American Football

[dorito]

I'm from Europe, and have never gone to America. In films and on TV and stuff I always see bits of American football (or what you americans just call football). Could anyone please explain what the main differences are with rubgy? What 'downs' are? Why members of the team always seem to be praised in American schools? (Yes, stereotype, I know... but a few american friends have told me that it is true). Why players feel the need to have massive shoulders and helmets while rugbymen don't? Why the game seems to be some kind of religion in some places? When football season is? After football season is over, is there none for the rest of the year? Is there another sport played every week? Also, nothing to do with football, but I might as well ask while I'm at it: from when to when is the school year in america? Is it September to July, like over here?

Basically just a little explaining of the game, if it's not too complicated. Thanks a bunch, reps for good explanation.

[Led Zep]

i dont have time to explain but i will be back tommorrow afternoon and explain it for u good questions tho

[bob991]

What 'downs' are? Why members of the team always seem to be praised in American schools? (Yes, stereotype, I know... but a few american friends have told me that it is true). Why players feel the need to have massive shoulders and helmets while rugbymen don't? Why the game seems to be some kind of religion in some places? When football season is? After football season is over, is there none for the rest of the year? Is there another sport played every week? Also, nothing to do with football, but I might as well ask while I'm at it: from when to when is the school year in america? Is it September to July, like over here?

1. Downs are just plays. You have four downs to move the ball to get a first down. When you get a first down you get four more plays to move the ball 10 yards again. This continues to happen until the team either scores a touchdown, kicks a field goal, punts, , goes to get the first on fourth down and fails, throws an interception(when the defense catches a pass) or when they fumble and the other team recovers it. Fourth downs are usually reserved for punting and kicking.

2. They are "praised" in schools because they are all role models to young kids. They see these guys on ESPN and all of those shows and they want to be just like them. Don't kids in your schools want to be just like your soccer (football) players?

3. I'm pretty sure you already knew this, but their shoulders aren't really that big, they are just pads. I don't really know why they wear a whole bunch of pads while rugby players don't. It could be that they might take legal action against the league if they suffer a debilitating injury.

4. It's like a religion in some places because I think that about 90% of the population would consider it the new American pasttime. How many people really watch even half of their baseball temas games anymore? Me and I'm sure a lot of people on these forums watch just about every single snap of their football team. Football is a really exciting sport, you never know when there is going to be a huge play that busts a game open.

5. Football season usually starts between September 6-12 and the season ends with the Super Bowl which was on February 6, but that was pretty late this year. Each team plays 16 games but gets a bye week so the regular season is 17 weeks long and ends in late December.

6. After football season is over there isn't anymore football playing until the training camps which open in July I think. The NFL is still busy in the offseason though, people trading players, dropping players, resigning players. It's still pretty exciting even if there isn't any actual trading.

7. "Is there another sport played every week?" I don't think I really understand that question.

8. Our schools usually start after Labor day which is the first Monday in September. They usually go until about June 20 where I live. In other places here the schools start in August and go to May.


If any of this is unclear or you want me to elaborate just ask.

[Pfef63]

Ya that guy covered most of it.

But by number 7, during the beginning of the season (from the start of games until late october), baseball games are on all week. And after baseball, basketball begins. There is also hockey played with basketball, except for this year.

[christophizzle]

[QUOTE=bob991]

6. After football season is over there isn't anymore football playing until the training camps which open in July I think. The NFL is still busy in the offseason though, people trading players, dropping players, resigning players. It's still pretty exciting even if there isn't any actual trading.

QUOTE]
actually there is more football on after that it is just not as popular that league is called tha afl.

[TheDawgPound72]

Here's the key dates in the NFL Offseason:

Feb. 22 Deadline to designate franchise and transition players

Feb. 24-27 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis

Mar. 2 Free agency and trading period begin

Mar. 20-23 Owners meeting in Maui

Apr. 15 Restricted free agency ends

Apr. 23-24 NFL draft in New York

May 24-25 Spring meeting in Washington, D.C.

June 1 Salary-cap cut day

[Frymaster]

my school year is one of the first 4 days in sept. to usually june 2 or 3

[JerkyMyTurky]

Even with a good explanation of the game, if you haven't watched the game more than a few snipits from movies, you will really not understand. It is quite simple, you just have to watch it. After watching a one quarter, you will pretty much understand it.

[SliddY]

Here's some of the basics...

FOOTBALL!!!! (http://www.football.com/rulesandinfo.shtml)

[JerkyMyTurky]

They have American Football in Europe too, its called NFL Europe. They have 8 teams in different nations. Take a look at some of those games if you can't get NFL coverage there. You guys should at least get the Superbowl in Europe.

[MalYoung]

Well, the main reason why they wear shoulder pads is because of the more physical nature then rugby, which mainly consists of leg tackling, but in the NFL, tackling is mainly hit on the upper body, including the shoulders, of a full grown man running at full speed.