http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football#Physicality_of_the_game
"Physicality of the game
American football is a collision sport. To stop the offense from advancing the ball, the defense must tackle the player with the ball by knocking him down. As such, defensive players must use some form of physical contact to bring the ball-carrier to the ground, within certain rules and guidelines. Tacklers cannot kick, punch or trip the runner. They also cannot grab the face mask of the runner's helmet or lead into a tackle with their own helmet. Despite these and other rules regarding unnecessary roughness, most other forms of tackling are legal. Blockers and defenders trying to evade them also have wide leeway in trying to force their opponents out of the way. Quarterbacks are regularly hit by defenders coming on full speed from outside the quarterback's field of vision.
When played by adults, the high level of physical contact in football makes it more dangerous than other major American team sports, although among younger players the injury rate in football is lower than in soccer and similar to the rate in baseball.[3] To compensate for this, players must wear a good deal of special protective equipment, such as a padded plastic helmet, shoulder pads, hip pads and knee pads. These protective "paddings" were introduced decades ago and improved ever since to help minimize lasting injury to players. However, increased padding has allowed players to make harder hits; though there are fewer minor injuries in American football than in other codes of football, some types of serious injuries such as spinal cord injuries are much more common. It is interesting to note, however, that association football (soccer) players suffer concussions about as often as American football players.[4]
Despite protective equipment and rule changes to emphasize safety, injuries remain very common in football, due to its physical nature. Twenty-five football players, mostly high schoolers, died from injuries directly related to football from 2000-2004, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research. Concussions are common, with about 41,000 suffered every year among high school players according to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona. [1]. The game is particularly risky when played by amateurs without proper gear, such as is common amongst Americans in backyards and parks across the country.
Some have criticized American football as a violent sport. American football is indeed quite physical in comparison to other major American team sports, such as basketball and baseball. Tackle football is often banned in American schoolyards in favor of touch football, which uses two-hand touching instead of tackling; or flag football in which a player is "tackled" when an opponent pulls a flag off a belt attached to the player's waist. School physical education classes often use the "two-hand touch" version of the game, leaving the tackles to the school's official after-school sports program which can provide the appropriate gear and supervision.
The level of physical aggression and risk of injury has also made football less appealing to females, as they generally lack the muscle and body mass to compete without serious risk. The tackle nature of football also tends to favor the largest and strongest players, along with the fastest. The average weight of players in the NFL has increased in recent years.
All these factors have brought the sport into controversy in the past few decades, joining the group of other "violent" and thus controversial sports such as wrestling, hockey, and boxing. Critics argue that these sports emphasize size, physical strength, and brute force, and also that they breed aggression and unhealthy competitive attitudes in children. Others argue that such sports teach sportsmanship and teamwork, and though contact sports are all violent to some degree, they always emphasize skill and strategy over mere belligerence."
Originally posted by zeeblebot( crickets chirping )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football#Physicality_of_the_game
"Physicality of the game
American football is a collision sport. To stop the offense from advancing the ball, the defense must tackle the player with the ball by knocking him down. As such, defensive players must use some form of physical contact to bring the ball-carrier to the gro ...[text shortened]... to some degree, they always emphasize skill and strategy over mere belligerence."
- Joined
- 20 Feb 02
- Moves
- 58336
Why to people compare football with american football? They are not different versions of the same game. Having played american football from a Brtitish perspective its just a bastardised version of rugby league. If you really want to discuss this, its why don't Americans play rugby like the rest of the world?
Originally posted by mlpriorWell I can tell you England do in fact play American football. They are called The Monarchs. The team may comprize of some has been NFL players, but, nonetheless have English players too.
The U.S. is capable of stepping out of their comfort zone and competing around the world at soccer.
Why can't the rest of the world compete at American Football?
Sissies?
- Joined
- 20 Feb 02
- Moves
- 58336
Originally posted by MancunianinusaWithin Britain (not just England)...
Well I can tell you England do in fact play American football. They are called The Monarchs. The team may comprize of some has been NFL players, but, nonetheless have English players too.
There is a flag league, a junior league, a universities league and two senior leagues. Out of the Senior leagues a GB team is formed to play a US state team, and out of the universities league a GB team is also formed to play a US college side. You can guess the results of those games...
Information in the university league is at http://www.bcafl.org/
Information on the senior league is at http://www.gridironuk.co.uk/
In answer to why we can not compete, this is the team from the last full season I payed - I doubt we would scare a US school team that much - this team is two divisions below the Monarch's that you mention. The gap between your rejects in the world league and British amatures who play for a bit of fun and fitness on a Sunday is just so huge.
http://www.kentexiles.co.uk/photos/2002/2002_team_photo.jpg
Andrew
Originally posted by mlpriorBecause American football is the second crapest game in the World, i few miles behind baseball, which is without doubt THE MOTHER of all boring games!! 😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴
The U.S. is capable of stepping out of their comfort zone and competing around the world at soccer.
Why can't the rest of the world compete at American Football?
Sissies?
Originally posted by mlpriorYes. We consider American Football a sport for sissies. All that padding and stoppages.
The U.S. is capable of stepping out of their comfort zone and competing around the world at soccer.
Why can't the rest of the world compete at American Football?
Sissies?
Plus 'compete' is a strong word. With your ridiculously large population, of imigrants, from across the globe, the fact that you can't find 11 players who might challenge for a cup one day is a little sad. It would be nice to see you compete. But, despite the hype, it's yet to happen.
- Joined
- 05 Aug 04
- Moves
- 243565
Originally posted by mlpriorBecause the rest of the world does not have an abundance of knuckle dragging jocks with incredibly low IQs and a habit of high fiving when someone farts.
The U.S. is capable of stepping out of their comfort zone and competing around the world at soccer.
Why can't the rest of the world compete at American Football?
Sissies?
There are 100's of sports which have been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people all around the world but because the US were not instantly 'the best' at any of them they did what they always do. Change the rules and make up their own games.
So go back to winning the 'world series' at baseball or enjoy your 'super bowl' where there is no relegation no matter how a team performs and leave real competition to the rest of us.
Oh and have a nice day.
😉
Originally posted by sjegWhen your boys last a single quarter in pads and can put a descent hit or block on a guy then you can compete.You can put a hit on someone in rugby but its always going to be harder with 20 extra pounds on you
Yes. We consider American Football a sport for sissies. All that padding and stoppages.
Plus 'compete' is a strong word. With your ridiculously large population, of imigrants, from across the globe, the fact that you can't find 11 players who might challenge for a cup one day is a little sad. It would be nice to see you compete. But, despite the hype, it's yet to happen.