>> Um AFL um and do you know what we we are
42:38
talking about them? Right. Literally
42:39
just got up. Right. Okay. Sorry. Perk's
42:41
doing this. Um
42:44
do you know what? I will say this
42:45
because I I don't want to be too
42:47
negative. um as a football fan me I've
42:50
never been more excited um than than now
42:54
because I feel like there's more and
42:56
more funding getting put over here you
42:58
know um I know they got the union um
43:01
jack thing going on with they they just
43:03
announced the wide receiver class I
43:04
think stuff like that's great if we can
43:06
get more of it up and down the UK
43:08
including Scotland including Wales um
43:11
but there's things we need to do as well
43:13
so like you mentioned Scot I've
43:14
mentioned Scotland and Wales there
43:17
um we need more teams in Wales. We need
43:19
more teams in Scotland. And it's not
43:20
trying to have a dig. I love Scotland.
43:22
Um I love Wales. Um we just want more
43:25
and it's got
43:26
>> at the right level with the right
43:28
culture doing the right things as we do.
43:30
>> You don't like Ireland as well?
43:35
>> You said Scotland and Wales. You didn't
43:36
say anything about Ireland.
43:38
>> Well, yeah, but we don't we don't play
43:39
any teams in Northern Ireland here,
43:41
fortunately. I mean, I I would love to.
43:43
I'd look like next time I'm in back in
43:46
Fort Collins, Loveland, Fort Collins in
43:49
Colorado. Um I'm absolutely taking my
43:52
cleats over and I'm gonna go, you know,
43:54
play a bit with
43:55
>> them. Irish teams will be part of the
43:57
British um playoffs.
43:59
>> You know, Belf Belfast Trojans's great.
44:03
>> Yeah. Um you know, great team. The game
44:06
against um Bristol, obviously they got
44:10
beat. Um it'd be great to see them do
44:12
the return fixture at Belfast ground as
44:14
as well.
44:15
>> It'll be interesting because obviously
44:16
they've been beaten but the the score
44:18
lines that they've been beaten by the
44:19
score line they were beaten by was quite
44:20
similar to the score line that the
44:22
Aztecs have had over the other teams. So
44:24
I look at it like the Belfast Trojans
44:26
could compete and have entertaining
44:29
games against the London maybe the
44:30
London Blitz, the Wembley Stallions, the
44:32
Cambridge Cats, Russian these guys,
44:35
they'll be entertaining games.
44:38
I I do think though that and I think
44:40
Simon's going to agree with me on this
44:42
one. Um they knew all that um Bristol
44:46
knew that all the eyes were on them for
44:47
that game and I think they went above
44:49
and beyond to smash it. They prepped,
44:51
they researched that team like
44:53
absolutely anything. They were all set,
44:55
ready, good to go for that one.
44:58
>> Yeah, they were they were I mean I think
45:00
the Irish League had been playing for a
45:02
few weeks and again they live stream a
45:04
lot of their games. So, I should imagine
45:06
Bristol's coaches were having a a little
45:08
lookie lookie at their uh what they were
45:11
doing and where they are. And again,
45:12
they had to hit the ground running. They
45:14
had to get that wind with all the sort
45:16
of roll of publicity behind them
45:20
what they're doing this year.
45:22
>> Well, going back to the Ireland um
45:24
setup, the Irish national team beat the
45:26
Dutch national team in the game and and
45:28
Holland have been playing football for a
45:30
long time. They got some they've got had
45:32
some good teams out there and uh I think
45:35
they're coached by Rick Aayou who used
45:37
to be the Olympians coach so that their
45:39
standard is only going to get better as
45:41
well.
45:41
>> Is that the Ireland team or the
45:43
Netherlands team?
45:44
>> The Irish national team
45:46
>> Irish national team coached by Rick and
45:48
Tristan.
45:49
>> I'm sure he's involved.
45:51
Yeah.
45:52
>> Head coaching at the Olympians.
45:55
Should
45:56
>> Should we get on to the AFL?
45:58
>> Yes.
46:00
Um, I'll let you run this one, mate.
46:04
So, you you can leave.
46:05
>> I'll start with this conference here.
46:06
This is the uh what is it? The Northwest
46:09
Conference. Of course, we all know about
46:11
the Ryan Fire. Um, in fact, this isn't
46:13
the conference cuz they're in the wrong
46:14
order, aren't they?
46:16
>> They're all wrong. I saw Ryan Fire,
46:19
right? So, of course, Fire Vikings and
46:21
the Berlin Thunder. Of course, people
46:23
know about them. They've been in the
46:24
previous leagues. the Berlin Thunder.
46:26
Uh, of all of the teams in this league,
46:29
I believe the Vikings and the Warriors
46:31
are the oldest teams because they were
46:33
previously in different leagues, but the
46:35
Thunder are the oldest otherwise.
46:37
Uh, it's been quite interesting with
46:39
them. Of course, we got the Ryan Fire
46:40
being a Vikings, multiple
46:43
ELF champions, Alpine Rams, brand new
46:46
team that joined. Well, we saw them turn
46:49
up. We didn't know what league they were
46:50
going to be in for ages cuz everyone saw
46:52
their Instagram and their page and they
46:53
were posting and everything. We didn't
46:54
know where they were going to be until
46:56
they announced they'll joining this
46:57
league. And then of course you got the
46:59
Fenz Red Lions, the Ros Panthers, London
47:02
Warriors,
47:05
and there's one I can't even see cuz
47:09
the one that will come back, Paris
47:10
Lights, it will come back to. They're
47:12
all new teams. Sorry, they're not all
47:14
new teams. The Panthers have been around
47:15
for a while. The Warriors have been
47:16
around for a while. They're new to this
47:17
league. The Red Lions and the Lights are
47:19
new teams.
47:21
be interesting to what you said earlier,
47:22
the point you said earlier about the
47:24
brand new teams having to hit the ground
47:26
running and it being potentially a more
47:29
open, if that makes sense, more open
47:30
league compared to the other league. So,
47:34
I think it'll be more of a challenge for
47:36
these guys to
47:38
compete because the guys that they're
47:40
competing against are a bit stronger. Of
47:42
course, we know how strong those teams
47:43
are, the other guys as well. Uh, the
47:45
Warriors are strong, but I think the
47:47
unknown ones are the Red Lions
47:50
be mostly the Red Lions to be fair. The
47:51
Rams and the Lights, I think they're
47:53
more of the unknowns, whereas we sort of
47:56
know where the other guys are going to
47:57
slot in. I think the Panthers and
48:00
Warriors game will be really tight, but
48:01
that will tell us a lot about the
48:02
Warriors and the Panthers in terms of
48:04
where the Warriors are. That will tell
48:06
us a lot. If the Warriors can come out
48:07
of that with a big win, then I'd say I
48:10
feel confident enough to say I have high
48:11
hopes for them for this season. If it's
48:13
a loss, if it's a tough loss,
48:17
bit of a reality check to be fair. Um
48:19
then I sort of hoping that they just
48:21
compete for the rest of the season
48:22
really.
48:24
>> Where Simon, where do you do you see
48:26
this league growing in numbers quickly
48:28
or slowly or not growing at all?
48:31
>> As it is, I think hopefully like no
48:34
clubs will fold at the end of the year
48:36
and I think just settle with what
48:38
they've got for a season or so. just uh
48:41
build their product, let the team
48:43
settle, create some rivalries,
48:46
and then maybe look to expand. Uh I
48:49
don't know if long term you can have two
48:51
of these big European teams and want to
48:53
take over the other one or they merge.
48:56
Who knows? But I think just for this
48:58
season, I think they just look to keep
49:00
as they are. And um I think that's a
49:04
nice size eight teams. I think that's
49:05
just about right at the moment.
49:10
>> 18 league about say eight league team. I
49:13
prefer the size of an eight team league
49:15
to a 16 league. even though, you know,
49:17
probably the same number of games and
49:19
they do straight round robin as opposed
49:20
to these guys with conferences,
49:24
>> but I like I like the size, but I think
49:28
if they were obviously eventually to
49:30
merge, if they were to merge eventually,
49:33
you know, it' be a much bigger, better
49:36
product. It's just that's something I'm
49:39
not really going to talk about at this
49:40
moment in time because it won't happen
49:42
for a while.
49:44
Yeah, it's just I mean, look, I'll be
49:47
honest. I I think it looks brilliant and
49:51
I really really want it to work. Um, you
49:54
know, we it for anyone who who has, you
49:57
know, the news should be out right now,
49:59
this episode's recorded on a Thursday,
50:01
airs on a Friday. We found out today
50:04
that the indoor arena league is
50:06
completely stopped Europe in the UK. And
50:09
look lot the look I'm not going to play
50:12
um you know devil's I'll play you know
50:14
devil's advocate with it. We all knew it
50:17
wasn't going to be great. It wasn't
50:19
promoted properly. You know the you know
50:21
there was so many warning signs at the
50:22
beginning and loads of players have been
50:25
you know abandoned in Europe brought
50:28
with the incorrect visa into the country
50:30
so on and so forth not paid. But
50:34
we want every bit of football to work,
50:36
but we've got to call it out when it
50:38
doesn't work. For me, this looks like
50:40
it's going to work and it's going to
50:42
work at a good level. And unfortunately,
50:44
there will be people that don't want it
50:46
to work and for the wrong reasons.
50:49
I think this league looks great.
50:51
>> Mhm.
50:53
>> I I really do. the f the first weekend
50:56
is free if I'm I'm right in saying so we
50:58
can all look at it see if we like it and
51:00
then for the full season pass it's 50
51:02
pound
51:02
>> 50 euros
51:05
something 40 something I don't know
51:08
>> the exchange rates are always chopping
51:09
and changing I don't even know how much
51:11
50 quid is nowadays to be fair
51:14
>> let's not be too political
51:18
>> this should be a
51:20
mon close enough to 50 something
51:23
thereabouts thereabouts in the region.
51:25
Um for that that money as well and
51:28
replays and I think they're going to add
51:30
in uh interviews and stuff like that on
51:33
there. The other thing as well they have
51:36
I think Vienna had a scrimmage that they
51:38
used to test out the camera angles and
51:41
stuff. So they've got a lot more excuse
51:44
me think like a professional setup as it
51:47
were the TV cameras. So
51:51
excuse me. We just have to see how it
51:53
goes. I think the Legion would be be
51:55
fine.
51:56
>> I think I wouldn't call these concerns,
51:58
but more questions in a way. Um maybe
52:01
rhetorical question. Of course, um it's
52:04
known that the EFA is obviously showing
52:07
most if not all their games on YouTube
52:09
and this one obviously going to be
52:10
behind a p
52:14
essentially. Oh,
52:16
>> the question is
52:19
>> okay. Essentially, the question was,
52:22
are people or how willing are people
52:24
going to be to buy the game pass when
52:27
you have another league competing almost
52:29
directly against you guys that is free?
52:30
Now, I don't think people are going to
52:32
turn around and say, "Well, this league
52:34
is free. That league is 40 quid or
52:36
whatever. I'm going to watch that one
52:37
because it's free." Because end of the
52:38
day, if you want to watch the football,
52:39
you're going to watch the football. And
52:41
if it's quality football, that's all
52:43
that matters, right?
52:45
But the question that I have for both
52:47
leagues is bums on seats because we had
52:51
those numbers. We have the numbers that
52:53
we know about from the ELF. Some of the
52:55
numbers maybe people are a little bit
52:57
skeptical because you know with the
52:59
league splitting into two um with a lot
53:01
of announcements not being made or being
53:03
made quite late, people maybe lost a bit
53:06
of confidence and thought, you know
53:07
what, I'm going to sit at home this year
53:09
or whatever it is. there's been not as
53:11
much promotion
53:12
um by some teams.
53:15
Similar to what some people are saying
53:17
with the UFFL over in America um similar
53:20
problems, similar issues. I wouldn't
53:21
really call them problems. Maybe
53:23
questions that people are asking. But I
53:25
would like to see the numbers come back.
53:26
I would like to see every team in an
53:28
ideal situation, every team doubles,
53:31
triples, quadruples its numbers of um
53:33
fans in the stands and we're all drawing
53:35
10,000 minimum.
53:38
But that that's a pipe dream. It will
53:40
take years of work, but for the time
53:42
being, for the numbers that I've seen
53:44
aren't as high as the numbers that have
53:45
been previously seen from like guys like
53:48
Ranfire, Frankfurt Galaxy, you know, so
53:52
that's the only question I have is the
53:53
numbers. Are people still going to be
53:56
going to the stadium or are people sort
53:57
of concerned about the product or the
54:00
lack thereof or have people been
54:02
convinced after the first week? That's
54:04
what I'm really thinking of. Well, I
54:06
think on that point that people perhaps
54:09
were a little bit, oh, do I want to buy
54:11
a ticket? Is it going to work? Is it
54:13
going to fold before the season even
54:14
starts? Once it's played on three, four
54:17
weeks and the football's good, I think
54:19
you're going to get people going to
54:20
these games. I really do. I think it's
54:22
there probably a little bit where where
54:24
it was all split from the ELF and
54:26
everything and people perhaps a bit of
54:28
arguing backwards and forwards of what
54:30
league's going to team's going to go to
54:31
what league. Now, it's all settled. Once
54:34
the football starts playing and people
54:37
see the product, they're going to start
54:38
going, "Okay, we're going watch this the
54:40
games." Yeah. And I think you will
54:42
probably mid-season get a swing back to
54:46
the good old crowds as it were, you
54:47
know, and people going to these matches.
54:49
>> Mhm. It really be a good atmosphere if
54:51
we could get good numbers, you know, at
54:53
least 5k
54:55
will be brilliant. But I don't know how
54:57
many I don't have the figures or
54:58
anything or the numbers, but it'd be
55:00
interesting to see how many the Warriors
55:01
pull for their first game. Of course, it
55:03
was announced pretty late where they'd
55:05
be playing. Um, and the tickets have
55:07
only been on sale for, I think, a few
55:09
days now, and the game's this weekend.
55:10
So,
55:12
>> have you got yours?
55:13
>> Not yet. I will get mine straight after
55:14
this. Straight after. So, by the time
55:17
you guys are watching, I'll have my
55:18
ticket already.
55:19
>> Um,
55:20
>> okay. Cuz
55:23
to get it, but
55:25
>> TD TD UK, one of our guys to go and do
55:29
loads of media work for us.
55:30
>> We'll need that. That'll be done.
55:33
But yeah, no, it'll be interesting to
55:35
see. I mean, hopefully they get a good
55:36
crowd because obviously there's a short
55:37
time short turnaround and I don't know
55:38
how much advertising they've been doing.
55:40
But that's sort of the only question
55:42
that people have is of course when
55:44
there's not much time to buy tickets,
55:46
how much awareness is, but sorry to cut
55:49
you off.
55:50
>> No, it's okay. I was going to say the
55:52
thing with British people are, you know,
55:54
we're a bit of a if it's a if they start
55:57
winning, they get a lot of fans going,
55:58
you know, it's one of those things.
56:00
People like a winner, don't they? bought
56:01
a winner. So I don't know how many of
56:04
these games will clash with BAFA games,
56:07
you know, any of the Warrior games
56:09
because that's obviously some of the
56:10
target audience will be people who
56:12
perhaps play uh for BAFA teams like
56:16
locally like the Blitz or uh you know
56:18
Wembley Stallions and and even people
56:20
from further field who will travel down
56:22
to watch. I think they're going to be a
56:24
bit knocked this weekend because it's
56:27
everything's last minute. you know, uh
56:28
the the stadium got late. The tickets
56:32
are announced. You know, it's Thursday
56:33
now, they're playing Sunday, so they
56:36
might have to take a knock this week,
56:38
but you know, they start winning, people
56:39
will will go, you know,
56:41
>> definitely. Um I do think that they I
56:44
mean, people, it's easy to forget, of
56:46
course, they've got tons and tons of
56:47
friends and family, you know, the
56:49
they've got a lot of players who either
56:51
play for that team or have been
56:52
associated with that team, guys who have
56:54
gone on to do all sorts of different
56:56
things. So, I don't think they're
56:58
particularly short of fans in terms of,
57:01
you know, the close ones around. People
57:02
will still go to watch, but again, it's
57:05
it's the locals. It's the complete
57:06
randoms from up and down the road who
57:10
don't have any friends or family that
57:12
play the sport. They just really like
57:13
watching the NFL and just don't know
57:15
that the sport is even played in this
57:16
country. We have so many of those guys.
57:20
>> Yeah. I work with a few of them. They
57:21
didn't know there was a British league.
57:23
I mean, it's amazing really. It's
57:25
unbelievable when I tell people I play.
57:27
Even to this day, people like surprised.
57:28
They're like, "Really? In this country?
57:30
Like, where'd you play?" Like, it's
57:32
crazy. But it's huge. It's It's growing
57:34
and it's huge in this country. And it's
57:36
like, you know, nobody would ever say if
57:38
I said to someone, "Oh, I play rugby."
57:39
No one's ever like, "Really? What?" But
57:41
American football is I mean, it's the
57:43
talent level in this country is very
57:45
similar to
57:47
give or take maybe a few positions.
57:49
Obviously, the quarterbacks aren't quite
57:50
the same as Americans.
57:55
Well, gents, um,
57:59
be good to do this again. Very, very
58:01
interesting. Um, we we're going to post
58:04
the results as well of of the games to
58:06
keep people in the loop. Um, and I'm
58:09
pretty sure we're looking for more
58:11
people to join the show.
58:13
>> Mid-season sort of temperature check on
58:15
how it's all gone, you know, after four
58:17
or five weeks of matches. sister.
58:23
>> Yeah. Well, um, mate, I'm going to let
58:25
you close it out. It's your show.
58:28
>> Well, of course, we've got a couple of
58:30
games coming up this weekend. So,
58:31
there'll be a lot more to talk about.
58:33
Stay in touch. Stay tuned because there
58:34
will be more action coming up as and
58:36
when next week. You know, I can cannot
58:38
wait to speak to you guys, hear from you
58:40
guys again. It's been lovely presenting
58:42
the first episode of this new Third and
58:44
99 show. Viewers, it's been amazing.
58:46
It's been an absolute pleasure. Can't
58:48
wait to see you guys back. Cannot wait
58:50
to see you again next week. Thank you
58:52
from myself, Matteo, and Simon. All the
58:55
best.
58:57
Good luck to the warriors as well.