Thank the Gods of football the NFL is back!
Sure it's only pre-season but after the complete drought of the off-season I think most, if not all, football fans are elated with the smallest sample of top-tier action. Stop me if I'm wrong...
Some surprising results already though, Kansas City failing to score a point was an upset I would have thought with the league leading rusher and the architect of Arizona's Superbowl run: Todd Haley. The previous Superbowl teams Pittsburgh and Green Bay lost as well, can't say I would have guessed that either! But sure they have three more games to figure it out so we'll let them away with it....for now.
On the other end of the spectrum there are some not so surprising results; San Fran remain ineffective with Alex Smith (I won't lie, being a Rams fan I enjoyed seeing it (apologies to any 9ers fans that read this!)), the Bills are still the Bills, New England are still Bill Belichick's team, Detroit are filled with optimism as usual (just wait until Stafford gets knocked out for the season), and finally Curtis Painter....is still Curtis Painter, by which I mean he has stepped into the Jim Sorgi role of perpetual back up who plays Peyton Manning's pre-season games by throwing more INTs than TDs. Still, at least they have a solid third stringer in Dan Orlovsky....oh....
Okay, the fodder is done with, now to the big boys: the GFL2 post-season picture!
This auld Paddy got to see the fine German countryside as the team whizzed past the high speed train windows on the way to Cologne. Early start and an early finish to the day yesterday was made easier by the Berlin Rebels getting out of the wild west with a 23-0 shutout victory. A win's a win so we'll take it.
Anyway, with the Lubeck game being rescheduled to the end of the season it could end up being billed as a down to the wire, winner takes all play-off decider. Without meaning to sound trite and clichéd: epic.
Of course this depends on a few things though; we (the Rebels) have to win against Troisdorf in two weeks when they visit Berlin from the west, the Cougars would have to lose to someone (I'm looking at the Hamburg Blue Devils who are after a perfect season after they narrowly escaped our clutches...twice.....shudder). If those two things happen that last game will be a belter, so be sure to follow the closing games of the GFL2 season!
So, while we all busy ourselves with the NFL pre-season ushering in an actual NFL regular season let's not take our eyes off of the intense battle for promotion to the GFL1! If either the Lubeck Cougars or Berlin Rebels get to the top German division it will mean a huge milestone for Irish-born American football players!
Slán for now!
PS: Interview with Lubeck Cougars Irish-born defensive back Darragh Farrell should feature on the blog next week, will make for some interesting rivalry reading!
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