The Times of London, the city's respected paper that does not put nudies on page 3, bugled "THE GAME" on the front page of Monday's editions. Didn't mean Dolphins-Giants at Wembley, though. Meant the Arsenal-Liverpool match running concurrently. Headline on NFL game: 'American pioneers are just an exotic curio at the real football headquarters.'
My game column from London would be fund by clicking on Misery Knows No Borders.
Ingame chatter:
Onside kick failed. Giants kneeling. Game over: 0-8. Dolphins beat point spread, but, alas, not opponent.
Ted Ginn Jr. 21-yard TD pass from Cleo Lemon with 1:54 left, Ginn's first career score, makes it 13-10. If Miami gets the onside kick, perhaps a small miracle is in store after all.
Ancient Jeff Feagles just punted for NY. I believe he was a boy when Queen Elizabeth was a girl. Four minutes left. Miami needs a quick score for any chance. If you are optimistic, I credit your spirit.
Giants miss short field goal; still 13-3, early 4Q.
Dolphins' Jason Taylor -- the real one, not the 26-foot animatronic -- recovers a fumble after a sack. Miami first down at its own 49. Can they finally score? Yes! Well, sort of! Got it to 1st and goal from the 6, settled for a short Jay Feely FG to make it 13-3. They're playing that annoying "Miami Dolphins No. 1" song, which is now officially annoying world-wide.
Here's a completely bizarre, radical thought: Miami is 0-7, with zero points deep into its eighth game. John Beck, anyone? Like, with him, you can do worse than 0-7 with zero points!?
By the way, the Dolphin cheerleaders came out for the chilly, damp second half wearing more clothing. These British Dolphin fans just can't catch a break tonight.
Jason Allen just intercepted a deflected pass -- bulletin: Allen does something right! -- only to see the play nullified by Miami holding. Nothing going right tonight for the "home" team, fitting of this entire season.
Classic snapshot of Dolphins offense tonight on this one third-down play: Cleo Lemon scrambles and completes deep to a wide-open Derek Hagan! Two minor problems. Lemon was past the srimmage line when he threw. And threw too wide for Hagan to catch it in-bounds. Punt.
Here's another in a long series of winnable games for Miami, right? Team is defending Eli Manning pretty well. But the way the offense is (not) playing, 13 points seems like a mountain to climb.
Doubt TV showed this, but a streaker bounded onto the field just before the second-half kickoff. The guy ripped off a fake referee's uniform to reveal himself nearly naked, wearing a g-string with appeared a small football covering his privateers. He cavorted at midfield and actually had time to start doing pushups on the NFL shield -- the sacrilege! -- before security at last hustled him off the field.
Giants 41-yard FG in last seconds of first half, set up when Cleo Lemon is stripped of ball on sack. NYG now up 13-0. Miami offense playing about like you'd expect an offense to play if missing its start QB, its best running back, its main tight end, and with its best receiver traded.
Eli Manning 10-yard TD run with a minute left in first half makes it 10-0, NYG. Rain steady. Very cold, too. Cheerleaders must be miserable, and freezing, but still dancing and smiling. Dolphin cheerleaders having a better game than Dolphins.
"The Wave" has just erupted in the Wembley stands. American football overseas may prove to be the ruination of international sport.
First quarter just ended at 3-nil, Biggies. What percentage of curious Brits do you imagine are thinking this American football isn't as exciting as they thought it would be?
Giants 0-for-2 now going deep to Plaxico Burress. Can you blame them for thinking that's a Miami vulnerability? These Brits love the deep pass.
Raining pretty good here now, but not rain like we know rain. More of that heavy mist for which London is famous.
By the way, in person here, the crowd seems fairly evenly split in its devotion, although I'd say the slight advantage goes to Dolphin supporters. What's it sound like on TV?
Giants drive downfield on their first possession but squander a 1st and goal, settling for a chipshot field goal and a 3-0 lead. NY kicker Lawrence Tynes was born in Scotland, suggesting to me the game is fixed. Kidding!
Jay Feely just picked a heck of a time for his first missed field goal of the season. From 48 yards. A bit surprised daring Cam didn't go for it on 4th and 1.
Good sign. The Star-Spangled Banner just defeated God Save the Queen by about 45 seconds.
Pregame ramble:
Months in the planning, a week of buildup from London, and now it's finally here: Dolphins "hosting" New York Giants from famed Wembley Stadium in the first-ever NFL regular-season game played outside North America.
The historical significance of the game is what matters to the league as its sets out to play two international regulars-eason games a year beginning next season. The Dolphins and Dolfans, of course, the historical significance is less important than a bleepin', bloody win.
Gray, cool, drizzly day here in London, stadium filling, teams on the field in warmups. I'll be blogging live throughout the game, with instant updates/commentary on all major plays and scoring changes. Join us, lads and laddies.
Comments welcome before, during and of course after the game -- on the significance of the event and on the result itself and what it means to the Dolphins.