There is only one kind of "football".........American football!!

So we all agree then? Football is the greatest sport in the world!!! USA wins the World Cup and then we... I dunno... Melt it down so it can actually be put to some use. Rest of the world loves Soccer... Why? Because they aren't man enough to play a physical sport. Look at me... I can run for 90 minutes!!! Woooot!!!

Unfortunately soccer is starting to catch on a bit... Still no one likes it here... But it is catching on a bit. You will start to see US players dominating the game. Just like we dominate every other sport. You Brits should leave the US alone... Quit trying to get us interested in Soccer. Or next thing you know, you will succeed and the USA will take your precious soccer and change it. Change it for the better.

I can see it now... Real tackling!!! Make the goals bigger so the game isn't such a yawn fest. Make it a penalty to take a dive and roll around crying like a little school girl. Put boards up around the field so you can't just kick the ball out of bounds every 30 seconds.

Oh yeah... One more thing. Change the friggin' game clock so it counts down instead of up. WTF is up with that? i wonder what genius thought that one up...

Anyways... Have a good day and remember. World Cup Champs... Ahh, who cares.

Ok LS, here we go again.........

Your first point, all Ill say is (again) rugby, rugby, rugby, rugby, rugby. If thats not physical enough then I don't know what would be. And no, not NFL

Second point, us Brits aren't interested if you Americans like the sport or not. Couldn't give a toss either way actually. If it were to take off then great, YVW to join in, if not, ho hum. The only ones really interested in the sport taking off in the US are the gready money men at FIFA and attention whores like Beckham. And the US couldn't change it even if they wanted to make it 'better'. Even the mighty US couldn't take on the (count them) 207 countries that belong to FIFA

Real tackling? There is 'real' tackling, but the whole point of the game is to play the BALL not the PLAYER. Its perfectly valid to knock a player flying across the pitch as long as you play the ball. Although you do have a valid point. Theres not a week goes by without some controversy over some limp wristed grass diving incident. The fans, and most people connected to the game, want it cut out. But FIFA don't seem to have the will power to do it. Blame the officials and those players that do it. Not the game or the fans, the fans hate it more than anything, as its totally gainst the spirit of the game. I actually like your idea of giving a penalty for play acting, it'd stop the nonsense straight away

As for the World cup, I care and so do many others. I do kinda think its a shame that you hate the game so much that you'll deny yourself the joy of the competition. Theres absolutely nothing better in sport than watching your national team win. I sincerely hope if your a fan of Baseball, that you'll watch the World Baseball Classic. Maybe it'll show you how great an international team competition is.

Oh, and the game clock goes up because of stopage time, you know those few extra minutes while play is stopped. Because NFL stops more than starts, thats why you can, or have to, countdown

[edit on 20-2-2006 by ridcully]

No, the world cup is most watched with ACTUAL VIEWERS.

WRONG!

The Super Bowl is the single most watched television program in the world. Yes, the world cup has more total viewers, but that is when EVERY GAME is considered. If you compare the world cup CHAMPIONSHIP GAME to the Super Bowl, the SB wins, hands down.

European football is a much better overall sport. Living in the US my hwole life, I've played both.

I dissagee. I played both my whole life as well. I played keeper for FC DELCO before giving it up because football was better and provided more opertunities in college. Believe me, I've played against VERY GOOD pros from both sports, such as Bobby Convey of the US National soccer team and Kevin Jones the starting running back for the Detroit Lions. It's really not even close as to who was more athletic, the obvious answere being Jones.

Played football for my highschool football team. That was just boring as hell, I started every game but I had to ASK to be dragged out I was so bored.

Where did you play football? What level was the compitition? Were you playing against a bunch of 170 pound boys, or against teams with a 280 pound lineman that went on to play in D1?

As for football, 90 minutes of pure action, slide tackling someone and breaking their leg. Then having your own broken and still playing. Is a sport. Every second every action, means more in football then US football.

What a joke! Action?! 90% of soccer - especially at the lower levels - is a bunch of guys tripping over one another in the midfield. In football, every single play is a potential touch down.

I'd love to see the NFL players interact nicely with their fans. Football players actually have to do that.....if they feel like keeping their fanbase that is.

Guess you've never been to an NFL training camp. When I was bouncing/bartending in New Orleans, we used to get NFL players in all the time. Not one of them was a jerk. In fact, I remember the Saints TE Boo Williams going up to other customers to talk to them. Not just hot college coeds either. I seem to remember him buying THEM drinks too.

Bollock around if you like, but football, is far superior to American football, and I've played both since I was 4.

Since you were 4? I call your bluff.

There is no football league in the country (at least that I have heard of) that offers football that young. The youngest bracket I have ever heard of is the 5-7 year old bracket, and nearly all leagues I have seen start at 7 years old.

Show me a link for that one buddy.

WRONG!

The Super Bowl is the single most watched television program in the world. Yes, the world cup has more total viewers, but that is when EVERY GAME is considered. If you compare the world cup CHAMPIONSHIP GAME to the Super Bowl, the SB wins, hands dow

300 million people watched the world cup group draw. I doubt it wuold be hard to get at least another billiion, billion and a half people to watch that. When a fourth of that watch one of the most boring things ever. Viewing Stat

Can't really argue if you are dead set in which is better so I'll skip that.

What a joke! Action?! 90% of soccer - especially at the lower levels - is a bunch of guys tripping over one another in the midfield. In football, every single play is a potential touch down.

Football??! What a joke. 4 hours of people hitting each other with about 5 seconds of a touchdown, WOOHOO! Football as you see soccer is basically the same thing. A bunch of guys hitting each other in midfield ALL GAME, which is where most of the action occurs. In soccer too, each play is a potential goal.

Guess you've never been to an NFL training camp. When I was bouncing/bartending in New Orleans, we used to get NFL players in all the time. Not one of them was a jerk. In fact, I remember the Saints TE Boo Williams going up to other customers to talk to them. Not just hot college coeds either. I seem to remember him buying THEM drinks too.

I've went to the Rams practice field since they allow people in, and it's right across from my dad's work. Out of the six I got a chance to talk to, they were complete jerks. To everyone else too, not just me. It's just a matter of their attitudes and personality.

Since you were 4? I call your bluff.

There is no football league in the country (at least that I have heard of) that offers football that young. The youngest bracket I have ever heard of is the 5-7 year old bracket, and nearly all leagues I have seen start at 7 years old.

Show me a link for that one buddy.

I played with my family and neighborhood since we used to have little "seasons" while the real one went on. Not as physical as an actual league, but we did tackle and the like and it still was pretty tough. I joined a league when I was 8 out in Pennsylvania.


Treat me how you like, but hey, we know we're both right.


[edit on 20/2/06 by SFRemmy]

WRONG!

The Super Bowl is the single most watched television program in the world. Yes, the world cup has more total viewers, but that is when EVERY GAME is considered. If you compare the world cup CHAMPIONSHIP GAME to the Super Bowl, the SB wins, hands down.

Are you serios
No one waches here in europe american football:shk: ask any one.
No one waches american football in south america either:shk:
How about africa, no, I'm afraid not:shk:
maybe china, no not there either.

I dissagee. I played both my whole life as well. I played keeper for FC DELCO before giving it up because football was better and provided more opertunities in college. Believe me, I've played against VERY GOOD pros from both sports, such as Bobby Convey of the US National soccer team and Kevin Jones the starting running back for the Detroit Lions. It's really not even close as to who was more athletic, the obvious answere being Jones.

You cant compare united states with the pro football that go's out side th e U.S

Played football for my highschool football team. That was just boring as hell, I started every game but I had to ASK to be dragged out I was so bored.

Thats because playiers from there do not have skils so yes if you suck at a sport then it becomes boring.

What a joke! Action?! 90% of soccer - especially at the lower levels - is a bunch of guys tripping over one another in the midfield. In football, every single play is a potential touch down.

You dont wach the right stuff, Wach uefa champions league, of course football is an art, to be able to play such games at it's full capabilitties you must dedicate your life to it.
A football playier does not smoke does not drink alcoholic drinks until he retiers.


I know what they teach you in school there that cricket is the most popular sport

Trust me american football is only in the U.S.A
Just to get convinced take a online dictionary not to make fun or anithing and see how soccer is translated in every languege.

You will see football, fotbal, futbol, fussball and so on.all related to the word of football, do take time pls too look to convince u'r self.
After that take a world sport site a neutral site and see what is the worlds popular sport.

I am sorry to say but you have been living in a shell.
Maybe there are american football teams around the world I dont contest that but what you need to understand is that the stadiums are almost empty, people dont wach that, it's only in USA, Just ask a felow american of yours that has been traveling around, ask him hey budy what is the most famos sport in the world.

Originally posted by Peronemlin
And you call that a sport? You need that to feel yourself a man? How sad...

Guys that play football don't do it to feel like a man, because they are the toughest athletes in the world.

How many soccer players would keep playing after TWENTY NINE KNEE SURGERIES?!?!?!?! I'll say that again, TWENTY NINE! Mark Schlereth did.

How many soccer players would continue playing with a BROKEN ANKLE?!?!?! Donovan McNabb did, and through 4 TD passes on it.

How many soccer players would play not one, but TWO games ON A BROKEN LEG?!?!?! Jack Youngblood did, and played one of the best games of his career.

These guys play the game because they love it, because no sport - NONE - even comes close to it. There is no sport in the world that even aproaches the level of teamwork needed. No sport requires so much sacrifice of the body. When you play football at that high of a level, you are basically giving up your abillity to walk past the age of 50.

Challenging you say? I would love to see if your apes in helmets can run for 90 minutes...

Dude, did you see the pics I posted. Not every player is a 300 pound monster. Most are between 200 and 240 pounds. Of course, that is their playing wieght and when you aren't playing you tend to drop that weight and gain a bit of endurance. For instance, I am 6 foot 1, and just under 200 pounds. I sound fat, right? Well, my body fat is usually between 8% and 10%. When I was playing football, I was up to 210-215 pounds but stayed at 10% body fat.

These guys would have NO PROBLEM playing soccer for 90 minutes. They go through 6 hours of heavier work during training camp when they are supposedly out of shape. Then you have to factor in the fact that playing soccer would be the physical equivalent of getting a Sweedish massage at a high end spa compared to even 10 snaps playing football.

I haven't had many knee surgeries yet, but I have played two full seperate 16 game tournaments on a broken ankle and a broken leg and that is hell.

Originally posted by SFRemmy
300 million people watched the world cup group draw. I doubt it wuold be hard to get at least another billiion, billion and a half people to watch that. When a fourth of that watch one of the most boring things ever. Viewing Stat

Yeah, 300 million watched IN TOTAL FOR HOW MANY GAMES?

Pick the single most watched soccer game played in any given year, and it will not even compare with the Super Bowl. That's why the SB i so expensive to advertise on - the viewing you get is unrivaled.

Football??! What a joke. 4 hours of people hitting each other with about 5 seconds of a touchdown, WOOHOO! Football as you see soccer is basically the same thing. A bunch of guys hitting each other in midfield ALL GAME, which is where most of the action occurs. In soccer too, each play is a potential goal.

As a keeper, I have to dissagree. For 90% of the time, a goalie just sits there twiddling his thumbs with absolutely ZERO chance of a goal. In football, LITTERALLY every second of play there is a chance for a TD. Not so with soccer.

I've went to the Rams practice field since they allow people in, and it's right across from my dad's work. Out of the six I got a chance to talk to, they were complete jerks. To everyone else too, not just me. It's just a matter of their attitudes and personality..

Well, you probably had a bad experience. Do you know who they were? In my very extensive experience with dozens of players from different teams, most have been very pleasent, with the exception of Eli Manning, but that was probably because we kiked him out because he was under age (this was while he was still in college).

I played with my family and neighborhood since we used to have little "seasons" while the real one went on. Not as physical as an actual league, but we did tackle and the like and it still was pretty tough. I joined a league when I was 8 out in Pennsylvania.

Where did you play in PA? I am from right outside of Philly.

Treat me how you like, but hey, we know we're both right.

Fair enough.

Originally posted by LostSailor
So we all agree then? Football is the greatest sport in the world!!! USA wins the World Cup and then we... I dunno... Melt it down so it can actually be put to some use. Rest of the world loves Soccer... Why? Because they aren't man enough to play a physical sport. Look at me... I can run for 90 minutes!!! Woooot!!!

For one thing, the USA will not win the world cup within my lifetime. Not a prayer. Secondly, if it's such an easy game, that only requires one to run around for 90 minutes, how come your country of meatheads can't find eleven men good enough to beat the rest of the world? I mean COME ON! IT'S JUST RUNNING!.

:shk:

No. I think there is more to it than that, the subtler nuances of the game are lost on the American bovine hoard. Just get back to your piss weak budweiser, your sterile big macs, and bask safe in the knowelege that by not participating you are doing the rest of the world [remember that?] a big fat favour.

Two things here. First, I'm a little disappointed that the South American dude was able crack on the Euros' soccer skeeeeeeeeeeels with nary a whimper in return. Come on Euros, the guy called you out and only ridcully had a retort, a not nearly heated enough one at that. The more cracks the better!

Second, I'm also a little disappointed that more American football fans have not stepped up.

I want to hear some more cracks damnit!!!!!!

Peace

Neutral respectable source

worldsoccer.about.com...

external source
Soccer - Football - as it is known in Europe and other countries other than North America, is played on every continent.

FIFA (The Federation of World Football) counts 204 member countries.

Soccer is a bigger sport than Baseball, Basketball and Football (American) combined.

we will aslimilate you soon it's just too big as an event.

[edit on 20-2-2006 by pepsi78]

Originally posted by pepsi78
You cant compare united states with the pro football that go's out side th e U.S

Bobby Convey was the highest transfer bid ever paid by Reading FC of the English first devision. Another guy I played against, Jerry White, plays for FC Gueugnon - I believe that is the French second division.

EDIT: Looked it up, and it seems Jerry started out with Feyenoord. I hear they are OK.

Or do the English and French leagues not compare either?

Thats because playiers from there do not have skils so yes if you suck at a sport then it becomes boring.

I guess that is why they are playing in Europe?

You dont wach the right stuff, Wach uefa champions league, of course football is an art, to be able to play such games at it's full capabilitties you must dedicate your life to it.
A football playier does not smoke does not drink alcoholic drinks until he retiers.

I do! I watch the Champions League the most, because that is really the only thing on regularly here in the states, but I do catch the occasional premier league game. In fact, I watched Man U last summer play at my home town football teams stadium on their US tour (to a man, they called the "pitch" the best they ever played on).

I know what they teach you in school there that cricket is the most popular sport

No, we know what the Euros and South Americans like.

Trust me american football is only in the U.S.A

I don't doubt that. Soccer is still a sissy sport and football is still vastly superior.

[edit on 20-2-2006 by American Mad Man]

Originally posted by Dr Love
Two things here. First, I'm a little disappointed that the South American dude was able crack on the Euros' soccer skeeeeeeeeeeels with nary a whimper in return. Come on Euros, the guy called you out and only ridcully had a retort, a not nearly heated enough one at that. The more cracks the better!

Second, I'm also a little disappointed that more American football fans have not stepped up.

I want to hear some more cracks damnit!!!!!!

Peace

lol Doc, but like I said, the south Americans do have the best players, in general, so couldn't really have a go back about that!!! Brazil, as a national team, are regarded as pretty much the best in the world, and as such all the rest of us are like
But we do have a great many home grown great players here in Europe. Shant name any as it'd mean about as much to you, as it would to me if you were to name top NFL players. i.e. not a damn lot!

Originally posted by Implosion
For one thing, the USA will not win the world cup within my lifetime. Not a prayer. Secondly, if it's such an easy game, that only requires one to run around for 90 minutes, how come your country of meatheads can't find eleven men good enough to beat the rest of the world? I mean COME ON! IT'S JUST RUNNING!

So... We are in agreement then? That soccer is just 90 minutes of mindless running. That could explain why we Americans don't like it. And hence, can't find 11 players that are willing to waste their time playing soccer.

Now... I need to run to run out and get me a big juicy Big Mac and a cold MGD!!!

Originally posted by American Mad Man

No, the world cup is most watched with ACTUAL VIEWERS.

WRONG!

The Super Bowl is the single most watched television program in the world. Yes, the world cup has more total viewers, but that is when EVERY GAME is considered. If you compare the world cup CHAMPIONSHIP GAME to the Super Bowl, the SB wins, hands down.
.

WRONG!

In 2004 it was the Euro cup final Portugal v Greece with 153 million. Super Bowl came in no.4 with 95 million
also
"A cumulative total of 30 billion viewers tuned into the FIFA World Cup 2002, of which one billion watched the Brazil-Germany final alone."

source

Last year, yes, you did get the highest viewing figure, WOOT for you. Until you read this........

The world’s sporting
calendar operates on a quadrennial cycle. This is why in even-digit years, the most watched TV sporting events are always headed by the Football World Cup, the European Football Championships and the Summer Olympic Games.

As per ‘ViewerTrack 2005’, a study conducted for sports fans by Initiative, 2005 was a relatively quiet year due to the absence of these four-yearly events. This opened the way for an annual event – the Super Bowl – to emerge as the topmost television sports event. A global average audience of 9.3 crore viewers tuned in to watch the New England Patriots defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. The US accounted for more than 90 per cent of the global audience for the Super Bowl.

full story

to understand why (most) americans don't like football (soccer), you have to first look at what sports they play...

baseball
american football
hockey
basketball

how many of these sports are popular outside the USA in the way of being spectator sports? granted a few countries play them, but not really. as a result of this, there're no international tournaments for them to compete in. perhaps this goes back to america's love of isolationism, where they don't like to have anything to do with other countries?
another obvious reason for americans not grasping football is their sporting culture. kids that play american football are usually rich, arrogant jocks while kids that play real football are usually poor, with no other form of escapism or job prospects (look at the brazilians).
to be fair, i've never watched american football, but it seems too tactical to be entertaining. football is a game of skill, where people can appreciate it more easily, as becoming good at passing a ball accurately over whatever distant is much harder with your foot than with your hand. of course you americans will think it's boring if you watch MLS - watch a european league, that's where the quality players are.

ps:- for those of you that think you footballers fall over at nothing and don't get injured, perhaps you should look at a clip of Manchester United's Alan Smith's injury that happened only yesterday. www.newsoftheworld.co.uk... only has pictures - this only happened yesterday so there isn't much online about it. i know american footballers must have as bad if not worse injuries, but it p!sses me off that people claim football is a none contact sport. just because tackles that are too physical are illegal doesn't mean they don't happen. footballers are tougher than american footballers, i guarantee - this is from growing up in harsh social backgrounds.

pps:- baseball is sh!t as well, americans. if it's 'the national passtime' it's not surprising you think american football is entertaining.

ohh and i might as well add - it's a matter of opinion what sports you like. if we're going on worldwide popularity, football is the most played and most watched sport in the world. i don't care how many people watch the superbowl final or whatever the baseball equivalent is, the fact is about 10 people outside the states watch it. its a big world out there and only your country follows american football (hence the name) the fact that americans believe american football to be better is what makes their country seem so backward to the rest of the world.

Originally posted by nolifedopestar
ohh and i might as well add - it's a matter of opinion what sports you like. if we're going on worldwide popularity, football is the most played and most watched sport in the world. i don't care how many people watch the superbowl final or whatever the baseball equivalent is, the fact is about 10 people outside the states watch it. its a big world out there and only your country follows american football (hence the name) the fact that americans believe american football to be better is what makes their country seem so backward to the rest of the world.

Your talking to the wall.
The chinese can come tell them.
The arabs can come and tell them.
The europians can come and tell them.
South america can come and tell them.
All they need is to ask and sort it out.

Talk about mexicans they play football as well and prefere to wach it over american football baseball etc.
I bet by the year of 2010 they will start playing our game in mass.
We already see signs.
They are starting to show the game on CNN in the united states :shk: it's like a plague, it will get all of you and leave american football broke

by 2010 maybe you americans will like real football? watch the champions league final this year in may - i guarantee more people will watch that than the superbowl final and you might be entertained. if you enjoy the champions league final, watch the world cup this summer - 10 times better than the champions league.

(btw - the champions league is a football tournament that takes place every year, where the best teams from every european country compete. the world cup is a tournament that takes place every 4yrs, where the 32 best international teams compete. USA is in that tournament and in 2002, they didn't do badly, so watch them and support them. if you want entertainment though, watch any brazil game.

Originally posted by nolifedopestar
to understand why (most) americans don't like football (soccer), you have to first look at what sports they play...

baseball
american football
hockey
basketball

how many of these sports are popular outside the USA in the way of being spectator sports? granted a few countries play them, but not really. as a result of this, there're no international tournaments for them to compete in. perhaps this goes back to america's love of isolationism, where they don't like to have anything to do with other countries?

OK, first thing is first - most Americans don't every play Ice Hockey. Only in the North East and Mid North does anyone ever play hockey.

Second, the only sport that isn't international is football. Ice Hockey is played all over - from the US and Canada to Europe and Russia. Baseball is HUGE in Japan, all over south America, and the US Basketball is fairly big in eastern European nations, such as Yugaslavia and Greece, as well as South America.

The funny thing is that a lot of you Western Europeans accuse Americans of living in a box. Get out of your own. Our sports are played all over the world.

another obvious reason for americans not grasping football is their sporting culture. kids that play american football are usually rich, arrogant jocks while kids that play real football are usually poor, with no other form of escapism or job prospects (look at the brazilians).

Just stop, you are making an arse of your self.

Football is played almost exclusively by inner city public schools, catholic high schools who give poor kids scholarships, and rural high schools made up of poor farmers sons.

You pretty much stated something that is 100% completely false. In fact, over here in the US, it is the COMPLETE opposite. Soccer is played by all of the upper-middle and upper class kids. NO ONE that is poor plays soccer. They all play basketball and football.

to be fair, i've never watched american football, but it seems too tactical to be entertaining. football is a game of skill, where people can appreciate it more easily, as becoming good at passing a ball accurately over whatever distant is much harder with your foot than with your hand.

I can agree with you in the sense that football is far and away the most complicated sport in the world. You hit the nail on the head when you say it is too tactical to be entertaining for a random person. In the US, every single person grows up watching the game, so you can se the nuances, like when a team runs the ball 5 times in a row and then goes to play action (a fake run followed by a pause to 'sell' the run to the defense and ended with a lng pass). We can apreciate the small things like a running back picking up a blitzing line backer to give his quarter back that extra second to get his pass off.

In fact, I would imagine that what I just typed makes no sense to you. To an American - even to most girls - it would be as clear as reading a childrens book.

of course you americans will think it's boring if you watch MLS - watch a european league, that's where the quality players are.

I fully admit to watching European soccer, in fact I watch it pretty much when ever it is on. I apreciate it for what it is. I like watching the build up as a sports fan (I will watch just about any sport). However, it really doesn't compare as a spectator sport to football in my mind. It is actually too 'simple' for my taste.

i know american footballers must have as bad if not worse injuries, but it p!sses me off that people claim football is a none contact sport. just because tackles that are too physical are illegal doesn't mean they don't happen. footballers are tougher than american footballers, i guarantee - this is from growing up in harsh social backgrounds.

OK, here is the deal. Compared to any other sport, save maybe some Asian mixed martial arts and boxing, American football is hands down the roughest sport. It really isn't even close. Yes, of course soccer players are going to get hurt once in a while.

It just doesn't come close to what football players deal with. In football, it is expected that you play with broken bones. It's kind of assumed that you will as long as it isn't a leg, ankle, or collar bone. Pulled muscles are kind of a joke. "yeah, you pulled your groin - lol - go get some cortisone shots and get ready to run the ball another 15 times. I mean, these guys literally are lucky to play all 16 games in a season.

To give you an idea of football types of injuries, I'll show you a few picks:







Notice how Smiths ankle was simply dislocated from the joint, and not turned? That usually means there isn't much ligament damage. I noticed in the artical that it reminded the coach of an injury sustained to another player "a few years ago." To a football player, these injuries often remind you of an injury you had, myself included. These type of injuries are pretty common. Footbal is simply a game that requires a tougher athlete then any other sport.

pps:- baseball is sh!t as well, americans. if it's 'the national passtime' it's not surprising you think american football is entertaining.

Yeah, baseball sucks to watch. It's fun to play though.

[edit on 20-2-2006 by American Mad Man]

[edit on 20-2-2006 by American Mad Man]