American Championships

Two weekends ago, the United States Australian Rules Football league held their national championships in Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida on October 15 and 16. Streamed live on YouTube, it was different watching games being played in what looked like rec fields on a university campus. Watching cars go by and everything, instead of crowds of 40,000+ at a major metropolitan oval where people are trying to sell me watches and insurance.

But it was still fun to watch. Obviously the skill level is different, since these are men and women with day jobs who are committing a lot of time to footy. 36 teams were separated by divisions and then again into pools. The side nearest me, the Atlanta Kookaburras, went 2-1 in pool play, beating teams from Denver and Tulsa, but losing to a squad from Des Moines. They ran six ovals (one for the women) for most of Saturday the 15th and part of Sunday the 16th, with the finals played in the afternoon on Sunday.

The Portland Sockeyes defeated Montreal to win the women's premiership, and congrats to the Division 4 men's champions Ohio Valley and to D3 champs Portland who beat North Carolina. The Division 2 premiers are from Calgary (also home of my favorite hockey team).

The Division 1 winners are the Austin Crows, for whom Nolan Cox plays. Nolan is the brother of Mason Cox, the Collingwood big man of whom we have spoken here. Austin is tied to the Adelaide Crows, and the big club even gave them a shout out on their web site.

What really weirded me out about that is that Mason the Magpie made it onto an opponent's web site:

Collingwood player Mason Cox, left, with his brother Nolan who plays
for the USAFL team in Austin, Texas. Picture taken from the Adelaide Crows site.

Play on!

Eddie Betts

Two matches last week... Geelong gets the job done against Fremantle, and Adelaide wins their eighth straight by defeating a stubborn Collingwood side. The Pies have not listed Mason Cox for the last couple of weeks after he played for the big club for 10 consecutive games and kicked 15 goals. However I think the Pies have gotten some people back from injuries (such as Travis Cloke) so decisions have to be made as to who plays and who sits.

As near as I can tell, Cox plays on the VFL side which I think is similar to playing on the developmental team, or like AAA baseball. Getting a chance to play and get experience, but not at the senior level. It makes sense, given his neophyte footy status. In scrolling through his Twitter feed it seems as though he feels wanted and appreciated at Collingwood, so I don't think there's much to read into this.

When the broadcast crew talks about a team looking to finish in the top two of the eight postseason sides, it means the one they're talking about is pretty solid. This is how they talked about the Adelaide Crows during the match with Collingwood.

All eight playoff teams play in the first week but those in the top two get to play that first game at home (1 v 4 and 2 v 3), with a possible bye week to follow if they win. Top four teams cannot be eliminated the first week, win or lose. Finishing fifth or sixth means a home playoff game initially but having to play the next week regardless, after a long and grinding season. So for the Crows to be in this position is remarkable. This is the team whose players last season had to mourn the loss of their coach Phil Walsh, allegedly at the hands of his own son.

Which brings us to Eddie Betts who is a key member of the Crows forward line. He's 5'8" so speed is his weapon, and he uses it often. He's another one of the players the broadcast crew seems to fall in love with, although it sure seems justified, since Betts can really run and really play. He kicks straight, too. He's in the third year of a four-year contract since coming over from Carlton. It's really hard to see the Crows not keeping him for the long term given the fact that he's only 29 and that they could be heading toward a special season.

In the week to come... North Melbourne/Collingwood and the Crows look to make it nine in a row vs. Geelong.

Play on!