The US papers are gushing today over the success of the NFL game in London yesterday between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants.
"English reserve meets NFL bombast" shouts the front of the New York Times sports section, while a standfirst in the Washington Post carouses: "Fans claim that watching 'Big blokes in lots of padding' is more than a curiosity". This whole saga has indeed been an orgy of quaintness. Read on...
Having watched the beginning of the match yesterday however, quaintness soon gave way to queasiness for me. The launching of thousands of intertwined balloons emblazoned with British and American flags and saccharine renditions of both anthems will do that.
But fair play to the fans for creating an electric atmosphere and the US commentators for enlivening things too. "Welcome to this historic stadium," said one, seemingly unaware he was at the new Wembley, which opened in March. "The field here, or the pitch as they call it here looks nice and green," said another, and you knew he was making the finger gestures. You just did.
His colleague, leaving the best mental image of the day, said: "There's been a 20-foot statue of Jason Taylor in London all week, he's going to have to literally play that size today if the Dolphins are to win." In lieu of any actual giants on the pitch, the New York Giants won 13-10.
