Ultimate Blog Challenge - It's Game Day

Day 25 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, and we're supposed to write about a trip we took. 

Since I already told you all about exploring the city of Lucerne last week, I'm gonna share our roadtrip to Wil, SG, which is in the Eastern part of Switzerland, known for its apple trees. I was there in May and thoroughly enjoyed the trees in full bloom. So pretty!

So on Sunday, we went there for game day.

What game?

American Football! 🏈

This is a big deal because as of this season, for the first time ever, we have a Swiss team that plays in the European League of Football, consisting of 17 teams and three conferences. Our team is called "Helvetic Guards", probably in the style of the Pontifical Swiss Guard: brave and strong?

On Sunday their opponent were the Milan Seamen, an Italian team.

Colin has a friend who is a youth football player, who was there as well, and before the game started, they did a little warm-up themselves.

Then it was kick-off time, and boy, did our team have a bad start.

After the first few minutes of the game, it looked like the Milano Seamen would not give the Guards a chance. With the first contact with the ball, the guests could already take the lead, and in the next period of possession they put it to 14:0.

But then the Helvetic Guards found their way better into the game. Especially the defense, which already shows a strong performance the whole season, blossomed and could send the Italians off the field again and again. The first points for the Guards were also scored by the defense.

Despite the weak offense, the Guards found a way back into the game. American Ken Hike Jr. was able to shorten the score before the break. Just before his own end zone, he knocked the ball out of his opponent's hands and carried it back 100 yards for a touchdown. Hike Jr. was the man of the match after that as well. With a blocked field goal and good tackles he was able to stop the Seamen's offense almost single-handedly.

The Guards' offense scored for the first time after the halftime break and made it 24:21. Because the Italians equalized and missed a field goal one second before the end, the game went into overtime. There the Swiss started with a touchdown. Because the defense was able to stop the guests again, the local fans celebrated the third Guards victory in a row.

A record attendance of 2,400 fans was celebrating.

How many?

That sounds really lame, doesn't it?

Well, Football is not big in Switzerland. Yet. I think it's on the rise, and if the Guards keep it up, they might influence the positive perception and interest among the Swiss audience.

So did we have fun?

Definitely!

How did it compare to a hockey game? Or to what I expected from a football game?

• I was surprised that the speaker felt the need to invite the fans to cheer for the team at every play. In hockey we do this on our own initiative. Actually the Swiss hockey audience is known for their awesome support. We chant and clap all the time, and for the playoffs, our hardcore fans prepare a choreo for our team.
• With football being played outdoors, our fellow viewers benefit from the fact that smoking can't be disallowed. Yuck. 
• Intermission entertainment was a guy who played country, which I quite liked. However, I was very disappointed that there didn't seem to be any cheerleaders whatsoever?! We don't have them in Swiss hockey, but I definitely expected them in a football game.
• The system / rules of the game prevent a flow! If you are used to a fast paced hockey game, you will get desperate and frustrated after a while.
• The playing field is being shared with a soccer team, so the markings were a bit makeshift and rudimentary. There was no goal line, just an orange pylon.

What amused me was that among the fans there were some who are actually wearing Guards gear. Many others wore jerseys from their favorite NFL teams. We counted over 20 different logos: SF 49-ers, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, etc. 

Colin knew about this and encouraged me to wear the Seattle Seahawks T-Shirt he let me borrow.

What is my conclusion?

I can't wait for the hockey season to start. It became mighy hot and humid at that outdoor stadium ;-)

Do you like football? Do you attend live games in the U.S.?