New NFL Season

[Bald Dave]

Why do american football players use all that gear to protect themselves and rugby players dont? Arent both games similar?

Totally different games! In rugby they tackle from behind as one player would grab the other players legs in order to tackle them whilst in American football they basically try to knock each other's block off! That is why they wear those shoulder pads, helmets etc so they don't get paralysed or even killed! Imagine a 20 stone (300 lbs) guy running into you without you wearing the equipment - you'd be a dead man :hump:

 

[Ian Curtis]

Imagine a 20 stone (300 lbs) guy

You mean a guy who weights 130kg...

 

[Slartibartfast]

Dave, most rugby tackles are front/side on. Such as this one by the 19 stone Jonah Lomu:

[youtube:27yzw1ta]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-xkryJCYDQ[/youtube:27yzw1ta]

 

[Cassin]

[youtube:jpx60uak]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tt_D4PFYk&feature=related[/youtube:jpx60uak]

 

[Cassin]

[youtube:rcr9xiba]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M81KviQGUVE[/youtube:rcr9xiba]

 

[Slartibartfast]

I love me sum big tackles. In both sports.

More from rugby, except the last:
[youtube:ng5gdi19]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jxp5LapzOY[/youtube:ng5gdi19]

 

[Slartibartfast]

i know this might seem like a dumb question but could someone explain how a safety (2 points) is scored?

Getting tackled in your own end zone is the commonest way.

And there was a fine example in last night's Packers/Bears game, with Green Bay QB Rodgers caught with ball in hand whilst in the end zone. Thankfully the Bears went interception crazy to help out the Packers... did I mention I'm a cheesehead?

 

[EasyEd]

Bryan,

I have to step in here and defend soccer (football, to the Europeans). I played football (American football) in high school, and have watched it my whole life obsessively. I am a fantasy football fanatic, love the Patriots, and think that 10 years from now, the people of Massachusetts shouldn’t work on Tom Brady’s birthday. With that being said, soccer is the purest game in the world. It is truly a beautiful sport in every form, and anyone who calls it boring just flat out doesn’t get it.

Dave,

Very exciting that you’re going to the Patriots game. That’s my favorite team, and in my opinion, the best team in football. I think you'll be highly entertained. Have fun!!

 

[Bald Dave]

Easyed, I am really looking forward to seeing my first NFL game and hopefully it should be a classic encounter! I admire the Patriots and I think Tom Brady is a ledgend! My ultimate dream game would be the Patriots vs Cowboys and hopefully they would be coming to England in the not too distant future.

I watched the Giants vs Redskins game and the Giants dominated the entire game even though is doesn't reflect that in the scoreline as the Giants only won by 6 points. Washington got lucky with their touchdown when their field goal was blocked and they happened to get possession of the ball and run it into the Giant's end zone. Sometimes you need a bit of luck in order to gain points and i think Washington were very lucky to get something from the game as the Giant's were dominant. Anyway, i enjoyed the game and looking forward to the rest of the season unk:

 

[mykal_P]

Soccer rugby and football (american),all have their own unique flavor and niche. I'm a sports junkie so I love em all, and to say one is better than the other is rubbish. Dave do you find there are many football fans in the UK or is it like a select few. All the kids here growing up have soccer teams at school they can join, plus some universities here have rugby. I wonder if anywhere else there is american football.

 

[The Gardener]

Its hard to compare Rugby and American Football because the style of the games is different. The prevalent use of forward passing in American football spreads out the field more, creating a lot more space between the players, and as such there's a lot more sprinting involved.

Because of this, the worst American football hits are NOT those taking place between the linemen who are doing "scrum"-like play. The hardest hits occur to the receivers and defensive backfield... you have receivers who are in a dead sprint up the field in an attempt to catch a forward pass, and defenders who are also in a dead sprint either trying to intercept the pass, or tackle the person who catches the pass to prevent them from advancing the ball up the field further. So, you have the frequent occasion where two people will be running in an all out sprint hitting each other from opposing directions.

On the topic of hits, one of my personal favorites:
[youtube:3tesq2hh]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGNJox8eLpE[/youtube:3tesq2hh]

 

[dimitar_berbagod]

I do hope that this continued gradual exposure to football will help show the Brits that it's a MUCH more exciting sport than the boring-as-dishwater game of soccer. If they're ever finally able to learn the rules of football, how it's played, its goals, etc., I think they'll lose interest in soccer.
--------------------------------------------

Are you deliberately being ironic?

NFL is really only played in the US. Soccer is a global sport and is ten times more popular than NFL. Also, why is NFL called football? A player doesdn't even kick the ball/egg/ovum! We call soccer football, which is really what it is called.

Stupid comment

 

[The Gardener]

We call soccer football, which is really what it is called.

Not true at ALL.

Within the anglosphere, Britain stands alone as the only major English-speaking nation to use the word "football" instead of soccer.

For Americans and Canadians, "football" is "gridiron" style American Football, and use "soccer" instead. For Australians, "football" refers to Aussie rules football, and they also use the term "soccer" instead. For the Irish, "football" refers to Gaelic football, and they use the term "sacar". Even the South Africans use the word "soccer" when describing the sport.

And, the Anglosphere isn't the only nation to use the word... in Japan, they use the word "sakk?" to describe the sport. You know what "sakk?" comes from? Soccer.

The Italians call it calcio, which in Italian means "Kick"... which is NOT "football". In the Balkans its known as "nogomet". In Southeast Asia, they use local terms for the word "kick ball" (such as bóng ?á in Vietnam and bola sepak in Indonesia).

So, in a nutshell, NO, the word "football" is NOT internationally translated as referring to "association" football, or soccer. In fact, its not even the majority-used word within just the Anglosphere.

 

[mykal_P]

American football was named and came into existance because of soccer and rugby. American football was born from soccer and rugby in the late 1800's. It started out with advancing the ball via kicking it, hence the name football, but the name stuck even after they changed to rules allowing ball advancement by hand. This and other changes to the original core rugby game became north american football as we know it. Wikipedia is your friend

 

[Bryan]

Are you deliberately being ironic?

NFL is really only played in the US. Soccer is a global sport and is ten times more popular than NFL.

Yes, and I've explained ad nauseum in previous threads why that's the case. However, I feel that as the world grows smaller and smaller, football will gradually supplant soccer as the world's number 1 spectator sport. It may not happen in MY lifetime or YOUR lifetime, but I think it's inevitable.

Also, why is NFL called football? A player doesdn't even kick the ball/egg/ovum!

A player _does_ kick the ball, dumbbell! I suggest you try watching a game of football, for a pleasant and informative change.

 

[Bryan]

Within the anglosphere, Britain stands alone as the only major English-speaking nation to use the word "football" instead of soccer.

For Americans and Canadians, "football" is "gridiron" style American Football, and use "soccer" instead. For Australians, "football" refers to Aussie rules football, and they also use the term "soccer" instead. For the Irish, "football" refers to Gaelic football, and they use the term "sacar". Even the South Africans use the word "soccer" when describing the sport.

And, the Anglosphere isn't the only nation to use the word... in Japan, they use the word "sakk?" to describe the sport. You know what "sakk?" comes from? Soccer.

Outstanding post, Gardener!

 

[Bald Dave]

Gardener, would they have American football on the big screens in the bars in Cancun? I know Cancun is popular with the Americans so hopefully they will. When i went to the bars in New York they always showed NFL games on the big screens and this is how i got into watching American football. There is nothing better than watching sports with a few beers in a sun kissed paradise - always a winner!

 

[Bald Dave]

Its hard to compare Rugby and American Football because the style of the games is different. The prevalent use of forward passing in American football spreads out the field more, creating a lot more space between the players, and as such there's a lot more sprinting involved.

Because of this, the worst American football hits are NOT those taking place between the linemen who are doing "scrum"-like play. The hardest hits occur to the receivers and defensive backfield... you have receivers who are in a dead sprint up the field in an attempt to catch a forward pass, and defenders who are also in a dead sprint either trying to intercept the pass, or tackle the person who catches the pass to prevent them from advancing the ball up the field further. So, you have the frequent occasion where two people will be running in an all out sprint hitting each other from opposing directions.

On the topic of hits, one of my personal favorites:
[youtube:1npkio41]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGNJox8eLpE[/youtube:1npkio41]

This is one of the reasons why i prefer to watch NFL to Rugby unk:

 

[Slartibartfast]

So, in a nutshell, NO, the word "football" is NOT internationally translated as referring to "association" football, or soccer. In fact, its not even the majority-used word within just the Anglosphere.

All true, although I do believe the French, Spanish, Portugese, and several others besides use a variation of 'football'. Which spreads its use far and wide.

Anyway, we bagsied the word 'football' way back in the 15th century.

 

[The Gardener]

All true, although I do believe the French, Spanish, Portugese, and several others besides use a variation of 'football'. Which spreads its use far and wide.

I know.... I was just in a cantankerous mood yesterday.