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today's Claymores match

Post 1

Chris Morris

Hi Ku'Reshtin,

I was at the Claymores v Galaxy game today and did a Google search on "Scottish Claymores" just now to find out more about them and found your article on the first page of the list!

I've never been to an American football match before (indeed, my interest in team games is virtually zero) but all the Primary school kids here in North Lanarkshire get issued with vouchers for free tickets to the matches. So today my daughter decided she wanted to make use of hers.

Apart from having trouble persuading the stewards to let us into the car park, we had a great day out. The pre-match entertainment was good, especially the Tom Jones Fan club(!), the friendly, family atmosphere was nice and the match itself was fascinating (despite not knowing any of the rules, I found it much easier to follow than I had expected). Towards the end Morris Minor and her little Cockney cousin were wilting a bit so we left before the match finish
ed. Assuming you were there, I would be interested in hearing your opinion of the match.

Chris


today's Claymores match

Post 2

Ku'Reshtin (Bring the beat back!)

Hi there, Chris. Sorry I haven't replied before this, I was a bit exhausted after the game yesterday, as a result of a Team night out with my own American Football team (Glasgow Tigers) and only getting two hours of sleep before having to get up for our practice at 9:30 yesteday morning, followed by going to the game, soI never went online last night.

Anyways, after that longwinded intro, yes, I was at the game, and I think it was a fairly good game.
The Claymores have one of the worst offenses I've seen in my 5 years of following them, though, so that's not the best of things. They just seem to be having major problems trying to move the ball at all.
Of course, their Defense is good (as is customary) and apart from some unnecessary penalties (when they throw the yellow flags around), the defense did well to stop the Frankfurt Offense.

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the game, and I can agree that for the younger kids, a full CLaymores day is a long one, with the pre-game party for a couple of hours, then the game itself lasting nearly 3 hours with all the stoppages.
The atmosphere yesterday was very good, and I think the travelling fans from Frankfurt did a lot to help with that.

American football itself is more of a family event than, let's say regular football, as the fans tend to be more friendly with each other. There's a slogan being used in American Football that says that "Fans are Friends" which rings so true, especially in Europe where everyone supports their local team first and foremost, but also are joined in a mission to try to keep the league running since there are talks about the big cheeses in the US pulling the plug on the league, unfortunately.

I hope that the game yesterday planted a seed of interest and that you'll be attending more games in the future. smiley - smiley
If you decide on attending another game, just let me know, and we could always meet up for a drink before the game. Next game at Hampden is on the 29th of May, and there are a copuple of HooToo researchers going to that game, so it could be a sort of mini-meet for the Hootoo crowd.smiley - smiley


today's Claymores match

Post 3

Chris Morris

I'm not sure my ears will have recovered by the 29thsmiley - biggrin - the noise is incredible! What sort of attendance do they get? (I was guessing 3-5,000 but it's difficult to tell in a stadium that size). We were sat just behind the manic German drummer (and his mate who won the Cheerleader prize).

Thanks for explaining about the penalties - we were a bit puzzled by the yellow flags being thrown about.

I'm amazed that they're thinking of doing away with the league just when it seems to be establishing a really strong fan base. I would have thought that expanding into Europe would be of some benefit to the American league.

If Morris Minor gets vouchers for the next match I'll try and get along for a meet-up.

Chris


today's Claymores match

Post 4

Ku'Reshtin (Bring the beat back!)

Actually, the crowds have been down this season from earlier years, and for the past two games we've had about 9,000 in the stands for the games. Previous years the Claymores have averaged about 11,000, but I think this year a lot of people aren't showing up because the team isn't really that good, and they just can't seem to win games.

HOpefully things will pick up a bit for the last two home games of the season...smiley - smiley


today's Claymores match

Post 5

Chris Morris

That's an impressive crowd - better than most SPL matches I think(?).

As for the 29th, I've been informed by my Significant Other that, it being a holiday weekend, she has earmarked it for our bi-annual military incursion down the M6 to my hometown. Perhaps we could interest you in coming to one of our track and field meetings? (The level of audience excitement generated at these would be about -1 compared to gridiron!!)

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for the next match (even while storming through Spaghetti Junction in our Sherman Tank)smiley - biggrin

Chris


today's Claymores match

Post 6

Ku'Reshtin (Bring the beat back!)

Well, as you said, 9,000 is more than most of the SPL teams, so it's a good crowd for what is regarded as a minority sport in this country, but it's still not enough for the bigwigs in the US.
They'd like us to get somewhere around 15,000-20,000 to the Claymores games to be really impressed, but unfortunately, with the team we have this year, it'll be very very difficult to get that type of numbers.

Hopefully, things will look up in the next couple of weeks, though, if the team starts to play ball properly and in a couple of week's time when they get back to Hampden, they'll hopefully be playing well and have won a few games, which may attract some more people to the games. We'll have to see, though.

And of course, while waiting for the Claymores to show up back in town, my attention has turned to my own gridiron team and our upcoming games in the domestic league.
Heading down to Doncaster this weekend, and then up to Dundee for next weekend. First couple of games for our season this year, and I can tell you it's been a long time coming. Been itching for this weekend for a long time now.smiley - smiley


today's Claymores match

Post 7

Chris Morris

So, how was Doncaster? Give us a match report...


today's Claymores match

Post 8

Ku'Reshtin (Bring the beat back!)

Doncaster was very sunny and very very hot.

Official Tigers Game report can be found at:
http://www.websupport-online.mine.nu/gtigers/doncaster.html

Tigers main home page is at http://www.tigersfootball.co.uk


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