‘Y’all want ketchup on ya fries?’. ‘Have a nice day now’. ‘Crooks go to jail and soccer players score goals’.

Yes its true, I am on my way to the American Embassy in Canberra to hand in my Australian passport and pledge my allegiance to the flag on America. Time to start speaking with a twang!

It is the right thing to do as I have just seen my first game of American Gridiron and I have been converted. The National Rugby League can expect my membership card in the mail next week. Gridiron, what a game.

Oh, I forgot to mention that it was Lingerie football. Yes that’s right, Lingerie.  Young, fit, athletic girls looking extra hot in lingerie and smashing the absolute tripe out of each other. 

So what is it all about? Where does one start when asked to explain the Lingerie Football League? At the beginning would be a good idea.

While the LFL was founded in 2003, it had its Inaugural season in 2009. It originated from the Super Bowl half time as a pay per view event known as the ‘Lingerie Bowl’ and was broadcast opposite the Super Bowl half time show. There are now 12 teams in the USA Competition which is run over 20 weeks.

These teams are split into the Eastern and Western Conference and culminates in the Lingerie Bowl. There is also an All-Fantasy game between the two conferences. With team names like Passion, Fantasy, Temptation, Sin, Charm and Bliss you can see why the sport has taken off.

The LFL 2012 season is in Hiatus this year as it is currently on an “All Fantasy Tour” to promote the Sport Globally. And one of those destinations was Australia. There were two exhibition games between the Eastern and Western Conferences which were held in Brisbane on 2nd June and Sydney on 9th June.

The Western Conference Captain is Aussie Girl Chloe Butler who plays for the Los Angeles Temptation, who have won the last 3 Lingerie Bowls. She has represented Australia in the 400 metre hurdles before injuries forced her out of the sport.

On Saturday night the Western and Eastern conference teams went head to head at All Phones Arena. The LFL certainly know how to put on a show. The music was pumping, the lights were flashing and the smoke machine was in overdrive. Naturally the crowd was ninety percent male and the beer was flowing.

What really stood out was the ‘show’ type atmosphere that really hit the mark. It was none stop action from go to woe. There were chants, Mexican waves, front row lounge seats with free food and drink to be won, chances to get on the field to try your luck at tackling an LFL player, kiss cam, inflatable balls, DJ’s, strobe lights and flashing fire.

And then there was the actual game.

Wow, these girls are supreme athletes in peak physical condition who take pride in the game they play and give 110% every single minute of the game.

Say what you want about the uniform. Yes it is sexy and yes it is a talking point. In fact it has had some bad press of late. A lot of negative people seem to be wearing blinkers when it comes to the LFL. They are quick to judge and put the sport down. They wear less in beach volleyball. Hockey and netball are on par and some gymnasts aren’t to far from the mix.

At the end of the day it is a uniform. Get over it.

Back to the action. The crowd were on their feet as the teams were introduced to the cheering crowd. The girls emerged from the smoke like combatants going to war. They all had their game faces on. What were we about to witness?

The game got underway after the usual coin toss and hand shakes and then the action was all on the field. The girls went at it hammer and tong for forty minutes and every hit could be heard in the stands. It was a frantic pace and I wasn’t to sure that they could keep it up. Jeez I was wrong. The hits got harder as the game went on.

The sight of a fit and fast girl sprinting down the side of the field only to be collected by two defenders and smashed into the padded side panels brought everyone to their feet on several occasions. Naturally a few girls went down hard and took several minutes to get back to their feet, however there they were back in the line at the next play.

The PGA Tour has a catch cry of ‘These Guys are Good’. I suggest the LFL get their own catch cry of ‘Damn, these girls are tough’. None more so than, 2010 Defensive player of the year, Liz Gorman. She is a two time All-Star and is one of the most recognised LFL players.

She put her body on the line all night and had a few ongoing battles with players from the opposition. At times she was seen to limp off the field after making another crushing tackle, yet she played through the pain barrier and continued to show why she is respected so much by all the players.

After a spirited fight back from the Eastern Division they fell short and the Western Conference came out on top in a game that was both physical and entertaining.

The next chapter in the LFL will commence in 2013 when the Australian LFL makes its debut. With teams in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth it is sure to have a cult following after seeing and hearing the reaction of the crowds at Homebush on Saturday night.

Time now to buy a copy of ‘Idiots guide to Gridiron’ to learn the finer points of the game and to head down to the local sports store to buy a gridiron ball. I want to be ready!

Now where do I get my new membership?