A Conversation for American Football Forum
Anyone else read this?
egon Started conversation Jun 18, 2003
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/us_sport/2998686.stm
England and West Ham *Association Football* goalkeeper David James will spend pre-season training with the Miami Dolphins.
Anyone else read this?
egon Posted Jun 18, 2003
"As part of the training, James' overall fitness will be assessed and he will learn how to play three positions that seem the best suited for him - quarterback, wide receiver and kicker.
"Tony Allen, director of game development for the NFL in Europe, said: "David is exactly the kind of European sports star who we feel has the all-round athleticism and ability to hold his own in the NFL."
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Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Jun 18, 2003
There's a piece about this in the Dolphins thread, as thats where the no longer boy blunder is heading.
My immediate reaction is hold his own as what? Waterboy? Cableguy? Given his inability to hold a ball, I'm guessing he'd end up fumbling the cable...
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Wildman - I'm not really mad, I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years! Posted Jun 18, 2003
My own immediate reaction was that he'd already spent too much time holding his own (and playing with them)!
Wildman
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Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Jun 18, 2003
The guys 32 fer chrissakes. Way beyond being a realistic prospect at QB or WR. Realistically they *might* look at him for kicking, but I'm betting he can't cut the mustard there either.
After all Mick Luckhurst was only a college kid when he went to the States and got that job at the Falcons...
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Bright Blue Shorts Posted Jun 18, 2003
I did indeed mention this with apt sarcasm and commentary on the Dolphins thread. And it's actually for real as the Miamidolphins.com website also runs the story.
Funny part is that they end with "His outstanding form for his club and country in the past 12 months has seen him estabish himself as the *undisputed* number one goalkeeper for the England team". 
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Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Jun 18, 2003
Well, the truly scary thing is that with Richard Wright having just sepoerated his shoulder in a domestic accident, James might just be the undisputed no 1 choice for England Keepers jersey.
Which says way more about the p*ss poor quality of English keepers atm than it does abourt David James talent (or lack thereof).
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Bright Blue Shorts Posted Jun 18, 2003
Possibly although David Seaman will be playing Premiership football next season, while Paul Robinson of Leeds is an up and coming prospect and touted as a better long-term choice than James.
But hey that's schmoccer ... who cares 
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Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Jun 18, 2003
Well indeed. Certainly not your average Miami Dolphins supporter...
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egon Posted Jun 18, 2003
while researching Richard Wright's injury for my Post column (and also out of interest, being an Everton fan) I can reveal that the "domestic accident" in question involved Wright falling out of his loft on Friday 13th while putting away his suitcases after coming back from holiday.
That is all.
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Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Jun 18, 2003
Oh, I wasn't trying to imply anything about the boy other than that he had injured himself. Falling out of a loft while recovering from a leg injury might be regarded as bloody careless, though...
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Bright Blue Shorts Posted Jun 18, 2003
Superb. That'll almost certainly make it onto a future episode of "They Think It's All Over" - if they're still making it ...
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egon Posted Jun 18, 2003
Well, by "domestic injury" my first thoughts were that he'd probably got pissed at a family barbecue and tripped over the cat or something.
I think there is going to be another series of They Think It's All Over, but without Gower and Lineker. Phil Tufnell is apparently going to be one of the captains.
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Bright Blue Shorts Posted Jun 18, 2003
Tufnell - oh dear. Sums up everything I hate about British sport and "our" attitudes towards it ...
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Blatherskite the Mugwump - Bandwidth Bandit Posted Jun 18, 2003
Two sports stars getting injured by their luggage in the same week? (Seattle Mariners' closing pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki being the other). Those guys should fire their butlers... clearly they've forgotten a basic skill here.
The key to understanding the David James thing is the statement by, "Tony Allen, director of game development for the *NFL in Europe*"
Publicity stunt, anyone?
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Friar Posted Jun 18, 2003
I suppose, *I* could try out for the QB position in Miami. I'm pretty certain that I could throw 4 interceptions in one game. I think those are the minimum qualifications these days.
And, if Griese could pass the personality profile, I'm SURE that I could. . .
Friar, wondering about the state of Wansedt's player evaluation team
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Blatherskite the Mugwump - Bandwidth Bandit Posted Jun 18, 2003
I don't know what this is all about. Say what you will about Griese, he's definitely one of the better options out there for backup QB.
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Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Jun 18, 2003
Well indeed. Even as a publicity stunt it's bizarre, to say the least...
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Friar Posted Jun 18, 2003
I totally agree about his ability, but he's a head-case.
He's had multiple flare-ups in the past (going back to his Michigan days). He's not nearly as bad as Ryan Leaf was, but he's in the same league. The main difference is that Griese does not antagonzie the press the way Leaf did.
Griese has matured since his college days (a little), but he's still pretty well known for finding trouble in crowded bars.
Friar
Key: Complain about this post
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- 1: egon (Jun 18, 2003)
- 2: egon (Jun 18, 2003)
- 3: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Jun 18, 2003)
- 4: Wildman - I'm not really mad, I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years! (Jun 18, 2003)
- 5: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Jun 18, 2003)
- 6: Bright Blue Shorts (Jun 18, 2003)
- 7: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Jun 18, 2003)
- 8: Bright Blue Shorts (Jun 18, 2003)
- 9: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Jun 18, 2003)
- 10: egon (Jun 18, 2003)
- 11: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Jun 18, 2003)
- 12: Bright Blue Shorts (Jun 18, 2003)
- 13: egon (Jun 18, 2003)
- 14: Bright Blue Shorts (Jun 18, 2003)
- 15: Blatherskite the Mugwump - Bandwidth Bandit (Jun 18, 2003)
- 16: Friar (Jun 18, 2003)
- 17: Blatherskite the Mugwump - Bandwidth Bandit (Jun 18, 2003)
- 18: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Jun 18, 2003)
- 19: Friar (Jun 18, 2003)
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