This week, the NFL will ship the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins over the big pond to play a promotional regular season game at Wembley Stadium in London.  On the surface, this looks like a great idea.  It looks like something that could bring an international audience to America’s version of professional football.  When you look past the initial reasoning for such a decision, though, there’s no doubt that sending two teams 1,000 miles to play a football game is a major handicap for those squads.

As if the hapless Dolphins didn’t have enough on their proverbial plate, they now have to deal with playing a football game in another country.  For the corporate suits who never played a down of football, this seems like a great idea.  After all, football players would love to be able to take a visit to London during the middle of the season, right?  That notion is categorically and emphatically wrong.  When you combine the effect of a flight across the world, a long bus ride from the airport to the stadium, and the overlying hangover effect the entire ordeal, it’s easy to see why some might be displeased with the situation.

Dolphins linebacker Chinning Crowder, a proud former student at the University of Florida, had an interesting take on the trip.  In what is sure to be one of the sound bytes of the year, Crowder proudly announced that he didn’t even know where London was.  Though his comments probably gave the PR department in Miami a major headache, they do raise an interesting question about the approach to this game.  He probably didn’t mean to, but Crowder actually made us think about how ridiculous it is to try to play this sort of exhibition showcase during the middle of the season.

If we’re going to try to export our product for the sake of the almighty dollar, shouldn’t we be trying to present the best game that we have to offer?  Instead of sending, say, the Colts and Patriots to London for a battle, we’re sending a tired Dolphins team to get beat up on by an improving Giants team.  Though New York has played better in recent weeks, they’re still not a team that inspires awe.  The premise of having tired, unmotivated NFL players running around the soccer pitch in England sounds pretty ridiculous when you think about it.  The NFL usually gets it right, but this time, they’ve dropped the ball.  Hopefully this game will turn out to be such a flop that no one considers such a scenario ever again.

It was a horrible idea, made worse by having horrible teams in the event.

Well from a Canadian perspective I think the NFL branching out is a great idea. I would love too see the NFL get a Canadian team, it would be awesome for the sport if you ask me.

Just my two cents though.

-Scott Jack

Did anybody watch the news when that happened??? people in London hate us!!! but theyre right about one thing. the sport shouldnt be called football it they only kick off,kick field goals and punt...and we take their sport and call it "Soccer" lol...American Football should be called Grid Iron ball or sumn stupid of that nature...

I agree completely. I play the REAL football.

Ever hear of rugby??

Far rougher then football, far less protection.

Just a thought guys.

-Scott

Rugby is the second greatest sport known to man.

Has anyone seen a game of Aussie rules football?