penk wrote:. I don't know any sport that has the complexity, variety and depth of association football.
You've never heard of a sport called Rugby Union
penk wrote:. I don't know any sport that has the complexity, variety and depth of association football.
Diamond Dog wrote:penk wrote:No - but have you ever read Alex Ferguson's notebook?
I don't know, maybe there is more detailed planning and strategy in American football, but my point was that as you say, what is "played out on the pitch" in association football are the most varied, complicated and unpredictable scenarios of any sport. The complex strategies of American football are limited by the fairly specific nature of its plays. That's not a criticism: one could say the same of cricket, for example, which I'd also argue has a huge tactical and strategic depth. I just think that nothing else can match the flow of association football, nothing else has so many on-field possibilities.
I've read countless books on football - coaches books, tactics books etc. There is nothing in terms of planning and tactics in football that even begins to compare with American Football. Nothing. Not even remotely close.
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TopCat G wrote:You'll have to tell us how the game has developed tactically then because to the , admittedly untrained, eye it does look like the game is played in much the same way as it always was. Has there been history of radical changes in formation as in football? That's a genuine question btw rather than a rhetorical one.
Diamond Dog wrote:Slightly off kilter, but I'm reading this at the moment :
And, for any serious NFL fan, it's an absolute must read.
It deals with seven games (seven systems really, highlighted by one particular match) that really did change the American football world - through innovation to schemes (both offence and defence) that had never been seen before. You get Bud Carson's Cover Two and LeBaeu's Zone Blitz, you get Air Coryell and Sid Gilman's Vertical Stretch, Buddy Ryan's 46 Defence, Bill Walsh's West Coast Offence and Bill Bellichick's Pats D to overwhelm the Rams. All brilliantly explained, with masser of relevant info re the individuals concerned and the reasons for, and evolution of, these profoundly innovative schemes. It also goes onto explain how these have become incorporated into the modern game, and what you see as 'new' is (almost certainly) derived from one of these 'building blocks'.
I can't praise it highly enough - whilst it is detailed, it isn't a 'techie' book, because the schemes are explained in laymans terms. And there is plenty enough humour to stop it ever getting remotely 'stodgy'. It certainly taught me stuff I had never really thought about (the explanations of the beginnings of the modern passing game- the Vertical Stretch- and the Cover Two D - passed down to its brilliant execution with Tony Dungy in recent times- were particularly superb) and has made me look at the game through new eyes. Which, considering I've been following the game for 30 odd years, really is a huge testament to its readability.
If you get the chance, pick up a copy.
Diamond Dog wrote:I've just got to Le Beau's Zone Blitz. What I never realised is that it came about because, when Cowher took over, he knew the team he had to eventually overcome in the AFC was the Bills (who were in the middle of those 4 Super Bowl appearances). The Zone Blitz was designed specifically to upset/negate the Bills "K Gun"/"No Huddle" offence - and worked superbly (the recollections of Kent Hull and Steve Tasker, from the Bills, makes you understand just how devastating it was). It must be said, when you read the detail and the planning involved, and why it worked so brilliantly, you realise what a genius Le Beau is. What is even more extraordinary is that, 20 years on, it's still basically the same D he's running in Pittsburgh, with the same positive results.
It's also really interesting to see how some of the individuals (Carnell Lake & Rod Woodson, in particular) were so massively rated by Cowher and his team - really, the explanation of what those two achieved of is amazing reading. Woodson really was an extraordinary athlete - I don't think it's that well known that he was one of the best (if not the absolute best) high hurdler in College Athletics. And that included people like Roger Kingdom and Renaldo Nehemiah (future gold medalists), people he regularly beat. Cowher also says just how bright he was too- something not often referred to when talking about pro football.
I can't put the book down, it's really that good.
kath wrote: brits have a crunchy outside and a gooey inside.
Belle Lettre wrote:And can spell "night".
GoogaMooga wrote: The further away from home you go, the greater the risk of getting stuck there.
Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.
Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.
Dr Markus wrote:
Someone in your line of work usually as their own man cave aka the shed we're they can potter around fixing stuff or something don't they?
Flower wrote:I just did a google search.
Dan London wrote:Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.
People in several countries in mainland Europe actually find him funnier than we do.
GoogaMooga wrote: The further away from home you go, the greater the risk of getting stuck there.
TopCat G wrote:Dan London wrote:Snarfyguy wrote:Nobody but them thinks Mr. Bean is funny.
People in several countries in mainland Europe actually find him funnier than we do.
Very much. I remember doing a summer school once and all the kids, who were mainly from Spain, France, Italy and Brazil, all knew him and liked him. It was exported all over the world, for the obvious reason there was no language barrier to contend with.
Dan London wrote:they were hooting with laughter, holding on to each other for support, slapping their thighs. It was so annoying I had to leave the room.
Poppypoobah wrote:Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.
Meh.
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TopCat G wrote:Poppypoobah wrote:Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.
Meh.
.
I must admit I've never even heard of it. As you say it seems to be more of a German thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One
TopCat G wrote:Poppypoobah wrote:Dinner for one is an old English movie that gets played in Germany at Christmas time. Roland a friend of ours gave us a copy of it after raving for years about how funny it was.
Meh.
.
I must admit I've never even heard of it. As you say it seems to be more of a German thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One