European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Only at air Force bases. That Colts cowboys game started at a comfortable 7 50 . Get. Nowadays the color filled Kickoff does t come until after Midnight for most military viewers in Europe but that wont dissuade fans like capt. Terrance Baugh the budget officer at Raf Chicksands in England. A the super bowl regardless of who a playing is such an event that after you be been following the games and the playoffs you have to watch it. It would be like Reading a novel without Reading the last few pages to find out what happened a Baugh said. Baugh will rely on Coffee to get through that morning after the game. A i probably wont have much Energy but it la be like a typical monday morning a he said. Tech. Sgt. Bob Ammons the weapons safety non commissioned officer at in Ciurlik a in Turkey has other plans. Hell stay up late saturday night to make sure he a Good and tired and then after Church sunday morning hell study for a promotion test. A that really gets me tired a said Ammons who was named a Safe Stop weapons safety no in 1991. His studies he Hopes will put him in the mood for a six hour Nap so he can get up at about Midnight and be wide awake for Over Buffalo among the super bowls 150 million viewers tonight will be Gary Lattimer. Guaranteed. Lattimer a briton who works As a spacecraft controller at the european space Agency in Darmstadt Germany is crazy about american football. Really crazy. And not just about football in general. Lattimer is a huge Buffalo fan and he Hopes this year the Bills get it right in the super bowl after their slim miss of 1991. Lattimere a interest in the sport began about five years ago thanks to British televisions coverage of the nil. Intrigued he asked american friends for magazines and other information on the game but he soon found that his interest far exceeded that of the average yank. A a it a amazing what you americans done to know about your own game a he said. In an Effort to learn More he began a protracted Effort to get a copy of the official Rule Book first at american bookstores in Europe then through friends in the United states. No Luck. In desperation he faxed requests to All of the teams in the nil but that too proved to be a dead end. Eventually he turned to nil Headquarters and was finally shunted off to nil properties the leagues marketing office. A i got this woman on the phone Ingrid something and she told me id found the right place a Lattimer said. A they were $9 a copy and available Only from her directly. I ordered counting mailing delays a the nil had never had a request from overseas and Wasny to really sure How to get them to Germany a it took Lattimer 18 months to get the Rule books but he has made up for lost time. He Snow something of a rules expert and puts out a weekly quiz for colleagues who follow the game. A couple of recent examples what determines placement of the Ball for an extra Point attempt following a touchdown answer it can be positioned anywhere beyond the 2-Yard line and How Many non fostered people can a team have on the sidelines during a game answer 15. The Atlanta Falcons were fined for breaking that Rule during their last playoff game when he has a question he can to get answered in the Rule Book Lattimer feels free to Contact the nil. One recent Call to Ingrid was for an explanation about the a Fly a plan b acquisition system. Lattimer believes the american sports solid organization and officials Are what help make it great. In european soccer he noted one referee decides when and where the Ball went out of Bounds what constitutes a foul and whether additional time should be added to the game to compensate for injuries or other delays. Quot the Ball moves so fast that the ref is often at the wrong end of the Field trying to figure out what the hell happened a Lattimer said. A the still gets to make the Call though. In my opinion that leads to the sort of hooliganism that really ruins european soccer. There a too Many possibilities for arguments and fights about penalties offsides How Long the game ran. A in american football the fans always know How much time is left who went out of Bounds and where who is getting a penalty and for what. When the games Over there Arentt Many fist fights about the Lattimer therefore Isnit a big fan of replay officials. A the Guys on the Field do a great Job they re right 95 percent or More of the time. With that record its sort of a slap in their face to have some Guy in a Booth second guessing other improvements head like to see overtime wins by at least six Points less Protection for quarterbacks who scramble Over the line of scrimmage no tees for kickoffs and most importantly a Little variety on Point after attempts. A extra Points Are the most Boring part of the game. One team scores a touchdown they do a Little Chip shot and off fat they be got an extra Point. Id like to see it like in Rugby where the extra Point attempt is made from the spot the Ball crossed the goal line. If you want to pass to the Corner Fine but that a also the Angle you get for the Point after. A for keep the kick from the Middle of the Field but move the Ball out to the 30-Yard line and give them three Points if they make it. Maybe there can be a two Point option As in College Ball. Make those coaches earn All that Money they re finally Lattimer wants those end zone nets taken Down. A a can to the nil with All its Money let the fans in the cheapest seats get a game Ball they re paying someone to pull the nets up a that a got to Cost More than the contributing to this report staff writers Amy Geiszler Jones in England Gary Miller in Italy and Ray Rowden in Washington and assorted wire services. January 26, 1992 sunday a Page 5
