corona virus – Gaelic Gridiron

Football is Cancelled

American Football in Ireland has officially been cancelled for the rest of the year. It had been hoped that at the least the flag football season could be completed, but after being delayed several times due to Covid 19 it was finally called off late last week. Some teams were fortunate enough to play a few games before their season was cut short, while others waited in vain for their chance show off an extended offseason of hard work. After the adult kitted season and subsequently it’s junior counterpart were nixed earlier in the year, the flag football season was the last hope for competitive American football to be played on the island of Ireland this year. But it wasn’t to be and now teams will look towards 2021 for the return of football.

But will it even be feasible to have a season next year? The full contact season usually kicks off around late March and, in most cases, preseason training would already be in full swing by now for the upcoming season. Realistically there is no way that teams will be allowed to resume any kind of contact training this side of Christmas, leaving them with very little time to prepare. One option is to delay games until the middle of summer. It is hoped that by then we will be out the other side of this mess. Another option is to hold tournament style game days, similar to the flag football league format. Teams could play shortened games in a central location, minimising contact and travel risks. It’s not the best solution, but at least there would be football. And some football is better than no football.

In the meantime, teams from both codes need to stay sharp and focused. A long off season is about to get a whole lot longer and it can be easy to for players to lose their focus and motivation. Coaches will need to figure out how to keep their athletes engaged, and one way of doing so is by holding intra – squad scrimmages. Proper games tend to bring out the best in players and a little competitive football will go a long way to raise team spirits, while also keeping skills sharp! Alternatively, mixing things up by holding a training session on the beach or even holding a different kind of training session will help ensure that your team doesn’t get jaded during this unprecedented football outage.

At the end of the day, American football in Ireland is kind of like a big family and we all need to pull together. The sooner we get through these strange times, the quicker we can all get back to playing football.

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Opinion: The College Football Game in Ireland should go ahead.

On Friday evening, Leo Varadkar announced his plan for “reopening Ireland”. From May 18^th onwards, there will be the gradual relaxation of the harsh restrictons and the country will slowly return to normal. However, the mass ban on gatherings over 5,000 people still remains in place, until September at the earliest. With the college game here due to take place on August 29^th, 2 days before the ban is set to be lifted the fate of the fixture is still very much up in the air.

In a press release sent out early last week, game organisers stated that that they were working hard to ensure the multi million dollar/euro fixture could go ahead with all possible precautions in place.

And you know what, it should one hundred percent still go ahead.

There are so many benefits to this game being played as planned. Let’s for a minute forget the fact that it’s worth millions in tourism and will provide a massive boost the an Irish economy that has suffered deeply as a result of the pandemic. This game is something to look forward to. It’s something to dream about. It’s like a big shining beacon at the end of a very dark tunnel. It gives us a glimmer of hope that one day everything will go back to normal. Or as normal as possible. And its not just American football fans here that are looking forward to it either. Sporting enthusiasts of all codes have embraced our American visitors soon to be annual trip across the pond to play a game of gridiron in the Aviva.

And then there’s the aforementioned issue of money. College football boils down to cold hard cash, and this game is worth a lot of it. Do you really think the event organisers are going to refund all those juicy VIP Travel packages they were selling at $5,000 a pop? No chance. This game also worth several million in TV rights and viewership. There’s simply no way that the organisers, the Unversities and the NCAA ( who ultimately will make the final decision) walk away from that much profit. Even if the game is played elsewhere and not in Ireland, it won’t be anything of the gold mine it would be if it was played on these shores.

Now I hear what you’re all shouting at me through the screen – what about the 40 odd thousand Americans due to travel here for the occasion? America has been one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic, and letting people travel does seem like a ridiculous idea. But what if those coming here for the game were tested before they were allowed leave the country? In other words, sure you can go to Ireland ,but you have to be tested for coronavirus first. If you get the all clear then you can go. This would be a massive undertaking and would pose a huge logistical challenge. But it’s doable. And by August, I’m hopeful we’ll have the infrastructure in place to have test results back in less than a day which would make this process a whole lot easier.

ESPN College GameDay to Dublin, Ireland in 2020 - YouTube

Even if we have to wear masks and gloves to the game, then so what? It’s better than nothing. If this game proceeds as planned it will be a major indicator that life as we know it is not lost forever. It will give us hope. And hope is what we need most right now.

Articles, Football

College Football Update

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic between the University of Notre Dame and the Naval Academy, set to take place on August 29th 2020 is likely to still go ahead according to reports.

In a press release earlier today, it was outlined that the recent ban on mass gatherings here does not apply to this game, and it can go ahead without a license.

However the Universities, the NCAA and the Event Organisers are all still working to ensure that public safety remains paramout and that the game can go ahead while making the health of both spectators and students a priority.

An announcement is expected in mid-June on the specifics of how the game will take place.

Stay tuned to Gaelic Gridiron for more details.

Articles, Football

The Sport Shortage

The GAA, The NBA, The Premier League, and now American Football Ireland. Competitive American football in Ireland is the latest organised sport to be cancelled or postponed as a result of the Covid 19 outbreak. The decision came on April 4^th with the proviso that if circumstances allowed, there would be a kitted tournament towards the end of the year. But for all intents and purposes, football as we know it will not be happening in Ireland in 2020. And while in the grand scheme of things this may seem relatively insignificant, it further highlights the importance and value of sport in our lives.

Sport isn’t a matter of life or death. It’s much more important than that. Sport unites us. It brings us together in pubs and in stadiums, on warm summer days and cold winter nights. As players and athletes, sport drives us to become better versions of ourselves. It demands sacrifices and dedication. But it often results in rewards for our hard work, on and off the field. As friends and family, sport forms communities and special bonds. People who mightn’t have that much in common or who wouldn’t normally be friends off the field are required to work together for a shared goal.

Sport is also a very important tool for maintaining positive mental health. Regular physical activity and exercise are proven to be beneficial for our mindset. Being out on a pitch chasing a ball around allows us to forget about our worries and our troubles. We’re focused on the game, and we’re too busy having a laugh with our mates to feel the weight of the world. We’re also able to subconsciously clear our heads of any noise. But in the time of Coronavirus, we have learned that sport is a luxury. A luxury that we could really do with having back to cope with the added stress and anxiety brought on by the great unknown we’re facing.

When all of this has passed and the NFL season is kicking off on time, we will never again take sport for granted. During this crisis it has become glaringly apparent just how much we rely on organised sporting events. Sport provides such an important personal and social function in our lives. It brings us together. It helps us to communicate and to grow. And it often defines us as people. So once Ireland’s “lockdown” is lifted, kick a ball around with your mates or throw a Frisbee. Swing a hurl or shoot some hoops. And hope that sport is never taken away from us again.

Articles, Football

Gaelic Gridiron’s Guide to Self Quarantine

Social Distancing is in full swing, and if you’re like us then you’re slowly running out of ways to keep yourself occupied. The absolute mayhem of NFL Free Agency has briefly disrupted the monotony and boredom, but with no end to self-isolation in sight we’re going to need some more solid options! Fortunately, there are many forms of American Football media that we can indulge in to stave off the boredom! We’ve compiled a list of the best ways that American Football can provide entertainment until the world goes back to normal.

Play Madden

Let’s face it, you’re not really an American football fan unless you’ve played Madden. In fact, some of us probably first discovered the sport by throwing virtual touchdown passes. I’ve personally spent hours taking my team all the way to the top, and that was before we were told to stay inside! Now that we’re actively being encouraged not to leave the house, there’s no better time to start career mode on Madden 20!

2. Watch old games on Game Pass

The NFL announced last week that they were making Game Pass free in order to raise fans spirits during these difficult times. There is some great quality content available on Game Pass including A Football Life, Peyton’s Places as well as an archive of your favorite teams’ games. In fact, NFL.com recently released a list of the best throwback games available to watch over on Game Pass. Game Pass has other cool features such as NFL Network, Coaches Film and much more. So, what are you waiting for?

3. Read American Football Books

Give your eyes a break from the increased screen time they’re probably experiencing and get reacquainted with a good old book. Over the years I’ve accumulated a number of really interesting reads on my favorite sport. In fact, my future man cave is going to have a full shelf dedicated to America’s Game. One of my personal favorites is “The Catch”. The Catch tells the story surrounding the great San Francisco 49ers Dynasty of the 1970’s and 1980’s, and of one of the greatest plays in NFL history. I’d also recommend “Tailgate to Heaven” which details one mans quest around the States to find the best Pre -game tailgate experience.

Now is the time for us as American Football fans to show solidarity and come together as a community. So if you have a favorite throwback game, book or other form of entertainment that you think others would enjoy then let us know. This too shall pass, and before we know if the NFL regular season will be kicking off again as if nothing ever happened!