Sonnyboy said:
Cause, that was a terrific plan, because they scored, right? The ball simply has to cross the plane into the endzone while in the carrier's control. That seems reasonable to me. See, nobody would have expected the quarterback to actually try carrying the ball in himself, so that's why it worked.
And "pass down the line hut 77 fake" isn't an actual quote. Occasionally, when the offense lines up it is clear that their intended play is unlikely to succeed against the defensive array. Or sometimes the quarteback just wants to move the ball quickly with no huddle. So instead of telling his team what they're about to do, he calls an audible -- a code that hopefully the defense doesn't get. (Stereo)typically, this is a combination of a colour and a number (Blue 32 or Red 28 or somesuch). The entire offense is expected to know what to do next. Watching the game, you don't need to know what they're yelling, because the code is secret. Just know that they are switching plans suddenly.
Megaphage, you should know that popularity does not equal superiority. If I made the same argument to you about music, you'd laugh your ass off. Think of it this way -- the sport you call football is like rock music -- simple to play, basic rules, not much thought required. The sport I call football is like a symphony.
I'll grant you that soccer is a more "natural" sport. That doesn't make it better. It just makes it more of a kids game, like I said. And one reason American football has been slow to catch on is that it requires a great deal of institutional support to develop, which is difficult when it goes up against another deeply entrenched sport like soccer. Young people can play a version of football that ammounts to something closer than rugby. But they can't play football until they get access to a proper field and equipment. As an established sport in America, this is easy to come by. Every town in America has at least one football field, and almost every town has a football program for high school boys. This is true to a lesser extent in Canada as well. I think it's interesting that given the choice between soccer (the most accessible team sport there is) and football, North Americans tend to choose football. As it is right now, Europeans don't really have that choice, so they stick to the least imaginative sport ever... soccer.
can you actually play football? and play it well? ahhhhh
and you think its soft? fine come down to my sunday league team and play ten minutes and i guarentee you'll be off injured/on the way to hospital.... not all football is this crap you often see on the telly with mincers diving around as if theyve been shot.... that really gets on my breasts..... real football is running out on a waterlogged pitch at 10am on an ice cold sunday morning and within the first minute having the ball blasted at your legs- ahh good times
and as for the name - it should at least try and describe the sport itself ie basketball, handball, and football - how often does a foot connect with the ball in american football? football is football how about calling 'american football' something like 'lots of drugged up meatheads running out onto a pitch, running back off, running back on, running back off.......'
@ megaphage:
Quote
American footballers are unfit fatsoes. They stop play every 5 minutes to huddle up and shout YEAH! WOOOH! then they run for about 2 minutes and get knackered. Its dangerous cos they're afraid of getting heart attacks with all the strenuous activity.
that made me chuckle - well observed