If you're not cheating you ain't competing

[Guest HisG]

Wingnut,

I saw on Australian news that the NFL has signed up yet another Young Aussie

Good choice!

[The_Patriot21]

There's a lot if skill hitting a ball with a stick, especially when it's a moving ball

Technically, soccer is football - and you may be getting rugby league mixed up with rugby union but anyways, it's good football without helmets

No. soccer is soccer and football is football. Just no one figured it out till the americans did

[Guest HisG]

Seattle Seahawks snap up Aussie Jesse Williams in NFL draft

April 28, 2013 3:34PM

Seahawks' conference call with Jesse WilliamsThe Seattle Seahawks call Jesse Williams after they secured the Aussie with pick 137 in the NFL Draft.(2:50 / 15.5MB)

Video Quality 3GWi-Fi

AUSTRALIA'S infiltration of the NFL reached a new level this weekend, with nose tackle Jesse "Tha Monstar" Williams drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and punter Brad Wing continuing the Down Under tradition at the Philadelphia Eagles.

It was a day of high drama for Australia's three hopes on the final day of the NFL Draft.

Brisbane's Williams, who many draft experts thought would be snapped up by the Baltimore Ravens or San Francisco 49ers in the first round on Thursday, sat unwanted until Saturday's fifth round when the Seahawks finally swooped in and selected him with the 137th overall pick.

"I waited a little longer than what I expected, but I'm just happy to be with a good association and go to a good team," said Williams, 22, who was a major piece of the University of Alabama's back-to-back national championship defensive line.

It was a longer wait for the headline-making Wing, who had a tumultuous time at Louisiana State University, and the other big Australian boot in the draft, University of Hawaii punter Alex Dunnachie.

After seven rounds and 254 players drafted on Saturday, Wing and Dunnachie were left without teams.

But, just as the lights went out in Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall where the draft was staged, a rash of new deals erupted for the leftovers.

The Eagles made a call to Melbourne-born Wing, who was rated as the top punter in the draft, although some off-field indiscretions while at LSU had him red flagged by some NFL teams.

"So glad the Philadelphia Eagles have given me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams," Wing tweeted.

The Eagles have a history of hiring Australian punters, with Mat McBriar in the team last year and former AFL star Saverio Rocca, who now punts for the Washington Redskins, played with Philadelphia from 2007 to 2010.

Wing, 22, is not guaranteed a place on the Eagles team and will compete for the job with NFL punting veteran Donnie Jones.

Dunnachie's NFL dreams are not over and he will seek out a free-agent contract.

Williams' NFL Draft free fall from potential first-round pick to fifth-round selection cost him millions of dollars, but he was all smiles when he spoke to the media.

"It is definitely a shorter flight from Seattle to Australia than what it was in Alabama," Williams joked.

Williams, the heavily-tattooed, 191cm, 147kg brute from Brisbane who earned the nickname Tha Monstar for his superhuman gym workouts and aggressive play for the University of Alabama, had every right not to be in a jovial mood after the draft.

The Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and current Super Bowl champions the Baltimore Ravens were all thought to be interested in Williams but bypassed him on multiple occasions in the first four rounds.

Players drafted in the fifth round earn a lot less money than players selected in the first or second rounds.

Williams and his agent still have to come to terms with the Seahawks, but last year's 137th pick, defensive end Malik Johnson, signed a four-year $US2.31 million contract with the Denver Broncos.

If Williams, as had been speculated, was drafted in the first round with the 26th pick he would have earned three times as much.

Last year's 26th pick, Whitney Mercilus, negotiated a four-year $US7.634 million contract with the Houston Texans.

Williams, a physical freak able to bench press 270kg in the weight room and despite his bulk, can run the 40-yard dash in under five seconds, grew up playing rugby league and basketball in Brisbane and only took up American football as a 14-year-old while playing for Brisbane's Bayside Ravens.

The first recognised Australian to play in the NFL was Colin Ridgeway in 1965, with Colin Scotts making his debut in 1987 and punter Darren Bennett played from 1994 to 2005.

AFL convert Ben Graham became the first Aussie to play in a Super Bowl in 2009, Chris Bryan played for the Green Bay Packers in 2010 while a handful of others have tried out for NFL teams.

[Guest ninhao]

Wingnut, why is it called World Series when it's just US teams competing?

Also the Super Bowl final last year - the winners were declared number one in the world when again it was just US NFL clubs versing each other......?

Americans are very self elitist didn't you know

However they are the best in the World at baseball and gridiron.

[Guest HisG]

Ninhao

I have seen flashes of US elitism yes!!

Are there any world competitions for gridiron and baseball?

[Guest HisG]

I don't follow NBA but I hear people say that the 2012 US Olympic mens basketball team was better than the '92 Barcelona Olympic. Dream Team.

True?

[wingnut-]

I don't follow NBA but I hear people say that the 2012 US Olympic mens basketball team was better than the '92 Barcelona Olympic. Dream Team.

True?

Probably, the dream team was old, most of them were well past their prime.

[CAP73]

Well it's important to note that doctoring the ball was once legal, and not a violation of the rules. They do punish pitchers today for doing it, although it's been awhile since anyone was caught. As far as the steroids, I have a serious issue with that, in my opinion, Roger Maris still holds the home run record at 61, and I was a Barry Bonds fan.

I'm talking about pitchers that still doctored after they outlawed it. I was watching MLB Network all day the day the newest class to the Hall was announced. Some of the older players were talking about pitchers that they knew doctored after it was outlawed (and it was common knowledge), but were still voted into the Hall of Fame.

[wingnut-]

Well it's important to note that doctoring the ball was once legal, and not a violation of the rules. They do punish pitchers today for doing it, although it's been awhile since anyone was caught. As far as the steroids, I have a serious issue with that, in my opinion, Roger Maris still holds the home run record at 61, and I was a Barry Bonds fan.

I'm talking about pitchers that still doctored after they outlawed it. I was watching MLB Network all day the day the newest class to the Hall was announced. Some of the older players were talking about pitchers that they knew doctored after it was outlawed (and it was common knowledge), but were still voted into the Hall of Fame.

Pitchers in the modern era have doctored the ball as well, although we haven't seen anyone get caught in recent years that I can recall.

[Guest Butero]

The answer to your question was easy. Of course it isn't right to cheat. Now you bring up an example from professional sports, and this is a bit more difficult for me. I have seen people cheat as long as I have been watching sports. Back when I first started watching baseball as a kid, I remember the constant questions over the baseball being doctored. It happened all the time. People will always try to act like they caught a ball that hit the ground. People would intentionally get hit with the baseball, or pretend to get hit. This has been a part of the game. That is why you have officials, and they go by their rulings. I don't think this will ever go away, because there is so much money involved, and one loss can mean the difference between the playoffs or a long winter. That is one reason I support instant replay, to get calls right. Should we cheat? No. Will cheating ever be completely stopped? No.