LONDON -- Cumberland's John DaLomba worked at the Journal as a young man before joining the U.S. Air Force, in whose service he has risen to the rank of Major.
For the past 14 months, he's been stationed at a base north of London.
Always perceptive and insightful, Maj. DaLomba offered these thoughts when I asked him to send me his opinion on the popularity of American football in the U.K.:
"Judging by the amount of ink I see in the local sports pages and air time during TV news sports segments, American football is marginally popular at best. Of course, I live among an American military community and football (the real kind, played by guys wearing helmets and shoulder pads) is hugely popular among this group. Fortunately, American Forces Network televises about 6-8 NFL games a week (and more college games), including all the Sunday and Monday night contests. They replay some of the games the next day due to the time difference.
"Soccer is king here, followed by cricket and rugby. Folks will plan an afternoon or evening at the local pub to watch their teams (local or national) compete in these sports. I was at a pub in Cardiff, Wales, last year for the Wales-Australia International Rugby Union match. That was a lot of fun.
"Other popular sports include Formula One racing, bicycling, rowing, track & field, tennis and basketball. These sports don't pull folks together like the other three, but they command a loyal fan base.
"I think the folks here enjoy American football, but view it more as a curiosity -- a quintessentially American cultural event."
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