gridiron UK

Sunday we counted 23 starters including newbs and at least one coach doubling up for the Bury Saints season starter.  23 clearly made a steep hill to climb against opponents London Blitz.  Subsequent injuries reduced the 23 but the Saints determinedly stuck at it preventing the tsunami that might have been expected.  Sadly no Saints Cheerleaders this year but the pizza outside the clubhouse smelt wonderful.  Pix on that there Facebook.

At the end of last season with minutes to go a one point kick would have put the Ipswich Cardinals into overtime against the Essex Spartans ... they went for two and didn't make it.  At the start of this season this afternoon with minutes to go kicking the point after put the Cards in the lead ... kicking in the British game can be worryingly wayward.  The Cards made a good punt, previously the Spartans had blocked two punts.  The punt returner looking like he was hashing it near his own line recovered to make a spectacular 50 yard return.  The Cards defence shut the game down and for our first time we saw the Cardinals play victory formation.  An excellent game that could have gone the other way and would have been even more exciting if the crowd were more informed about the clock.

Like ♫Norwegian funk♫ it would seem Chinese gridiron is a thing ... and why not?

Sunday in Norwich the very bent chain stick from the last home game was still very bent but that didn't stop UEA Pirates beating visitors the Cambridge Pythons 45-00 and so progress to the playoffs.  It may have been a shut out for the Pythons but they impressively stayed plugging away including wide receiver 19.

Despite the cold and some snow the Iceni Spears womens american football had turned out in Thorpe St Mary for training.  Some new faces and much hilarity during tackle practice because it's not easy to get up from squashy crash mats plus the pergola tried to blow away.  This year the Spears aren't competing in either league contact or flag so as to develop their newer players but will be playing some friendlies in the spring.

Sunday's going to be busy: take stuff back to B&Q in Norwich, american football Iceni Spears Open Day followed by UEA Pirates v Cambridge Pythons, and then the roller derby world cup final streamed at the Beeb.

Yesterday's Ipswich Cardinals second 2018 practice was very encouraging, an excellent turn out of both juniors and seniors and to end the day a full contact scrimmage that was just that.  We learnt that a reversing defensive back should try to keep their feet near parallel so it's easier to cut the same way as the receiver they're covering,  Optimistic about the approaching season where the Cards will certainly meet the newly returned to the league Norwich Devils.