Hello from Sydney, Australia

**BAK** · 05-25-2010, 09:35 AM

AussieChiefsFan is my son and he is gradually introducing me to Gridiron. I grew up in Germany, but have been living in Australia for 27 years now. Steven, Callum's dad, my husband, is Australian and neither of us knew much about Amercian football before Callum became interested in it. I am much more familiar with soccer, which Callum and his brother play as school and after school sports.
However, due to Callum's passion for Gridiron (Callum just informed me that he has been a member of the Chief's crowd for 15 months) Steven and I are also taking an interest and Steven has found out that the university where he works has a gridiron team. We have watched them play for two seasons now and UTS was in the final (Waratah bowl) against Sydney University. Unfortunatley Sydney Uni has won 7 years in a row but we hope that this year will be our turn.
And while I am still not very much au fait with the ins and outs of American football I do enjoy watching the local games with my boys. Steven and I take great pleasure in the fact that Callum and his brother Conrad are becoming more and more knowledgeable about gridiron and what is especially nice is that Callum has developed the confidence to contribute to the Chiefs Crowd and that he has found acceptance and friendship.
I have heard a lot from Callum about the people with whom he communicates and who would have thought one year ago that I would be having a telephone conversation with a Chiefs Fan in the US, which is what I was doing this morning.
And while it will take me some time to even get close to understanding the game you all love I certainly appreciate the pleasure Callum gets from learning about every little detail about the intricacies of American football and every detail about his favourite team, the Kansas City Chiefs.
So, greetings to the Chiefs Crowd from Sydney, and especially to the amazing Connie Jo from Kansas.

**rbedgood** · 05-29-2010, 04:43 AM

Welcome Aussie's mom...err Barbara.

If you have questions on football (or gridiron as you call it) we'd be happy to help.

**Chiefster** · 05-31-2010, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by rbedgood

Welcome Aussie's mom...err Barbara.

If you have questions on football (or gridiron as you call it) we'd be happy to help.

Absolutely! We have several knowledgeable fans here from which you can learn a great deal.

**KCFromDenmark** · 05-31-2010, 05:28 AM

Greatings from the North..

**stricken721** · 05-31-2010, 10:35 AM

Welcome to the Crowd! It's nice to have you here as well as on Facebook (I'm Clint on Facebook). Aussie is a cool dude, his enthusiasm for the Chiefs is great. Even when the Chiefs are down his spirits are always up for the team.

**tornadospotter** · 06-01-2010, 03:27 AM

To the Chiefs Crowd. I think you have a great son, hope to meet him someday at Arrowhead.

**chief31** · 06-01-2010, 03:56 AM

Well, great to have ya here.

**BAK** · 06-01-2010, 04:20 AM

Thank you very much to everyone for the nice messages of welcome. I am not quite sure what "there goes the neighbourhood" means, but I wonder if the writer is a bit worried about an invasion of the forum by football-illiterate newcombers.
My initial post was really only a reaction to Connie-Jo's good work for Callum and the fact that I had to give her upsetting news about the parcel. I am still much too ignorant of AFL to take part in forums and I will leave that part to my offspring.
I know a lot more about soccer (as I grew up in Europe) and at the moment it is soccer fever which has some Australians in its grasp. In about two weeks NFL talk in our house will probably go on the backburner a little because we will be preoccupied with the soccer World Cup. To our dismay our two favourite teams - Germany and Australia - are in one group and are playing against each other in the first match. Also South Africa is not in our time zone so we will have to get up at 3 or 4 am to see some of the matches live. It is such a shame that Beckham and Ballack (German captain) are out injured. I imagine in the US David Beckham is known more for his wife, but for us he is just a good soccer player and a good captain of the UK team. I really feel sorry for any good player who has to miss a big event like this through, be it soccer or AFL. I imagine there have been quite a few football players in the same situation and missed the Superbowl, which I suppose is the same as missing a World cup. Oh, I hope I didn't violate the rules by talking soccer. But it certainly is handy that the soccer is on now and not when it is regular NFL season.
Cheers from Sydney, and thanks again to all of you.
Aussie's mum, Barbara

**Chiefster** · 06-01-2010, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by BAK

Thank you very much to everyone for the nice messages of welcome. I am not quite sure what "there goes the neighbourhood" means, but I wonder if the writer is a bit worried about an invasion of the forum by football-illiterate newcombers...

That was just a small attempt at humor; can't take what some folks say here too seriously.