I wouldn't say the Vikes bottled it. Taking the game into OT isn't bottling it. I would say that is what happened to us against the Vikes!

Agree with Paul's comment on AP this season. Started with a veangence but 'petered' out as the season went on ... ;)

And Favre. What a legend. He has once again proved it. Shame he won't grace the SB once again. But the Vikes decision to take him there has certainly been worth it. Rosenfel (sp?) will have a lot to live up to next season ... I can't see Favre carrying on ...

I hope Favre doesn't carry on, enough's enough now. It would be good to get him on a commentary team or something as he has so much experience and such a great knowledge of the game I really think he could add something to the commentary teams in the US. No doubt he'll go into coaching though.

Bit of a hypothetical question. How much would it cost to take 5 months off work to travel round the US during an NFL season?

* attending a game every day there is a fixture (so, opening Thursday, every Sunday and Monday, whenever there is a Thursday or Saturday game, Saturday and Sunday of Wildcard and Divisional round, one Conference round game and the Super Bowl)
* traveling by plane / train / coach, whichever is most cost effective / realistic
* staying in mid priced accommodation

I wouldn't even like to guess how much that would cost, It's going to cost me the best part of a grand to go to Philly in September and that's only for 1 week. Surely you have to be looking in the region of around £30,000-£40,000 what with all the flights and food and game tickets. Also, I'm not sure if you'd need to apply for some sort of Visa to stay in the country that long.

[quote=jazman]I wouldn't say the Vikes bottled it. Taking the game into OT isn't bottling it. [quote]

I saw the stats and they outplayed NO in every department except 5 turnovers. They didn't win the game. In my opinion having the chance to make the play when it counts and you don't - that is what I call bottling it.

Was it Tim Flowers/ Shearer, one of those that talked about bottle. It's about holding your nerve when it counts. Favre had an open corridor to go forward 10 - 15 yards and give his man a chance for the field goal. Instead his nerve seemed shot at the key critical moment and threw an interception.

PS - I can't make comments on the Cowboys, I've already forgot most of that game :D

792 tickets left on Stub Hub for the SB. $1875 starting price :D

I'd say that maybe the phrase "bottling it" is a bit harsh as they really did give the Saints a game last night despite the plethora of fumbles and a couple of picks, the fact that the Saints only won by 3 is testament to how good the Vikings D was last night and it would be harsh on them to brand them as "Bottlers". They didn't bottle it but they weren't far off it.

I can't remember where I saw it but earlier in the season I was gobsmacked by an offer on a website I found, all legit as well, I seem to remember it being a link on the NFLUK website.

Flights, accommodation, ticket to a theme park for a day and a ticket to the Superbowl, £2500. Can't say fairer than that really.

This.

Sure the guy is tough, but it makes me really uneasy watching a 40 year old guy get driven into the turf play after play by a guy 15 years his junior.

Not to mention he is still the arrogant pig-headed QB that he always was. That interception at the end of the 4th was unforgivable. He hasn't learnt a thing.

Gotta believe that the Saints will be better in the superbowl. Should be a great game for the neutral.

OK - they slightly bottled it. I was cheesed, stayed up till 4.30am and it wasn't the result I wanted :D

Favre is still a much better QB than 1/2 - 3/4 of the league, that's why he'll carry on.

Oh how I hope you are wrong! I'm with Kaberle15 on this one, a 40 year old bloke getting absolutely battered on virtually every single play is hard to watch and made me wince everytime. Aaron Rodgers body will heal quick, Favre's body will just stay broken now.

He should retire and with the $25 million he made this year playing for the Vikings; set up a QB school for kids, imagine what that would do for the game in the US and some of the players that would come out of it would be phenomenal.

Actually not a bad idea. Would require a moderator though.

Otherwise the first lesson would be, 'kids, don't listen to any of those fools who tell you to throw it away when you are staring down a receiver in tight triple coverage, of course you can fit the ball in there.'

I think his first rule should be "When you get to 38, retire and don't go back"

Tell George Foreman that ;)

Better protection and if he dropped down on his butt like Peyton Manning does, he can stay till he's 50 ;) :D

Ok.

I think you're about suggesting 43 regular season games and 5 postseason and the superbowl.

Tickets, probably about $7000 if you went dirt cheap ($100 per game, 200 postseason, 2k superbowl).

However, your real issues are your travelling. Since there is only one game on mondays, that is where you have to base yourself. If there's another team nearby at home on the sunday then fair enough, but otherwise you are struggling.

For instance, lets take weeks 13, 14, 15 (chosen at random)

Thursday night in Buffalo
BUS (550 miles)
Sunday night in Chicago
BUS (200 miles)
Monday night in Green Bay
BUS (550 miles)
Thursday night in Cleveland
FLY (2500 miles)
Sunday night in Oakland
BUS (12 miles)
Monday night in San Fran
FLY (2800 miles)
Thursday night in Jax
FLY (750 miles)
Sunday in Baltimore
BUS (20 miles)
Monday night in DC

and thats just in three weeks

You're still travelling most of the way across America. Every week pretty much.

I may be wrong, but I believe he has a summer Camp for football.

I'm probably wrong, but i'm sure I saw him there a lot on NFLN in the summer.

Bit pissed off, checked my email just before I left work.

What's in the inbox?

NFLShop.com - Colts and Saints fans - Buy your Championship gear here.
:veryangry :veryangry :veryangry

Still don't know the score, and watching the last 11 minutes now. 35-35 now.

The fumbling is ridiculous.

I think you'd probably be better off basing yourself either on the West coast or East Coast, buying a car outright and just making whatever games you can travel to reasonably by road. You could even buy a camper van type thing and save on accommodation.

I wouldn't worry about missing too many games - the American experience itself will probably start to overshadow the games anyway, and you can always watch them live in a bar anyway.

Just a word of warning though - you can normally only stay in the US for 3 months on a regular visitor's visa, unless you have some other reason such as work, which requires a whole different visa anyway. They're quite tough these days at the airports, meaning that you would also need evidence of a flight home already booked, and proof that you have the means to support yourself financially throughout the trip.

Good luck!

Wembley Ticket Prices:

Ouch :(


TICKETS STATUS TO BUY
DIAMOND HOSPITALITY - £399 ON SALE 28/01/10
Call 0845-676-2007
SAPPHIRE HOSPITALITY - £299 ON SALE 28/01/10 Call 0845-676-2007
PREMIUM CLUB SEAT - £145 ON SALE 28/01/10
Ticketmaster
CLUB SEAT - £125 ON SALE 28/01/10 Ticketmaster
SIDELINE LEVEL 1 - £100 ON SALE 01/02/10
Ticketmaster
SIDELINE LEVEL 5 - £80 ON SALE 01/02/10
Ticketmaster
SIDELINE LEVEL 5 - £72.50 ON SALE 01/02/10
Ticketmaster
ENDZONE LEVEL 1 - £70 ON SALE 01/02/10
Ticketmaster
CORNERS LEVEL 5 - £60 ON SALE 01/02/10
Ticketmaster
ENDZONE LEVEL 5 - £50 ON SALE 01/02/10
Ticketmaster
ENDZONE RESTR. VIEW - £35 COMING SOON
Ticketmaster


Will be going for the Endzone level 1 this year but sat in the gods last year and was a great view if a bit far away and might take this to save some dough :(

All the lower level prices have been put up.

Disgraceful in "this financial climate" as they said yesterday.