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Transcript

4th & Lecture Episode one · TDUK

• 0:10
  Heat.
• 0:47
  Heat. Heat.
• 1:00
  Hello. Hello. We are coming to the end
• 1:03
  of the Britall summer season, which
• 1:04
  means it's almost time for Uniball to
• 1:06
  make a return. So, welcome to the first
• 1:09
  ever episode of Fourth and Lecture,
• 1:11
  brand new podcast series where every
• 1:13
  week we'll be breaking down and talking
• 1:14
  about everything going on in the world
• 1:16
  of British American football. We're
• 1:19
  recording on Saturday the 18th of July
• 1:21
  and I believe we're aiming to publish
• 1:24
  this tomorrow. So, hello to everyone
• 1:27
  watching from the future. And shout out
• 1:29
  to anyone joining us on the audio
• 1:31
  platforms. I believe this is going up on
• 1:33
  Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
• 1:36
  And if any news breaks in the next 24
• 1:39
  hours, forgive us. We're doing our best
• 1:41
  once we get a little bit closer to the
• 1:42
  season starting. This will be a live
• 1:44
  show and we'd love to have as many
• 1:46
  people involved with that as we
• 1:47
  physically can. But without any further
• 1:50
  ado, with me hopefully for the whole
• 1:52
  season, I've got Joe and Shiv, fellas.
• 1:56
  >> Hello.
• 1:56
  >> It feels like it was literally 10
• 1:58
  minutes ago. We were at Books Touchdown
• 2:00
  Tuesday watching Bournemouth, Brunell,
• 2:02
  and Durham take home the honors. And how
• 2:05
  excited are we that it's all coming
• 2:07
  round again?
• 2:08
  >> I can't wait. I'm so excited.
• 2:11
  >> It's unbelievable, isn't it, how quick
• 2:12
  it goes. It's like the Brit Ball
• 2:14
  season's just this vacuum where you
• 2:16
  finish Uniball, you go straight into
• 2:18
  Brit Ball, all of a sudden it's
• 2:19
  September again. You're almost like,
• 2:21
  where where really is February to
• 2:23
  September gone? And we're still here.
• 2:24
  We're getting ready for it. Can't wait.
• 2:27
  >> Yeah. And for the for the the vast
• 2:30
  amount of the community who are involved
• 2:32
  with both a summer team and a uni team,
• 2:35
  maybe playing a little bit of flag on
• 2:36
  the side. It's just constant all year
• 2:39
  round and
• 2:40
  >> we're doing our best to cover it all.
• 2:43
  >> Yeah.
• 2:44
  >> So, you two I believe are new faces to
• 2:48
  TDUK. So,
• 2:51
  >> should we go around do a little bit do a
• 2:53
  little introduction how we got into Brit
• 2:54
  Ball where all of this is coming from?
• 2:56
  >> Joe, you you can start first.
• 2:59
  >> Yeah. Age Before Beauty and all that is
• 3:01
  it? So, I'll go first. So, I've been
• 3:03
  dubbed Welsh Joe so far, but I'm Joe.
• 3:05
  I've played I played Brit on and off for
• 3:09
  too many years now. I'll be giving the
• 3:10
  age away. Uh I've been with Romans and
• 3:13
  Chester for a good amount of years. Took
• 3:14
  a few years off, came back and I'm
• 3:16
  currently now with uh Lancasher
• 3:18
  Buccaneers. So we're approaching the
• 3:20
  point where we've got the final game
• 3:21
  away tomorrow against Darlington and
• 3:23
  we're looking at a playoff run. Uh and
• 3:26
  then as you say it's just back to back.
• 3:27
  So we're looking again then that we're
• 3:29
  back in September back to Banger. So I
• 3:32
  coach over at Sawad. This will be my
• 3:34
  fourth season with them. Uh when I
• 3:36
  joined, we played again, dipped out of
• 3:38
  the league, and then have just been sort
• 3:39
  of coasting in the Badlands for a few
• 3:41
  years. Uh so we're really looking
• 3:43
  forward to being back in Bucks now and
• 3:45
  sort of seeing what we've got to do,
• 3:46
  which uh brings me to my favorite child,
• 3:49
  uh Mr. Shiv.
• 3:50
  >> Yeah. Yeah. So I'm Shiv. I'm also how I
• 3:54
  go into American football. I joined last
• 3:56
  year in Banga for enough yad where I met
• 3:59
  Joe and um yeah I got in touch with
• 4:02
  Matteo a couple a couple days ago about
• 4:04
  wanting to help out and he said yeah and
• 4:07
  um yeah I play for here and I've just
• 4:09
  recently joined Leicester Panthers as
• 4:10
  well. We got our last away game tomorrow
• 4:13
  hopefully can win against them and win
• 4:15
  the whole league but we'll see what
• 4:16
  happens and um yeah I'm just very
• 4:18
  excited for this new project and see
• 4:20
  what happens.
• 4:23
  Yeah, excited to have you both on board.
• 4:25
  And for everybody who might not
• 4:27
  recognize my face or does, um, I'm Tom
• 4:30
  from TLK Football. Um, and shameless
• 4:33
  plug, I also run the Euro show on the
• 4:37
  Thursday night for Matteo and TD. And
• 4:40
  this is just great. I love covering Brit
• 4:42
  Ball. So, I think we should just get
• 4:44
  straight into it to be honest, boys. Um,
• 4:48
  what does Britall mean to you? I mean,
• 4:50
  like uniball specifically. Why is
• 4:52
  getting on top of this p project
• 4:56
  why is it important? Why are you both
• 4:57
  here?
• 4:58
  >> Joe,
• 5:01
  >> take it away. So, uniball is a bit of a
• 5:02
  funny thing for me being like I'm 35
• 5:05
  now. I've played 10 years or so worth of
• 5:07
  uh Brit ball, but I've never actually
• 5:09
  played any uniball. I went to
• 5:11
  Abberiswith years and years back and I
• 5:13
  remember it sort of being around and I
• 5:15
  remember Tyrann being a thing, but never
• 5:17
  really taking that jump to go and do it.
• 5:19
  I think sometimes when you're you're
• 5:21
  brand new to university, you're brand
• 5:22
  new to a new town, the nightclubs and
• 5:24
  other things kind of get in the way. But
• 5:26
  Brit Uniball for me really was kind of
• 5:29
  an after Brit ball thing. So I came into
• 5:31
  coaching about four years ago. Um, and
• 5:33
  it's just been able to see that
• 5:34
  different side of the game where usually
• 5:36
  you jump in where everybody's
• 5:37
  experienced, where everybody's got some
• 5:39
  sort of playing background, where
• 5:40
  everyone knows what they're doing to
• 5:42
  Brit where you've got PE uniball where
• 5:44
  you've got people that are really coming
• 5:46
  in completely fresh, no understanding,
• 5:48
  just fancy trying something new. And I
• 5:50
  really enjoy that side of the coaching
• 5:51
  where you get people that are sort of
• 5:53
  like a really blank canvas that you can
• 5:55
  work with then to sort of develop them
• 5:56
  into something. And it's just great to
• 5:58
  see people who go be beyond Uniball
• 6:01
  going to play for teams like Shiv. I
• 6:03
  mean, most people don't have the
• 6:04
  turnaround that Shiv does. The last
• 6:06
  compliment you're going to get from me
• 6:07
  today. We've had enough this year
• 6:08
  already.
• 6:10
  >> But it's just cool to see. It's really
• 6:12
  cool to see these people coming in
• 6:13
  going, I don't know what a touchdown is.
• 6:15
  I remember we played a friendly a couple
• 6:17
  years back and one of our linebackers
• 6:18
  broke through the line, tackled the QB,
• 6:21
  went down, everyone's celebrating with
• 6:22
  him. He comes off and we go, well in
• 6:24
  Kieran, you've got a sack. and he goes,
• 6:26
  "What's a sack?"
• 6:29
  But it's just like these little moments
• 6:30
  in Uniball are just so hard to kind of
• 6:32
  replicate and I I just love it and I
• 6:34
  can't wait to get back into it and get
• 6:35
  back into an actual league.
• 6:38
  >> 100%. So, Shiv, what would you say then
• 6:41
  about coming into the sport,
• 6:44
  >> not knowing anything about it? How have
• 6:45
  you found that transition?
• 6:47
  >> I think my knowledge of the game is
• 6:48
  still a bit questionable, but I love it.
• 6:50
  I um I always wanted to do something
• 6:52
  like something sporty but you know rugby
• 6:54
  there was too much running and I wasn't
• 6:56
  very good at any other sports and then
• 6:58
  came to banger joined the team joined
• 7:00
  the line and I it was perfect you get
• 7:03
  the same amount of violence but just
• 7:06
  less cardio and it was perfect perfect
• 7:08
  for me I I loved it ever since and it's
• 7:10
  it's not just a sport itself it's um the
• 7:13
  people in it as well like everyone in
• 7:15
  the team we're all so close we're close
• 7:17
  with the coaches as well and um it's
• 7:19
  just so fun and I'm so excited to go
• 7:22
  straight into the league next year and
• 7:24
  show everyone what Bang is about. You
• 7:26
  know, they're the underdogs I think this
• 7:27
  season and I reckon we'll do very well.
• 7:30
  >> Totally. So, what would you say either
• 7:32
  of you? What would you say to a fresher
• 7:35
  who's coming to uni this year, wants to
• 7:38
  try sort of a non-traditional sport,
• 7:41
  what would you say to them to get them
• 7:42
  involved in uniball?
• 7:44
  >> Just do it. like if if you if you got
• 7:47
  the slightest interest in American
• 7:49
  football, just do it. They they'll have
• 7:51
  free um try outs and training sessions,
• 7:54
  you'll be able to join. And if you don't
• 7:55
  like it, that's fair enough. But um I
• 7:58
  think once you actually get involved,
• 8:00
  you'll love it. Like for me,
• 8:03
  I thought it was really boring before,
• 8:04
  but then again, I never played it. I
• 8:06
  never watched it. I thought it was just
• 8:07
  like just stop and start a game. But
• 8:09
  once you actually understand, you know,
• 8:11
  the game and stuff, it's so fun and
• 8:13
  you'll I reckon if you if you want to
• 8:17
  just if you have a little interest, just
• 8:20
  do it. That's the best thing I can say.
• 8:22
  >> Yeah, totally. I think it's also worth
• 8:24
  pointing out that just taking a second
• 8:27
  to mention as well, most teams, if not
• 8:30
  all of them, have some sort of kit
• 8:33
  lending, kit rental scheme. Yeah,
• 8:37
  >> there's no way to get around it. Coming
• 8:39
  into the sport with no kit, helmets and
• 8:41
  pads and what have you are expensive,
• 8:44
  but
• 8:45
  >> universities look after their freshers.
• 8:47
  They are more concerned about having
• 8:48
  people to play the sport
• 8:50
  >> than they are you spending loads of
• 8:52
  money on it.
• 8:53
  >> Yeah. And as long as you've got a gum
• 8:54
  shield and some boots, you you're
• 8:56
  sorted.
• 8:57
  >> That's all you need.
• 8:58
  >> Totally. Is there anything either of you
• 9:00
  want to say before we actually get into
• 9:02
  Uniball as it is and start to look at
• 9:04
  the alignments for next year?
• 9:06
  >> Just very excited.
• 9:08
  >> Let's just get into it. Let's go.
• 9:10
  >> Yeah,
• 9:10
  >> let's get into it then. Right, we're
• 9:12
  going in right at the top level then
• 9:15
  with the National League. Obviously
• 9:18
  Durham Saints coming in as the reigning
• 9:20
  champions,
• 9:22
  Brunell coming in having won the
• 9:25
  Premiership as well. How are we What are
• 9:27
  we thinking? Initial thoughts, boys?
• 9:30
  >> I think Durham will stay strong again
• 9:33
  this season. They they proved themselves
• 9:35
  a lot last last season. They were they
• 9:37
  were great. Um but I I do think um yeah,
• 9:40
  UI will be very close as well. Um I
• 9:44
  think they'll they'll give a proper
• 9:46
  challenge to Durham. But um yeah, I
• 9:48
  reckon Durham have got it this season,
• 9:50
  but we'll see. We'll see what happens.
• 9:52
  Joe
• 9:54
  >> can't remember a year where I think the
• 9:57
  talent that's been in the National
• 9:58
  League has been as strong as it is this
• 10:00
  year. When you look at it, Durham last
• 10:02
  year looked absolutely superb. UI we
• 10:05
  know are one of the strongest teams in
• 10:06
  the UK have consistently been for the
• 10:08
  last however many years. We've seen
• 10:11
  already we said it at the start of the
• 10:12
  show if there's going to be any breaking
• 10:13
  news we'll try and get it. Generally
• 10:15
  with Brit Paul there isn't breaking news
• 10:17
  but you do things differently. have
• 10:18
  already announced a couple of big
• 10:19
  signings already that people are talking
• 10:21
  about. Nottingham we know have got an
• 10:23
  absolutely fantastic setup and always a
• 10:26
  pretty strong team. Lefra as well really
• 10:28
  hold their weight and Brunell coming off
• 10:30
  the back of backto-back promotions.
• 10:32
  It's really going to be a dog fight this
• 10:34
  year. I think I think it'll be a real
• 10:36
  real challenge for anybody looking to
• 10:37
  pull away. Um I think initially I think
• 10:40
  UI are going to want to come out strong.
• 10:42
  They're really going to want to try and
• 10:43
  retake that title, especially after
• 10:45
  having lost the final last year. I mean,
• 10:47
  realistically, they're gonna work out
• 10:49
  gonna have to work very very hard in
• 10:51
  order to do it.
• 10:53
  >> Yeah, I think obviously at this top
• 10:55
  level, the teams will naturally be
• 10:58
  relying on scholars to come and make the
• 11:01
  major difference. And right now with so
• 11:05
  few scholars being announced, it's
• 11:06
  really difficult to look past UI as the
• 11:09
  favorites for the division, just because
• 11:11
  we know Jameson Wong's coming over from
• 11:14
  the Ros Panthers. And if you want to
• 11:17
  hear me wax lyrical and talk about
• 11:20
  Jameson Wong, just listen to a Thursday
• 11:22
  night episode. Shameless plug, but we
• 11:24
  don't have the time to get into it now.
• 11:25
  He is an incredible football player. And
• 11:28
  I believe Jadrien Clark, the quarterback
• 11:31
  for the Nordic Storm, might be staying
• 11:32
  on as their OC as well. So there's there
• 11:36
  is no shortage of brains and players.
• 11:41
  But at the same time, boys,
• 11:45
  an 18year-old fresher coming into
• 11:47
  Brunell this year will have been doing
• 11:49
  their GCSEs the last time the burners
• 11:52
  lost a game.
• 11:54
  That is a team that is on fire, right?
• 11:57
  >> Yeah. Do we reckon they're going to make
• 11:59
  any waves or will they just sort of
• 12:01
  settle in around
• 12:04
  competing with LRA while not Huie and
• 12:07
  Durham happens above them?
• 12:10
  >> I think I think they'll come in um I
• 12:13
  don't think the other teams will expect
• 12:14
  them to do as well as they will. I
• 12:17
  reckon I think they'll come in strong.
• 12:19
  they'll um they'll prove themselves like
• 12:22
  why they are in the national league and
• 12:25
  um it'll be very interesting to see how
• 12:28
  how they do the first game.
• 12:31
  >> Yeah, they've been one of the standout
• 12:33
  one of the most electric teams really
• 12:34
  outside of the National League for a few
• 12:36
  years now. Can they carry that now that
• 12:38
  the head coach and defensive coordinator
• 12:41
  has stepped away? I think that's the
• 12:42
  main thing that needs to be seen.
• 12:43
  They've got good people stepping into
• 12:45
  those shoes to carry things on, but
• 12:47
  those transitions aren't always
• 12:48
  seamless. Um, I fancy them. They've got
• 12:51
  the personnel, they've got the momentum
• 12:54
  really from the last few years to be
• 12:55
  able to carry it forward. It's just the
• 12:58
  opposition level this year is going to
• 12:59
  be so much tougher and can they carry
• 13:01
  that forward really um is going to be
• 13:03
  the big question. I see them probably
• 13:05
  pipping [ __ ]
• 13:07
  I think it's going to be quite a
• 13:08
  difficult year for LeB in all honesty,
• 13:10
  but um yeah, it's so hard to get away
• 13:12
  from that top three in all reality.
• 13:14
  >> Yeah.
• 13:16
  Right. I'm going to ask you both to go
• 13:17
  out on a on a limb though before we move
• 13:19
  on. Who's winning it? Who's lifting the
• 13:22
  trophy?
• 13:23
  >> Uh I think Durham will win it again this
• 13:25
  season. They they were very very good
• 13:27
  last season. Um but I think it'll be a
• 13:30
  bit more of a challenge. I think it will
• 13:31
  be a bit more of a challenge. We'll see
• 13:33
  what happens, but um I think Durham have
• 13:34
  it.
• 13:36
  Joe, I think the early flashes that
• 13:38
  we've seen from UI are really exciting.
• 13:40
  Um, I think beating them to it is going
• 13:43
  to be an incredible challenge,
• 13:44
  especially if they make a few more
• 13:46
  signings of that caliber. Um, yeah, I
• 13:48
  can't get away from Yui this season.
• 13:50
  >> Yeah, I'm with you, Joe. I right now
• 13:53
  can't look away from Yui. And that's not
• 13:55
  to say neither Durham, Knots, Lu, or
• 13:59
  Brunell can make a splash. You know,
• 14:02
  >> like I said at the top, there are
• 14:04
  inevitably going to be a good more
• 14:06
  amount a good amount of announcements to
• 14:09
  come out of this before we get underway.
• 14:13
  But let's keep moving down then
• 14:17
  and get into the Premier North. Now,
• 14:21
  obviously, we saw Lancasher get beat in
• 14:24
  the final ondown Tuesday and leads
• 14:26
  Beckett are dropping down from the
• 14:28
  national Prem.
• 14:30
  What are we looking at here, lads?
• 14:34
  >> Joe, you can start.
• 14:36
  >> It's what a tight league this is going
• 14:39
  to be. I mean, like we said, Lanks lost
• 14:41
  that final, but they absolutely blew
• 14:43
  away their league last year. Um,
• 14:45
  incredibly strong. I know they've made a
• 14:47
  couple of additions already.
• 14:50
  They've got good coaches, good players.
• 14:51
  They always seem to have a good
• 14:53
  scholarship route to get sort of better
• 14:54
  players from other means. They already
• 14:56
  look almost like a national level team.
• 14:59
  Um but then that competition again from
• 15:02
  sort of the likes of Leeds Beckett. I
• 15:04
  mean
• 15:06
  yeah I don't know it's going to be it's
• 15:07
  going to be really difficult because
• 15:08
  leads dropping down from the league last
• 15:10
  year. The competition from the national
• 15:12
  is tough. They scored 40 conceded 373
• 15:16
  points. I mean
• 15:20
  it's a huge point differential but I
• 15:22
  think they'll do an awful lot better
• 15:23
  than they seem to look last year in the
• 15:25
  national. Uh not I mean Nottingham Trent
• 15:27
  as well had a really really good year.
• 15:29
  Unfortunate not to clinch promotion in
• 15:31
  the end. Um it's looking quite an
• 15:34
  exciting division really this one.
• 15:36
  >> Shiv.
• 15:37
  >> Yeah I think this will be of all
• 15:39
  divisions the closest one we'll see like
• 15:41
  competition wise. I think um Lees will
• 15:44
  come will come into the season with a
• 15:46
  strong mindset. They they don't want to
• 15:48
  go down again. They want to get back up.
• 15:50
  you know they I do think they will they
• 15:53
  will be the strongest team but again it
• 15:56
  will be very very close they um they're
• 15:58
  great team not not Trent as well I think
• 16:01
  they will be strong contenders for the
• 16:03
  um for first place but uh
• 16:06
  >> this will be I think the closest one
• 16:07
  it'll be very interesting to see how it
• 16:10
  turns out in the next um you know few
• 16:13
  months after Uniball progresses.
• 16:16
  Yeah, for me this division it's a just
• 16:20
  look at the two teams at the top of that
• 16:22
  list. Lanasher Rams and Leeds Beckett.
• 16:24
  That is a conversation of two different
• 16:27
  approaches to Uniball. Over the years,
• 16:29
  we've seen Leeds Beckett be really
• 16:31
  successful with the scholars they've
• 16:34
  brought in and the Americans that
• 16:35
  they've supported to play in the
• 16:37
  program. and the Lanasher Rams. You
• 16:40
  know, a lot of the names you'll be
• 16:42
  hearing coming out of that team will be
• 16:44
  names that you've heard this summer
• 16:46
  dominating at the top level of adult
• 16:49
  ball for
• 16:50
  >> Yeah.
• 16:50
  >> the Titans.
• 16:52
  And then obviously as we go down it,
• 16:55
  Newcastle and North Umbrea might be my
• 16:57
  favorite derby in all of Britall. And
• 17:01
  the fact that they've in the same
• 17:02
  division again, I'm going to try and get
• 17:05
  up for one of those games, boys. I think
• 17:07
  that's gonna be a really exciting one.
• 17:09
  But yeah, you've spot on with Nottingham
• 17:10
  Trent as well. They
• 17:12
  >> fell short last year, but not by very
• 17:15
  much. I
• 17:18
  >> go on then out on a limb. Who's going
• 17:20
  up?
• 17:21
  >> I reckon Leeds.
• 17:23
  >> I think Le leadeds or it's between Leeds
• 17:25
  and Nottingham. I reckon
• 17:28
  yeah, they'll be strong contenders.
• 17:30
  >> Joe,
• 17:32
  I'm going to go out on a limb on this
• 17:33
  one. I really am. And I'm going to back
• 17:35
  uh Lancaster Rams. I know quite a few
• 17:37
  people that are involved in the coaching
• 17:38
  side of things there, some players. I
• 17:41
  really think they had such an emphatic
• 17:42
  season last year and I think they'll be
• 17:44
  able to carry on this year. Yeah, that's
• 17:47
  a really good point. I think this this
• 17:49
  division is a tale of five excellent
• 17:53
  coaching staffs and I believe in all of
• 17:56
  the coaching staffs in this one and any
• 17:59
  of those teams can beat any of the rest
• 18:00
  and that's going to be a really good one
• 18:02
  to keep an eye on. I'm going to enjoy
• 18:04
  looking after that, looking out for that
• 18:05
  division. But as we look into the Prem
• 18:08
  South,
• 18:10
  obviously the name at the top of that
• 18:12
  list, the B Bobcats, they beat Lanasher
• 18:15
  in that final.
• 18:17
  Excellent game. Obviously both teams
• 18:19
  went up, but then you've got SGS Pride
• 18:22
  and Warick and another ridiculously
• 18:26
  strong division.
• 18:28
  >> Yeah. No, I think SGS
• 18:31
  are gonna
• 18:32
  come in very strong. I reckon they'll
• 18:34
  they're going to set the tone a bit. Um
• 18:36
  same with Bobcats, but um I think it'll
• 18:39
  be interesting to see how Portsouth do.
• 18:41
  You know, they I think there not a lot
• 18:43
  of people have, you know, expectation
• 18:45
  that they will do well or not. I I just
• 18:47
  think they'll be one of the most
• 18:49
  surprising teams of the season.
• 18:52
  Definitely.
• 18:54
  >> Yeah. I think if the moniker didn't give
• 18:56
  it away, there's going to be a slight
• 18:57
  bias here from me. Um, I think what
• 19:00
  Cardiff have been building for the last
• 19:01
  couple of years is looking really
• 19:03
  strong. I think they really deserve to
• 19:04
  be where they're at. Whether they can
• 19:06
  pick Bournemouth to that top spot, I
• 19:08
  don't know. Um, but I'm I've got I've
• 19:11
  got to stay towards my Welsh brothers,
• 19:13
  really, don't I, in this one.
• 19:15
  >> I'm really glad you brought up Cardiff,
• 19:18
  Joe, because I've been seeing a lot of
• 19:19
  conversations online about, you know, is
• 19:22
  this the year that the balloon bursts
• 19:23
  for Cardiff? You know, do they go 0 and8
• 19:27
  this year? Is it the end? Nah. Cardiff
• 19:30
  are a good team. Cardiff have always
• 19:33
  been in and around the competitive level
• 19:36
  of the top half of Brit Ball
• 19:40
  and I can see I I can see them picking
• 19:42
  up some wins this year. So,
• 19:46
  >> but sometimes it just clicks for teams,
• 19:48
  doesn't it? Sometimes it's like teams
• 19:49
  are in and about. They've got coaches
• 19:51
  coming and going. They kind of have a
• 19:53
  year where they look stronger. They'll
• 19:54
  get relegated. I think Cardiff have sort
• 19:56
  of found that consistency in the last 18
• 19:58
  months, two years. Uh they look like a
• 20:00
  strong team. I think they're retaining a
• 20:02
  good amount of players from last season
• 20:03
  and did have a strong year. Um so yeah,
• 20:05
  I'd love to see them do well.
• 20:08
  >> Yeah, totally. I mean, so out on a limb
• 20:11
  then
• 20:13
  sh
• 20:14
  >> I think I think SGS will will win this
• 20:17
  um this season.
• 20:19
  >> Okay. Okay. Joe, are we sticking with
• 20:21
  Cardiff or?
• 20:22
  >> I'd love to see Cardiff, but in reality,
• 20:24
  I think it's gonna be Bournemouth. They
• 20:26
  look really strong.
• 20:27
  >> All right, fellas. We are disagreeing on
• 20:29
  this one. I'm back in the Warick Wolves,
• 20:32
  honestly.
• 20:34
  >> And I don't actually have any rationale
• 20:36
  behind that beyond feeling that I've got
• 20:39
  somewhere in here.
• 20:42
  >> Hey, sometimes vibes is all you need.
• 20:44
  >> Hey, that's all you need.
• 20:46
  >> Built on vibes.
• 20:50
  So, let's keep moving down and then
• 20:53
  we're into the division one of starting
• 20:55
  at the top of the country in the
• 20:56
  Scottish division.
• 20:58
  >> I love Scottish football.
• 21:00
  >> Don't know about you too. I love
• 21:02
  Scottish football.
• 21:03
  >> They just have something different about
• 21:04
  them. I think they're they're just a lot
• 21:06
  more
• 21:07
  >> how do they're more they're very
• 21:10
  passionate because I think because
• 21:11
  they're all in Scotland anyway, they've
• 21:13
  got that rivalry with every team. Do you
• 21:14
  know what I mean? They they want to be
• 21:15
  the best. They want to be the best. And
• 21:17
  um I think Sterling Clansman will come
• 21:19
  out again very strong. But um Edinburgh
• 21:22
  Mavericks as well, I think they'll be
• 21:24
  close behind. They'll be
• 21:26
  >> Yeah. The Scottish football was
• 21:27
  different, I think.
• 21:30
  >> Yeah.
• 21:30
  >> Joe, what we thinking?
• 21:32
  >> Edinburgh Knights had a good year last
• 21:33
  year, didn't they? Uh Sterling Clansman
• 21:35
  pretty close to them as well. So, I
• 21:37
  think it's going to be between the two
• 21:38
  of them for the top. But like you said,
• 21:40
  I think there's a commitment to Scottish
• 21:41
  football that maybe doesn't exist
• 21:43
  elsewhere. I think because there's no
• 21:45
  point A to B that isn't sort of the long
• 21:47
  way around in Scotland. You've really
• 21:48
  got to be committed. Unless it's
• 21:50
  Edinburgh playing Edinburgh, it's a long
• 21:51
  way to get to the next team over. Um it
• 21:54
  just creates a sort of real good
• 21:55
  passion, a real good sort of camaraderie
• 21:57
  in the sport up there. Uh for me, I
• 22:00
  think the Knights will take this one.
• 22:03
  >> Yeah, I agree with you about the
• 22:05
  Knights. I think ultimately this
• 22:08
  division is weaker not having Abedine in
• 22:11
  it. and we could, you know, that's a
• 22:12
  whole other episode. What's gone on with
• 22:15
  some of the teams up in the north of
• 22:17
  Scotland, but
• 22:19
  >> I would have loved to have seen Abedine
• 22:22
  in this. I, like I said, I love Scottish
• 22:25
  football. They train in the rain, they
• 22:27
  train in the mud, they run hard, they're
• 22:30
  always difficult teams to play against,
• 22:32
  and I think that's what football's all
• 22:34
  about really.
• 22:38
  But so we've done four divisions now
• 22:42
  >> and I believe Shiv
• 22:45
  >> Yes.
• 22:46
  >> has an icebreaker for the new series.
• 22:49
  >> Yes. So um so for the audience listening
• 22:53
  every episode we'll have a couple shiv
• 22:54
  ice breakers for um the team and um the
• 22:57
  guests joining. And the first ever shiv
• 23:00
  icebreaker
• 23:02
  I think it's um one of the most
• 23:04
  important questions one a question I
• 23:05
  hear all the time. If you weren't
• 23:08
  playing the position you you're playing
• 23:10
  now, what position would you want to be?
• 23:16
  >> Joe, you might as well start us with
• 23:17
  that.
• 23:18
  >> Yeah, I'll go with that. Um,
• 23:22
  see, I've always played I've always
• 23:23
  played running back since day. I've
• 23:25
  played running back, fullback, little
• 23:28
  bit of safety years back when we were
• 23:30
  short on players. Um, I think I've
• 23:32
  always been a little bit envious of the
• 23:34
  big guys though. um
• 23:38
  not the smallest of running backs. I'm
• 23:39
  sort of 5'11 or so, 90 odd kilos, but
• 23:42
  there's always something about that
• 23:43
  defensive end position that I always
• 23:45
  think, you know, if I had a couple of if
• 23:46
  I was a couple inches taller, I was a
• 23:48
  little bit heavier. I wouldn't mind it
• 23:50
  go at defensive end. Um but for me, I
• 23:52
  think the position that's going to
• 23:54
  that's going to take it is I would love
• 23:55
  to be able to play uh left tackle or
• 23:57
  right tackle. Um I've got so much
• 24:00
  respect for those big boys.
• 24:02
  >> Really do. And I think it just be so
• 24:03
  much fun just bullying people and being
• 24:05
  that kind of size all game long.
• 24:07
  >> Yeah, 100%. Um, just quickly pick you up
• 24:11
  on that. There's a um there seems to be
• 24:15
  a hesitancy
• 24:16
  around new guys coming in and playing on
• 24:19
  the offensive line because it's not a
• 24:21
  because it's not an attractive position
• 24:23
  group. You know, you don't get to carry
• 24:25
  the ball. You don't get to score points
• 24:26
  very often.
• 24:28
  What would you say to a fresher coming
• 24:31
  in who gets asked, "Would you mind
• 24:33
  playing guard for a session and see how
• 24:35
  you get on?"
• 24:37
  >> I mean, for me, I I was a fresher going
• 24:40
  into offensive line. So, um I don't get
• 24:43
  the hate. I love it. It's so much fun.
• 24:45
  You know, like in your head, you're
• 24:46
  Yeah, you might not touch the ball that
• 24:48
  much, but um you're protecting your
• 24:51
  quarterback. You know, you you you guys
• 24:54
  I mean, it might be a bit biased, but I
• 24:55
  think it's the most important position
• 24:57
  in the team. If you don't have a good
• 24:58
  offensive line, you're not going to win
• 25:00
  any games because your quarterback will
• 25:02
  be getting sacked all the time. But um I
• 25:05
  would say um it's like it's one of those
• 25:07
  things where people will talk down on
• 25:09
  you for it. But once once you get in
• 25:12
  involved with an open mind, I reckon you
• 25:14
  love it. It's a lot of fun. And when you
• 25:16
  like I'm still yet to get my first
• 25:17
  pancake, but when I get my first
• 25:19
  pancake, I know how happy I'll be. You
• 25:21
  know, that's in my eyes as good as a
• 25:23
  touchdown. But um yeah, no, it's it's a
• 25:26
  lot of fun. is um I think the offensive
• 25:28
  line hate um is overrated, you know, um
• 25:31
  when you got positions like DBs and you
• 25:33
  know, the boring stuff. But uh yeah,
• 25:36
  know that's that's that's my my take on
• 25:38
  it.
• 25:39
  >> Yeah, speaking as a coach, um the
• 25:43
  offensive line is absolutely integral.
• 25:45
  You know, it's the point of attack in
• 25:47
  the run game first and foremost
• 25:49
  regardless of quarterback protection,
• 25:52
  the way uniball is played. You know, we
• 25:55
  are in Britain. It rains. It gets muddy.
• 25:58
  Running the ball is absolutely vital to
• 26:02
  everything a team will ever want to do.
• 26:04
  And the O line is the point of attack
• 26:06
  for that. So, I love that. Joe, I'm just
• 26:09
  picturing you pulling on counter.
• 26:12
  >> Maybe in the future we can share the
• 26:14
  line.
• 26:15
  >> Hey, maybe one day.
• 26:17
  >> One day we can
• 26:20
  >> get me on a scholarship.
• 26:24
  But anyway, to answer the question for
• 26:25
  myself, um I I've only ever played on
• 26:29
  the offensive side of the ball and I've
• 26:30
  been all over it. I played a bit of
• 26:32
  running back, bit of receiver, mostly
• 26:34
  played at quarters back, but I would
• 26:37
  love to get in the defensive back field,
• 26:40
  play a bit of safety, see the game from
• 26:42
  the other side of it. Love it. What
• 26:45
  about you, Jiv? Um, so I play center
• 26:48
  right now and um, I've always said like
• 26:51
  cardio is not my best thing, but if if I
• 26:53
  had the perfect cardio, I'd love to be
• 26:54
  running back, linebacker. There's just
• 26:56
  something about getting the ball and
• 26:58
  running through people or just trying to
• 26:59
  hit someone. Do you know what I mean?
• 27:01
  That just speaks that to me. But um,
• 27:03
  yeah, you never know the future. Future
• 27:05
  running back, I don't know. But um, I'm
• 27:07
  very content with playing center. I love
• 27:09
  it there. Um,
• 27:10
  >> hey, I'm taking that to the bank. Shiv,
• 27:12
  remind me of that in September. I've got
• 27:14
  I've got my new fullback sorted for the
• 27:15
  September now.
• 27:17
  >> Sorry, Toby.
• 27:20
  >> If you get Shiv the ball, I want the
• 27:22
  clip and we'll put it on the pod.
• 27:24
  >> Oh,
• 27:26
  I think that'll be um a very interesting
• 27:28
  clip.
• 27:30
  >> Well, speaking of interested, should we
• 27:32
  get back into div one?
• 27:34
  >> Let's Let's do it.
• 27:35
  >> Let's do it.
• 27:37
  So then into the div one northern with
• 27:40
  the leads griffs, LJMU Fury, Manchester
• 27:44
  Titans, MMU Eagles, and my York
• 27:47
  Centurions.
• 27:49
  Talk to me, boys.
• 27:50
  >> I think for you, I'm I'm expecting you
• 27:54
  to supporting um York, but I I reckon
• 27:57
  Manchester Tyrants have got it. They are
• 27:59
  very strong team. Um, you know, last
• 28:02
  season they they did well and I think
• 28:04
  this season they'll replicate that but
• 28:06
  even better. I I think they've they've
• 28:08
  got the top spot.
• 28:10
  >> Yeah, Joe.
• 28:12
  >> Uh, it's a tough one really, isn't it? I
• 28:15
  mean, you've got three what I would
• 28:17
  consider quite strong teams in there.
• 28:19
  Uh, York doing well. I mean, you were
• 28:21
  quite close last year when it came to
• 28:23
  the uh the Roses game. I know you've got
• 28:25
  a couple of good players. And Camille,
• 28:26
  is he still with you there at running
• 28:28
  back? So, I'm not actually at York
• 28:30
  anymore. Graduated a few years ago.
• 28:32
  Right. Okay.
• 28:34
  >> Yeah. Some good personal up at York, but
• 28:36
  um LJMU is the funny one in this, isn't
• 28:39
  it? I mean, it was the story of Uniball
• 28:41
  last summer. Um won the league on a coin
• 28:44
  toss supposedly at the end of the year
• 28:47
  between themselves and Lancaster. Um
• 28:50
  >> and then got beat by Lancaster in the
• 28:52
  first round of playoffs.
• 28:54
  >> Yeah, it's it's a really strange
• 28:56
  situation. There seems to be a bit of a
• 28:59
  there seems to be a prevailing thought
• 29:01
  that Lancaster are cursed in some way
• 29:03
  that they've been there or thereabouts
• 29:04
  of promotion spots and we won't use up
• 29:06
  the entire airspace to talk about
• 29:08
  Lancaster while we're here talking about
• 29:10
  LJMU and the Northern Division. But um
• 29:13
  yeah, how they how LJMU are going to
• 29:14
  hold up this season is going to is it
• 29:18
  remains to be seen really. I think
• 29:19
  they've got a big challenge ahead of
• 29:20
  them. I can't see this going past a
• 29:22
  two-way tie really between uh Tyrants
• 29:25
  and Eagles. Uh, I think the Eagles are
• 29:27
  going to want to take that one step up
• 29:29
  to pick the Tyrants for it this year.
• 29:31
  Um, and I'm just looking forward to that
• 29:34
  what I'm going to be dubbing the Battle
• 29:35
  of Manchester between them two. It will
• 29:37
  be a very fun little derby that
• 29:39
  >> Yeah, the two Manchester teams and
• 29:43
  Lanasher Rams, if you really want to get
• 29:45
  into it, are a perfect example of a big
• 29:50
  Brit ball team with an academy and lots
• 29:54
  of veteran players and a big coaching
• 29:56
  staff just
• 29:57
  >> yeah,
• 29:58
  >> rising all of the waters around them.
• 30:01
  There's a massive Titans
• 30:04
  contingent around those two teams and
• 30:07
  it's it's so good for Brit Ball seeing
• 30:12
  Uniball and summer teams working
• 30:15
  together. I I love it.
• 30:17
  >> Yeah,
• 30:18
  >> this is a division that's actually
• 30:19
  really difficult for me to talk about,
• 30:20
  boys. So, I did my undergrad at York
• 30:24
  over COVID. So I was there for three
• 30:26
  years, got a year and a half worth of
• 30:30
  competitive football and I've just
• 30:32
  finished my master's degree at John
• 30:35
  Moors.
• 30:36
  >> Oh,
• 30:37
  >> this is actually a really difficult
• 30:39
  division for me to talk about.
• 30:41
  >> What I will say is that the groups of
• 30:45
  veterans in both teams are excellent.
• 30:49
  The Centurions have just got two ex
• 30:51
  players take over as the coordinators.
• 30:55
  and Fury have, in my opinion, one of the
• 30:59
  most talented coaching staffs in Brit. I
• 31:04
  I'm really interested to see how they'll
• 31:07
  get on back at div one where I know a
• 31:10
  lot of those guys feel like they belong.
• 31:14
  >> So, who So, let's let's change up a bit.
• 31:17
  If you had to pick someone to win, who
• 31:20
  are you picking? Oh. Um,
• 31:26
  probably leads actually.
• 31:29
  >> Oh, so remain neutral. You can't pick
• 31:31
  any of Okay.
• 31:32
  >> No, I you and Fury are both coming up
• 31:38
  and the step up between D2 and D1 is
• 31:42
  arguably one of the biggest step ups in
• 31:45
  British football at the minute. But
• 31:48
  >> I really believe in the Tyrants and what
• 31:52
  those Titans players and coaching staff
• 31:54
  are doing. I think that's going to be
• 31:57
  >> really interesting to watch actually.
• 32:00
  But let's keep moving
• 32:04
  into the Midlands and the Yorkshire. So
• 32:07
  again, this one has another incredibly
• 32:11
  fun derby in the two Sheffield teams who
• 32:14
  genuinely dislike each other. They hate
• 32:17
  each other.
• 32:20
  >> What are we thinking to win this one,
• 32:21
  lads?
• 32:22
  >> I think Sheffield Hall, they they're
• 32:26
  going to they're going to do very well.
• 32:30
  That's my prediction. I think um in the
• 32:31
  derby against Sabres, they will be good
• 32:33
  game, but Halam have got it. Um
• 32:36
  Nottingham Green as well, good team. Um
• 32:39
  obviously not the gold, but still good.
• 32:42
  And um but I think it this will be
• 32:45
  interesting. Um yeah, I think she Ham
• 32:48
  though for me personally I think they've
• 32:50
  won it.
• 32:52
  >> Joe,
• 32:53
  >> uh for me I think it's going to be
• 32:56
  Nottingham. Um they've always got a
• 32:58
  strong pool of players, they're a really
• 33:00
  good setup. Um
• 33:03
  it's just where the land lies with them.
• 33:05
  If they make some really good additions
• 33:06
  at the top end for the Premiership this
• 33:08
  season, then obviously they will drop
• 33:11
  the other players will drop down to
• 33:12
  green. They're always strong, always a
• 33:14
  good setup. Uh Cambridge are going to
• 33:16
  have something to prove having come up.
• 33:18
  Um but yeah, not for me really. Their
• 33:20
  offense put up 261 points last year.
• 33:24
  >> Yeah,
• 33:26
  I mean I completely agree. I I think
• 33:30
  this one's going to come down to the two
• 33:32
  Sheffield teams and it will purely hinge
• 33:35
  on what their head-to-head is. But
• 33:38
  >> while we're talking about Nottingham,
• 33:41
  just it's the first B team we've come
• 33:44
  across going down. I just wanted to ask
• 33:49
  what just talk to me about the B team
• 33:53
  situation. Are do we reckon they're good
• 33:56
  because of the system they're in? Do we
• 33:57
  reckon they're good because they will
• 34:00
  play against and train with the gold
• 34:03
  guys through the week? like what's
• 34:06
  what's the situation there?
• 34:08
  >> There's there's no one can say they're a
• 34:10
  bad team because they're in div one. Do
• 34:12
  you know what I mean? They're they're
• 34:12
  they're going to be a good team. I think
• 34:14
  that whole kind of mindset they're like
• 34:16
  the B team, I don't think they'll care
• 34:18
  that much about it because they they're
• 34:21
  proving themselves more and more. Um I'm
• 34:24
  not entirely sure what the training
• 34:25
  system's like, but if they do train with
• 34:27
  Nottingham Gold, that's fair enough. I
• 34:30
  think any team any team that have a B
• 34:32
  team would want to train with a higher
• 34:34
  uh with a higher division players
• 34:36
  because iron sharp is iron doesn't it?
• 34:38
  It's it's just going to make them
• 34:40
  better. So um if they do train with them
• 34:42
  I think that would be a big advantage to
• 34:43
  them this season. But um yeah I think
• 34:47
  even if they yeah regarded a B team I
• 34:51
  think they're still very good. I think
• 34:52
  the B team mindset is is non-existent
• 34:56
  with them. fair.
• 34:59
  And correct me if I'm wrong. I know Joe
• 35:02
  was going through all of the
• 35:05
  fiddly bits about who was coming up and
• 35:08
  down, but I believe this is the first
• 35:10
  time the Pythons have been in div one
• 35:14
  ever.
• 35:18
  >> Take your word on that one. I'm
• 35:23
  >> Do we reckon they're going to make any
• 35:25
  waves up here? I think it'll be the
• 35:26
  mindset thing again when you when you
• 35:29
  get promoted and if it is the first time
• 35:31
  ever and div one, they're going to want
• 35:33
  to come in strong. They're not going to
• 35:34
  be scared of anyone. They want to prove
• 35:36
  themselves, you know. I think um I think
• 35:39
  that it'll be interesting how they work
• 35:42
  around the first few months of Uni Bull
• 35:44
  and but yeah, I think they'll I don't I
• 35:48
  think they're prepared. They've got the
• 35:49
  mindset for it.
• 35:50
  >> Yeah.
• 35:51
  And if I'm wrong and they have been up
• 35:53
  here before and there are any Cambridge
• 35:55
  old boys chomping at the bit to tell me
• 35:57
  off in comments sections, please do.
• 36:00
  It's great for the algorithm.
• 36:03
  I think my two pens for this kind of a
• 36:05
  situation is the same mindset that I
• 36:07
  come to with any kind of sport really.
• 36:10
  History doesn't mean anything in any
• 36:12
  sport anywhere. It's great for the
• 36:14
  record books. It looks fantastic on
• 36:15
  Wikipedia, but when it comes down to it,
• 36:18
  you're only as good as you are on the
• 36:20
  day. Cambridge have proven that they're
• 36:22
  good enough to be at this level. So
• 36:23
  whether they've been here before,
• 36:24
  whether they've not been here for 20
• 36:26
  years, they've proven they deserve to be
• 36:28
  here, they are good enough to be here.
• 36:29
  And I'm sure they'll be looking to prove
• 36:31
  that.
• 36:32
  Couldn't agree more. Properly. Couldn't
• 36:35
  agree more. But let's keep moving while
• 36:37
  we've got some momentum going. Now we're
• 36:40
  going down into the South.
• 36:43
  Fellas,
• 36:45
  talk to me. Obviously, there's a Welsh
• 36:47
  team in here for you, Joe.
• 36:51
  What are we thinking?
• 36:52
  >> Yeah,
• 36:55
  it's um
• 36:59
  you'll know that I'm as keen on Swansea
• 37:00
  as I am Cardiff. Maybe that's a Red and
• 37:02
  Rexen thing that's giving me a bit more
• 37:04
  of a leaning towards him. Um
• 37:09
  >> it's a tough league, isn't it, this one?
• 37:11
  I mean,
• 37:12
  >> yeah,
• 37:13
  >> they're all teams that have had their
• 37:14
  moments over the last couple of years,
• 37:16
  but I don't think there's any particular
• 37:17
  standouts for the time being. Um,
• 37:21
  it's tough really for me to pull
• 37:23
  anything out of this.
• 37:25
  Um,
• 37:28
  yeah, I I can see this being a tight
• 37:29
  division and I really can't see anybody
• 37:33
  breaking away. Swansea will have
• 37:34
  something to prove, but like we've said,
• 37:36
  that step up from div 2 um is quite
• 37:39
  considerable. Can they carry that
• 37:41
  momentum over? I'd love to see them do
• 37:43
  it. Um, but I think it's going to be
• 37:45
  hotly contested. I think however
• 37:47
  September goes for these four teams will
• 37:49
  prove to be decider really on who pulls
• 37:51
  away.
• 37:53
  >> Yeah, I think what I said earlier in
• 37:56
  regards to the teams in and around the
• 37:59
  Manchester area sort of comes into play
• 38:01
  a bit with Bristol as well. I know a lot
• 38:05
  of the the and there's obvious there's
• 38:08
  the obvious tie between the Aztecs and
• 38:10
  the bullets,
• 38:11
  >> but
• 38:12
  >> there is that's not to say there aren't
• 38:15
  Aztecs and Apache coaches and players
• 38:18
  involved with the Barracuda as well.
• 38:21
  >> I just think that experience from
• 38:23
  playing at the top level in summer Brit
• 38:26
  Ball will could just push the Barracuda
• 38:28
  over the edge for me this year. But that
• 38:30
  being said, exit are always a difficult
• 38:33
  team as well.
• 38:37
  >> Shiv, what are we thinking?
• 38:38
  >> I think like Joe said, I think the first
• 38:40
  few games will dictate how the year will
• 38:43
  come come across. I think Exen
• 38:45
  Barracudas will come in strong. They'll
• 38:48
  come in very strong. They've they've
• 38:50
  obviously, like you said, Bristol have
• 38:51
  their ta Aztecs and I think there will
• 38:54
  be a few players that, you know, play
• 38:57
  for them as well. And
• 39:00
  it is a difficult one. But yeah, the the
• 39:02
  first few weeks will decide how the rest
• 39:04
  of the year will turn out. I think so.
• 39:06
  Um this is a yeah this another strange
• 39:10
  strange league. It's cuz everyone's
• 39:12
  they're all the same level. I think that
• 39:14
  there's not anyone who wipes the floor
• 39:16
  with them. There's not anyone who's
• 39:18
  really bad. They're all very similar. So
• 39:22
  it's and it comes also down to mindset
• 39:24
  as well. If if they haven't got the
• 39:26
  right head screwed on the first few
• 39:27
  games, it'll be interesting to see how
• 39:30
  well they play for the rest of the
• 39:32
  season.
• 39:33
  >> Yeah.
• 39:35
  Well, from one horrifyingly competitive
• 39:38
  division to another
• 39:42
  the other div one south
• 39:46
  because of course Birmingham's in the
• 39:47
  south
• 39:52
  obvious. So, this one's home to the
• 39:54
  Oxford Derby. Again, two teams that
• 39:57
  genuinely dislike each other.
• 39:59
  >> Reading coming up.
• 40:02
  >> Talk to me, lads. What are we thinking?
• 40:04
  >> The Oxford Derby will be again a very
• 40:06
  fun game to watch. I think I think we'll
• 40:08
  say the same for all these derbies
• 40:10
  because they have this they've got the
• 40:12
  hatred for each other. So, you know,
• 40:14
  they're going to put in the extra shift
• 40:15
  to try and beat them. But, um, I think
• 40:18
  Oxford Brooks will be very strong this
• 40:20
  season. and um Ready United as well.
• 40:22
  They're um they've been quite good, but
• 40:25
  uh yeah, I think it's it'll be Oxford
• 40:29
  Brooks. I think my my own opinion on
• 40:31
  that anyway.
• 40:34
  >> Joe,
• 40:36
  >> um
• 40:38
  see Birmingham seem to have had what I'd
• 40:41
  consider like a quiet few years really.
• 40:43
  They they're a good setup. They're a
• 40:44
  good university and they're a team I
• 40:46
  think that realistically we want to be
• 40:48
  pushing on to do better than the last
• 40:50
  few seasons have have been for them.
• 40:52
  Perfecture though had a really strong
• 40:54
  season. Again, I'm going to pull out the
• 40:55
  stats as much as everybody hates it. Uh
• 40:57
  but they put up about 225 points on
• 41:00
  offense last year. And I just think for
• 41:01
  any teams uh in Britall, especially in
• 41:05
  div one and div 2, who are able to
• 41:07
  consistently put up that many points
• 41:09
  against other teams are always going to
• 41:11
  be hard to beat. Um, probably go for the
• 41:14
  Hurricanes for me.
• 41:17
  >> Yeah. Uh, I I'm struggling to look past
• 41:21
  the Oxford teams as well again because
• 41:24
  of how good the Saints have been this
• 41:27
  summer.
• 41:29
  I I just think there is such a core of
• 41:32
  talent in both of those areas. But
• 41:35
  again, like you said, it's really
• 41:37
  difficult to forget that Birmingham used
• 41:39
  to be one of the premier teams
• 41:43
  >> in
• 41:45
  >> But
• 41:45
  >> they come down.
• 41:48
  >> But history, as we said, history doesn't
• 41:50
  mean anything.
• 41:53
  >> And let's just I don't think I got picks
• 41:56
  off any of you actually.
• 41:57
  >> Oh,
• 41:58
  >> you've said hearts, Joe.
• 41:59
  >> I think Brooks I think Brooks have got
• 42:01
  it this season. Yeah, I I'm agreeing
• 42:04
  with you, Shiv Brooks.
• 42:08
  Right now to the southeast.
• 42:13
  Oh lord.
• 42:17
  Talk to me, boys. What are we thinking?
• 42:24
  >> I mean, KCL won this division last year,
• 42:27
  didn't they? um
• 42:29
  >> they looked good for doing so as well,
• 42:30
  but there's some strong teams in and
• 42:32
  about this. Uh Vipers have recently come
• 42:35
  up again. I think any team that's been
• 42:37
  promoted is often been hard fought to
• 42:39
  get themselves out. I did too. Uh the
• 42:41
  step up is usually quite considerable,
• 42:42
  but usually it ends up being a bit of a
• 42:44
  dog fight to find your way on that way
• 42:46
  upwards.
• 42:47
  Um yeah, it comes down to recruitment as
• 42:51
  it does with everything. It's hard to
• 42:52
  say ahead of September, but for me, I
• 42:54
  think if KCL can carry on their form
• 42:56
  from last season, I think I think it
• 42:59
  could be them again.
• 43:01
  >> Yeah, completely agree. Sh
• 43:03
  >> the same. KCL, I think they all come in
• 43:06
  very strong. Um Ken Falcons, I think, is
• 43:08
  a also an underrated pick. I think they
• 43:10
  all do very well. Um yeah, Jo said I
• 43:14
  think KCL will
• 43:16
  will wipe the floor with them.
• 43:20
  Casey will be hoping to keep that going,
• 43:22
  but I I keep looking at Brighton as a
• 43:26
  dark horse in this one.
• 43:28
  >> And again, largely on vibes and a
• 43:31
  feeling in my stomach, but
• 43:35
  I'm just waiting to say I told you so
• 43:37
  when Brighton
• 43:39
  wins this year.
• 43:42
  >> But I think that takes us
• 43:46
  back to the whiteboard. So you do. So
• 43:48
  this the second icebreaker of the day.
• 43:51
  If you could have one NFL player
• 43:54
  of all time uh be your partner in a
• 43:57
  zombie apocalypse, who would you pick
• 44:00
  and why?
• 44:03
  >> Well, for me, there's a couple of
• 44:05
  different ways of thinking about that
• 44:06
  one. I could either go someone like
• 44:11
  Marshon Lynch just for the sake of
• 44:13
  having somebody scarier than me stood
• 44:16
  next to me.
• 44:18
  Or I could back myself and pick someone
• 44:21
  like um Carl Saunders just because I
• 44:26
  know I could possibly outrun him if it
• 44:28
  got a bit scary.
• 44:31
  Um
• 44:33
  Oh, I don't know. Joe, thoughts.
• 44:39
  >> It's tough, isn't it? Um,
• 44:42
  you you've got an awful lot of time in a
• 44:45
  zombie apocalypse. I think if you're not
• 44:47
  in survival mode and you're stuck with
• 44:49
  that person onetoone, you're looking at
• 44:51
  characters that you're going to kind of
• 44:53
  pass the time with quite well. People
• 44:54
  that aren't just going to bore the back
• 44:56
  end off of you for the next 20 years
• 44:59
  whilst you're trying to avoid these gray
• 45:00
  things trying to chomp at your toes. Uh,
• 45:03
  I think for me I think it would be so
• 45:05
  much fun to be around someone like Cam
• 45:06
  Scat Cam Scatterro. I really do. I think
• 45:09
  you've obviously got you've got his head
• 45:11
  as a weapon. If anything comes over, you
• 45:12
  know, he's just going to run through him
• 45:14
  head first. But I just think the times
• 45:15
  that you're going to have with him just
• 45:17
  sort of like sat around a campfire while
• 45:19
  he's there twitching like he does. H I
• 45:22
  think it's just going to make the time
• 45:23
  pass pretty quickly.
• 45:26
  >> Yeah. Well, we're going for
• 45:28
  >> Sorry, Sh. No, no, no. You go. You go. I
• 45:31
  was just gonna say if we're going for
• 45:32
  character hires, if we're if I'm if I'm
• 45:35
  going for a companion rather than a
• 45:37
  survival buddy, give me
• 45:41
  >> give me Jamus Winston. Oh,
• 45:43
  >> make it happen.
• 45:46
  >> Shiv, I think for me personally, it
• 45:48
  needs to be my center brother Jason
• 45:50
  Kelsey. You know, they've got the
• 45:52
  podcast as well. If so, if they want to
• 45:53
  do a little, you know, um,
• 45:56
  collaboration, we're always here. But I
• 45:58
  think he's got I mean I'm I'm thinking
• 46:01
  about this a bit more like his IQ I
• 46:03
  think on the field will match how clever
• 46:05
  he'll be in zombie mode and um I think I
• 46:09
  I think he'll protect me very well. Um
• 46:12
  but yeah, no um I'd pick Jason Gy.
• 46:16
  >> Fair enough. And hey, if you get bored,
• 46:18
  we can we've seen that guy absolutely
• 46:20
  delete a beer.
• 46:22
  >> Yeah.
• 46:24
  >> Yeah. No, I think he'll just be very fun
• 46:25
  to talk to as well. Yeah. So, I believe
• 46:30
  we've got to the end of division one.
• 46:33
  >> Yeah.
• 46:34
  >> Because then we're back into the D2
• 46:36
  Northwest
• 46:37
  with Edge Hill and the Raptors coming
• 46:40
  back down.
• 46:42
  >> The Bombers falling short by a coin
• 46:45
  toss. And
• 46:47
  >> Banger are back, baby.
• 46:49
  >> Yeah, we're back.
• 46:52
  >> Talk to me about this division you're
• 46:53
  walking into then, fellas.
• 46:56
  um to
• 46:57
  >> quote the timeless. Oh, sorry, Shiv. I
• 46:59
  was just going to quote the man, the
• 47:00
  myth, the legend, bootleger, but my
• 47:02
  spidey senses tell me that this is going
• 47:04
  to be tasty, baby. What a league this
• 47:07
  is. Uh four years outside of the league,
• 47:09
  we come back into it. We've got the Edge
• 47:11
  Hill Vikings. We've got Keel who've been
• 47:13
  hanging on by a thread. Lancaster
• 47:15
  Bombers who seem to be cursed to hang
• 47:16
  around this division until we get back
• 47:18
  here. Raptors on the drop. Fair jumping
• 47:21
  at the bit. Sulford Stormer, a great
• 47:22
  team, played them a few years ago. I
• 47:25
  when this came out, I was so excited. It
• 47:27
  was as close to Christmas comes for a 35
• 47:30
  year old broken running back as you're
• 47:31
  ever going to get. This season is going
• 47:33
  to be so much fun. I I genuinely cannot
• 47:36
  wait for this one.
• 47:38
  >> Yeah. And I am so excited to start
• 47:40
  playing. Um, like I said before, I've
• 47:43
  got a feeling in my belly. I think we're
• 47:44
  going to do very well. I think we're
• 47:46
  going, for the audience members who
• 47:48
  don't know, um, Coach Joe and I are part
• 47:51
  of Banger. And um yeah, I think Banger
• 47:54
  will do amazing. Um we um we did do a
• 47:56
  scrim against Lancaster and they're very
• 47:58
  good when we played them last, but most
• 48:01
  of our team were we were still rookies
• 48:03
  then. I think um you know after our
• 48:06
  varsity win, our record-breaking win
• 48:09
  against Aberith, I think we proved
• 48:11
  ourselves very well against them. Um,
• 48:14
  for those of you who don't know, we won
• 48:15
  390 nil and um, yeah, I think we I think
• 48:18
  we will do
• 48:20
  I'm I'm backing us to win it. I'm
• 48:22
  backing us.
• 48:24
  >> Who's the team to beat though?
• 48:27
  >> I think it'll be Lancaster or Sulford.
• 48:29
  >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. Joe,
• 48:31
  >> team to beat.
• 48:34
  >> It's um I don't think I'm quite as
• 48:36
  confident as Shiv. Um the way that we've
• 48:40
  been looking at things for the last few
• 48:41
  years is when I inherited the team with
• 48:43
  Pernan and Toby in sort of three four
• 48:46
  seasons ago hadn't scored a point in
• 48:49
  football for about four seasons. So the
• 48:52
  initial the initial thing for us was
• 48:54
  like once we got through that chaos of
• 48:55
  the first year was in that first varsity
• 48:57
  against Albert was to put some points on
• 48:59
  the board. I think it ended 50ome to
• 49:01
  20ome. So we were like we've done it.
• 49:03
  There is something other than a donut on
• 49:05
  the board. We've we've hit the heights.
• 49:07
  Last year it was about getting that
• 49:09
  first win on the board. I think for me
• 49:11
  natural progression if we could hit two
• 49:12
  or three wins I would be absolutely
• 49:15
  bouncing off the walls. But I think if I
• 49:18
  think really I've got to back Lancaster
• 49:20
  to break the curse this year. It's got
• 49:22
  to happen for them eventually. They've
• 49:23
  got a brilliant setup. They've got great
• 49:25
  players. They've got a good team of
• 49:26
  coaches. It's got to happen for them.
• 49:29
  It's got to happen for them eventually.
• 49:30
  And I think this is going to be it.
• 49:34
  >> Okay. Um, I mean, currently I'm based up
• 49:37
  in the Northwest, um, involved with the
• 49:40
  Nighthawks at the minute and I've got a
• 49:42
  lot of people who wouldn't forgive me if
• 49:44
  I didn't point out the last time the
• 49:46
  Raptors were in div 2, they won it two
• 49:48
  years in a row and weren't allowed to
• 49:50
  get promoted for realignments and COVID
• 49:53
  and all of the above. But they are
• 49:55
  twotime Div 2 champs and Edge Hill have
• 49:59
  got a lot of good players. this division
• 50:02
  could be, as you said, spicy baby.
• 50:10
  >> So, but are we all agreeing Lancaster
• 50:13
  are the team to beat in this one before
• 50:15
  we move on?
• 50:15
  >> Yeah, they they will be strongest one, I
• 50:18
  think.
• 50:18
  >> Cool.
• 50:18
  >> Yeah.
• 50:20
  >> Well, let's just keep going then. Let's
• 50:22
  keep plowing through. D2 Northeast. This
• 50:25
  is a four team division. YSJ,
• 50:27
  Sunderland, Lincoln, and Hull.
• 50:31
  Oh boy, what are we thinking?
• 50:34
  I
• 50:35
  >> think first of all, I think this is a
• 50:36
  great example of uh just American
• 50:39
  football in the UK. We go straight from
• 50:41
  a team. We go straight from a league
• 50:42
  with six teams to a league with four. I
• 50:45
  mean, can you not tell me that we could
• 50:47
  just have loaned one team over to these
• 50:49
  guys so that we've got more of an even
• 50:51
  split? No, it's got to be six in one,
• 50:53
  four in the other. There we go. It
• 50:55
  wouldn't be the same without it, would
• 50:56
  it? This sport. Um, I don't think
• 50:59
  there's any standout teams in this
• 51:00
  league really. And I don't mean that in
• 51:02
  a disparaging way. Um,
• 51:07
  I can't see who might pull away from
• 51:08
  this division. It kind of just exists in
• 51:10
  and of itself. Uh, but I haven't got a
• 51:13
  pick for this one.
• 51:16
  Shiv,
• 51:17
  >> I mean I've from from my um vast
• 51:21
  knowledge of these teams,
• 51:24
  I think um I do like Sunderland, you
• 51:26
  know, it's it's it's that belly belly
• 51:28
  feeling one. I like the name Sunland
• 51:30
  Spartan school name.
• 51:33
  >> No, but yeah. No, I think this is
• 51:34
  another it's it's hard to tell. It'll be
• 51:36
  like I said before, um the first few
• 51:39
  games of the season will I think dictate
• 51:42
  how the rest of the year will go. Um
• 51:45
  it'll be interesting, you know, that the
• 51:49
  rel the same sort of talent team. So um
• 51:54
  yeah, I Sunderland's for me.
• 51:58
  >> Yeah. I purely on the quality of their
• 52:02
  social media, I'm going to give
• 52:03
  Sunderland the the tip here. But for me,
• 52:08
  obviously having links to York, I am
• 52:12
  really excited to see YSJ
• 52:15
  >> player football. They've had a few years
• 52:18
  here and there where they've struggled
• 52:19
  to put teams together, where they've
• 52:21
  started in the division and pulled out
• 52:23
  >> and I just I really hope we get a full
• 52:26
  season of YSJ Jaguars football. I know
• 52:29
  they've got a lot of they're pulling a
• 52:31
  lot of coaching staff from the Yorkshire
• 52:32
  Rams at the minute and that is a program
• 52:34
  up on the up. Wouldn't be surprised to
• 52:36
  see them playing premiership football in
• 52:39
  the summer in a year or two and it's
• 52:43
  >> I I think it's a good time to be getting
• 52:46
  involved with those Yorkshire teams. But
• 52:49
  that being said, Hull are also a
• 52:51
  nightmare to play against as well. So
• 52:54
  Lord knows.
• 52:58
  >> Yeah. No, this is Yeah, this is I don't
• 53:00
  think anyone can guess how this one will
• 53:01
  turn out.
• 53:03
  >> Um
• 53:04
  >> yeah, no, as long as they go in with a
• 53:05
  good mindset, that's for me the most
• 53:07
  important thing I think with these
• 53:08
  teams, you know,
• 53:09
  >> they got to have a good mindset going
• 53:10
  into this. If they doubt themselves just
• 53:12
  a little bit, it will show in their
• 53:14
  performance. So,
• 53:15
  >> as long as they back themselves 100%,
• 53:17
  that's the main thing I think. Then just
• 53:19
  go with that.
• 53:21
  >> Totally. Well, just to annoy you, Joe,
• 53:24
  specifically to annoy you, we've gone
• 53:26
  from a four league team, a four team
• 53:28
  league to another six team league.
• 53:32
  >> Yes.
• 53:32
  >> In the Midlands.
• 53:35
  What are we thinking about this one?
• 53:37
  Obviously, this is the debut of the
• 53:39
  Nottingham white, the Nottingham's
• 53:42
  >> third team,
• 53:44
  >> and also the Leicester rivalry between
• 53:46
  DM Lions and Leicester Longhorns. Mhm.
• 53:48
  >> Um
• 53:49
  >> Mhm.
• 53:49
  >> I for me personally, I've I've got a lot
• 53:52
  of friends in DMU. I've I've got to back
• 53:54
  them, you know. I know um you know, in
• 53:56
  Panthers, the quality they play with and
• 53:59
  they're very good team from um the
• 54:01
  people I play against anyway and play
• 54:03
  with, sorry. Um I think that'll be
• 54:06
  interesting. And yeah, again, not Swipe,
• 54:08
  we were talking about that whole team B.
• 54:11
  We've got a team C now. So, um I think
• 54:13
  that this will be interesting as well,
• 54:15
  seeing how they perform. against them
• 54:18
  because Yeah. Did you say this is their
• 54:21
  first time playing?
• 54:22
  >> I believe this is their debut season.
• 54:24
  Yeah.
• 54:25
  >> So, yeah, that will be I think compared
• 54:28
  to um is it not green? The one um just
• 54:32
  under team B. I think compared to them
• 54:34
  because they're a new team as well, they
• 54:36
  got the pressure from the two um not
• 54:40
  white um knots gold and green ahead of
• 54:42
  them. So, I think they will look to show
• 54:46
  what they what they're about. They they
• 54:48
  will want to come in showing that
• 54:49
  they're a good team. But, um, yeah, DMU
• 54:52
  for me. I think they got it.
• 54:54
  >> Yeah,
• 54:55
  >> Joe.
• 54:56
  >> Yeah, I fancy DMU. Um, I think the
• 54:59
  question mark for me over Nottingham
• 55:01
  White is we love to see it in football.
• 55:03
  We love to see teams with big healthy
• 55:05
  squads that are able to be sustainable.
• 55:07
  Nobody at Brit or Uniball level wants to
• 55:10
  see teams rocking up with sort of 22
• 55:12
  players struggling to make it with their
• 55:13
  way through the season. What we want is
• 55:15
  decent pools of coaches with good
• 55:17
  connections to clubs and being able to
• 55:18
  put big teams together. To what extent
• 55:22
  are Nottingham able to split those
• 55:24
  numbers into three separate teams to the
• 55:26
  point where Nottingham White are going
• 55:29
  to be a healthy and competitive team
• 55:30
  throughout the season remains to be
• 55:32
  seen. But of course, we'd love to see
• 55:34
  it. We really would. They've got a great
• 55:36
  setup. It's a good place for people to
• 55:37
  go and develop as a player. Um, there's
• 55:40
  a lot to see from them. I'd love to see
• 55:41
  them do well just to prove a point
• 55:43
  really that a team can go out there, put
• 55:45
  out a third team, and really just put a
• 55:47
  testament to their coaches and their
• 55:48
  setup of how well they can develop
• 55:50
  players. But for me, I'm going to go
• 55:52
  with DMU.
• 55:54
  >> Yeah, I completely agree. If Nottingham
• 55:56
  can put together a competitive season in
• 56:00
  three different divisions
• 56:02
  that that would such a testament to
• 56:06
  everything that's going on in and around
• 56:08
  that program. But for me the tale of
• 56:11
  this division is the Leicester Long
• 56:13
  Horns. Obviously coming down from from
• 56:16
  div one after a winless season. It's
• 56:18
  whether they're,
• 56:20
  >> you know, to be blunt in freef fall or
• 56:24
  whether they can turn that around and
• 56:26
  the guys who've played in div one can
• 56:28
  bring that experience and
• 56:31
  >> I Lester are the wild card in this one
• 56:33
  for me and I wouldn't be surprised to
• 56:35
  see them
• 56:36
  >> take themselves straight back up to div
• 56:37
  one.
• 56:38
  >> I think with Leicester it's going to go
• 56:40
  there's no in between. They're either
• 56:41
  going to go they're going to do very
• 56:42
  very well or they're going to have
• 56:46
  another I want to say win the season but
• 56:48
  it'll be they won't they won't be
• 56:50
  finishing um first I don't think
• 56:55
  >> now Shiv I believe that takes us back to
• 56:58
  the whiteboard actually do you have a
• 57:00
  third one for us
• 57:00
  >> do I have a I think I can make one from
• 57:02
  the top of my head um
• 57:06
  okay so what would you guys say is the
• 57:10
  most fun position to play to the most
• 57:12
  boring position to play.
• 57:14
  >> Oo,
• 57:18
  >> I guess it kind of links back to the
• 57:19
  first question, but like a bit more
• 57:22
  conversation about
• 57:24
  which one's best, which one's worse.
• 57:25
  Like, yeah,
• 57:27
  >> I mean, it's all a matter of scheme,
• 57:29
  isn't it? If you're playing in a flex
• 57:33
  bone or a wing T, playing wide receiver
• 57:36
  is no fun.
• 57:38
  >> Yeah. No. If you're playing in a
• 57:41
  threefront, I can't imagine playing at
• 57:43
  nose tackles much fun.
• 57:45
  >> Yeah, it is.
• 57:48
  >> Joe,
• 57:50
  I think it's that, isn't it really? I
• 57:52
  mean, I'm going to be incredibly biased.
• 57:55
  Um, and start as I mean to go on with
• 57:57
  that one today, but for me, I think
• 57:59
  running back is the best position in
• 58:01
  football. I mean, you get the glory of
• 58:02
  scoring touchdowns, you get receptions
• 58:05
  on passes, you get involved in the root
• 58:07
  tree, you're involved blocking, you can
• 58:09
  cut block, which is always beautiful to
• 58:11
  do. Um, you're just involved in
• 58:13
  absolutely everything. You really are.
• 58:15
  If there's a position, if you're new to
• 58:16
  football, I mean, this is always my
• 58:19
  spiel when we've got new players coming
• 58:20
  to our our rookie sessions. If you're
• 58:23
  new to football and you want the most
• 58:25
  broad view of what football has to
• 58:27
  offer, start off by playing running
• 58:28
  back.
• 58:29
  >> Same with linebacker. Lineback is a
• 58:31
  great position. You're involved in pass
• 58:32
  defense, tackling. You get involved in
• 58:34
  all sorts, but you don't get your name
• 58:36
  on the scoreboard too often. So, for me,
• 58:38
  running back's the top one. I think um
• 58:42
  for the way that a lot of divisions line
• 58:43
  up, I think the run game is stronger
• 58:45
  than the pass game. I think, like you
• 58:47
  said, if you're playing in a flex bone
• 58:48
  system and you're a wide receiver, it's
• 58:50
  going to be a long day of just thought
• 58:52
  blocking. But um yeah, I think for one
• 58:56
  of me, for me, and I'm maybe I'll get
• 58:58
  some flak for this one, but bring it on.
• 59:00
  But Abberis with play with a system
• 59:02
  where they have the free safety about
• 59:04
  sort of 30 yards off from the line of
• 59:06
  scrimmage. And I think other than a
• 59:09
  glorified spectator, I think that as a
• 59:11
  position, especially in div two where
• 59:13
  the majority of games are won and lost
• 59:15
  in the run game, I think for me, I
• 59:17
  couldn't imagine spending two hours all
• 59:19
  that way back out. Um, safety is a
• 59:23
  people too apparently, but not for me.
• 59:25
  Uh, I think free safety would be the
• 59:27
  most boring position.
• 59:29
  >> I think there's also something to be
• 59:31
  said about, you know, the difference
• 59:33
  between
• 59:34
  >> a position that's boring because you're
• 59:36
  not involved with the game or a position
• 59:38
  that's boring because you're way too
• 59:41
  involved in the game.
• 59:43
  >> I wouldn't want to be a cornerback
• 59:44
  covering Quinton Whimmer for two hours
• 59:46
  on a Sunday afternoon.
• 59:49
  that I
• 59:51
  >> I think there are some positions that
• 59:55
  naturally put you in a spot.
• 59:59
  Corner being the main one. Actually
• 1:00:02
  thinking about it. If you're
• 1:00:04
  >> if you're doing your job, you're doing a
• 1:00:06
  lot of running around and nobody's
• 1:00:08
  saying your name, but if you make a
• 1:00:09
  mistake, you're still doing a lot of
• 1:00:11
  running around and everybody's shouting
• 1:00:12
  at you. Yeah,
• 1:00:16
  >> I I think uh I think playing quarterback
• 1:00:19
  could be so fun. Like you're you're the
• 1:00:21
  main person, you know, everyone's
• 1:00:22
  relying on you to do well. If you
• 1:00:24
  haven't got um good quarterback, yeah,
• 1:00:27
  you're not going to do very well in
• 1:00:28
  games. Um so I think quarterbacks, they
• 1:00:30
  also get all the glory as well. And um I
• 1:00:34
  think yeah, free safety or I remember in
• 1:00:36
  Bango we have a shortage of linemen so
• 1:00:39
  sometimes I have to play nose tackle and
• 1:00:41
  I hated it. Oh my gosh, it's literally
• 1:00:44
  just getting double teamed every single
• 1:00:46
  play or like or they let you through and
• 1:00:48
  then you get you get hit in a if they do
• 1:00:50
  a pool play or something like I really
• 1:00:52
  did not enjoy playing noise tackle at
• 1:00:54
  all. You're just there to fill up gaps.
• 1:00:56
  I think that's my that's my opinion of
• 1:00:58
  it. Um but yeah, no quarterback I think
• 1:01:01
  would be very fun or again running back
• 1:01:03
  or Yeah, West Yeah. Um nose tackle I
• 1:01:07
  think most boring.
• 1:01:08
  >> Yeah, totally.
• 1:01:10
  Right. So that takes us back in and
• 1:01:12
  we've only got three divisions left to
• 1:01:15
  talk about, boys.
• 1:01:18
  So we're straight back in with the D2
• 1:01:21
  Southwest.
• 1:01:22
  Now you've already had quite a bit to
• 1:01:24
  say about Aberest with Joe. So do you
• 1:01:26
  want to tear us off?
• 1:01:28
  >> Yeah. Um they're the age-old enemy
• 1:01:31
  really, aren't they? For where we're at.
• 1:01:33
  Uh they're Mordor to our Gondor. They're
• 1:01:36
  the Empire to our rebels if you want to
• 1:01:38
  talk about it that way. But h I am I am
• 1:01:42
  an ABBA alumni. So I do fogg the bangal
• 1:01:45
  about that if we're having a bad
• 1:01:46
  training. I often like to say to the
• 1:01:48
  lads, you know, I don't think they'll be
• 1:01:49
  taking that much of a step off down in
• 1:01:51
  Abberwith. Uh they've been a team that
• 1:01:53
  are in and around the playoffs for the
• 1:01:54
  last few years. Last year was a dip, but
• 1:01:57
  they've got a good setup. They're what
• 1:01:59
  you want to see from football really.
• 1:02:00
  They're coached by ex players. They
• 1:02:03
  really kind of achieve everything
• 1:02:04
  they've got through a shoestring. They
• 1:02:06
  don't get the most support from their
• 1:02:08
  university. I mean, the vice chancellor
• 1:02:10
  can DM me if they've got an issue with
• 1:02:11
  that comment, but they don't get the
• 1:02:13
  most amount of support. Those pitches in
• 1:02:15
  Blaine Dolly are absolutely horrendous,
• 1:02:17
  especially when it starts raining.
• 1:02:19
  They're not um it's not a rare occasion
• 1:02:21
  for them to be three foot underwater. I
• 1:02:23
  played all my footballing career on them
• 1:02:25
  fields.
• 1:02:26
  >> I think looking at the league,
• 1:02:27
  Gloucester had a solid season last year.
• 1:02:30
  U2s
• 1:02:32
  always a strong team. I think it was a
• 1:02:34
  bit of a dip year for them last year.
• 1:02:36
  Um, but I think for me I I' I'd like to
• 1:02:40
  see I'm probably gonna get battered in
• 1:02:42
  training for this one, but I'd love to
• 1:02:43
  see um Abberis with really challenging
• 1:02:45
  for that top spot again.
• 1:02:48
  >> Yeah. No, I feel um Abberus with um you
• 1:02:52
  know the whole the whole trainings and
• 1:02:54
  stuff they they were building up this
• 1:02:55
  rivalry and we went there and I might
• 1:02:58
  get a bit of sticking about this in
• 1:02:59
  training but like the people they were
• 1:03:01
  actually quite nice. Um like um I'm in
• 1:03:04
  contact with one of their center and um
• 1:03:07
  trying to get him on as a guest here and
• 1:03:09
  um I feel bad
• 1:03:10
  >> center friends.
• 1:03:13
  >> Yeah,
• 1:03:15
  I think I've got I've got a little soft
• 1:03:17
  spot for them because also if they do
• 1:03:19
  well it will just make our game a lot
• 1:03:21
  fun, you know. It was like it was a lot
• 1:03:23
  of fun this this game, you know,
• 1:03:25
  thrashing them 390 nil. I don't know if
• 1:03:27
  I said it before but um yeah. No, I
• 1:03:29
  think it'll be I think it'll be nice for
• 1:03:31
  them to see them, you know, go up, but I
• 1:03:34
  do think UEI Bullets will are the
• 1:03:37
  strongest contenders for first place.
• 1:03:40
  They they like they've got the they got
• 1:03:42
  UEI first team as well, you know, so
• 1:03:44
  they've they've got that kind of
• 1:03:45
  connection. Um they're going to want to
• 1:03:47
  go in with a strong head. They're going
• 1:03:49
  to want to go in trying to show them
• 1:03:51
  what they're about. Um yeah, Glosser as
• 1:03:54
  well. They'll be good, but I think UI
• 1:03:56
  Bullets will be the
• 1:03:58
  I think they'll be going for top spot.
• 1:04:00
  >> Yeah, I completely agree with you, Shiv.
• 1:04:02
  I'm expecting both UEIE teams to make a
• 1:04:06
  really concerted effort and bounce back
• 1:04:08
  this year.
• 1:04:09
  >> Um especially now they've got the extra
• 1:04:12
  fire of
• 1:04:14
  Nottingham's B team being a division
• 1:04:17
  above them and them being at the same
• 1:04:18
  level as Nottingham's C team. And that's
• 1:04:20
  an age-old rivalry in and of itself. So
• 1:04:24
  >> I I think we'll have a big year from the
• 1:04:26
  UE2s, but like you said, Gsta coming off
• 1:04:31
  a good year. Aberiswith
• 1:04:33
  have been there or thereabouts for a
• 1:04:35
  little while. And this one's going to be
• 1:04:36
  fun actually.
• 1:04:38
  >> Yeah.
• 1:04:41
  Well, from that into
• 1:04:44
  what I actually believe could be the
• 1:04:46
  most fun division
• 1:04:49
  in Britall this year. What are we
• 1:04:52
  thinking about the div 2 southern
• 1:04:56
  >> this I think with as fun as fun as it
• 1:04:59
  will be I think it's also going to be
• 1:05:00
  hard to pick a winner. I think um
• 1:05:03
  they're all the same. It'll be very
• 1:05:06
  interesting this this league I think.
• 1:05:08
  Yeah.
• 1:05:10
  Joe.
• 1:05:12
  >> Yeah, it was a close one here last year,
• 1:05:14
  wasn't it? I think when I was doing my
• 1:05:16
  quick scan over on the way like before
• 1:05:18
  this episode today, there weren't an
• 1:05:20
  awful lot of points scored in this
• 1:05:21
  division last year. I think Stingers had
• 1:05:23
  the best record. 62 points scored and 28
• 1:05:26
  points conceded. That's over the course
• 1:05:28
  of a season. Um
• 1:05:30
  >> yeah,
• 1:05:31
  >> think if somebody can step up, I think
• 1:05:32
  it'll be interesting. Um but there's
• 1:05:36
  going to be another league that's going
• 1:05:37
  to be a dog fight this. Yeah, it's gonna
• 1:05:39
  be violence.
• 1:05:41
  >> Yeah, I think in terms of you know,
• 1:05:43
  we've talked about all of the rivalries.
• 1:05:46
  Sussex and Surrey despise each other.
• 1:05:50
  Went on both teams, I believe, went on
• 1:05:54
  Channel 5's NFL game show thing and
• 1:05:58
  spent the whole time talking smack about
• 1:06:01
  the other one in their 10 minutes on
• 1:06:02
  national television.
• 1:06:06
  Yeah, I'm I'm really excited for this,
• 1:06:09
  but I do think the Stingers take it this
• 1:06:11
  year.
• 1:06:14
  >> Yeah.
• 1:06:15
  >> I mean, six, if you want to come on the
• 1:06:16
  show and disagree with that, we'd love
• 1:06:18
  to have you. H We've always got 10
• 1:06:20
  minutes for any clubs to come and talk
• 1:06:21
  smack about their rivals if that's what
• 1:06:23
  they want to do. We'd love to have you.
• 1:06:27
  >> Absolutely. always free to be a platform
• 1:06:30
  for beef.
• 1:06:35
  But then, lads, from a five team
• 1:06:37
  division, Joe, you're going to love this
• 1:06:39
  one. From a five team division
• 1:06:43
  to a seven team division.
• 1:06:46
  >> Oh, wow.
• 1:06:48
  >> The last division we've got to talk
• 1:06:50
  about, boys. Give me your thoughts on
• 1:06:52
  the div 2 Southeast.
• 1:06:56
  You've really got to think at this
• 1:06:57
  point, haven't you, that the alignments
• 1:06:59
  in Brit Ball generally are done a bit
• 1:07:01
  like bingo. Just pull the names into a
• 1:07:02
  hat, roll it, and see who comes out. All
• 1:07:04
  right, we'll put seven over here. Let's
• 1:07:06
  put four over there. Why don't we just
• 1:07:07
  have a two league division? That'll be
• 1:07:09
  fun at some point.
• 1:07:12
  I'm past the point of trying to make
• 1:07:13
  sense of it, but wow, what a division
• 1:07:15
  this is. Um,
• 1:07:18
  just there's so much competition, isn't
• 1:07:20
  it? Anything can go. I mean, just the
• 1:07:22
  toll on players and to play this many
• 1:07:25
  regular season games is quite a feat in
• 1:07:28
  itself.
• 1:07:29
  >> Yeah.
• 1:07:29
  >> Hoping that all those teams can make it
• 1:07:31
  through. We often see teams drop off,
• 1:07:33
  don't we? Um,
• 1:07:37
  >> do we go? I think the Immortals are
• 1:07:40
  going to be the strongest team in the
• 1:07:41
  division this year, but there's going to
• 1:07:43
  be a lot of competition if it can make
• 1:07:44
  it all that way around. Um, the Emperors
• 1:07:46
  and the Pirates were both kind of one
• 1:07:48
  win last season and got relegated, so
• 1:07:50
  they're going to have something to
• 1:07:51
  prove.
• 1:07:52
  >> Um, but I think for me, I I think I
• 1:07:55
  quite fancy the Imperial immortals.
• 1:07:58
  Imperial Immortals is a tough one to
• 1:07:59
  say.
• 1:08:01
  >> No, I completely agree with you.
• 1:08:03
  Imperial fell a bit short in this
• 1:08:06
  division last year to the Vipers who
• 1:08:09
  went up. So I think it might be there
• 1:08:12
  for the taking. But at the same time,
• 1:08:15
  maybe this is just the era I came
• 1:08:18
  through Uniball, but I am shocked,
• 1:08:22
  horrified, and a little bit upset to see
• 1:08:25
  the UEA Pirates in division two.
• 1:08:30
  >> Yeah.
• 1:08:33
  >> Shiv, what are you going on?
• 1:08:36
  >> Oh, Joe, you finish off about you. I was
• 1:08:38
  just going to say we talked a lot about
• 1:08:39
  history before and I think that's it. I
• 1:08:41
  think that's the fun of Uniball really
• 1:08:43
  is you've got I mean mathematically
• 1:08:46
  speaking you've got a full turnover of
• 1:08:49
  players every three years,
• 1:08:50
  >> haven't you? So it's it's as close I
• 1:08:53
  think to the real NFL. I mean this can
• 1:08:57
  get clipped if you want but it's as
• 1:08:58
  close a level as we're going to get to
• 1:08:59
  the real NFL.
• 1:09:01
  >> Yeah.
• 1:09:01
  >> That you're going to get in Britain. I
• 1:09:03
  think you've got more consistency when
• 1:09:04
  it comes to the Brit ball teams. players
• 1:09:06
  stay with teams for sort of 10 12 years.
• 1:09:08
  You you recruit, teams do well and you
• 1:09:11
  see they become a pool for talent.
• 1:09:13
  >> With uniball leagues, so much up and
• 1:09:15
  down. There's so much movement between
• 1:09:17
  the leagues that teams maybe in 10,000
• 1:09:20
  BC when I was in undergrad might have
• 1:09:22
  been like premiership at the time but
• 1:09:24
  have dropped to div two now. And there
• 1:09:25
  are teams that were div two that are
• 1:09:27
  challenging top end of div one. And I
• 1:09:28
  think that constant cycle of teams
• 1:09:30
  amongst the leagues is kind of what
• 1:09:32
  makes uniball the just the incredibly
• 1:09:34
  fun sport that it is.
• 1:09:36
  Yeah, I agree. Um like Brit Bull like
• 1:09:38
  you say like um someone I play with
• 1:09:40
  online. He's been playing for 18 years
• 1:09:42
  Sweden. Um like Brit Uni Bull is is
• 1:09:47
  changing every three years. I think this
• 1:09:49
  this specific league they will be very
• 1:09:52
  tired. I think they've got a lot of
• 1:09:54
  games, you know. It'll be interesting to
• 1:09:56
  see how their health are um and see if
• 1:09:59
  they have many injuries cuz it's a lot
• 1:10:02
  of it's a lot of games, you know. Um,
• 1:10:04
  but I think the Mortals, yeah, I think
• 1:10:07
  it's between the Mortals or Emperors. I
• 1:10:09
  think they will be going for top spot.
• 1:10:11
  Um, the negates, that's a belly belly
• 1:10:16
  feeling like you can't tell what's going
• 1:10:18
  to what's going to happen in this one. I
• 1:10:20
  think
• 1:10:20
  >> Yeah, I think you raised a really good
• 1:10:22
  point though, both of you, about the
• 1:10:25
  tiredness and the extra couple of games.
• 1:10:27
  You know, whoever wins this division or
• 1:10:30
  sneaks into the playoffs, whatever the
• 1:10:32
  division 2 playoff situation looks like
• 1:10:35
  this time round,
• 1:10:37
  >> will probably find themselves coming up
• 1:10:39
  against a team who only had four other
• 1:10:41
  teams in their division
• 1:10:43
  >> and will just be less beat up. Do we
• 1:10:46
  reckon that
• 1:10:47
  >> comes into it when it when it's all said
• 1:10:50
  and done?
• 1:10:50
  >> Yeah, definitely. Like uh as much as we
• 1:10:54
  joke about it, I do think the the the
• 1:10:57
  number of teams in certain divisions are
• 1:10:59
  kind of crazy. Like when it comes to
• 1:11:01
  playoffs and stuff, ARU, for example, if
• 1:11:04
  they get to it, they could lose a lot of
• 1:11:07
  really good players because of the next
• 1:11:08
  two, three games and then if they come
• 1:11:10
  up against someone who's only had three
• 1:11:12
  >> teams to play against, they is it's not
• 1:11:15
  really fair. It's It's not fair at all
• 1:11:17
  because um I mean hopefully in the
• 1:11:19
  future Bucks can change this. Um I don't
• 1:11:23
  know if it'll have if we have much
• 1:11:24
  influence over that decision for them,
• 1:11:26
  but um I do think a lot of people would
• 1:11:28
  agree it's um I mean it doesn't take a
• 1:11:31
  lot to just take one or two teams and
• 1:11:33
  take put them to the other division. Do
• 1:11:35
  you know what I mean? Like it's an extra
• 1:11:37
  hour drive. I mean,
• 1:11:39
  >> especially in division two where you the
• 1:11:43
  difference between
• 1:11:44
  >> a team that's making the playoffs and
• 1:11:46
  team that's struggling to win a game is
• 1:11:49
  a healthy starting running back.
• 1:11:53
  >> It's it is as simple as that. And
• 1:11:55
  injuries can and do regularly end
• 1:11:59
  seasons and it's horrific.
• 1:12:02
  >> Yeah.
• 1:12:04
  >> It's
• 1:12:06
  Yeah. you know, if if there is anything
• 1:12:07
  they can do to change it for next
• 1:12:09
  season, that would be great.
• 1:12:11
  >> Um, I do have a feeling cuz, you know,
• 1:12:13
  they're in div 2, they kind of they
• 1:12:15
  didn't really care a lot about the teams
• 1:12:17
  they put together. They just sprinkled
• 1:12:18
  them wherever. See what just leftovers
• 1:12:21
  kind of thing. But, um, yeah. No.
• 1:12:25
  >> Yeah. Well, are we all in agreement
• 1:12:28
  though? It's the immortals to lose.
• 1:12:31
  >> Yeah,
• 1:12:32
  >> I think so. If they can run the
• 1:12:33
  gauntlet, I think it's theirs.
• 1:12:35
  >> Yeah.
• 1:12:36
  Fab. Well,
• 1:12:38
  that brings us to the end of the first
• 1:12:41
  ever
• 1:12:42
  >> episode and lecture for the season. Like
• 1:12:45
  we said at the top, um, we've recorded
• 1:12:48
  this one so that we could all get used
• 1:12:50
  to each other and the system, but we
• 1:12:52
  will be going live on Monday after the
• 1:12:55
  conclusion of Monday Night Huddle at the
• 1:12:57
  end of the summer ball season.
• 1:13:00
  Lads, it's been great to have you. Can't
• 1:13:02
  >> wait.
• 1:13:05
  It's exciting time. When do Banger start
• 1:13:08
  all of your preseason stuff? Anything
• 1:13:10
  freshers want to know? Give us a
• 1:13:11
  shameless plug.
• 1:13:12
  >> So, for all for all of you people, when
• 1:13:14
  is it come to Banger? You know, um we've
• 1:13:17
  got we're going to start preseason
• 1:13:19
  training 20th of September. Be there. Um
• 1:13:22
  it'll be a lot of fun. You know, the new
• 1:13:23
  committee are great. Um and yeah, no. Um
• 1:13:26
  a lot of a lot of excitement for for the
• 1:13:28
  upcoming season.
• 1:13:31
  >> Cool. And I believe that'll be around
• 1:13:33
  the same time all of the uni programs.
• 1:13:37
  >> Yeah. No, it's it'll be during freshers.
• 1:13:39
  I'm not exactly sure when, but it's
• 1:13:41
  towards the end of September,
• 1:13:42
  midsepptember to mid October, that kind
• 1:13:45
  of range, I think. So, um, and if you if
• 1:13:47
  you aren't coming to Banganger sadly,
• 1:13:49
  um, just just join join the team, you
• 1:13:52
  know, they'll be happy to have you. Is
• 1:13:53
  that's one thing about American football
• 1:13:55
  and uni, the community is great, you
• 1:13:57
  know. It's not like rugby, you know, the
• 1:13:59
  initiation stuff. Everyone's just lovely
• 1:14:00
  in American football. Um, and they will
• 1:14:02
  be happy to have you and yeah, nice. The
• 1:14:05
  more the better.
• 1:14:06
  >> Totally. And if you are involved with a
• 1:14:09
  uniball, if you're involved with a
• 1:14:10
  summer ball team, but you're maybe not a
• 1:14:12
  student, get in touch with your local
• 1:14:15
  one. Get signed up as a coach, get in
• 1:14:17
  touch with Baffra. We always need more
• 1:14:19
  referees. The game does not happen
• 1:14:21
  without coaches or officials.
• 1:14:24
  >> And that's, if nobody objects, I think
• 1:14:26
  that's the note I'm going to leave the
• 1:14:28
  show on, actually.
• 1:14:30
  Yeah.
• 1:14:30
  >> So, again, massive thanks for everybody
• 1:14:32
  jumping in and a huge shout out to
• 1:14:34
  anybody joining in on the audio
• 1:14:36
  platforms as well. You can imagine us
• 1:14:38
  being much prettier than we are. Um,
• 1:14:42
  I will see everybody next week or
• 1:14:44
  whenever we get round to doing this
• 1:14:46
  again. And I am so excited for this
• 1:14:48
  season.
• 1:14:49
  >> Very excited.
• 1:14:51
  >> I've had Shiv and Joe with me. We'll see
• 1:14:54
  you next time, guys.
• 1:14:55
  >> Bye-bye.
• 1:14:57
  Thank you very much for watching this
• 1:14:58
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• 1:15:00
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