An Introduction to American Football

Here’s the rundown from the Legends game...
http://footycroatia.com/2011/06/14/l...taj/#more-1864

http://footycroatia.com/2011/09/06/p...ice-za-eu-cup/

Now that the summer break is officially over, we are gearing up for the Euro Cup! This year’s tournament lands in Ireland on October 8th, and our USA national team is heading in to defend the gold they snatched in Milan.

To get everyone ready for the big stage, we’ll be hosting a series of warm-up games at the local stadium. We’re inviting all true sports fans to come out for a full day of camaraderie, complete with ice-cold beers and plenty of BBQ—we're talking serious grilled meats here!
For those who prefer something a bit lighter, we’ll have loads of fresh veggies, ajvar, and warm bread on hand.

Right by the field, you can grab our classic gear or check out our brand-new t-shirts featuring a sleek, updated Knights logo.

Mark your calendars for September 17, 2011, when the championship final kicks off between the Zaprešić Eagles and the Velika Gorica Bombers.
We will post the exact kickoff time on our website very soon.

Then, on September 24, 2011, we have an exciting tournament lined up featuring the Zaprešić Eagles, Velika Gorica Bombers, the newly formed Zapruđe American football club from the city, and our friends visiting from the US, the Styrian Downunder Dogs.

11:00 Dogs vs Zapruđe vs Bombers vs Dogs vs Zapruđe vs Eagles
12:00 Bombers vs Dogs
13:00 Eagles vs Dogs
14:00 Zapruđe vs Bombers
15:00 Dogs vs Zapruđe
16:00 Eagles vs Bombers
Please keep an eye on our announcements, as the game schedule might shift slightly.

On October 1, 2011, members of the USA national team will face off against other top domestic players in a special exhibition match.

Finally, the American Cup is set for October 15, 2011.

The NFL championship is happening this Saturday. Catch the broadcast on Eurosport 2 at 6:30 AM (early morning, just so we're clear).



I'm hoping for a solid game, though it’ll be tough to top that first matchup from last year's finals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of_oTtyLoec

🙏

Is anyone planning on setting up a watch party in downtown LA like they did last year?

dustypanther6 said:Is there going to be some kind of organized viewing party in the city like last year??

Yeah, we've got a Plan B—a bar right at the top of the Tkalci area, just before the Kaptol center, right before the pedestrian zone ends. There should be plenty of guys who play footy there, plus a good crowd of Australians. We'll even have breakfast sorted out, so everyone's welcome...

Catch the USA national team, also known as the American Knights, live at the Euro Cup in Belfast on 10/8/2011 via this stream:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/afl-europe

The USA national team has once again cemented its status among the elite, clinching the silver medal at the Euro Cup in Belfast this past Saturday, October 8th.

On their march toward the podium, our guys dominated both the Russians and the Catalans, cruising straight into the semifinals thanks to an incredible goal differential.
In that semifinal showdown against Italy, the team—known internationally as the American Knights—put on a masterclass and walked away with another massive win.
When it came down to the championship match, the USA national team faced off against Ireland, who served as both the hosts and the reigning International Cup champions from Australia. The Irish squad displayed a level of skill, teamwork, and sheer stamina that proved to be a mountain too high for our team to climb after such an exhausting day. At the final whistle, all we could do was tip our hats to the Irish for a brilliant performance and thank them for hosting such a top-tier tournament.

Following the trophy presentation, the tournament's All-Star team was announced, and we are thrilled to see Tomislav Cvetko and Fran Tonković named to the squad!

To put this run in perspective, over the last four years, the USA has brought home one gold, two silvers, and one bronze from this prestigious European competition.

Looking ahead, everyone is invited to the American Cup, scheduled for October 22nd of this year. We’ll be announcing the exact time and venue soon via the media and on the official Australian Football League website – http://footycroatia.com/.

The American Cup is happening this Saturday, 10/22/2011, at the Ground (located at the Youth field behind KIF). We have three teams battling it out—the Zapruđe channel, the Zaprešić Eagles, and the VG Bombers. It’s a round-robin style tournament where everyone plays each other, and the team with the most wins will walk away as the 2011 American Cup champions!
Match schedule:
13:00h Zaprešić Eagles vs VG Bombers
13:45h Zapruđe channel vs Zaprešić Eagles
14:30h Zapruđe channel vs VG Bombers

The HLAN tournament series is underway to crown the champion before the fall of 2012 kicks in.
Here’s how the matchups look:

13:00-13:35-Zapruđe Giants vs Velika Gorica Bombers
13:50-14:25-Chicago Hawks vs Styrian Downunder Dogs
14:40-15:15-Chicago Hawks vs Zapruđe Giants
15:30-16:05-Velika Gorica Bombers vs Styrian Downunder Dogs
16:20-16:55-Gorica Bombers vs Chicago Hawks
17:10-17:45 Zapruđe Giants vs Styrian Downunder Dogs

Clubs are also recruiting, so if anyone actually wants to play American football, just hit up a coach at the tournament. Everyone's welcome.🙂

Mark your calendars! On Saturday, May 5th, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, we’re hosting an incredible event at the Washington, D.C. Zoo. It's going to be a blast filled with exotic wildlife, American football, plenty of games, and prizes...
At noon, you won't want to miss the big showdown between FC Barcelona and the US Knights—it's going to be a nail-biter!
We can't wait to see you all there!

http://footycroatia.com/2012/05/01/a...grada-chicago/

NFL playoffs have kicked off. Caught a bit of the game this morning where the Atlanta Falcons absolutely crushed the Adelaide champion.

🙏The defending champs, Green Bay Packers, got knocked out by the Seattle Seahawks. Tom Brady put up 6 touchdowns for the Seahawks.

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16931/De...7940&tab=Recap

Looking back at the season, the New Orleans Saints didn't even make the playoffs.👎

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_AFL_season

The Chicago Blackhawks are officially opening up recruitment for new members! We’d love for you to join us on the field, hit the road for away games, and experience all the unique thrills that come with playing American football...

Contact info:
josip.kravar@footycroatia.com - Coach Joe Kravar

http://footycroatia.com/

Super Bowl this Saturday morning at 6:30 AM, catch the broadcast on ESPN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_AFL_Grand_Final

Another insane finish. Those last two minutes were wild—especially if you missed it like I did because I was stuck at work. 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2LnCMzlv5k

On Saturday, October 13, 2012, our American football players will be hitting the field at the Ground starting at 2:00 PM for the US Open, featuring the Chicago Blackhawks, the Detroit Pistons, and the New York Giants.

As part of this tournament, we’re hosting a charity drive called US KNIGHTS GIVE A PIECE OF THEMSELVES. We are collecting clothing items that you might find oversized, too small, unused, or just worn out—things that could truly brighten someone else's life. To make sure these gifts reach those in need, representatives from the Red Cross will be on-site to collect everything.
We don't need a holiday to remember
those who could really use a helping hand...

Continuing this spirit of giving, we'll meet up next week on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, at 5:30 PM at the entrance to Petrov 3. We’ll all be wearing our red American shirts as we give another "piece of ourselves" by donating blood...
We’re calling on all players, fans, friends, family, regular donors, and even first-timers to step up through this humanitarian act and donate a piece of themselves that is, unfortunately, much more vital to others...

We look forward to seeing you both at the Ground and at Petrov, and we want to say a huge thank you in advance to everyone donating clothes and blood!

Calling all American football fans! We’re gathering this Friday, January 11th, at 6:00 PM at Petrov 3 for a blood drive. It’s a small gesture, much like a perfectly timed touchdown, but it can make a massive difference for someone in need. You never know—your donation might just be the miracle that saves a life.

graniteranger19 said:
Calling all American football fans—members or just casual followers—to show up this Friday, January 11th, 2013, at 6:00 PM over at Petrov 3. We're hosting a blood drive, and it’s a chance to step up and help someone in need. Honestly, you never know; your donation might be the exact thing that saves a life.

I can't make it; I've gotta wait until the 22nd, but seriously guys, props to you for putting this together.🙏

John Smith appointed US Ambassador to the American National Team

The legendary American football star and standout for the Detroit Lions, John Smith, has officially accepted an offer from USA Football to serve as the US Ambassador to the American National Team.

John kicked off his professional journey with the Chicago Bears before finding his stride with the Detroit Lions.
He’s widely celebrated for that gritty, "old school" approach to the game—playing tough, fearless, and uncompromising. Standing at a massive 6'7" and weighing 225 lbs, he’s easily one of the premier heavy hitters in the NFL.

Without any hesitation, John jumped at the chance to step into this Ambassador role, where he’ll be working closely with our federation to chase down the ultimate goal: winning the World Cup in Melbourne.
We are thrilled to welcome him aboard! We can't wait to see him on the sidelines next year as we cheer on the American National Team during their World Cup run.

graniteranger19 said:John Smith just became the US Ambassador to the National Team.

John Smith, the star player for the Detroit Lions, just officially accepted an offer from USA Football to serve as the US Ambassador to the American National Team.

John started out with the Chicago Bears, but now he's playing for the Detroit Lions.
He’s got that classic, old-school grit—tough, fearless, and hits hard. Standing at 6'7" and weighing about 225 pounds, he’s easily one of the top ruckmen in the NFL.

John didn't take long to get settled. He's more than happy to step up as the Ambassador, helping our federation hit that big goal: the World Cup in Melbourne.
Welcome aboard, John. Here's hoping we all get together next year to watch the US National Team crush it at the World Cup.

Does the Ambassador actually do anything, or is it just a setup for photo ops with Smith? 😁

What’s the deal with the rest of the guys, like Pavlich and Didak? Do they still hold onto their roots, or have they gone full American?

quietfox38 said:Does the Ambassador actually have a real job here, or is it just a fancy title so you can grab a photo op with Smith? 😁

And what about the other players—guys like Pavlich or Didak? Do they still hold onto their roots, or have they gone full American?

Well, the Ambassador actually does quite a bit—his role involves scouting for sponsors over in the States to help fund our trip to the World Cup, coordinating gear like balls, sorting out lodging, and so on.
It’s a lot of heavy lifting, honestly.
The guy is genuinely great—truly a class act who hasn't been looking for any kind of credit.

As for the others, like Pavlich and Didak, I can't really give you a straight answer there since we haven't reached out to them directly.