The Show Down

Lets start with this.  There are some abbreviations that are the same in America and Australia that throw me off.  One, ABC.  It is not the American Broadcasting Company, it is the Australian Broadcasting Company.  Then there is AFV, not America but Australian's Funniest Home Videos.  Lastly there is AFL, the Australian Football League.  

Australian football (or footy) is not like American football.  They don't wear pads, they don't stop when someone gets tackled, and they play in an oval.  The first time I saw it TV I thought it was madness and there was no rhyme or reason to it.  O was I wrong.  I actually get the game now, and like it…a lot.  Each quarter (there are 4) is 30 minutes long.  They count up on the clock and I don't think it ever stops, kind of like soccer.  The way you score is to kick or punch the ball through the posts at the end of the field.  There are 4 posts and the gap in the middle is worth 6 points if you kick it through.  The two on the sides is only one point if you kick it through.  Then if you punch it throughout the posts it is only one point no matter which posts you go through.  You can only pass to your teammates by kicking or "hand passing" the ball.  Hand passing is basically punching the ball to them.  There are a lot more rules that are hard to explain unless there is a game going on, but hopefully you get some gist of what is going on…maybe.  

It would not be a footy game without beer and a meat pie. Nom.

The match we got to go to was the Port Adelaide Power vs the Adelaide Crows.  This would be an equivalent Giants vs Dodgers game.  They call it the Show Down.  Port fans are known for being "Farrel" as an Aussie would say it, or just bad.  They try to fight with other people all the time and are just dirty.  So all my Aussie friends told me to root for the Crows who are blue, red and yellow.  Once at the stadium I kept seeing all these people in San Jose Sharks colors.  Port Adelaide has Sharks colors…I was almost torn because my mind says to root for teal.  

In the stadium they had a table where people were placing bets.  This is something I do not see everyday at a Sharks or Giants game.  The guy who took us, Hayden, asked if Carissa and I wanted to bet just to make things exciting.  But honestly we would not even know where to begin.  Like what is a normal score for a footy game?  How hard is it to get points?  Who is the better team? So instead Carissa and I just bet with each other on what team would win.  She dubbed the Crows so fast (even though she accidentally wore Port colors) so I had to semi root for Port the rest of the day.  

Those are the "goal" posts.

The game started super quick; there was no anthem or anything, just a ball getting bounced into the air and the boys were off tackling each other and doing what footy boys do.  About a minute or two into it, Port scored a goal (6 points!).  YAY!…? I only rooted because of the bet, not because of anything else.  

The first quarter went super fast.  The second quarter also flew by, and at this point the Crows were kicking some serious ass.  The bet was looking like it was going into Carissa's favor, which we both really wanted because I don't like supporting evil teams. But then, somehow, Port came back.  It became a really exciting game.  It technically was a Port home game, even though they share the same stadium (like the Lakers and Clippers), so the crowed was getting super into it.  All the Port fans started waving their signs and cheering a lot louder; They kept chanting "Power", they started to talk shit to the Crows fans.  It was fun.  And though I secretly wanted the Crows to win, it was nice to see a comeback.  Port tied it up at the end of the 3rd quarter 85-85 after being down like 25ish points.  

One quarter to go.  Port with the momentum.  What was going to happen?!?!

The Crows basically rolled over and died.  It was sad.  Port went with the momentum and stuffed it the the Crows faces.  I was a little upset that Port won, a little happy to see the home fans be so happy, and a little relieved that I won a bet.  In the end I had a great time at the game. I am very happy I was able to find a way to get there.

Winner!

The guy that was nice enough to take Carissa and I to the game, Hayden, also decided that we needed to see more Aussie things.  So after the game he took us to North Adelaide and we had an AB pack.  AB stands for abortion.  Sorry if that offends anyone, but it gets its name from how it looks.  It is french fries with meat, garlic sauce, sweet chili sauce and tomato sauce (ketchup) on top.  So so so nom.  It is apparently a good drunchie food and on weekend nights all the drunk people are scarfing them down.

We got back to Tanunda about 11 and I forgot my phone in Hayden's car.  FAIL.  I have no way of contacting people now and it is my day off! Extra fail. O well. The fun weekend makes up for my blondeness in forgetting my phone.

O yea...and I think footy should come to America.  It would be better than American Football...sorry not sorry.