NFL Discussion

Justin Ward4 said:Man, go troll someone else because you clearly don't get this at all... just trying to boss everyone around. 🤦

Yeah, sure, you really love being the boss, don't you? 🤣 Like we're all just little minions following you around, especially Tony. 😂

Adam Moore said:you’re dead wrong. the Raiders actually formed because of personal beef between members of the Thunder...

And there it is. That sums up my entire point. I honestly regret if anyone here felt targeted because I spoke without having all the facts or made a sweeping generalization. It wasn't my intention to belittle anyone, and if I did (which clearly happened, specifically to Capitalse), then it was just a lapse in judgment on my part. My apologies.

Case closed.

Adam Moore said:It’s honestly like asking why people bother with little local soccer leagues when everyone can just play professional FIFA matches. They are two entirely different beasts with their own sets of rules, and frankly, flag football is perfect for those recreational players who aren't looking to end up in an ER because they can't afford a serious injury—something you see way too often in tackle football. At its core, flag football is a non-contact sport.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. Even though my competitive years were strictly spent playing full-contact ball, I’ve definitely jumped into a game of flag—or touch football, where the defense stops once they tag you with both hands, which is basically the same thing—whenever the old crew got together. It really is night and day; both have their own unique perks, but the mindset and the goals for the people playing them are worlds apart.

It’s actually pretty heartening to see that here in the States, there are enough enthusiasts to keep this sport alive, and instead of all the constant nitpicking and belittling we see online, we should really be cheering on anyone who puts in the work to support, organize, and push for any sport they love.

Thanks! And hey, if you’re ever in Chicago and aren't feeling the baseball vibe, definitely swing by for some flag football 😉 Miller from the suburbs is one of our founders, so we'll probably be seeing a lot more of him now that the baseball season is wrapped up. We’re really hoping both tackle and flag take off just like baseball did—luckily, we jumped on forming the association right away, which feels like a solid foundation. Once we get more kids hooked, things are going to be awesome. Of course, the rest of us need to step up too, instead of leaving everything on the shoulders of the local league and those folks over at the Thunder 🙂

Maybe that big soccer club mentioned earlier should just step up and reach out themselves—and while they're at it, they could probably pull some interest toward the hockey scene too. ☕
A buddy of mine who works over at ESPN is always

Anyway, back to the point:

Besides the obvious stuff everyone can see, what are the actual technical differences between touch and tackle football?
thanks

If you really want the lowdown on flag football, you should probably just ask the people actually out on the field playing it, because they’re the ones running with much stricter rule sets. Personally, whenever I played touch football, it was usually just casual pick-up games with a pretty eclectic mix of people—you’d have a couple of guys who play varsity American football, some old buddies, maybe a girl from around the neighborhood or something—and we basically hashed out the rules on the fly before every single game, even though the core fundamentals stayed the same:

In theory, you can play with any number of players you want, though I think standard flag football is usually seven-on-seven, with at least five being the bare minimum. I’ve definitely played touch with even fewer than that.

There’s no snap involved. The QB just picks up the ball and has the right to count out loud, like "one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, three-Mississippi," and only then are you allowed to rush him. In a lot of different versions, especially when you’re playing with a small group, the QB isn't even allowed to run the ball down the field.

Forget about field goals; you just punt.

And the stiff arm—whatever that's called here 😁—is totally off-limits.

As for extra point conversions, we mostly did one point from five yards out, two points from twenty, and three points from thirty.

Whenever we had a mixed crowd and enough girls showing up to play, we’d add extra layers of rules, like making sure a male QB couldn't hook up with a male WR for two consecutive drives, and stuff like that.

Rules vary depending on the league you're playing in. Out here, people usually run 7-on-7, but my crew sticks to 5-on-5. We play Blitz from the 7-yard line. The QB can only scramble after a handoff—basically once they’re officially a runner. It’s strictly non-contact; no blocking or anything like that. You also can't dive with the ball because pulling flags becomes a total nightmare that way. Snaps are standard. There are no punts or field goals, either. For extra points, it’s one point for a successful conversion from 5 yards out, or you can go for two from 12 yards, but there's no option for three. No fumbles allowed, either. Everything else is pretty much standard. Oh, and you get four downs to get past midfield, then another four downs to reach the end zone. That's the gist of it.

Back when we were starting out, we used to play 7-on-7 or 8-on-8 over at the local high school fields. Those games had everything—blocking, fumbles, full offensive and defensive lines, all that good stuff. It was a blast, unless you were stuck playing blocker, which was my job given my 260-pound frame 😁.

http://www.break.com/index/best-foot...his-year1.html

🙏

I guess I'm just checking in here, maybe just seeing how everyone is doing today. kaže:
So, that’s pretty much everything I was trying to get across. I feel bad if anyone here felt called out because I was being a bit clueless or making generalizations, I guess. It really wasn't my intention to undermine anyone, and if I did—which I clearly did to the Capitals—then it was just a silly mistake on my part, so I'm sorry about that.

I guess we can finally call this one a wrap. Case closed.

Adam Moore said:I guess you might be a little off on this one. I think the Raiders actually formed because of some personal beef between members of the Thunder, but honestly, I don't know all the specifics, so maybe you should check with the people who were actually there.

---------------------------

Alright, I think some inspiration just hit me.☕

I guess even you don't really know how the Raiders actually came to be, though I suppose it makes sense when you consider just how much nonsense people were talking about me and some of the others who got this whole project off the ground.
It was definitely a bit of a mess, I guess, but things felt like they were more than just "personal" issues at the time. It all went down way back in 2007, so maybe it’s a little tough to draw a straight line between those old events and how the Raiders actually came to be.
I guess you can't even bring up the whole "back-and-forth arguments" thing between members without people getting defensive, so I might as well just lay it all out there. Since I’m Valerio Zannotti—the founder of the Thunder, if you need a reminder of who exactly is talking here—I should probably mention that I officially stepped down from the club after submitting my resignation during an official team meeting at the end of the 2007 spring season.
So, during that meeting, I let the other coaches know about my decision, specifically telling Sean Craig and Sinisa Stefanovic—who was basically my only supervisor there since the president at the time, Denis geto, was away on vacation.
I basically explained my reasoning by saying that I just didn't want to keep putting myself out there and looking foolish, you know? I’ve been pouring everything I have into organizing these games and giving it my all for the team, but then it feels like the president and the head coach just decided to go their own way and do the exact opposite without even bothering to check in with the rest of us first. I guess it just doesn't make much sense to keep going like this.
A day after that happened, I started seeing all these "lovely" comments about me popping up on various message boards, where people were basically calling me a traitor and saying I was the one stabbing everyone in the back.
I guess I managed to settle things with some people right away, though maybe it took me a little longer to get everything sorted out with others.
As far as the rest of this goes, I feel like I'm pretty much done with the whole situation. I guess if someone is actually willing to buy into those ridiculous rumors—you know, the ones claiming I "stole money from the organization," or that I was secretly working for another team while coaching the Thunder to try and lure away players I was supposed to be recruiting—and if they really think I acted like a complete jerk... well, if anyone can actually believe stuff like that, then I don't even think they're worth getting angry at.
I guess people who said those kinds of things really should have called each other out a bit more, because now all we're left with are descriptions of everyone getting punished... well, besides calling them cowards, of course.🤣
I noticed afterwards that even that former president went out of his way to write some pretty friendly comments on that other forum once he found out I was heading over to "help out" my old club before I ever actually played for the Thunder.
It’s kind of funny, I guess, how some people really go out of their way to cook up these wild stories by trying to link all these random events together that probably don't even have anything to do with one another.
I guess they’re basically building a case to prove I deserve to be exiled from the Thunder—kind of like a real-life Connor McLeod situation, haha. Apparently, because I skipped that game against the team from Canada and missed those last two or three weeks of practice, they’ve already started plotting how to "kidnap" some of the players away from me.
I guess it was pretty obvious why I wasn't at practice, since I had this absolutely terrible situation come up at work, and honestly, I was just so shaken up by it that I didn't really have the energy to lead any training sessions, and besides, for whoever decided we were actually playing a game, I’d already been planning this trip to Italy for three months now.
I guess I even heard that I had been in contact with some players who had already stopped showing up back then, and they were actually the first ones I sort of "stole." Though, honestly, I never even gave them a call, and if I recall correctly, I didn't even have anyone's phone number at the time.
I guess I could probably keep going on with this...
I even heard that someone actually called me and Basic "the bad guys" during our club meeting... like we're some sort of villains out to destroy the Thunder.
I guess that same guy probably just forgot that if he actually had a club to go to back then, he really should have been feeling pretty grateful toward me and Basic... maybe.
I heard that for a little while there, people weren't even allowed to say our name out loud... and apparently, if Basic and I had tried to call them over in the huddle, the players were actually supposed to report us!
I don't even really need to say it, but I personally wouldn't go out of my way to call anyone for any reason, and honestly, I feel like until the mods actually post some kind of rule against it, everyone should be free to see and talk to whoever they want, I guess.
Once I finally figured out what was actually going on—because, you know, I guess not everyone is completely clueless—I called the Head Coach right away. I told him straight up that if I heard my name being dragged into stuff with Basic like that ever again, I’d probably have to take some serious action.
You wouldn't believe what that scientist did. He actually went and reported me in the huddle, claiming I was calling him! I guess he's just making things up, maybe.
Any solutions? Not really... I guess I finally realized it was just a losing battle.
So, it looks like some sort of long-term club actually started taking shape back then. I remember being reached out to and asked if I’d be interested in coaching this new outfit. Basic was the one who called me, mentioning that a few people were looking to get something off the ground since it was already pretty obvious by then that the situation with the Thunder just wasn't sustainable. Among that group was Mr. Pusic, who had basically started spinning these elaborate yarns about how he could pull in tens of thousands of dollars in sponsorships; he claimed he’d tried doing exactly that with the Thunder, but that Denis geto just wasn't in a position to listen to him or anything like that.
I guess once I realized within about two months that things probably weren't going to pan out—which, looking back, was exactly what happened anyway—I just decided to let fate take its course and stop worrying about it.
By the way, the club was officially registered, and at that same time, Mr. Pusic had already been appointed as the vice president of the ZG RAMS and held some kind of position on the board over at Thunder, I guess.
Back in the spring of 2008, I actually started chatting with one of the players from the Thunder, specifically a guy named O. Gabersnik, who was kind of venting to me about how things weren't really going according to plan and that maybe everything should just go back to the way it used to be.
I think I’m finally starting to feel that spark for American football again, which is kind of funny because I actually spent the last two months working over in Chicago—and hey, they were actually paying me to be there! Even so, I ended up being the one to call it quits and head back. I guess I should probably clear the air, though, since there’s been some talk floating around that I got kicked out of the program because I supposedly injured four guys during a single practice session... but I suppose people are always going to talk, right?
Oz was just so convincing that I actually ended up agreeing to meet up with the rest of the coaches at a training session. After that, I suggested that maybe Denis geto and I could sit down one-on-one to see if we could just consolidate everything on one side and potentially start over from scratch... So, the meeting happened, though I guess I don't really know what he was so worried about, since I ended up being face-to-face with four or five other people anyway...
I guess there was some stuff in that conversation that didn't sound particularly promising, honestly. It felt like they were implying that ever since Basica and I left, everything has just been falling apart. They made it seem like I’d only consider coming back if I agreed to certain conditions, which is funny because it's not even like I was asking to return or anything. I remember Sinisa Stefanovic calling me once and really pushing me with lines like, "Look, the door is open right now, but it won't stay that way forever," basically telling me I had to give him an answer immediately or lose the opportunity entirely. He's quite the negotiator, I suppose... always making demands and throwing out these little ultimatums.
I guess we aren't quite finished yet, maybe.
I guess there was another meeting scheduled right when those "revolutionary" moves started happening, and honestly, this goes all the way back to the fall of 2008. It’s really just the same exact maneuvers carried out by the same group of people who are now causing all these issues for the Patriots; I suppose you could say they basically crawled straight out of the Thunder.
At the meeting, I noticed that people could already tell the club was heading straight for a disaster, though I guess they mostly just thought they might be able to step in and turn things around.
If you look at the results from 2009, it’s pretty clear they didn't really pull it off, I guess. Most of the people who were sitting around that table back in the day have actually moved on from the Thunder for all sorts of different reasons, maybe.
I could even name names if I really wanted to... it wouldn't be an issue at all...
The way things stand right now is this:
A bunch of players from the Thunder left the club all at once (which is actually what I suggested back then, I guess...) and they just went ahead and started their own new club immediately.
It’s all a little blurry, so a lot of those people aren't even quite sure which club they belong to anymore: one week they say one thing, then the next week it's something else... I think Sean Craig could probably back me up on that, since we were chatting about it earlier today.
And then there's me, starting the Raiders back in 2009 after I publicly moved on from the Thunder in 2007.... so would the Raiders really be considered a group formed out of personal grudges?
There are maybe 30 players in the Raiders right now... and including myself, I think maybe five of us used to be with the Thunder... and at least three of them actually left the club two years ago.

..I don't really follow...

But, well, at least now that you've cleared things up during that "game," I suppose I've explained things to you too, so hopefully you can finally just relax when discussing these topics now that you know the actual details.
As far as I'm concerned, the people who TRULY know me know that I'm always down for talking things through, explaining, working together, learning, and growing...

I'll just leave you with this:

just try not to fall into that trap that became the main trademark of the old Thunder "management"—where they treated any kind of feedback or pointing out a flaw as if it were some sort of personal insult to the club.

graniteseal33, I really don't want to get bogged down in the weeds of your post because, honestly, I don't know the first thing about the subject matter, and if I’m being totally blunt—I don't much care to learn.

But, just regarding the whole idea of using American as a non-native language—🙏 🙏 🙏

graniteseal33 said:...

Like I said—I don't know all the specifics, just what I heard. Word on the street was you guys had a falling out and then the Raiders 🤷 were formed right after. Glad you cleared that up! Honestly, I'm just stoked the Raiders are around, and even happier they joined the league. 🙂

Where can I pick up an American football or similar gear here in the States?

jadefalcon6 said:Where can I pick up an American football or some similar gear here in the States?

I spotted some at Dick's Sporting Goods over in $83

Is there an online shop I can use to buy this?

That's what Google is there for, really. But if you want actually decent prices, you're better off checking eBay.

Picked up a Wilsonica on eBay for $80... It's a great ball for casual players...

Folks over in Istria are really getting hyped about coaching American football!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ame...6972666?ref=ts

Just dropping this here so everyone knows the facts: the Teutoburgium PitbuLLsi went down to Bor, down south, to play two games against the Novi Sad Vojvoda—or Duksa, whatever—and they got absolutely smoked, 6 to 0. Then they played the local boys, the Bor Golden Bear, and lost that one 20 to 2... I guess this American football stuff is finally catching on over here, if you're brave enough to deal with it.

Lawrence Peterson82 said:Thanks a lot.
Yeah, this was basically the first real call to action. American footballI don't know, man. I guess she just decided to go public with it, and then bit by bit, things started unfolding. Chicago Thunder...

That other thread's got stuff about Z1 and the NFL. Hopefully, the rest of you football junkies will finally show up here again. 😎

Anyone else in the San Francisco area interested?
Anyone from the West Coast, hit me up here or over on the Chicago Thunder forum.
People are interested, sure. A few folks already reached out, but we need to hit a critical mass before this actually gets off the ground. Plus, I need people who actually want to help organize things, not just show up to play. If you actually believe in what we're doing and bring even a little bit of energy, nobody can stop us. Hit me up via DM or shoot an email to the addresses listed on those pages above. Subject: quick heads up Just sent that email over. Check it when you can. Maybe let me know if I missed anything? I guess we'll see.

P.S. The Chicago Thunder have games coming up soon, so you can catch some American football live in Washington, D.C. if you want. 😎

The Teutoburgium PitBullsa guys are actually rolling up their sleeves and setting up training sessions in San Francisco. I mean, maybe nothing huge will come of it, but getting started is always the hardest part. I know that better than anyone because we aren’t some big-city squad like the Chicago Thunder or the Raiders. We’re from this tiny little town in the Midwest with like 5,000 people where time basically stands still and money is tight. If you think things are tough in Washington, D.C., you have no idea what it's like for us.
Look, playing for your home team isn't exactly easy, but man, that feeling when you're out there representing your city? Totally priceless. It beats anything else money can buy. Just go out there and crush the Raiders, haha!

More updates on how our American football clubs are doing

local American football club vs local sports team 13 : 18
person vs local sports team 20 : 13
Chicago vs local sports team 0 : 35 (they didn't even show up)

Aside from us, the local sports team were playing in the tournament,
local sports team,
local sports team,
local sports team
person,
local sports team,
local sports team,
local sports team.

We made it to the finals. I guess the top 4 teams are gonna battle it out for those first four spots.
The helmets will be crossed on July 18th in a remote area
person
local sports team
local sports team
local sports team