USA "Football" (3 Viewers)

johnniericoh · Sep 14, 2011

Nothing on at the moment, thought I might stir up a few NFL fans.

I have tried my damned hardest to try and understand what the USA NFL "Football" game is really all about - when you think about it it should'nt be called football at all as there is no foot and ball at all in open play !!!

There seems to be one playing strategy plus several mysterious secondary tactics:

line up - knuckles on pitch facing the opposition in static mode on the half way line
the ball disappears
players start running in all directions (ball still missing)
ball appears and is thrown backwards to a team mate
the guy with the ball then throws it forward to another team mate
the new guy with the ball attempts to run towards the oposing line
if successful this is known as "touch down" erm the ball is never touched down !!!

In between this if the opposition loses the ball a complete new team of heavies arrives to win it back and the cycle starts all over again.

Passing the ball more than once apears to be forbidden.

My sympathy goes to the little skinny guy whos only job is to kick the ball over the bar - if ever he gets caught by those heavies he will be on hospital food for six months.

Each segment of open play lasts for about twelve seconds then the whole cycle starts again contributing towards an hours official play lasting up to four hours.

At times the touchline resembles an advertising convention for headphones.

And finally could someone name another team/club/country that participates in the "World Series" apart from the USA.

Do any SBT's have the same thoughts about this.

PUSB

WillieStanley · Sep 14, 2011

Completely relevant

skybluereeve · Sep 14, 2011

You have four attempts to make ten yards all the ball is turned over to the other team.your 4th attempt is most always a kick to put ball a far away from your goal line as possible.also there loads of players who only play for certain plays so some players might only get on once or twice.hope this helps

Mumford and Daughter · Sep 14, 2011

its a good sport to bet on although i dont know the rules

ccfc_Tom · Sep 14, 2011

I quite like it, have'nt followed for long though so still unsure on formations.

Il Pirata · Sep 14, 2011

'Throwball'

BenInTurin · Sep 14, 2011

It's a very tactical game and it's about trying to work out what the offensive team is going to do on each play. If the defensive team get it right then the offensive will normally lose ground, get it right and they go forward. It's not too bad a game when you understand it but the problem with it is that it's just soo fucking slow! They have 4, 15 minute periods but from that 60 minutes of play the matches normally last 4 hours! It's the typically American sport; lots of stops in play to get the adverts in!

Trond Egil Soltvedt · Sep 14, 2011

i enjoy watching it, its like a game of chess essentiallly, i think sky sports run a game on a monday evening where all the adverts are cut, that way you get to pick up a bit more about the game, as ben says the start stop of it all does annoy you

BenInTurin · Sep 14, 2011

If I remember correctly, you're allowed one forward pass and then all further passes (in a play) have to go backwards (like in Rugby), but the way the Americans play it is just one throw and then run.

ajsccfc · Sep 14, 2011

you think about it it should'nt be called football at all as there is no foot and ball at all in open play !!!

It's a game derived from an early code of football, like rugby and association football

There seems to be one playing strategy plus several mysterious secondary tactics:

line up - knuckles on pitch facing the opposition in static mode on the half way line
the ball disappears
players start running in all directions (ball still missing)
ball appears and is thrown backwards to a team mate
the guy with the ball then throws it forward to another team mate
the new guy with the ball attempts to run towards the oposing line
if successful this is known as "touch down" erm the ball is never touched down !!!

This is as applicable as people criticising football as a game where people pass sideways for an hour and a half and nothing ever happens.

In between this if the opposition loses the ball a complete new team of heavies arrives to win it back and the cycle starts all over again.

It's an even split between offence and defence, with players specialising in positions.

Passing the ball more than once apears to be forbidden.

You can pass it around all you like but only once forward; a number of plays involve laterals to set up a running play or fake a pass.

My sympathy goes to the little skinny guy whos only job is to kick the ball over the bar - if ever he gets caught by those heavies he will be on hospital food for six months.

The kicker doesn't really get tackled as he doesn't actually have possession of the ball. If a defenceman ever gets near him they're trying to block the kick. A punter can get tackled but it's very rare. They're never little guys really anyway.

Each segment of open play lasts for about twelve seconds then the whole cycle starts again contributing towards an hours official play lasting up to four hours.

Depending on whether the clock actually stops which depends on how the play ends or if a timeout is called. The benefit of the clock system in this, hockey and basketball is that you know exactly when the game is finishing, something football has had trouble with (see: any goal Man Utd score in injury time)

And finally could someone name another team/club/country that participates in the "World Series" apart from the USA.

Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays take part in the World Series, which is baseball rather than American football. The name came from a time where they used hyperbole to promote the sport, and it's stuck. Many people have pointed out that it's a world championship that's not open to most of the world, but it's really just a name.

Trond Egil Soltvedt · Sep 14, 2011

ajsccfc said:
Passing the ball more than once apears to be forbidden.

you can pass backwards as much as you want, but is used rarely as its a risky strategy.

ajsccfc · Sep 14, 2011

That's a quote from the original post rather than mine, for the record.

CovInEssex · Sep 14, 2011

Can't see why it's so popular! Very very repetitive and slow-paced.

Rugby Union is much better.

Changeyourface · Sep 14, 2011

Joke of a game

Chipfat · Sep 14, 2011

Top game some unbelievable athletes even better watching live,, then you really see how good it is and how talented the players are......Pats fan since 87!!

Frostie · Sep 14, 2011

Love it personally & same with NBA Basketball, never got my head around Baseball though...

Ernie Machin · Sep 14, 2011

Brilliant sport, though it's not for the feeble minded. As somebody else alluded to, it's chess on grass - a simple game that has so many different variations. The QB has to know the entire offensive playbook, which is hundreds of plays. The defensive plan is equally baffling, but once you get an understanding for it, you appreciate it all the more.

I love yank sports, really got into them when I lived in LA. Lakers in basketball, Dodgers in baseball and (Oakland) Raiders in the football. Plus the Kings in Ice Hockey, which is a canuck sport. I also follow the UCLA Bruins in all sports, as I studied there.

tippex9 · Sep 14, 2011

Hahaha got to love the initial post, heard all that stuff so many times.

I coach at a high level in the domestic league in this country (yes there is one) and there's a fair bit of money to be earned around Europe for our better players. I was intending to answer the original posts queries but I'll happily sit back now that 90% of the replies were positive and informative.

I do love the game though, running an academy and seeing the amount of kids who enjoy the sport with a determination to succeed at is pleasing. Besides it's a release from the stresses of 3-5 on a Saturday!!!!

PUSB

Trond Egil Soltvedt · Sep 14, 2011

sorry ajsccfc, lazyness on my behalf

Nick · Sep 14, 2011

I used to love watching Mighty Ducks but never actually played it but after a run in with some blaze ice hockey players one night in town it put me off it. Utter cocks.

I don't really understand NFL which is why I don't really bother with it the same as Rugby. It is action packed and everybody loves it when a player nearly gets snapped in half!

Trond Egil Soltvedt · Sep 14, 2011

most American sports are very start and stop, but it isnt really for advertising breaks, in many of the sports attack and defence are totally different and are in fact specialities, therefore they have "rolling teams" i particually enjoy Ice Hockey and American Football, love many of the quotes from people who know nothing about about NFL about them being wimps and wearing padding LOL these guys are HUGE and run near olympic speeds and hit/block each other full on, you could easily argue the same about rugby union where then generally just grab them and the player goes to floor.

both are very different and i enjoy both for what they are.

CovInEssex · Sep 14, 2011

I also like the fact the NHL, NBA, NHL, ect are all not-for-profit. Go on their websites and you'll see a lot of charity and "in-the-community" work.

bamalamafizzfazz · Sep 14, 2011

I am growing to like the sport more and more over the last few years and last week bought tickets to it in Wembley. It is quite entertaining as a spectacle.

Trond Egil Soltvedt · Sep 14, 2011

also the teams are a franchise of the league, where teams have an equal slice of the pie and can build a team through trades and draft picks, makes it more competive all teams have peaks and troughs, a team could be shocking for years, then be a higher end player competing for honours.

bamalamafizzfazz · Sep 14, 2011

Trond Egil Soltvedt said:
also the teams are a franchise of the league, where teams have an equal slice of the pie and can build a team through trades and draft picks, makes it more competive all teams have peaks and troughs, a team could be shocking for years, then be a higher end player competing for honours.

I hate this though, just keeps everyone average. So glad it doesn't happen in football.
Imagine our sport with no academies, no transfer fees, and rewards for finishing last.

ajsccfc · Sep 14, 2011

Trond Egil Soltvedt said:
sorry ajsccfc, lazyness on my behalf

No worries, I formatted it a bit awkwardly anyway.

Trond Egil Soltvedt · Sep 14, 2011

whilst i agree with you, it doesnt take away from any of the romance of it, would still like football run more fairly even though its nigh impossible, you make success simply by buying it, not creating it.

johnniericoh · Sep 14, 2011

Thanks ajsccfc,

Brilliant responce to my flippancy

But it will never replace the beautiful game - end to end - 100mph - unbelievable athleticism / skills etc.

PUSB

Ernie Machin · Sep 14, 2011

bamalamafizzfazz said:
I hate this though, just keeps everyone average. So glad it doesn't happen in football.
Imagine our sport with no academies, no transfer fees, and rewards for finishing last.

The champions are very far from average. What it does do is keep every team in the league with a chance of winning, which is surely what it's supposed to be about? The franchise/draft system is unworkable in the UK and Europe, but it works very well in the US. I envy their system, tbh.

Ernie Machin · Sep 14, 2011

Trond Egil Soltvedt said:
whilst i agree with you, it doesnt take away from any of the romance of it, would still like football run more fairly even though its nigh impossible, you make success simply by buying it, not creating it.

This is a very good point. Despite the Yankees having by far the biggest budget in MLB, they have only won the World Series once in the last 10 years. A good farm system, good trades and the right mix of players are worth more than just throwing silly money at it. Texas Rangers tried to buy their way to a title in the early 2000's and it ended up bankrupt and trophyless.

Otis · Sep 14, 2011

I love American Football. Absolutely love the bloomin thing.

Far superior to football in my book. Not half as many boring games as in the Premiership and Championship here and there are some totally thrilling games to be seen.

And as for the old chestnut about length of the game. 'Lasts up to 4 hours blah, blah blah.' We give the sport loads and loads of stick for lasting up to 4 hours (usually around 3 hours on average though) yet champion our own sport of cricket where a test match lasts SIX hours a day and goes on for FIVE days! I'm sure all our American friends must have that stock answer ready every time a Brit whines about the running time of an American Football game!

It's a great game of skill and speed, athleticism, strategy and invention. Been watching ever since Channel 4 covered it all those years back. I cannot speak highly enough of it. Don't find it the slightest bit boring. I like cricket too, but at times that can be the most boring game on the planet.

Redskins fan me and i am thrilled the season is back up and running!!

Covstu · Sep 14, 2011

Cannot stand it!!! The game is so stop/start!!!

egastap · Sep 14, 2011

ajsccfc said:
[ And finally could someone name another team/club/country that participates in the "World Series" apart from the USA.

Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays take part in the World Series, which is baseball rather than American football. The name came from a time where they used hyperbole to promote the sport, and it's stuck. Many people have pointed out that it's a world championship that's not open to most of the world, but it's really just a name.

I was just as confused as you guys when I first came over here, but the World Series has got nothing to do with the world, as in our planet. It originally was the sponsors, the NEW YORK WORLD newspaper that it derives its name from, which later was shortened to the 'World Series'.

Otis · Sep 14, 2011

Covstu said:
Cannot stand it!!! The game is so stop/start!!!

And cricket and rugby aren't?

Covstu · Sep 14, 2011

Didnt say they wern't!! Not a major Rugby fan, i can take or leave cricket!!

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