VOA常速英语:Russians Growing American-Style Football League

In old Russia there was a popular game played during big celebrations,that involved men forming two lines or walls and then fist fighting each other.
在过去的俄罗斯，在大型庆祝活动中有一种流行的游戏，男人们排成两排或组成两面墙的队列，然后拳打脚踢。
Because of this tradition some say American style football is not foreign to Russians.
由于这一传统，有人说美式足球对俄罗斯人来说并不陌生。
American football got its start in the soviet union in the 1980s,when Russian marines serving in the far east region of the country,reportedly picked up radio and tv transmissions of the US football games.
美式足球起源于二十世纪八十年代的苏联，据报道，当时在该国远东地区服役的俄罗斯海军陆战队收听了美式足球比赛的广播和电视转播。
Later those marines went home and organized teams such as the federals in Chilebinsk.
后来，这些海军陆战队回家后组织了一些队伍，比如奇列宾斯克的联邦部队。
In Russia we still dont have enough of uniforms,but at that time they used the motorcycle helmets from steel bars,they were welding face guards, took hockey elbow, shin and chest pads,added a bit more foam rubber to those and played.
在俄罗斯，我们仍然没有像样的比赛制服，但当时他们使用的是钢筋制成的摩托车头盔，他们是用来护脸的，带着曲棍球用的的肘部、胫部护具和胸垫，在上面加一点泡沫塑料就可以打球了。
American football in Russia has a rocky history.
美式足球在俄罗斯有一段坎坷的历史。
However the sport gained popularity with the teams like the Moscow bears and the patriots.
然而，这项运动在莫斯科熊队和爱国者队等球队中很受欢迎。
The team currently dominating the country is the Spartans,which won the 2018 and 2020 Russian championships,and the 2019 central European football league cup.
目前在这个国家占据主导地位的球队是斯巴达人，他们赢得了2018年和2020年俄罗斯锦标赛，以及2019年中欧足球联赛杯。
Hunter Keywood from the US state of Georgia came to Russia to study for a masters degree,and was recruited in 2019 by the Spartans.
亨特·凯伍德来自美国佐治亚州，来到俄罗斯攻读硕士学位，并于2019年被斯巴达人招募。
He says his teammates are like brothers to him.
他说他的队友对他来说就像兄弟一样。
Russians are some of the you know strongest people I know.
俄罗斯人是我认识的最强壮的人之一。
And I dont mean just being strongest in terms of physicality, but also strong in terms of mentality.
我指的不仅仅是身体上的强者，还有心理上的强壮。
So American football requires you to be mentally tough.
美式橄榄球要求球员在精神上要坚强。
When its fourth quarter, youre tired, you feel you have bruises all over your body,but you still need to step up you need to make a play.
当进入第四节时，你会感到疲惫，你觉得全身都是瘀伤，但你仍然需要加快脚步，你需要打完这场比赛。
And these guys that I play with, they are mentally tough.
和我一起打球的这些兄弟，他们的精神都很坚强。
They understand like this is what Im going to do for my team.
他们明白这就是我要为我的团队做的事情。
Im going to sacrifice my body.
我可以为了团队牺牲自己的身体。
League players are committed to the sport even a defeat,the perm tigers lost the national championship to the Spartans in 2020,motivates them to continue, says Alexis.
亚历克西斯说，联盟球员致力于这项运动， Perm Tigers在2020年全国锦标赛中输给了斯巴达人，但是即使失败，这也促使他们继续前进。
Were a small regional team.
我们是一个小型地区性团队。
No one took us seriously.
没有人把我们当回事。
And here we are in the finals of the Russian championship took the second spot.
现在我们在俄罗斯锦标赛决赛中获得第二名。
And we should be an example for the other regional teams.
我们应该成为其他地区球队的榜样。
So we can develop the sport in our cities and play with each other.
这样我们就可以在我们的城市里发展这项运动，并相互比赛。
Teams struggle to find sponsors particularly given Russians biases toward the united states.
球队很难找到赞助商，特别是考虑到俄罗斯人对美国的想法。
Some say that while trying to raise money,local authorities have told them they should go to the us if they want to play American football.
一些人说，在试图筹集资金的同时，当地政府告诉他们，如果他们想打美式橄榄球，就应该去美国。
So the players buy their own equipment and pay for the space to train and play.
因此，球员们自己购买设备，并支付训练和比赛的场地费用。
Im always amazed by the talent thats able to that we can find here you know.
我总是对我们能在这里找到的人才感到惊讶。
And footballs not even that popular in Russia still.
而且足球在俄罗斯甚至还不那么受欢迎。
If we can get some of the best athletes maybe from basketball here or hockey or soccer,Russia could be one of the top European countries in football.
如果我们能从这里的篮球、曲棍球或足球中培养出一些最优秀的运动员，俄罗斯可能会成为欧洲顶级足球国家之一。
I have no doubt.
我毫不怀疑。
Irusi said that the affection in Russia for American football shows that,Russians and Americans do have some ties.
伊鲁西说，俄罗斯人对美式足球的喜爱表明，俄罗斯人和美国人确实有一些联系。
Despite a decades-long geopolitical divide.
尽管存在长达数十年的地缘政治分歧。
Jenny Dullo for VOA news Moscow
美国之音记者Jenny Dullo莫斯科报道