Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

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copehead
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby copehead » 28 Jul 2012, 00:59

penk wrote:. I don't know any sport that has the complexity, variety and depth of association football.


You've never heard of a sport called Rugby Union :shock:
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Buddha B-Rex » 28 Jul 2012, 01:13

Dear England,

Your food is MUCH better than advertised, but...not everything served on a bun qualifies as a 'burger', and not everything wrapped in pastry is a 'pie'. This is very confusing to yanks, and should be clarified upon our entry to your wonderful nation.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby The Modernist » 28 Jul 2012, 01:49

Diamond Dog wrote:
penk wrote:No - but have you ever read Alex Ferguson's notebook?

I don't know, maybe there is more detailed planning and strategy in American football, but my point was that as you say, what is "played out on the pitch" in association football are the most varied, complicated and unpredictable scenarios of any sport. The complex strategies of American football are limited by the fairly specific nature of its plays. That's not a criticism: one could say the same of cricket, for example, which I'd also argue has a huge tactical and strategic depth. I just think that nothing else can match the flow of association football, nothing else has so many on-field possibilities.


I've read countless books on football - coaches books, tactics books etc. There is nothing in terms of planning and tactics in football that even begins to compare with American Football. Nothing. Not even remotely close.

.


You'll have to tell us how the game has developed tactically then because to the , admittedly untrained, eye it does look like the game is played in much the same way as it always was. Has there been history of radical changes in formation as in football? That's a genuine question btw rather than a rhetorical one. It does seem to me that when you talk about the huge preparation involved you are talking about refining set-pieces. Set pieces are the easiest things to practice of course because they have a certain amount of predictable factors, so therefore it is possible to take a more scientific approach to them. Association football has some set pieces which can be practiced over and over, but because it's a flowing game it also has far more unpredictable factors and allows far more for individual contributions and moments of inspiration..which is why ultimately it is a richer and yes more complex game.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Qube » 28 Jul 2012, 02:29

And you don't stop every 10 seconds for 3 minutes, so you've plenty of time to prepare what you're going to do next...

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Diamond Dog » 28 Jul 2012, 09:14

TopCat G wrote:You'll have to tell us how the game has developed tactically then because to the , admittedly untrained, eye it does look like the game is played in much the same way as it always was. Has there been history of radical changes in formation as in football? That's a genuine question btw rather than a rhetorical one.


The evolution of American Football tactically is ongoing, is constantly evolving and is driven by the ability of coaches to innovate - on a weekly basis- and tweak formations, plays and schemes. Difficult to explain to someone who isn't up with the game, knowledege wise, but I'll quote from the "NFL" thread in the sports section :

Diamond Dog wrote:Slightly off kilter, but I'm reading this at the moment :

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And, for any serious NFL fan, it's an absolute must read.

It deals with seven games (seven systems really, highlighted by one particular match) that really did change the American football world - through innovation to schemes (both offence and defence) that had never been seen before. You get Bud Carson's Cover Two and LeBaeu's Zone Blitz, you get Air Coryell and Sid Gilman's Vertical Stretch, Buddy Ryan's 46 Defence, Bill Walsh's West Coast Offence and Bill Bellichick's Pats D to overwhelm the Rams. All brilliantly explained, with masser of relevant info re the individuals concerned and the reasons for, and evolution of, these profoundly innovative schemes. It also goes onto explain how these have become incorporated into the modern game, and what you see as 'new' is (almost certainly) derived from one of these 'building blocks'.

I can't praise it highly enough - whilst it is detailed, it isn't a 'techie' book, because the schemes are explained in laymans terms. And there is plenty enough humour to stop it ever getting remotely 'stodgy'. It certainly taught me stuff I had never really thought about (the explanations of the beginnings of the modern passing game- the Vertical Stretch- and the Cover Two D - passed down to its brilliant execution with Tony Dungy in recent times- were particularly superb) and has made me look at the game through new eyes. Which, considering I've been following the game for 30 odd years, really is a huge testament to its readability.

If you get the chance, pick up a copy.


And:

Diamond Dog wrote:I've just got to Le Beau's Zone Blitz. What I never realised is that it came about because, when Cowher took over, he knew the team he had to eventually overcome in the AFC was the Bills (who were in the middle of those 4 Super Bowl appearances). The Zone Blitz was designed specifically to upset/negate the Bills "K Gun"/"No Huddle" offence - and worked superbly (the recollections of Kent Hull and Steve Tasker, from the Bills, makes you understand just how devastating it was). It must be said, when you read the detail and the planning involved, and why it worked so brilliantly, you realise what a genius Le Beau is. What is even more extraordinary is that, 20 years on, it's still basically the same D he's running in Pittsburgh, with the same positive results.

It's also really interesting to see how some of the individuals (Carnell Lake & Rod Woodson, in particular) were so massively rated by Cowher and his team - really, the explanation of what those two achieved of is amazing reading. Woodson really was an extraordinary athlete - I don't think it's that well known that he was one of the best (if not the absolute best) high hurdler in College Athletics. And that included people like Roger Kingdom and Renaldo Nehemiah (future gold medalists), people he regularly beat. Cowher also says just how bright he was too- something not often referred to when talking about pro football.

I can't put the book down, it's really that good.


And that's just a very quick overview of one book. But, within that, it shows the level of innovation (on both sides of the ball) that - when those schemes arrived- dramatically transformed the game. Not like an extra midfielder in football - I mean, completely changed how every team had to prepare from that point on. For every game, no exceptions.

As I said - the level of sophistication involved in every game at NFL level (in fact, right down the line) is staggering. Without getting very long winded and technical, it's difficult to fully explain. But, trust me, I do know what I'm on about. Don't forget - I do actually have a level 1 FA Coaching certificate! And I have read lord knows how many footballing books - I really have. But, in terms of complexity, American Football makes football look very, very simple.
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Loki » 02 Aug 2012, 06:44

kath wrote: brits have a crunchy outside and a gooey inside.

Sounds about right. :)
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Belle Lettre » 02 Aug 2012, 08:42

And can spell "night".
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby kath » 03 Aug 2012, 00:16

Belle Lettre wrote:And can spell "night".


everyone knows it's spellt kuhnickchchchchchcght, silly.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Snarfyguy » 03 Aug 2012, 15:33

Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 03 Aug 2012, 15:33

Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.


People in several countries in mainland Europe actually find him funnier than we do.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Minnie the Minx » 03 Aug 2012, 15:34

Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.


NOt even us. I don't know WHO thinks he is funny.
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby The Modernist » 03 Aug 2012, 15:41

Dan London wrote:
Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.


People in several countries in mainland Europe actually find him funnier than we do.


Very much. I remember doing a summer school once and all the kids, who were mainly from Spain, France, Italy and Brazil, all knew him and liked him. It was exported all over the world, for the obvious reason there was no language barrier to contend with.
It was popular in Britain in a kind of 'people will watch anything on prime time' kind of way, but there was no great enthusiasm for it that I can remember. It was hardly the kind of thing that you'd talk about the next day.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Snarfyguy » 03 Aug 2012, 15:49

I recall being in a nightclub in Shanghai that had a screening room showing a Mr. Bean movie. Rows of smartly dressed young Chinese sat watching it in grim, stoney-faced determination, as if to divine its comic secrets.

One scene had him changing into a suit while driving - steering with his feet from the back seat - that I thought was amazing, but it was still a pretty bad and not-funny movie.
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 03 Aug 2012, 15:57

TopCat G wrote:
Dan London wrote:
Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.


People in several countries in mainland Europe actually find him funnier than we do.


Very much. I remember doing a summer school once and all the kids, who were mainly from Spain, France, Italy and Brazil, all knew him and liked him. It was exported all over the world, for the obvious reason there was no language barrier to contend with.


It's a bit of an end-of-term standby for tired/lazy TEFLers, for the reason you stated. That and Wallace and Gromit.

I played it to a class of adult German students once and I've never seen a reaction like it - they were hooting with laughter, holding on to each other for support, slapping their thighs. It was so annoying I had to leave the room.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Moleskin » 03 Aug 2012, 15:58

I don't think I've ever seen a whole episode.
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby The Prof » 03 Aug 2012, 15:59

Dan London wrote:they were hooting with laughter, holding on to each other for support, slapping their thighs. It was so annoying I had to leave the room.

I can just imagine that.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Poppypoobah » 03 Aug 2012, 16:18

Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.


Meh.


He's also the guy in Duncan's old band who had followers for his jokes which he told when Duncan broke a string or Javier needed a pee break. Awful they were but his delivery was worse and there was often the sound of silence after one except for his snickering like a Muppet.

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby The Modernist » 03 Aug 2012, 16:51

Poppypoobah wrote:Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.


Meh.

.


I must admit I've never even heard of it. As you say it seems to be more of a German thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One

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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Deebank » 03 Aug 2012, 17:00

TopCat G wrote:
Poppypoobah wrote:Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.


Meh.

.


I must admit I've never even heard of it. As you say it seems to be more of a German thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One



Germans watch this every CHristmas - it's an institution apparently.
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Re: Americans! what have you learned about the UK?

Postby Poppypoobah » 03 Aug 2012, 17:06

TopCat G wrote:
Poppypoobah wrote:Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.


Meh.

.


I must admit I've never even heard of it. As you say it seems to be more of a German thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One


Here it is for the folks who it came from


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