The 2008 NFL/NCAA/ NFL in London thread

**thesilverfox** · 01/12/2008, 7:35 PM

The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play at Wembley on 25 October 2009, in the third competitive NFL game to take place in the UK.
New England have won three of the last seven Super Bowls, while Tampa Bay were champions in 2003. Wembley secured the fixture despite interest from Murrayfield in Scotland and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/othe...ll/7759299.stm

**strangeirish** · 02/12/2008, 2:10 AM

Originally Posted by thesilverfox

The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play at Wembley on 25 October 2009, in the third competitive NFL game to take place in the UK.
New England have won three of the last seven Super Bowls, while Tampa Bay were champions in 2003. Wembley secured the fixture despite interest from Murrayfield in Scotland and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/othe...ll/7759299.stm

That should be a good one to go to. Now, speaking of New England, Wes Welker gets knocked into the middle of next week...ouch!

**max power** · 02/12/2008, 8:07 AM

wow a chance to roar abuse at brady in person and not at the tv

**OneRedArmy** · 02/12/2008, 12:22 PM

Have not really bothered about going to the previous two games I'm definitely going to try and get tickets for this one.

Bucs all the way.

**DaveyCakes** · 02/12/2008, 2:42 PM

This year's game was a cracker, will definitely try to get tickets again next year.

**swano** · 02/12/2008, 4:27 PM

So the Sooners made the Big 12 championship game. To me it should have been Texas as they beat the Sooners on a neutral field and their only loss was in the last second to Tech. They also hammered Missou.

It looks most likely that it'll be Sooners v Gators in the BCS although Bama will give the Gators a better game than Missou will give Oklahoma.

Be interesting to see what order all the QBs will go in the NFL draft next year. Can't see many big name college players choosing a senior year ahead of entering the NFL with the signing bonus structure for Rookies due to change in 2 years time.

I'd put the QBs in the following order;

1 McCoy
2 Tebow
3 Bradford
4 Daniel
5 Sanchez
6 Harell
7 Ganz

150th J Lee of LSU

**Aberdonian Stu** · 02/12/2008, 11:05 PM

You've got to look at the pro-potential (in the eyes of NFL teams which differs wildly from College Football fans) of players.

Despite a mediocre year for Georgia, Matthew Stafford is still very high on most draft boards. Theoretically Bradford could declare as he's redshirt sophomore as opposed to a true sophomore, but NFL teams will baulk at him this year (irrational I know, but it'll happen) so he'll hang on one more year.

With Tebow it's all about the title. If Florida doesn't win the BCS title game this year he'll look at coming back next year as the Gators will be stacked, and he'll be primed to move to possible Number 1 overall pick. If they win the title, he's got a chance of doing a Vince Young and rocketing up draft boards so he'd declare this year.

Daniel will likely face a Brohm-ish reaction and unfairly drop down the board. Sanchez will stay on for another year, USC QBs not called Cassel usually do two full years as starter before declaring for the draft.

Harrell's stock will have plummeted because of the beating the Sooners gave Tech but look at the way he throws. People may say system, but yeah it's not the Texas Tech system he's built for they should think about. Look at the way he throws the ball, it's a perfect fit for the Bill Walsh short passing system used by game managing QBs in the NFL. Like Colt Brennan last year, I think Harrell has the potential to be a bargain late round QB with real pro-potential.

The biggest potential omission is Utah's QB Brian Johnson. He is a neat, efficient passer. If he has a good BCS Bowl, watch out. He could be this year's Flacco.

**Soko** · 05/12/2008, 5:33 PM

Originally Posted by Aberdonian Stu

Daniel will likely face a Brohm-ish reaction and unfairly drop down the board.

Brohm's drop was very fair, he couldn't even beat out Matt Flynn for the GB backup. Daniel should drop a lot too, just not good enough

**Aberdonian Stu** · 06/12/2008, 3:42 AM

Brohm's drop was based far more on how Louisville's D performed than his own play in his senior season, which saw him post similar stats to his junior year.

Daniel will make for a very interesting case. He could go all the way down to the fourth or fifth rounds, which would be an absolute bargain for any team. A lot will depend on how his performances in the Big 12 championship game, the bowl game (yet to be determined) and the combine.

Elsewhere in the QB draft hunt...the word appears to be that irrespective of what happens Saturday night or in the bowl games, that Tim Tebow will stay for his senior season. From a draft value perspective that should only serve to benefit him. NFL teams want to see more of his arm before taking a high value punt on him.

Stafford, who has enjoyed a good but not great, year looks all set to be the first QB chosen which would make for an interesting pick. He's a little less high profile than some of the other QBs but just as high risk.

**strangeirish** · 06/12/2008, 11:43 PM

Gators beat Alabama 31-20. Very good game which should see the Gators through to the BCS championship game. Interesting stat about Tebow, in that this was the first time he has won a game in which Florida trailed in the second half. He had a pretty good game, throwing for 216 yards, ran for 56 and threw 3 TD's.

Go Gators!!!

**Aberdonian Stu** · 06/12/2008, 11:50 PM

Florida look very strong. I expect the human polls to place them number 1 meaning they'll be number 2 overall (the computers will keep Oklahoma ahead of them if the Sooners win tonight).

Looking at the BCS matchups, based on what I think is the selection order, I expect this to be the breakdown.

BCS title game: Oklahoma* vs Florida
Rose Bowl: USC vs Penn State
Fiesta Bowl: Texas* vs Ohio State
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs Utah
Orange Bowl: Boston College vs Cincinnati

*Based on prediction that Oklahoma wins Big 12 title.

In the case of Alabama, this will mark a rare occasion where a BCS bowl selects a team that lost its conference championship game.

Should the Sooners lose tonight, well aside from the change to the title game, it could have significant implications for how the other bowl games go.

**strangeirish** · 07/12/2008, 12:08 AM

That about sums it up Stu. Florida will have Harvin back for the big game also.

**OneRedArmy** · 08/12/2008, 11:33 AM

Tried to avoid the scores on the web yesterday morning as I wanted to watch the game on replay.

Unfortunately the email in my inbox from the Gator Store suggesting I get my SEC Champs merchandise kind of gave the game away......

Florida have a huge amount of momemtum at this stage and unlike two years ago when they didn't travel to Phoenix in huge numbers ("sun doesn't go to sun"), huge numbers should be heading down the interstate to Miami on Jan 8th.

Should be a great game, hard to see beyond the Gators with Tebow timing his form to perfection.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 08/12/2008, 12:31 PM

Notre Dame might actually break their record bowl losing streak against Hawaii in...eh...the Hawaii Bowl. It won't be easy, largely because the team is rubbish, but Hawaii is a beatable opponent. I'll be staying up late Christmas Eve for this one.

**eamo1** · 08/12/2008, 5:22 PM

My Steelers are 10-3 now thanks once again to the best defence in the entire league for many a year.They came up so good last night,granted Romo isnt 100% and Cowboys were without Barber but to see them go 3 and out 3 times in the 4th quarter and Steelers Offence to eventually click warmed my heart.

.Next week is huge vs Ravens Offence.

**max power** · 08/12/2008, 8:21 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Tried to avoid the scores on the web yesterday morning as I wanted to watch the game on replay.

Unfortunately the email in my inbox from the Gator Store suggesting I get my SEC Champs merchandise kind of gave the game away......

Florida have a huge amount of momemtum at this stage and unlike two years ago when they didn't travel to Phoenix in huge numbers ("sun doesn't go to sun"), huge numbers should be heading down the interstate to Miami on Jan 8th.

Should be a great game, hard to see beyond the Gators with Tebow timing his form to perfection.

I should be one of them......over there for 2 weeks and it would be an amazing game to go to. Tebow is the key, some talent.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 08/12/2008, 9:14 PM

If I wasn't exquisitely broke and spending a week in Cork I would be on the first plane to Hawaii.

**swano** · 09/12/2008, 3:42 PM

I got an email about tickets to the Chick-Fil-A bowl in Atlanta (email said it's one of Americas most beautiful cities!!) between LSU and Georgia Tech. How the mighty have fallen.. Not able to make it so may just go over around Mardi Gras time again!

Nice trip for the Notre Dame Alum!

**paul_oshea** · 09/12/2008, 4:27 PM

was sitting in wimbley watching the baa baaa baack sheep last week and thinking its the perfect stadium for NFL. The toilets could have more sh1tters in there. The place dwarfs Croke Park given the relative capacities would probably be equal if the horseshoe became an oval cornered rectangle. Croke park far steeper though. Bobby moore suite is equally impressive.

**OneRedArmy** · 09/12/2008, 5:02 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

was sitting in wimbley watching the baa baaa baack sheep last week and thinking its the perfect stadium for NFL. The toilets could have more sh1tters in there. .

Do rugby fans use the crapper more?

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

if the horseshoe became an oval cornered rectangle.

WTF?