Why Football?

[jmorbita]

I guess I'm asking to get flamed, but I've always wondered this.

Why do USA citizens call their Football Football, and hod did they came up with the name Soccer for real Football?
I mean, american football is mainly played with your hands, there is not many kicking the ball with your feet involved... And proper football has been played for way longer before american football! and it is actually played with your feet!
I understand basketball being called that way cuase you need to put the ball through a bakset... and handball is played with your hands...

[Jim Nazium]

[Happynoj]

More to the point, why do Americans feel the need to strap on body armour and a helmet to play what is essentially rugby?

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by Happynoj

More to the point, why do Americans feel the need to strap on body armour and a helmet to play what is essentially rugby?

I don't know what they pay pro rugby players, but for the money they pay your typical NFL player you want him protected as well as technology allows. Also, I can't say about rugby but in American Football there are lots of blindside hits - not just on quarterbacks but everywhere else on the field - and you need the protection. Probably the safest place on the field is along the line of scrimmage, where 300+lbs linemen rear up and collide into each other. The danger there is big bodies falling on your legs. The two most dangerous places are the "pocket" where the quarterback passes the ball, and the area 10 to 25 yards downfield in front of the line of scrimmage. Sometimes the quarterback's pocket protection breaks down, and at times a 250+lb linebacker will zero in on the QB's backside and hit him at full speed. Very dangerous. For the receiver, if in his route he's cutting to the middle of the field he's got his eye on the incoming football, and he won't see the defender rushing in to either try to intercept the ball or time his hit for when the ball gets to the receiver. The receiver never sees him coming, very, very dangerous. That's why teams usually employ a 260+lb, 6' 6"+ tight end to go up the middle, the theory being that a big receiver makes a better target and he can absorb more punishing blows than a smaller receiver, unless you're the New England Patriots' Wes Welker!



stratovani, unemployed offensive coordinator!

[DigMe]

Stratovani,

good explanation but.. this convo has been done several times on TB and it usually turns out that the rugby honks don't care so much about facts but really just want to do the "football is wuss, RUGBY R00LZ" thing. You can lay out all the facts. It doesn't matter about football guys breaking necks and getting paralyzed, or any of the other myriad of life-threatening or career-threatening injuries, etc... It has always ended the same way.

bc

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by jmorbita

I guess I'm asking to get flamed, but I've always wondered this.

Why do USA citizens call their Football Football, and hod did they came up with the name Soccer for real Football?
I mean, american football is mainly played with your hands, there is not many kicking the ball with your feet involved... And proper football has been played for way longer before american football! and it is actually played with your feet!
I understand basketball being called that way cuase you need to put the ball through a bakset... and handball is played with your hands...

Cool a post rife with non-judgment.

End reason for us calling it football is because we can. Sorry rest of the world.

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by Happynoj

More to the point, why do Americans feel the need to strap on body armour and a helmet to play what is essentially rugby?

I was actually just talking about this very topic with a expat Brit at the bar last week.

His sense of things was that American football is like punctuated rugby. As endurance is less of an issue in the American form because of the necessary pauses in play, the size of the players is able to rise considerably. With that size increase, greater likelihood of injuries follows.

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by DigMe

Stratovani,

good explanation but.. this convo has been done several times on TB and it usually turns out that the rugby honks don't care so much about facts but really just want to do the "football is wuss, RUGBY R00LZ" thing. You can lay out all the facts. It doesn't matter about football guys breaking necks and getting paralyzed, or any of the other myriad of life-threatening or career-threatening injuries, etc... It has always ended the same way.

bc

Yes, it was a great explanation, but I can only agree with the reciever's part being (just a bit) more dangerous than that of any rugby player.
Still, only to some extempt, since this kind of things happens in rugby as well, only it's mostly defensive, (the ball gets kicked in your court, you catch it, and the other team is running to get you... just like a football's reciever)I do accept it's a very dangerous sport, but i don't think you're familiar enough with rugby as to compare both sports.
Keep in mind, a rugby player will have the ball in his hands, get tackled, fall to the ground, and the game won't stop, there'll be up to 15 people on top of him, in a rack or a mall, still fighting for the possession of the ball, and the game won't stop, he'll be kicked and stepped on and still the game won't stop...
One of the main differences ( i think) is that the ball in rugby can't be passed forward with your hands (like in american football's pass to a reciever) and any reciever should be standing behind the guy that kicks the ball before the guy kicks it (or else it's off-side)
Still, can you came to an explanation as to why you call it football?

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Cool a post rife with non-judgment.

End reason for us calling it football is because we can. Sorry rest of the world.

well, that's the best explanation i heard so far!

And, I must say, I enjoy(american) football very much.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by DigMe

It doesn't matter about football guys breaking necks and getting paralyzed, or any of the other myriad of life-threatening or career-threatening injuries, etc... It has always ended the same way.

That happens in Rugby aswell, heck, that's why my old man had to stop in the end (broken neck, not paralysis thankfully!).

Rugby can be just as hard hitting as American Football.

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

I was actually just talking about this very topic with a expat Brit at the bar last week.

His sense of things was that American football is like punctuated rugby. As endurance is less of an issue in the American form because of the necessary pauses in play, the size of the players is able to rise considerably. With that size increase, greater likelihood of injuries follows.

I can see that because of the pauses, your muscles can not be warm enough, and this might lead to more injuries... rugby players are constantly running, few pauses, and the players don't change (american football changes lots of players when it comes time to defense, right?)

Other thing I noticed i think americans like sports that have lots of pauses that give you time to go buy a hotdog or whatever... basketball (american) football, mostly baseball..
even tennis.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by jmorbita

in a rack or a mall

I agree with most of what you've added. But it's a Ruck and a Maul

Another key difference is anyone can be tackled in A.Football, in Rugby only the ball carrier can be. So that means you always need to be on the lookout in american football, but in rugby you only worry about that when you have it!

Can't wait to get back to playing Rugby again, going to be playing with my Uni. Bit on the tall side for a prob, but bugger it

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

That happens in Rugby aswell, heck, that's why my old man had to stop in the end (broken neck, not paralysis thankfully!).

Rugby can be just as hard hitting as American Football.

It can too!
I've seen quite a few injuries when I played rugby, the worst I can remember is aguy's elbow turn the wrong way... you should've seen the guys face, he couldn't beleive what happened to his arm... no bones exposed thankfully... not a pretty sight..
ever heard of players being drowned on the field? rainy day, a rack in a puddle of mud... It happened over here...

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

I agree with most of what you've added. But it's a Ruck and a Maul

Another key difference is anyone can be tackled in A.Football, in Rugby only the ball carrier can be. So that means you always need to be on the lookout in american football, but in rugby you only worry about that when you have it!

Can't wait to get back to playing Rugby again, going to be playing with my Uni. Bit on the tall side for a prob, but bugger it

oh, so they're not going shopping then! thanks for the correction!
Agreed on the ball carrier being tackled. it must be really bad to be standing in the field minding your own business and suddenly someone comes out of nowhere and tackles you!

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by jmorbita

It can too!
I've seen quite a few injuries when I played rugby, the worst I can remember is aguy's elbow turn the wrong way... you should've seen the guys face, he couldn't beleive what happened to his arm... no bones exposed thankfully... not a pretty sight..
ever heard of players being drowned on the field? rainy day, a rack in a puddle of mud... It happened over here...

Nasty. I've seen that in my other sport tho!



Never heard of the drowning one, but I can believe that would happen.

Not really related to the sport itself, but I always thought this was pretty nuts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay...rce_Flight_571

Originally Posted by jmorbita

oh, so they're not going shopping then! thanks for the correction!
Agreed on the ball carrier being tackled. it must be really bad to be standing in the field minding your own business and suddenly someone comes out of nowhere and tackles you!

Well, I wouldn't say that doesn't happen in Rugby, just it's illegal

In American Football are you allowed to bring someone down by the head/neck?

[karrot-x]

Dhani Jones Tackles The Globe - Rugby

Dhani is a linebacker for the Cincinatti Bengals; in this video he comments on the fun of rugby, the differences, and the affect of not having protection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_dH6Hy-NOA

Unfortunately I've never been able to play Rugby or see a proper Football match in person, however I love many sports. Why do you feel the need to question the name and style of American Football?

[tbrannon]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

That happens in Rugby aswell, heck, that's why my old man had to stop in the end (broken neck, not paralysis thankfully!).

Rugby can be just as hard hitting as American Football.

Having played both, I can say that the two games are equally violent, but in different ways.

Most every child in the United States grows up playing tackle football in the backyard or schoolyard, thus, we really do understand what it's like to tackle an opponent without wearing pads. The tackles become more about actually 'tackling' the ballcarrier. The majority of head-on rugby tackles require you to break down, set your feet and then drive through the ball carrier. It's not normal (or sane) to not be wearing pads and run full on into a tackle in rugby, but that's the norm in gridiron football.

Think Rugby League, which has some massive hits- even on the kick off, the ball carrier normally runs full steam into a tackler, who is pretty much stationary after having gotten down the field, broken down and prepared for the impact. Contrast that with gridiron football, where the ballcarrier normally has a full head of steam and is hit by a tackler who also is running with a full head of steam. One of the other things I noticed when I played rugby was the lack of 'gang tackling'. Because of the nature of rugby, you don't commit multiple men to a single tackle, whereas gridiron football is a pursuit sport- meaning once the ballcarrier has the ball, it's normal to have 11 men pursuing. That leads to gang tackling where the ball carrier can/will be hit by 4/5/6 players from the defense.

After playing both- I can tell you that wearing/not wearing pads really doesn't make much of a difference because the style and impact of the tackles is different. They both require an equal amount of toughness and you wake up the next morning feeling equally abused after playing.

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by karrot-x

Dhani Jones Tackles The Globe - Rugby

Dhani is a linebacker for the Cincinatti Bengals; in this video he comments on the fun of rugby, the differences, and the affect of not having protection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_dH6Hy-NOA

Unfortunately I've never been able to play Rugby or see a proper Football match in person, however I love many sports. Why do you feel the need to question the name and style of American Football?

Very interesting video.

Me, personally, I'm not questioning, I'm just asking!

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by tbrannon

Having played both, I can say that the two games are equally violent, but in different ways.

Most every child in the United States grows up playing tackle football in the backyard or schoolyard, thus, we really do understand what it's like to tackle an opponent without wearing pads. The tackles become more about actually 'tackling' the ballcarrier. The majority of head-on rugby tackles require you to break down, set your feet and then drive through the ball carrier. It's not normal (or sane) to not be wearing pads and run full on into a tackle in rugby, but that's the norm in gridiron football.

Think Rugby League, which has some massive hits- even on the kick off, the ball carrier normally runs full steam into a tackler, who is pretty much stationary after having gotten down the field, broken down and prepared for the impact. Contrast that with gridiron football, where the ballcarrier normally has a full head of steam and is hit by a tackler who also is running with a full head of steam. One of the other things I noticed when I played rugby was the lack of 'gang tackling'. Because of the nature of rugby, you don't commit multiple men to a single tackle, whereas gridiron football is a pursuit sport- meaning once the ballcarrier has the ball, it's normal to have 11 men pursuing. That leads to gang tackling where the ball carrier can/will be hit by 4/5/6 players from the defense.

After playing both- I can tell you that wearing/not wearing pads really doesn't make much of a difference because the style and impact of the tackles is different. They both require an equal amount of toughness and you wake up the next morning feeling equally abused after playing.

Good insight.

Yeah, If any aussie guy comes into this thread, he'd most likely agree that all american football and rugby players are sissies, and australian football is the real man's sport! Those guys are really crazy!

[DigMe]

Originally Posted by jmorbita

I do accept it's a very dangerous sport, but i don't think you're familiar enough with rugby as to compare both sports.

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

That happens in Rugby aswell, heck, that's why my old man had to stop in the end (broken neck, not paralysis thankfully!).

Rugby can be just as hard hitting as American Football.

Guys, I did not say that rugby is not as hard-hitting as american football. I didn't say anything about rugby at all! I just said something about those rugby fans who don't ever care to have a logical conversation. This is what I'm talking about...rugby people are so touchy about this issue. So many rugby fans seem to feel a need to constantly bash American football and defend rugby (even when it's not being attacked!). What is with the rugby insecurity?!

I have seen plenty of rugby (and in fact we occasionally played it in my neighborhood growing up), BTW, and it's quite rough I agree.

bc