American Football vs Real Football

[RSL]

"American football sucks for Reason A, but I admit I've never watched it."

Nice basis for an argument there. This is another case of everyone having their own personal tastes and no one being the "right" answer. If you love football, great! If you love soccer, terrific! It's not like the two are really competing against each other, so why does there need to be an argument?

[Appless]

I really can't stand American football. To me it's a bit dull in a way. Not very exciting. Because I watch so much AFL and Rugby Union, I'm more used to the rough stuff of those games, I find them more exciting, fast paced and more fun to watch. Where as in American Football they have all this padding on. Compared to AFL and Rugby Union it's a bit timid.

Soccer is more fun to play than it is to sit and watch a game. I think it's because of the low scoring in Soccer. I could sit and watch a whole game with only one goal kicked. That to me is a bit boring. But like I said, when you play it, it's much more fun and exciting.

Thats just my opinion

I agree with everything you said especially the bit about NFL being more timid compared to AFL and Rugby Union. I find it ridiculous that they wear all this padding and helmets while AFL players get smashed around even more and they don't wear anything like that. AFL's just better in general because of how fast paced and exciting it is.

I'm not a fan of NFL at all so I'll got with soccer because it's fun to play even though it's boring to watch most of it.

[Del Murder]

Heh, yeah we should really let human beings go out there and murder each other. The types of players who make the hits are probably the best combination of speed and strength in the world, and so pads are necessary to sustain the longevity of those we like to watch playing.

[Appless]

I'm sure our guys can hit just as hard as your guys. And our guys that get hit get up and keep playing and have long careers. Unless they were badly injured of course. But then most of the time they recover fully except in the extreme cases where even padding would probably not do much to stop the injury. Did that make sense?

[eestlinc]

Trust me, if Ray Lewis clobbered you without any pads on, you would not be getting up and playing that moment, and you would not have a long career in the sport. US Football players destroy their bodies for our entertainment, which is one reason I don't like the sport as much as I would otherwise. There's a reason so many running backs retire early: all those years and games of constant hits and abuse takes a toll. Many try to retire while they can still walk and form sentences.

[RSL]

I don't buy that at all. Why would a sport be more entertaining if the players weren't protecting themselves somewhat? If other rough, physical sports chose not to use pads and helmets, then I see them as ridiculous, not the other way around.

[Doc Sark]

I prefer soccer to American Football. I like the NFL highlights show, because it lasts an hour and I get to see the best bits of the matches. I can't see myself sitting through 3-4 hours of a game with the constant advertising. There was a European league for American Football in the early nineties which was popular for a short time until its fad status expired. Anyone remember the London Monarchs? It's like that in England, you get washed up or retired NFL, NHL, NBA players to come and coach/play in the English teams. It is (or used to be) at least similar in MLS. A lot of European players going to MLS to play out their careers. Steve Nicol anyone? Anyway my point is, how is America as a nation going to truly appreciate the joy of soccer as Europeans do and vica versa with American Football in Europe, if we aren't seeing the very best that sport has to offer and we have to settle for players of a lesser or dwindling quality? Note there are exceptions...Freddie Adu, but seriously how long will he stay in MLS?

People have been talking about plays and tactics in both sports and I would like to reiterate something Czech Republic said. It is very difficult to compare the two sports in that respect. My understanding of American football is that you have to score a touchdown or a field goal using a number of pre-defined plays. That's fine. You can't compare the two sports in that respect because Soccer (and I'm only calling it soccer to avoid confusion, its football where I come from) doesn't use a "play" system. You don't make plays in soccer, with the exception of set pieces, the match is one continuous "play" where, as Czech Republic rightly says, strategies are constantly being planned before a game and altered or overhauled during.

Anyone that said this was a fruitless discussion with no right or wrong answer is spot on. Still it's nice to point out the finer points of the game of soccer and in return listen to the opinions of American Football fans and why they love the game.

[GhandiOwnsYou]

See, I love American Football. It's not my favorite sport by a long shot though. My deal is, i like sports that reward the ability to get hammered eight hundred times by men three times your size and keep on truckin. Football does that. In soccers, you screw up, someone kicks you in the shins and steals the ball, or knocks you down. In football, you get four motorized refridgerators that flatten you to the ground and attempt to make your head pop like an over ripe cantaloupe. THAT, is incentive my friend.

Now, on to my favorites? Rugby, Lacrosse, Hockey. Pure unadulterated mayhem and violence. particularly rugby, because i'll turn on a rugby match and see guys in their 40's beating the CRAP out of each other. that's hardcore, when your balding dad is kicking ass. Sports reward three things. Intelligence, Grace/talent/proficiency, and brute strength. long live brute strength! it's just more fun to watch...

[bigbri2k5]

I really like football and have supported Man Utd all my lif e but recently i started watching American Football. Its not as good but its still a good sport.

PS. Try sending a mercenary after me and i'll kill them and come after you.

[Raistlin]

Some of you soccer fans mentioned the fact that rugby players do not have pads. Rugby also does not have 350 lb linemen and 300 lb linebackers who could bench-press you with their little finger. One of those guys hits you without pads on...well, let's just say you'll be taking a nap.

[edczxcvbnm]

American Football by far. Soccer is just so damn boring...not the most boring(baseball) but pretty damn close. I don't like the way American Football is run though. They need to have to stop tweaking the rules every damn year...okay. Maybe they don't tweak the rules but the refs always call specific things a lot more to protect something.

I think the worse call in Football is holding. If it is against the defense then its 5 yards AND a first down. If it is against the offense then it is 5 yards and repeat the down. Thats bull<img src=http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif><img src=http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif><img src=http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif><img src=http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif>. It should be 5 yards and 4th down. If you get such great rewards one way it should be just as devasting the other way.

Basketball is my favorite sport though. Worst refering over all but in the end it really doesn't make that big of a difference.

[Doc Sark]

Some of you soccer fans mentioned the fact that rugby players do not have pads. Rugby also does not have 350 lb linemen and 300 lb linebackers who could bench-press you with their little finger. One of those guys hits you without pads on...well, let's just say you'll be taking a nap.

I think any soccer fans saying that are missing the point, as are the American Football fans replying to them. Two very different games rugby and American Football, different types of players, but trust me, there are guys in rugby who you would not want to take a hit from either. It would be impossible for your average rugby player to carry 350lbs in weight because of the amount of constant running involved in the game, he just wouldn't last the 80 minutes.

[Shoden]

footy definatly if you watch real sports like this you dont see people beating the hell outta each other just to get an oval shaped ball with football the only gear you wear are shorts socks football shoes a vest and shirt depending on who you play for or support optionals include gloves and shinpads. if you know your stuff football managers make a hell of alot more money than any rugby manager could in 3 years.

[Doc Sark]

Shin pads are mandatory, not optional.

[Raistlin]

I think the worse call in Football is holding. If it is against the defense then its 5 yards AND a first down. If it is against the offense then it is 5 yards and repeat the down. Thats bull. It should be 5 yards and 4th down. If you get such great rewards one way it should be just as devasting the other way.

10 yards, repeat down for holding on the offense.

Two very different games rugby and American Football, different types of players, but trust me, there are guys in rugby who you would not want to take a hit from either. It would be impossible for your average rugby player to carry 350lbs in weight because of the amount of constant running involved in the game, he just wouldn't last the 80 minutes.

Exactly. Two very different sports with different requirements.

Basketball is my favorite sport though. Worst refering over all but in the end it really doesn't make that big of a difference.

Actually, NBA refs are monitored <i>very</i> carefully and are the best basketball refs in the world...it's pretty much about as good as it's going to get. I mean, watch and NBA game as compared to the games they played at the Olympics. No comparison as to which refs are better.