American Football in Europe: Touchdown Across the Pond

As we all know by now, “football” means two different things to the American and European sports fan, and casual observers in the continent have made remarks of how unusual the game is in their eyes. In Britain, for instance, it has been seen by some as a comically less violent version of rugby (to be completely fair, rugby is violent enough as it is).

However, this unfamiliarity hasn’t stopped the game from gaining a foothold in Europe. The game they call gridiron has cultivated a robust fanbase in what was traditionally a soccer-obsessed region, with enough fans creating a thriving American football scene across several European countries. Exhibition matches between teams have resulted in incredible turnouts, such as a sold-out match between the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wimbledon Stadium.

       Image source: qz.com

And the Europeans are not just mere spectators. Teams, governed by organizations like the European Federation of American Football, have emerged across several countries in the continent which face off in competitions like the Eurobowl and the European Championship.

Image source: eurobowl.info

For organizers, Europe is still a major region for expansion. The demand is high enough that the National Football League (NFL), itself one of the main promoters of the sport in that corner of the world, has considered re-establishing a franchise in London. The NFL has previously supported a full-on branch in Europe, with teams playing from Germany and the Netherlands up until 2007.

This fanbase did not escape the attention of dedicated followers from the other side of the pond, though not a few of them look with amusement at the creative names adopted by the gridiron fans in Europe. The names of the many football teams in Europe often reflect the region’s history and cultural legacy, with a few of them, such as the Waterloo Warriors, being somewhat tongue-in-cheek in their naming.

Jason Goldblatt here. For more updates on all things football, follow me on Twitter.

REPOST: Longtime football official ready to retire stripes

Larry Honeycutt is retiring as a football referee after holding the position for 47 years. The 70-year-old umpire has always believed that doing a good job means getting through a game without notice but after almost five decades of officiating football and other sports events, he’s apparently not as anonymous as he used to be. The Washington Times has his story below:

Image Source: hamptonroads.com

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) – When watching a sporting event in person, Larry Honeycutt tries his best to remain anonymous.

He’d rather not be noticed – true to his referee form – but realizes that’s not so easy anymore.

“As old as I am, as long as I’ve been doing it, people know who I am,” Honeycutt said. “So if something happens out there, what do they do? They turn and look at me and go, ‘Honeycutt, what did you see? What about that call?’ So I try to get away from the people who are gonna ask me questions.”

It will soon be more difficult to avoid those awkward moments, as he is retiring after 47 years. Honeycutt called his final regular-season football game last week at Legion Stadium but has at least one more week on the gridiron; he’ll call a Class 2A playoff game tonight in Jacksonville between Northside and Croatan. He’ll continue to officiate basketball and soccer through the rest of the school year.

Image Source: islandpacket.com

In his almost five decades officiating high school sports, the 70-year-old Honeycutt has called nine state championships. He’s earned the respect of his peers to be in charge of the biggest games in the state, which is all the recognition Honeycutt desires in this thankless job.

“If you’re gonna try to put a measuring stick to him, you can’t,” said Jim Rouse, one of nine regional supervisors in the state. “He’s loyal, and his integrity is beyond reproach. Does that mean he gets everything right? No, none of us do. But you can count on Larry.”

Honeycutt won a state football championship at Broughton High School in Raleigh and played baseball at Wilmington College from 1962-66. He moved here permanently in 1970 and has used officiating as a way to show his appreciation for the positive effect sports has on his life.

He still continues that outreach, helping inexperienced referees. Rouse assigns Honeycutt, who also officiated lower division college football and basketball until 2009, to younger crews for that reason.

“Larry is a detailed guy,” said Mike Safrit, a longtime friend who officiates in the Atlantic Coast Conference. “He’s very demanding on the field. He wants it right. He wants perfection.”

For Honeycutt, doing a good job means getting through a game without notice. Disagreements happen, but that’s all part of the complicated relationship between official and coach.

“When you saw his name on the official’s sheet, you knew you were getting a guy who would do his best to always get the call right,” longtime Hoggard football coach Scott Braswell said. “If (the calls) are going against you, that kind of tests your relationship a little bit. But I think he and I have always done well together.”

Honeycutt is meticulous. Braswell said he’d regularly request game film to review his work. He watches referees on television, searching for pointers he can implement with his own crews.

He’s stern on the field – he doesn’t appreciate coaches calling him by name or anyone touching him – but calm. Perhaps the only time Honeycutt cracks his stolid demeanor is when singing the national anthem, which he’s been known to do before games.

“I love to sing,” Honeycutt said with a laugh. “I’m a tenor in my church choir. I really enjoy it.”

Although he’s retiring, Honeycutt will still be active in local sports. He’ll continue to assign officials for private-school events, which he’s done for 15 years. He might attend football games to observe the officials and give feedback.

Stepping back also will give Honeycutt more time to hang around Trask Coliseum, where he loves to watch the UNCW basketball teams – though he’ll likely have more appeals from people wanting to pick his brain.

Image Source: uncw.edu

Whether he likes it or not, Honeycutt won’t be invisible anymore.

“He did it the right way,” New Hanover football coach Kevin Motsinger said. “From teaching at UNCW to officiating on Fridays, Saturdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Mondays and if they’d let him, on Sundays I’m sure. Just a first-class human being and he’s as good as they come.”

Hey folks! Jason Goldblatt here, your official football blogger. Follow me on Facebook for the latest football news and updates.