NFL (American Football)

[Hrolf Kraki]

Does anyone watch American football? It's been a pretty wild season thus far with both the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts currently sitting at 11-0.

[Eldritch]

Since you referred to the sport as "American football", I assume your question was directed at Europeans also. :)

I do have a mild interest in the Finnish Vaahteraliiga (http://www.sajl.fi/sarjat/miehet/vaahteraliiga/) ("Maple League"), if only because I know people who play/have played in it. Mind you, the whole sport is marginal here, although not quite as marginal perhaps as in some other European countries.

However I don't really follow the NFL. A couple of times I've stayed up late for the Superbowl.


Btw, why is it called "football" anyway? Why not "American rugby"?

[Wulfhere]

Since you referred to the sport as "American football", I assume your question was directed at Europeans also. :)

I do have a mild interest in the Finnish Vaahteraliiga (http://www.sajl.fi/sarjat/miehet/vaahteraliiga/) ("Maple League"), if only because I know people who play/have played in it. Mind you, the whole sport is marginal here, although not quite as marginal perhaps as in some other European countries.

However I don't really follow the NFL. A couple of times I've stayed up late for the Superbowl.


Btw, why is it called "football" anyway? Why not "American rugby"?

To be fair, rugby is actually called rugby football as well. Except that British rugby players don't cover themselves in a huge suit of armour, acting like little girls scared of getting hurt.

And talking of little girls, I wonder how many Americans realise that their other national sport, baseball, is actually derived from the English schoolgirls' game, rounders.

[Liffrea]

Crap.

Nancy boys in pads…put them up against a ruggers team and watch the nancies die!:D:p

[Hrolf Kraki]

Btw, why is it called "football" anyway? Why not "American rugby"?

I can recall as a very young child learning about all the different sports and just could not understand why soccer wasn't called football instead. It just made more sense to me. I was delighted to find out as I got older that the rest of the world calls it as such. As for the reason, I don't know nor can I imagine it being logical.

[Hrolf Kraki]

Crap.

Nancy boys in pads…put them up against a ruggers team and watch the nancies die!:D:p

American football didn't always have all the padding that they do now. And even still players suffer injuries constantly. I think the biggest issue is the linemen. You get hit head on by a 350 lb. lineman and it's gonna hurt, pads or not.

[Eldritch]

American football didn't always have all the padding that they do now. And even still players suffer injuries constantly. I think the biggest issue is the linemen. You get hit head on by a 350 lb. lineman and it's gonna hurt, pads or not.

I remember attending a match between the Turku Trojans and the Helsinki Roosters two summers ago, and not one but two players were injured so badly that they both had to be taken to an ER in an ambulance. Although of course I realise that was just an unfortunate coincidence.

[Svarog]

Guys around here tried to start a club, American embassy donated them bunch of equipment as they're trying to promote on it's popularity, after first win they celebrated by getting drunk, spent all the cash, decided to sell their equipment and continue the drinking, that's the story about the A.Football team from my town, I know, even tho I did not play (same club, different sport - football) I participated in drinking their equipment. Doubt they'll receive any more donations.

[Sol Invictus]

Big black guys grabbing eachother in tights while raving men drink beer and yell at them? No thanks.

CFL (Canadian Football League) is better.

We have bigger balls.

Literally.

[Octothorpe]

Games where people kick/throw/run with some sort of ball are as old as time. The historical record is replete with examples (this also applies to rounders, baseball, cricket, et cetera).

As to why it is called 'football' in different places is that each region or town had its own variation on such a game, with different rules, but tended to call it a simple name (hence, 'football'). They evolved differently, and became rather diverse from each other.

Squabbling over terminology detracts from enjoying each one's wonderful qualities.

And I hope the Vikings and Favre take it all the way to the Superbowl! :D

[Óttar]

I am a Steelers fan and watch the game down at a Steelers bar near where I live. After the 70s, the steel industry imploded in Pittsburgh, creating a diaspora of uprooted Steelers fans. Thus, you can find Steelers fans in many places in the US. Many times, Steelers fans will take over large portions of other teams' stadiums. I even heard somewhere that there are more Steelers' fans in the military than fans of any other team.

Unfortunately, the Steelers have lost three games in a row, due to two major players being benchwarming bums and the team now having no depth at the Quaterback position. I saw on TV, "Steelers' apology", I thought, "for what? Letting their fans down?"

:confused2:

[Hrolf Kraki]

And I hope the Vikings and Favre take it all the way to the Superbowl! :D

They can do it! IMO, Favre is the best player in the NFL. I was quite disapppointed when they lost one, but hey it was just a fluke. I foresee them meeting the Saints in the play-offs. It'll be one hell of a game!

[Hrolf Kraki]

I am a Steelers fan and watch the game down at a Steelers bar near where I live. After the 70s, the steel industry imploded in Pittsburgh, creating a diaspora of uprooted Steelers fans. Thus, you can find Steelers fans in many places in the US. Many times, Steelers fans will take over large portions of other teams' stadiums. I even heard somewhere that there are more Steelers' fans in the military than fans of any other team.

Unfortunately, the Steelers have lost three games in a row, due to two major players being benchwarming bums and the team now having no depth at the Quaterback position. I saw on TV, "Steelers' apology", I thought, "for what? Letting their fans down?"

:confused2:

Sorry about that. Kansas City has a habit of roughing up quarterbacks. :p

[interes]

Im player of American Football ;) Im CB