NationStates Jolt Archive

The USA would win Gold Medals by default. No team would dare to compete. Imagine Ray Lewis on the dream team. That's damn scary...

Uhhhh... Football is an Olympic sport. Iraq's team just lost their chance at a medal.

Uhhhh... Football is an Olympic sport. Iraq's team just lost their chance at a medal.

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!

You sure? Rugby seems to be pretty similar to football (I'm ignorant about it, it just seems to be similar), and Europe plays it a lot. I'm sure they could convert.

Olympic football(not soccer) would be incredibly violent and America would always win.

All unfenced balls sports are violent and ugly, but football seems to top the list as the most violent and ugly unfenced ball sports. Just imagine people crashing around without regards and things. Whether this has a cultural reference, I don't dare to guess.

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!


In order for you to flame someone, you must have at least a scintilla of wit. I don't believe your post applies.

However, I do agree that soccer is only slightly more interesting a spectator sport than watching paint dry.

Even I, and I´m from Sweden, thinks soccer is kinda boring sometimes... I have actually played football in Sweden for 8 years so I think that football in the olympics would have been nice! :)

USA would win the gold medal every year, but then again, thats what they said about basketball too... ;)

football= soccer...you mean kickball right?

Football as an olympic sport would be cool, but I doubt other countries would participate. Most of the NFL Europe stars are simply American NFL players who are practice-squad or so far down the depth chart it dosen't matter.

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!


How dare you insult my nations native sport. Honestly, how close-minded can you be. If the real football was never invented, the bastardized version would never exist. You Americans owe all your Mondays spent drinking beer and eating tortilla chips and salsa to us Europeans. Mwahahahahahaha. It's true though.

Hell, I wish sex were an Olympic sport.

Many of the world's most popular sports were invented in China. You're all only playing OUR games. :D

actually a lot of olympic games were started in Greece (hence the original oplympics)
also did you know there have been more super bowls than modern olypmics?

actually a lot of olympic games were started in Greece (hence the original oplympics)
also did you know there have been more super bowls than modern olypmics?

heh, there's been more NPC finals than modern olympics. Probably because of the 'every 4 years' thing the olympics has going on.

Rugby 7s should be an olympic sport, it's in the commonwealth games and we'd probably win, especially if we stack our team with 15 a side internationals like we did last time :D

Rugby is my fav sport without any competition at all

Football should be, but i mean REAL football. AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL (or international rules football at the very least)

I agree with rugby though, it's the game they play in heaven and it should be the game they play at the olympics also.

my other much loved game is rugby league, but if you've already got union, why would you need league?

Football is an Olympic Sport

http://www.olympics.com/

Maybe we can start a petition to replace basketball with football in 2008. There is already a petition to get Texas Hold um poker an olympic sport for Bejing.

Many of the world's most popular sports were invented in China. You're all only playing OUR games. :D

Just curious - how much do you identify with the Chinese outside of Hong kong?

Oh, and since it is tomorrow there, can you tell me how the VT vs. USC game turns out? thanks

Hmm talking about football, well just in the US football is called soccer.. and the american football the name is a little bit stupid, you just kick once and the rest of the game you hold the balls with your hands.. so when ppl say football probly means SOCCER(1 country x the rest) and rugby is a MEN game... what's the meaning of a aggressive game if you use some much protection that cant even feel it? rugby you can FEEL the pain hehehe
and why would a game that only americans plays go to olympics? :) just give the medal!

American football is barely played outside of the U.S. The olympics needs at least three countries playing the sport to even consider it. Just because half the U.S. pops a boner watching two dozen guys pat eachother on the ass doesn't mean that it belongs in international competition.

However, I do agree that soccer is only slightly more interesting a spectator sport than watching paint dry.

There are a couple differences that I see. Soccer is about building tension with a release once or twice a game. Football is guy-on-guy action for four quarters. The latter is more american.

whats the use to have a sport in the olympics that only americans play and care about?
football (soccer for you americans) is played by the whole world. even the asians started to become good since last World Cup, and thats great.

Lacrosse should be an olympic sport before football. It requires more skill and teamwork. Football is a huge group of men trying to sit on each other for long periods of time.

Besides the fact that football would just be added as a sport for the American's to win in. There should actually be some competeion internationally in the sport, not just one dominant team.

The IOC is also cutting back on the number of sports being added to the olympics, only one this year (women's wrestling).

I'd gewt rid of Basketball and reinstate Rugby myself, you know that decent sport, as for American footb all who (other than the Americans) plays it? I don't know anyone.

Rugbys played on 3 conternents (Europe, Austalasia(SP), South America) and so can qualify as a olympic sport. The last time Rugby was in the olympics was in 1912 though, (And guess who won.) and so it deserves to be there.

Rugby's played on more than 3 continents. If my memory serves my correctly, the Rugby world cup had teams from Japan, USA, Namibia and of course South Africa (how can u forget them!). So thats all 6 continents isnt it? So why is rugby not an olympic sport then?

American football Aussie rules football they all come from Gaelic(irish) football imagrants who forgot how to play galic football thats all they are people who didnt know how to play made their own rules.
Hurling is the real mans sport they play with sticks(hurls) and seven people died in the first recorded game in 18 somthing or might of been 16 something

The thing is that olympic fotball/soccer is not a real fotball tournament with the best of the world. Because it is only fotball players up to 21 who is alloved to play. So the question is would the rich and powerful european club allow their best players to play in both world cup, european cup and also the olympics, if the olympic leaders allowed the best to play. So that real olympic fotball can be a reality. Like icehockey their NHL lately have started to allow their players start to play in the winter olympics.

Hmm talking about football, well just in the US football is called soccer.. and the american football the name is a little bit stupid, you just kick once and the rest of the game you hold the balls with your hands.. so when ppl say football probly means SOCCER(1 country x the rest) and rugby is a MEN game... what's the meaning of a aggressive game if you use some much protection that cant even feel it? rugby you can FEEL the pain hehehe
and why would a game that only americans plays go to olympics? :) just give the medal!

Tell you what, we'll put the pads and helmet on you, throw you into the game as a RB. Then do an inside running play. When those LB's and DLs hit you, tell me if you feel pain. When someone drives their shoulder into your bread basket at full speed, you should be able to feel it.

You sure? Rugby seems to be pretty similar to football (I'm ignorant about it, it just seems to be similar), and Europe plays it a lot. I'm sure they could convert.

I heard that the idea for football came from the sport of rugby. I've never actually watched rugby, so I'm not sure if that makes sense.

However, I do agree that soccer is only slightly more interesting a spectator sport than watching paint dry.

As an avid fan of both football types, I take umbrage at the suggestion that "soccer" is a game for "pussies." It is very physical, it involves incredible skill and unbelievable stamina to run those long distances in many directions for 90 minutes.

The only country I think that could compete with the U.S. in "football" right now is Canada, and there'd have to be some adjusting depending on which version is played.

I don't think it should be an Olympic sport. I think it's entirely too violent and I think it would be too difficult to run a series of games to determine a gold medal winner considering the shortest layoff between games for most American or Canadian football teams is three days, and then only rarely.

Both your versions of football are pathetically weak. Australian rules, all the way. After all, if you want an America-only sport in the Olympics (pretty stupid, of course you'd win, nobody else plays that stupid nancy game), then you can very well have AFL as well.

Of course, Australia would always win, since you can't play for nuts, but that's just life, isn't it?

Both your versions of football are pathetically weak. Australian rules, all the way. After all, if you want an America-only sport in the Olympics (pretty stupid, of course you'd win, nobody else plays that stupid nancy game), then you can very well have AFL as well.

Of course, Australia would always win, since you can't play for nuts, but that's just life, isn't it?

My dad told me that when he was in college he watched Australian rules football really late at night on ESPN, and that he had laughed so hard at some of the things that the players were allowed to do to each other.

My dad told me that when he was in college he watched Australian rules football really late at night on ESPN, and that he had laughed so hard at some of the things that the players were allowed to do to each other.


Wow, that would have been a long time ago. Alot of stuff has changed, and the sport is teh awesome. www.afl.com.au

If Australian Rules Football lets people hit harder and lets the players get away with more it would be my kind of game. I like football, but being a girl that isn't that into it, football never holds my attention for the entire game. Watching Australians slam into each other really, really hard would keep me interested.

The USA would win Gold Medals by default. No team would dare to compete. Imagine Ray Lewis on the dream team. That's damn scary...

As has already been said numerous times... football is an olympic sport.

The only people who commonly refer to football as 'soccer' are the Americans and the French.

What Americans call 'football' is basically just rugby, but with matresses strapped on.

And, I'm afraid, America would be laughed out of the Olympic Stadium with red faces if they tried to compete in an Olympic Rugby tournament.

The only people who commonly refer to football as 'soccer' are the Americans and the French.That does not count because we all know that France is an American "Province" :D

And, I'm afraid, America would be laughed out of the Olympic Stadium with red faces if they tried to compete in an Olympic Rugby tournament.

Umm...we do play rugby here as well - it just doesn't get much airtime

I don't think I'd like it. Footbal is basically a sport where people just run for the ball. All sports are mindless, but football seems to be the most. It's reinforced in me since I'm in highschool. Anyone who plays football seems to be condemned to be a C student.

Umm...we do play rugby here as well - it just doesn't get much airtime

And some "American" football gets played in England... but when the big English team (London Monarchs, maybe) played american teams, they didn't do very well - they haven't the kind of budget or the dedicated support.

Similalry, if the 'best rugby team' america has to offer was forced to play against New Zealands "All Blacks", it would doubtless be a massacre.

All I can say on the American Rugby debate is to quote Martain Johnson, "If the Americans got there act together they could have a great Rugby team, they'd have the best pack by far,"

Also, I doubt if the best American Rugby team played against anyone, even say Newcastle Folcons or even Otley, they would win.

Football is an olympic sport.Great, are you impressed by your ability to repeat the same garbage over and over? All you rugby fans, I have played the sport, when I was stationed in Germany. They hit like women. Rugby players are about 160 pounds, and hit like women. Football Players are about 350 pounds, and will kill you if you have the ball. Keep thinking you are better, it only makes the American culture taking over your nations that much funnier.

Jesus, Soccer is the greatest sport in the world. JUST ASK THE FUCKING WORLD.

It seems that only America hates it. I really have no idea why.

To hell with American football. If they throw that in, they might as well bring back Rugby and Cricket, which were olympic sports once. The reason these sports aren't in there is nobody wants to play them.

In fact, to hell with all of them; they should bring back Tug o' war! That was a real sport! Why did they even take it out the olympic programme?

Great, are you impressed by your ability to repeat the same garbage over and over? All you rugby fans, I have played the sport, when I was stationed in Germany. They hit like women. Rugby players are about 160 pounds, and hit like women. Football Players are about 350 pounds, and will kill you if you have the ball. Keep thinking you are better, it only makes the American culture taking over your nations that much funnier.
Have you ever been hit by a proper Rugby player? You know a good one.

Just a example on of my freinds (A Lock) Go tthe ball form kick off, took it, had ten meters to charge, the first player he hit had a dislocated shoulder,. A weaklings hit, huh.

Another example, in one Dump Tackle on kid had his collerbone and 3 ribs broken.

To hell with American football. If they throw that in, they might as well bring back Rugby and Cricket, which were olympic sports once. The reason these sports aren't in there is nobody wants to play them.

In fact, to hell with all of them; they should bring back Tug o' war! That was a real sport! Why did they even take it out the olympic programme?
A lot of people play rugby. As for Cricket, it's not a olympic sport really, it takes to long. Howver England will win the ashes.

Have you ever been hit by a proper Rugby player? You know a good one.

Just a example on of my freinds (A Lock) Go tthe ball form kick off, took it, had ten meters to charge, the first player he hit had a dislocated shoulder,. A weaklings hit, huh.

Another example, in one Dump Tackle on kid had his collerbone and 3 ribs broken.


And Joe Theisman got hit by a defensive lineman an the bone literally came out of his shin in American football....

Rugby just simply is rougher than A.football

Rugby players are about 160 pounds, and hit like women.

Who the hell were you playing Rugby with? The Berlin symphony orchestra?

I had a sports teacher once, way back, who advocated a healthy diet "or you'll turn into a prop forward".

And Joe Theisman got hit by a defensive lineman an the bone literally came out of his shin in American football....

I remember a few years ago, a soccer player in the english premiership got his shin snapped in a tackle; the papers had photos of his foot and knee going in opposite directions. It was quite sickening, really.

http://www.nfleurope.com/

I remember a few years ago, a soccer player in the english premiership got his shin snapped in a tackle; the papers had photos of his foot and knee going in opposite directions. It was quite sickening, really.


Ouch. I'm actually a fan of both sports, and it is horrible whenever something that bad happens...


Does anyone have a website where i can find heights and weights of Rugby players? Trying to find some comparison of an offensive lineman in the NFL versus any player on the field.

And Joe Theisman got hit by a defensive lineman an the bone literally came out of his shin in American football....
I've seen worse, one kid (ie: a under 14, these are all under 14's as I play with the under 15's formally under 14's) broke his neck in a tackle, very nasty.

Ouch. I'm actually a fan of both sports, and it is horrible whenever something that bad happens...


Does anyone have a website where i can find heights and weights of Rugby players? Trying to find some comparison of an offensive lineman in the NFL versus any player on the field.
I don't know try Rugby Union manager, I'll have a look tommorrow
.

American Football should not and will not become an Olympic sport. It has the backing of just two countries in just one continent. It is violent yet dull. Boring to watch and no real fanbase outside of the States, it would have one of the lowest spectator ratings in the Olympics. I would even doubt the NFL would support allowing players to play in the Olympics because of the potential injury risk that is involved prior to the season. Even then the United States would dominate. Canada would get silver, and the remaining two teams thrown together of Britain and Austalia would compete for bronze.

I found the biggest Rugby player from a random team versus the biggest player from the Green Bay Packers(American Football).


Rugby:
John Logan 6-4 255

NFL:
Steve Morley 6-7 332

There you go, about 3 inches and 80 lbs. Looks like NFL players are a little bigger.

EDIT: The team was called "Salsbury", just search for "rugby roster" on google, its the 5th one down.

Muscles

Yes but Rugby is more about skill and speed than just running over whoevers in the way. You get big teams, like Burnley for example, you couldn't tell the backs from the forwards. A much small, more well trained team put 112 points on them.

There tactics was just to run with the ball, my team passed it and ran through them.

I remember a few years ago, a soccer player in the english premiership got his shin snapped in a tackle; the papers had photos of his foot and knee going in opposite directions. It was quite sickening, really.

Update! I found out who it was; David Busst of coventry, in 1996. (just in case anyone suspected me of purveying the apocryphal)

http://www.360soccer.com/resource/bussted.html

It was inflicted by the ground, rather than an impact with another player, but I can't think of many nastier sports injuries I've seen.

American Football should not and will not become an Olympic sport. It has the backing of just two countries in just one continent. It is violent yet dull. Boring to watch and no real fanbase outside of the States, it would have one of the lowest spectator ratings in the Olympics. I would even doubt the NFL would support allowing players to play in the Olympics because of the potential injury risk that is involved prior to the season. Even then the United States would dominate. Canada would get silver, and the remaining two teams thrown together of Britain and Austalia would compete for bronze.

Why not? 20 years ago, how many nations fielded an Olympic basketball team? That was probably considered an American sport just like American football is. And look now. I'm watching Italy play Argentina for the men's basketball gold medal.

And some "American" football gets played in England... but when the big English team (London Monarchs, maybe) played american teams, they didn't do very well - they haven't the kind of budget or the dedicated support.

Similalry, if the 'best rugby team' america has to offer was forced to play against New Zealands "All Blacks", it would doubtless be a massacre.

I'm sure - I don't think many people play past college here. And all the really big/althetic guys play football/basketball - more of a chance of fame and fortune.

oh, and two and half hours till the VT/USC game.....(cracks open a high-life)....

Let's go Tech

Why not? 20 years ago, how many nations fielded an Olympic basketball team? That was probably considered an American sport just like American football is. And look now. I'm watching Italy play Argentina for the men's basketball gold medal.

But Basketball is a LOT more popular than American Football outside the US. In the UK, I even played it regularly in school. Even cricket is more popular around the world than American football.

Basically, the only people who want American football in the olympics are Americans, because they want a free gold medal (as if they even need any more). There are many other sports that are more globally popular, and wouldn't just be dominated by one country which devotes a significantly greater amount of money and public interest towards them, and has a vast pool of professional players to draw from.

You sure? Rugby seems to be pretty similar to football (I'm ignorant about it, it just seems to be similar), and Europe plays it a lot. I'm sure they could convert.

Rugby tends to have the potential to get more vicious and requires more skill and tactical thinking than throwing the ball forwards, and pisses on American football in the way that we don't need armour or padding when we play it though American football is quite an interesting sport. If by "Europe" you mean the British Isles and France then your following statement is correct. Italy have a team too but they're worse than Scotland.

Even cricket is more popular than American football.

Well seeing as cricket is the 2nd most popular sport in the UK...

But Basketball is a LOT more popular than American Football outside the US. In the UK, I even played it regularly in school. Even cricket is more popular than American football.

Basically, the only people who want American football in the olympics are Americans, because they want a free gold medal (as if they even need any more). There are many other sports that are more globally popular, and wouldn't just be dominated by one country which devotes a significantly greater amount of money and public interest towards them, and has a vast pool of professional players to draw from.

But 20 or 30 years ago, basketball wasn't really that popular outside the United States. Still, it was an Olympic sport, one that the U.S. dominated for a long time. Now look at the situation. There are 5-10 nations that have caught up to or exceeded America in the sport. Who's to say that football wouldn't follow similar circumstances? Personally I think nations like Norway or Sweden or Russia could field some pretty dominant American football teams if the sport was developed in those nations.

Well seeing as cricket is the 2nd most popular sport in the UK...

I meant globally.

I am an american. I enjoy watching American Football.

With that being said, I will agree with the Europeans here and say that it doesn't belong in the Olympics. Not because it isn't manly, I'm not going to argue which is better A. Football, Soccer(football), or Rugby. I am going to say it doesn't belong because nobody but the US would even field a team. Rugby should be in because it is played across the whole world. Lacrosse would be good too.

And if they even try to put Texas Hold'em (as somebody mentioned earlier) into the Olympics, especially if some stupid network airs it instead of something interesting, I will personaly find some IOC members and give them a piece of my mind.

Maybe cricket is so popular because at the UK owned a good piece of the world at one time.

USA would win the gold medal every year, but then again, thats what they said about basketball too... ;)

Yeah, then we go an do something stupid like let people from Europe and Argentina come and play in the NBA, learning how we play basketball and how to beat it.

But then again our Women's Soccer Team just won the Gold Medal and we don't even have a women's national soccer league, maybe their is more than just who has the better players or better leagues, perhaps the problem is that we in the US just don't care. This is not the dream team playing in the Olympics, these are not our best players playing basketball, these are the best players that wanted to play, Shaq, Kobe, Garnett, they have nothing to gain by playing in the Olympics, oh boy, an Olympic Gold Medal, woop de doo, Shaq and Kobe already have 3 NBA Championship trophy's, who cares about an olympic gold compared to that, and if they get injured they can be sued for millions by their teams, face it, the Olympics in America are not that important, sure they are all over the news, or were until the Republican National Convention, but this is bad timing for the Olympics, with the NFL Preseason and the MLB Playoff races starting to heat up we would rather watch those than the olympics.

Basically, the only people who want American football in the olympics are Americans, because they want a free gold medal (as if they even need any more). There are many other sports that are more globally popular, and wouldn't just be dominated by one country which devotes a significantly greater amount of money and public interest towards them, and has a vast pool of professional players to draw from.

Or because we like Football alot and want to see it on TV year around. For 17 Weeks we Americans are in heaven, hell I don't even care that much about professional Football, I like College Football alot more.

Virginia Tech @ USC, 1 hours 39 minutes, can't wait.

Go Hawkeyes!

But 20 or 30 years ago, basketball wasn't really that popular outside the United States.

The European International game has been played since at least the thirties, and the African association since the early sixties. International basketball has alot more history than you have sugessted. That, however, doesn't really matter.
The difference between basketball and American football, is that basketball is a new game, not much like it. American football on the other hand is pretty much similar to rugby, it is not that new and different.
Basketball has (much like football) gained popularity globally because anyone can play pretty much anywhere, all you need is a ball and two nets, and even then you can improvise for the nets. It is easy to set up a game with a few friends, alot of friends, or even just play by yourself. American football on the other hand needs alot of people to play, you can't just grab a few friends and head to the park. You would need at least six people just to okay a pick-up game. It is also much more expensive (equipment), and dangerous (injuries). It won't gain popularity.
Finally, basketball is entertaining to watch and fun to play. The same can't be said for American football. People outside of America generally like free-flowing sports, not a game driven by plays/downs. It is boring to watching 10-15 seconds of action followed by a minute of nothing happening.

American Football.
Pause. Throw ball. Tackle. Pause. Run ball. Tackle. Pause. Commerical Break. Pause. Throw ball. Carry ball. Touchdown. Pause. Commerical Break. Pause. Extra 1 point field goal. Commerical Break. Pause. Kick ball. Pause. Repeat.

American football can't be in the olympics, none of our football players would pass the drug test.

But then again our Women's Soccer Team just won the Gold Medal and we don't even have a women's national soccer team...

The U.S. DOES have a women's national football team. Do you think they just throw together twenty or so girls off the street? Unfortunately for them they are growing old, most of the veterans probably won't be back for the next world cup, and the U.S. only managed a bronze at the last world cup.

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!


Fuck man, rugby is ten times better than Football!! And soccer is much better than football, At least in soccer they dont stop for every play! if you want some real action though, make WAR an olympic sport, Bush seems to think its a game anyway!

Or because we like Football alot and want to see it on TV year around. For 17 Weeks we Americans are in heaven, hell I don't even care that much about professional Football, I like College Football alot more.

Virginia Tech @ USC, 1 hours 39 minutes, can't wait.

Go Hawkeyes!

Eeek...no generalizations. I live in the US, and there are very few things I detest more than Football. I hate watching it, I hate hearing about it, and just thinking about it makes me purse my lips and roll my eyes. That's just my opinion, though. I'm a martial artist, however, and I love watching MA competitions. Olympic Judo is the bomb. And I can stand European football.

The U.S. DOES have a women's national football team. Do you think they just throw together twenty or so girls off the street? Unfortunately for them they are growing old, most of the veterans probably won't be back for the next world cup, and the U.S. only managed a bronze at the last world cup.

But we just got an olympic gold, and the two game winning goals in the semis and gold medal match were both by younger members of the team. And who cares how we do in the Rest of the World Cup. (I read an article once, WWI and WWII did not become WORLD Wars until the US became involved, shouldn't the World Cup be the same?)

American football can't be in the olympics, none of our football players would pass the drug test.

Yeah, all the Greeks have to do is get in a motor cycle accident right before the Olympics because they skipped 2 drug tests, we don't need to pass, we just send over our High School All Americans and we don't have to worry about drugs since few of them have had access to them yet.

as a fan of both american football and rugby, i'll say this -
american football should not be on olympic sport, but they should definately bring back rugby. rugby is the father of american football. rugby used to be all that was played in the u.s. until one of our presidents - i don't remember exactly which one, i think it was roosevelt - declared it was too violent a sport to be that popular and degreed that somethign else must be devised. thus the birth of american football.
as for the u.s. not being able to compete in olympic rugby, i will just remind you of this - two world cups ago the ONLY team to score a try against the eventual world cup champion aus wallabies was the usa eagles. the main problem the usa team has is that most of it's players are not paid to play on a professional level. they have to hold down other jobs too. makes it hard to face a full time professional forward pack when you've had to put in a forty hour work week too. if the u.s. would get behind it's team enough to let them concentrate on playing like they do in just about all the other nations with national teams - even samoa - then we could compete consistantly on the level of the other nations.
the olympics are mainly meant to highlight sports that don't usually get much attention - like curling, fencing, sychnronized diving. american football gets enough attention on it's own - it's doing just fine.
as for those who were looking for rugby sites - www.rugbyheaven.com is a good place to start.

as a fan of both american football and rugby, i'll say this -
american football should not be on olympic sport, but they should definately bring back rugby. rugby is the father of american football. rugby used to be all that was played in the u.s. until one of our presidents - i don't remember exactly which one, i think it was roosevelt - declared it was too violent a sport to be that popular and degreed that somethign else must be devised. thus the birth of american football.
as for the u.s. not being able to compete in olympic rugby, i will just remind you of this - two world cups ago the ONLY team to score a try against the eventual world cup champion aus wallabies was the usa eagles. the main problem the usa team has is that most of it's players are not paid to play on a professional level. they have to hold down other jobs too. makes it hard to face a full time professional forward pack when you've had to put in a forty hour work week too. if the u.s. would get behind it's team enough to let them concentrate on playing like they do in just about all the other nations with national teams - even samoa - then we could compete consistantly on the level of the other nations.
the olympics are mainly meant to highlight sports that don't usually get much attention - like curling, fencing, sychnronized diving. american football gets enough attention on it's own - it's doing just fine.
as for those who were looking for rugby sites - www.rugbyheaven.com is a good place to start.
of courase you did get thrashed in your group this time though.

Dammit it all to hell - we should have won that game....damn you, USC

Dammit it all to hell - we should have won that game....damn you, USC
At this point I pose a fair and valid question, What game?

At this point I pose a fair and valid question, What game?

Southern Cal vs. VA Tech...USC is the #1 ranked team, but barely won...Tech should have beaten them...

at least I won $100 off the game

Dammit it all to hell - we should have won that game....damn you, USC

Blame the refs, that was a blown call that cost the game for VT, damn it, I wanted to see USC's title hopes ruined on opening day.

USC is NOT the defending National Champion.

USC is NOT the defending Co-National Champion.

USC did NOT win the National Championship Game.

USC did NOT win the National Championship Trophy.

LSU is THE defending National Champion.

LSU is NOT the Co-Defending National Champion.

LSU DID win the National Championship Game.

LSU DID win the National Championship Trophy.

Here's to hoping USC loses enough games to miss the National Championship Game but not enough to have to play Iowa in a bowl game!

Southern Cal vs. VA Tech...USC is the #1 ranked team, but barely won...Tech should have beaten them...

And let us not forget, Viriginia Tech proved that they deserve a ranking, first time since Michael Vick was there that they have not been ranked, what a shame, they are always a good team.

And let us not forget, Viriginia Tech proved that they deserve a ranking, first time since Michael Vick was there that they have not been ranked, what a shame, they are always a good team.

Thank you - we are good, and we play better as the underdog...

*wonders what they are talking bout, back off slowly*

Blame the refs, that was a blown call that cost the game for VT, damn it, I wanted to see USC's title hopes ruined on opening day.

USC is NOT the defending National Champion.

USC is NOT the defending Co-National Champion.

USC did NOT win the National Championship Game.

USC did NOT win the National Championship Trophy.

LSU is THE defending National Champion.

LSU is NOT the Co-Defending National Champion.

LSU DID win the National Championship Game.

LSU DID win the National Championship Trophy.

Here's to hoping USC loses enough games to miss the National Championship Game but not enough to have to play Iowa in a bowl game!

Yes - I agree, LSU is champ, and Tech should have won.

*wonders what they are talking bout, back off slowly*

Ok, the "best" team in the country at American football (USC) barely beat an unranked (yet vastly superior) team (VT)...

Ok, the "best" team in the country at American football (USC) barely beat an unranked (yet vastly superior) team (VT)...
I almost get that now.

A note on naming: So many different sports go by the name football - you have soccer/association football, rugby union, rugby league, Canadian football, Australian football, Gaelic football, and many, many varients.
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Football

American football is barely played outside of the U.S. The olympics needs at least three countries playing the sport to even consider it. Just because half the U.S. pops a boner watching two dozen guys pat eachother on the ass doesn't mean that it belongs in international competition.



There are a couple differences that I see. Soccer is about building tension with a release once or twice a game. Football is guy-on-guy action for four quarters. The latter is more american.

NFL Europ (http://www.nfleurope.com/) has teams in the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK.

Furthermore, you will find teams playing in Mexico, Canada, Austria, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, among other nations. I do believe that exceeds three.

As to popularity, living in Japan, I can tell you that American football is certainly increasing in popularity. It is at least as popular, and in several cases much more popular, than many sports in which Japan fields teams.

I think before long we will see American football in the Olympics. Afterall, baseball and softball are Olympic sports.

New zealand would give you a run for your money plus rugbys better and the last time it was an olympic sport the Us won it(1924)i think the All Blacks were touring England at the time so they couldnt play!the problem with grid iron is its an angry man sport with more showmanship than flair plus the olympics isnt about ads but it has an ad break every what 2 min im surprised anyone can watch it its no surprise the US is so obese when your favourite sport involves 4hrs of sitting on your ass for spectators and you incourage people to "bulk up" so they can be blockers instead of being agile atheletes. if you cut the crap dancing and taught the players to speak english instead of grunting and whooping you might actually get your wish!but come on ditch the pads learn to pass run and kick reduce the teams to 27 man squads and start playing rugby a real sport
p.s. go titans

[QUOTE=Desiderate]as a fan of both american football and rugby, i'll say this - rugby used to be all that was played in the u.s. until one of our presidents - i don't remember exactly which one, i think it was roosevelt - declared it was too violent a sport to be that popular and degreed that somethign else must be devised. thus the birth of american football.
as for the u.s. not being able to compete in olympic rugby, i will just remind you of this - two world cups ago the ONLY team to score a try against the eventual world cup champion aus wallabies was the usa eagles. the main problem the usa team has is that most of it's players are not paid to play on a professional level. they have to hold down other jobs too. makes it hard to face a full time professional forward pack when you've had to put in a forty hour work week too. if the u.s. would get behind it's team enough to let them concentrate on playing like they do in just about all the other nations with national teams - even samoa - then we could compete consistantly on the level of the other nations.

as for those who were looking for rugby sites - www.rugbyheaven.com is a good place to start.[/QUOTE
you guys played american football roosevelt(teddy) saw a game (16 players had died that season?)and said something needs to change so he decided there should be A forward passing game instead of the scrum(scrimmage)it was stop start back then too!in americas defence you played france about a month back in idaho(me thinks)it was i high scring game 40 something a piece you might have won but it was close!

New zealand would give you a run for your money plus rugbys better and the last time it was an olympic sport the Us won it(1924)i think the All Blacks were touring England at the time so they couldnt play!the problem with grid iron is its an angry man sport with more showmanship than flair plus the olympics isnt about ads but it has an ad break every what 2 min im surprised anyone can watch it its no surprise the US is so obese when your favourite sport involves 4hrs of sitting on your ass for spectators and you incourage people to "bulk up" so they can be blockers instead of being agile atheletes. if you cut the crap dancing and taught the players to speak english instead of grunting and whooping you might actually get your wish!but come on ditch the pads learn to pass run and kick reduce the teams to 27 man squads and start playing rugby a real sport
p.s. go titans
Sorry but a 300lb man who can the 40 in flat 5 is not obese he is a fecking train. Not to mention that 230 to 250lb guy post numbers like: Donte' Stallworth 4.19 40-yard , Michael Lewis 4.3 40-yard
Jim Maxwell a 6-foot-4, 241-pound linebacker, ran a fast 4.55-second time in the 40-yard dash Wednesday in front of NFL scouts as part of a Pro Timing Day. He isnt even training professionally yet!!!
D.J. Williams, Miami, Fla. (6-0¾, 250) 40s in 4.57 and 4.53. Also had a 38-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-9 broad jump.
Jonathan Vilma, Miami, Fla. (6-0½, 233)Ran his 40s in 4.60 and 4.65,He also had a 37-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-1 broad jump.
Tony Hargrove, Georgia Tech (6-3 3/8, 269)Hargrove ran his 40s in 4.68 and 4.70. He had a 39-½-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-2 long jump
Tommy Kelly, Mississippi State (6-5 7/8, 294)Had a complete workout at the combine, running his 40s in 4.87 and 4.94. Had a 25-inch vertical jump, 8-foot-9 long jump,
Tommie Harris, Oklahoma (6-2½, 295) At Oklahoma's Pro Day, he ran two 40s (4.78, 4.80) and had a 31-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot broad jump.
Not Agile my ass, the reason I didnt keep going is that anyone who is reasonble gets the point, American Football players are real atheletes.


While much of America may be obese the pure fact is that while I admit rugby is more of a common man's sport. American Football is rougher, people would die nearly every game without those pads.
We breed football players like dog fighters breed pitbulls.
Rugby is a more purest sport you just dont get the monsters in it we have in football.

The USA would win Gold Medals by default. No team would dare to compete. Imagine Ray Lewis on the dream team. That's damn scary...

USA won gold medals by default ..... ever compared the US with what Europe won?

Regarding the differences between rugby and gridiron:

There are big differences between rugby and American football. In rugby, all players are allowed to handle the ball, but the ball cannot be passed forward. The ball can be kicked forward in an attempt to gain better field position or to catch the other team unaware. Also, unlike American football, there is no blocking allowed in rugby. No player can shield or protect the ball carrier and the ball carrier cannot run behind his own players in an attempt to shield from the other team - doing so results in a penalty. If the player is tackled, play does not stop, as rugby is a continuous sport. Once tackled, the ball carrier must immediately release the ball. A penalty will be called if a player is tackled and does not make an attempt to get away from the ball. As the rugby tends to have non-stop action, players must be equally skilled both offensively and defensively.

source (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=44524&Reg=1)

Note the bit about blocking. That is the purpose of the padding - to allow players to block safely. Blocking without the padding would result in many serious injuries. Even with padding, people are killed, even at the high school level.

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!
"soccer" is for pussies?-No padding is worn except shinpads.People get hurt real bad.vicious slide tackles,headbutts,elbows and kicks are commonplace.Watch any game,especiallly one between Glasgow Celtic (Catholic) and Glasgow Rangers (Protestant)-people get hospitalised!

American Football=rugby with padding & helmets
Baseball="Rounders" with padding & helmets

American football is essentially rugby where the players wear kevlar body armour and have a break every five seconds - gee, and you say soccer is for pussies...

I think people are operating on misconceptions about football. Given that I've helped non-Americans understand the game, I'll try again.

1) Football players have to wear pads. The average football player is 230 pounds of bone and muscle and can run at about 18 miles/hour (that's almost 29 kilometers/hour to those who don't know Imperial) in a flatout sprint. That means the closing velocity of two similar players is 36 miles/hour and the effects of two such players colliding would probably be worse on their bodies than a car crash a similar speed. In short, the casualty rates on a football field without pads would make Iraq look bloodless by comparison, so anybody who calls football players wimps is either stupid or ignorant.

2) Football is about strategy and often resembles a battle from a general's point of view. You move units (players) in such a way as to guard your own line while looking to poke holes in the defense to reach your objective. The defense's objective is to stop that and open up a counter-attack. The way I look at it is that football is a very physical form of Risk, hence the need for downs.

I realize that we would pretty much own American Football as an Olympic sport. I suggest that given America's considerable resources that we loan them out to train countries who have leagues/teams or who have shown interest in forming such to our level of play. Frankly there's nothing worse than a football game between the best team and the worst team, no matter how hard the worst team plays there isn't going to be any doubt as to who will win.

http://uglyfootballers.com/content/images/rogues/injuries/images/injury01.jpg

What was your point in posting that? All he's doing is bleeding, that can't be counted as any real injury, at most he might require stitches. You know the one thing that really pissed me off when I was watching Olympic soccer? All the fucking acting, if you're hurt then call for assistance but if you're not then get off your ass and help your team, to do otherwise is unsportsmanlike in the extreme and does not merit anything but contempt.

What, you need a point to post things these days?

What was your point in posting that? All he's doing is bleeding, that can't be counted as any real injury, at most he might require stitches. You know the one thing that really pissed me off when I was watching Olympic soccer? All the fucking acting, if you're hurt then call for assistance but if you're not then get off your ass and help your team, to do otherwise is unsportsmanlike in the extreme and does not merit anything but contempt.


Now that IS true. The fucking pussies (The divas) fall over as soon as another player touches them. It's nasty.

What, you need a point to post things these days?

I suppose not, but you're not contributing anything to the conversation and wasting the bandwidth of the site that hosts that image.

I would love it as an Olympic sport. The real battle would be for 2nd and 3rd as we'd get the gold.

Imagine this team
QB Manning
RB Holst
FB Alstott
WR TO
WR Moss
WR Harrington
LB Lewis
LB Urlacher
you see where I'm going here. We'd kill it would be the All-Pro team.

Ok, the "best" team in the country at American football (USC) barely beat an unranked (yet vastly superior) team (VT)...

It was a blown call by the officials that turned the game around.

I would love it as an Olympic sport. The real battle would be for 2nd and 3rd as we'd get the gold.

Imagine this team
QB Manning
RB Holst
FB Alstott
WR TO
WR Moss
WR Harrington
LB Lewis
LB Urlacher
you see where I'm going here. We'd kill it would be the All-Pro team.

Nah, get rid of TO, he causes to many problems. Tory Holt would be batter.

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!
U STUPID CHEESE MONGREL!!!!!
(no offence, but football or soccer is better than some sport where you just barge into each other)

Football sucks. Both kinds of football. American football is slightly more interesting but only cause of the cheerleaders.

Many of the world's most popular sports were invented in China. You're all only playing OUR games. :D
Football and the Chinese, I don't think sooooo. U guys are tooooo small...

Football and the Chinese, I don't think sooooo. U guys are tooooo small...
S-Korea did rather well. Of course they had a European to train them.

Nah, get rid of TO, he causes to many problems. Tory Holt would be batter.
Maybe but I am thinking Brady instead of Manning....

S-Korea did rather well. Of course they had a European to train them.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL, not soccer not rugby......Chinese too small for American Football.....

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!

ITS NOT SOCCER ITS FOOTBALL! U RIPPED OFF THE FUCKING NAME,

Football sucks. Both kinds of football. American football is slightly more interesting but only cause of the cheerleaders.


Yep, you forgot to mention the gay uniform of the players, must be the most ridiculous outfit in sport of the galaxy.

Football sucks. Both kinds of football. American football is slightly more interesting but only cause of the cheerleaders.


Yep, but you forgot to mention the gay uniform of the players, must be the most ridiculous outfit in sport of the galaxy.

Yep, you forgot to mention the gay uniform of the players, must be the most ridiculous outfit in sport of the galaxy.
Which players? The soccer players or those steroid zombies?

Yep, you forgot to mention the gay uniform of the players, must be the most ridiculous outfit in sport of the galaxy.

Not quite as gay as that sailor suit you wear for your bf. Why do you always bring up the gay issue? Are you feeling inadequate? I'd like to see you last 1 play in an American Football game, without crying for your mom.

BTW What do you mean by the most ridiculous outfit in sport of the galaxy? Is
this sort of like "All your base are belong to us?"

Which players? The soccer players or those steroid zombies?

The steroid zombies of course, allways amazed to see them withouth there harnas 60 cm smaller. I had a US climbing client once that started climbing at the end his carreer, very good sprinter but very weak climber and very weak morale, was allways afraid to die with the slightest danger or weatherchange.But he is doing allright no (he was climbing his 5th summer here now).

BTW,He told me something interesting: You know that they can use products that are forbiden in most other sports (doping)? That is way testicel cancer is very frequent under Am. footballplayers.(also, remember Lance A. and the rumours about doping and his cancer). He had many friends with this cancer.

Their choice...

I found the biggest Rugby player from a random team versus the biggest player from the Green Bay Packers(American Football).


Rugby:
John Logan 6-4 255

NFL:
Steve Morley 6-7 332

There you go, about 3 inches and 80 lbs. Looks like NFL players are a little bigger.

EDIT: The team was called "Salsbury", just search for "rugby roster" on google, its the 5th one down.

LOL You look for a rugby player and you use a player from Sailsbury (which isn't even a professional team) to head against a professional American football player.

For a start can I point out a few things:
- Americans tend to be 80-100lbs heavier and a few inches taller than most people anyway
- What has being a fat bugger who can barely run got to do with being good at any sport besides sumo wrestling, exactly?
- In professional rugby different positions have different builds, heights, etc, etc - it's not just "one size fits all" (eg. a prop is very different physically to a winger or full back)
- rugby has rules, like most things outside of America (if you ignore perhaps such legislature as "The Patriot Act" this statement is more agreeable, if you catch my drift)

I find it funny how so many of you septics can slag off rugby without even knowing what the game is, let alone one would go about doing something as unthinkable as trying to play it.

I'll give it to you that American football is quite an intriguing game but it's too homo-erotic for my liking; what with the tights and the random bundling on other men without real behavioural restriction.

We'll just have to truce on terms that both American football and rugby are better than baseball, basketball (America have got baskteball as an olympic sport and you don't even win that) and horse jumping.


Oh, and Chinese guy who said that most of the world's favourite games originated in China... like what exactly? A good game of cultural revolution?

First of all, I've been following football (that would be the American variety, not the foot faery kind Europeans seem so fond of) for a great deal of my life and don't recall any former football player being treated for that kind of cancer, ever. Second, perhaps the reason football players are so big is because of the fact that they're in the weight room at least 3 hours a day and not that they take steroids as you imply. Third, professional football players, even the small ones, are bigger than the average person in both weight and height. If your so-called "client" was a football player, he wasn't a professional one.

The steroid zombies of course, allways amazed to see them withouth there harnas 60 cm smaller. I had a US climbing client once that started climbing after at the end of his carreer, very good sprinter but very weak climber and very weak morale, was allways afraoid to die with the slightest danger or weatherchange.

BTW, You know that they can use products that are forbiden in most other sports? That is way testicel cancer is very frequent under Am. footballplayers.(also, remember Lance A. and the rumours about doping and his cancer).

Their choice...

Sorry Mrs Basil, but in the NFL all performance enhancing products are banned. If you test positive you will be suspended. Now MLB is a different story. I think you should provide proof that ballplayers have a higher occurance of nut cancer then the general population.

The USA would win Gold Medals by default. No team would dare to compete. Imagine Ray Lewis on the dream team. That's damn scary...

It can be a Olympic sport, just checked at the IOC when it can, in short:

For a "womensport", the sport should be practised (have a competition) in at least 50 countries and on 2 continents.

For a "mensport", the sport should be practised (have a competition) in at least 70 countries and on 3 continents.

Normally, but not obliged, the sport is a demonstrationsport on the games first and the next games it can be a Olympic discipline.

american football as an european sport is not very good, only americans are good at it. In baseball, basketball and (ice)hockey there are other good countries. and the US wins already the most medals :P

Huh?...Oh, you mean soccer. OK, I get it.

Football is a game for real men. Soccer is for pussies; about as exciting as watching someone run a marathon.

Flame on! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!

why is it even called football, you hardly use your feet in it(yeah to run:P, and sometimes to kick that ball over a bar), in what "we europeans" call football you use your foot :P

Oh, this is priceless. Are you now discussin which sport is better, football or football (soccer)? When you are through with it, could you please start a new one on which of the following art forms is the best: literature, music or maybe painting.

Not quite as gay as that sailor suit you wear for your bf. Why do you always bring up the gay issue? Are you feeling inadequate? I'd like to see you last 1 play in an American Football game, without crying for your mom.

BTW What do you mean by the most ridiculous outfit in sport of the galaxy? Is
this sort of like "All your base are belong to us?"

You've already been warned once for flaming, and threatened with a forum ban.
Seeing as you've obviously ignored that warning, it's time for more drastic measures.

[No need for the image twice]

24 HOUR FORUM BAN.


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Myrth
Ruler of the Cosmos
Forum Moderator

Well, well, well. What do we have here?

IP Address Search for User: "MoeHoward"

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Are you forgetting this?
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=6872495&postcount=195

Seems that way.

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PERMANENT FORUM BAN

I am feeling merciful, so I'll give you one more chance. Dodge this ban again, and you're out.


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Myrth
Ruler of the Cosmos
Forum Moderator

My thoughts on the subject:

Peyton Manning is easily the most talented quarterback in the NFL, period, bar none.

If I were coaching an Olympic football team, there's no way Randy Moss would make my roster. For all his athletic ability, he's incapable of playing in an offense where he's not the number one option.

Soccer is a great sport. When two good teams play (and neither of them is Germany), it's a beautiful thing to watch. Soccer players are not "sissies" or "wimps," they're athletes who get out on a field and run their backsides off for forty-five minutes, take a ten-minute break, and go back out for forty-five more minutes of said running. Yes, diving sucks. One thing people who criticize soccer don't usually take into account is that diving is cheating. You might as well criticize baseball because pitchers sometimes scuff the ball.

If you hadn't picked it up from my first two comments, I love American football. Truly a thinking man's game. That's not to say that all football players are thinking men, but there's more strategy involved in American football than any other sport I know of. American football also draws pretty much the best all-around athletes in America, especially at the running back, wide receiver, linebacker, defensive back, and defensive end positions. There are players in the NFL who weigh three times as much as me and can outrun me, and I'm not exactly a fat slob myself. They wear the padding because when someone like Jevon Kearse unloads on you, if you're not wearing padding, you're going to get injured. Period.

I've watched some rugby in my time, and the difference in speed is noticeable. Much of this is due to the fact that American football players get numerous breaks, and can go all-out on every single play, while rugby players must conserve their energy. The focus of American football is largely on pure speed and power over a short period of time. Rugby trades off a little of both in favor of endurance.

Ultimate Frisbee is the king of recreational sports.

Peyton Manning is easily the most talented quarterback in the NFL, period, bar none.Favre, Vick, McNair, Brady, Are better than manning

"soccer" is for pussies?-No padding is worn except shinpads.People get hurt real bad.vicious slide tackles,headbutts,elbows and kicks are commonplace.Watch any game,especiallly one between Glasgow Celtic (Catholic) and Glasgow Rangers (Protestant)-people get hospitalised!

American Football=rugby with padding & helmets
Baseball="Rounders" with padding & helmets

Just out of curiosity, how many annual deaths result from legal play on the field in association football? And how many rounders players have been killed by being hit with the ball?

American football sees several deaths a year as a direct result of legal play.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Fifteen football players died in the United States last year -- down from 23 in 2001 -- and none of the deaths was from heatstroke, according to an annual study.
Five died in 2002 after on-field head injuries, according to the study released Friday by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Three of those five were in high school, one was in youth football and one in a semipro league. (http://espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/0807/1592454.html)

Note that American football rules differer significantly from rugy football in that there is no blocking. You cannot protect the ball carrier. This is legal in American football, and results in the collisions mentioned above.

The number of deaths significantly decreased when a rule change in 1976 prohibiting using the head as the first point of contact. Before that rule change, the number of deaths was significantly higher.

Baseball equipment (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/official_rules/objectives_1.jsp) does not include padding. Yes, helmets are worn by batters for safety - getting hit in the head by a 100+mph (160+kph) fastball can be fatal. That's what killed Raymond Johnson Chapman, the only pro player to ever be killed in a game - and that was in 1920, when the fastballs were significantly slower. Also note that the pros take those same fastballs to the body with no protection.

American football sees several deaths a year as a direct result of legal play.

I find it curious that the main reason so many people seem to praise American football is because of its mortality rate. A sport that is downright dangerous doesn't seem a very good idea to me. I don't think anyone really sits there on the edge of their seat waiting for one of the players to get killed, so it doesn't really add to the spectacle.

Anyone who watches a particular sport because they think it makes them a real man is a complete idiot.

Why shouldn't Football be an olympic sport? Have you looked at the games they play lately?!?! Badmitton, Curling, Ping Pong, speed walking, those are all olympic sports, and many more that I can not name, spell, or ever heard of, but I will admit that ping pong is a fun sport to watch, I was watching an interview on TV, a guy hit the ball, made it hook through a door, hit on his side, then bounce over the net, and he was able to get back after the return to continue the game, he was over 80 feet away, and it is not like he lobbed the ball either, he put so much spin on it that it had a flat trajectory, it was the breaking ball of Ping Pong, right at the end it just dropped.

Can we at least agree that football(AM) would be a funner sport to watch than many that are in the olympics, I don't like soccer but I watch it occasionally on TV, like 4 years ago when America did real well in the World Cup, I watched it, and I watched the women in the Olympics.

I find it curious that the main reason so many people seem to praise American football is because of its mortality rate. A sport that is downright dangerous doesn't seem a very good idea to me. I don't think anyone really sits there on the edge of their seat waiting for one of the players to get killed, so it doesn't really add to the spectacle.

Anyone who watches a particular sport because they think it makes them a real man is a complete idiot.

That is true, and please ignore the statement about many people dying every year, those are all during summer training camp, when it is upwards of 90 degrees farenheit outside and they are running, a lot, in full equipment, not because of hits in a game or even during practice, for that matter they are mostly high school players to, people working their asses off not for money, but so they can get a full ride to college. Since millions play H.S. ball, tens of thousands play College, and tousands play Pro football, they know that they have little chance of playing pro ball but they have a chance to get a full ride to college.

Favre, Vick, McNair, Brady, Are better than manning

Favre - Better over the course of his career, but not on the top of his game anymore. Throws bad picks frequently due to overconfidence. At this point in time, Manning is better.

Vick - More athletic, very good runner, but doesn't run an offense as well as Manning does.

McNair - Big selling point here is toughness. Manning's smart enough with the ball that he doesn't get hit much. He's also more consistent than McNair.

Brady - Benefits from playing on the most cohesive team with arguably the best defense in the NFL. A smart passer, but doesn't have Manning's arm and won't win games for the Pats on his own.

In my opinion, the one quarterback who comes close to Manning in terms of talent is Daunte Culpepper, but my main complaint about him is similar to my complaint about Moss: He hasn't shown he can play in a truly organized NFL offense.

Can we at least agree that football(AM) would be a funner sport to watch than many that are in the olympics, I don't like soccer but I watch it occasionally on TV, like 4 years ago when America did real well in the World Cup, I watched it, and I watched the women in the Olympics.

I'm not sure it would be more fun to watch. In the UK, it occasionally appears on TV (usually around 5am, along with baseball and hockey), and to be honest, it looks pretty dull. American Football is one of those things like sumo-wrestling, that is largely a cultural interest, and isn't likely to inspire much interest outside its country of origin. Sure, some people will do it, but it'll be a tiny minority.

I think most team sports, particularly those that have teams larger than four or five individuals, should be removed from the Olympics. The Olympics should be about personal achievement, so sports where competing nations will bring a squad of 20 players, to pick 10-15 per match, should be right out. If those players are already professionals earning $50,000+ per week, then what are they going there to prove anyway?

but doesn't run an offense as well as Manning does.OC run offenses....QBs are there to execute...

The Colt migh get a shot at a SuprBowl...only when they trade Manning...As long as Manning is there...they will not make it...

so sports where competing nations will bring a squad of 20 players, to pick 10-15 per match, should be right out. If those players are already professionals earning $50,000+ per week, then what are they going there to prove anyway?

Gee, like what happened with our Basketball team?

OC run offenses....QBs are there to execute...

The Colt migh get a shot at a SuprBowl...only when they trade Manning...As long as Manning is there...they will not make it...

I could just as easily say that a QB runs an offense, and an OC just calls plays, but at that point it's just a matter of semantics. The point is, Manning's knowledge of the game allows the Colts to use the no-huddle offense throughout the game, allows him to change plays at the line and keep opponents off balance, and give him an understanding of the offensive scheme that helps him to get the ball downfield quickly and keep it moving.

The Colts' biggest problem is not Manning. Their biggest problem is that they play half their games in a dome, and consequently their offense doesn't travel well. This is especially evident in outdoor games late in the regular season and during the playoffs. If they got a schedule that let them play nothing but southern fields and home games in the late season, they'd have a very strong chance of getting homefield advantage and winning the Super Bowl.

I find it curious that the main reason so many people seem to praise American football is because of its mortality rate. A sport that is downright dangerous doesn't seem a very good idea to me. I don't think anyone really sits there on the edge of their seat waiting for one of the players to get killed, so it doesn't really add to the spectacle.

Anyone who watches a particular sport because they think it makes them a real man is a complete idiot.

I always find this funny. The rugby and association football fans malign American football players as wimps because of the padding. Then when the reason for the padding is pointed out - prevention of serious injury and death - they get all horrified, forgetting they were the ones brought the subject up by bragging about how dangerous association football is....

They will never have Football as an Olympic sport simply becasue no one from America could play. Just think, when are the Olympics? They are smack dab in the middle of Training camp, and the PreSeason. Plus teams are trying to get the Pre Season shortened, so why would they want to have to play even more games in the Olympics? Wow if some people just stopped and thought for a second.

Anywho, yes Rugby is rough, I actually tried to get a rubgy club together in High School (no teams in the area had teams). But I also played football. Ive also played tackle football without pads, and I think that it doesn't hurt as much without pads.

I will go through what pads most high school players wear and tell what they are composed of.

Helmet: Hard plastic outside. Facemask, air or foam cushions inside the helmet. Dont really take too much of the hurt out of falls.

Shoulder Pads. Basically, plastic plates, with about half an inch to an inch of padding. Covers top of shoulders, and most of chest. Still hurts like hell when you are hit, or fall on your shoulder. I have sprained and dislocated my shoulder several times.

Girdle Pads: Hip pads, not even an inch of padding. Barely covers the hip. Thigh Pads, thick wire frame encased in styrofoam like material. Tailbone Pad, 3/4 inch peice of coushion that does absolutley nothing to protect your butt bone. If you have ever bruised it you know how much it hurts.

Knee Pads: half an inch of padding, almost never stays over your knees.

None of the above equipment takes the hurt out of being hit. All they do is take just enough force so that you dont get a concussion or break a rib. Atleast most of the time.

CS the biggest reason the Colts havent went the distance is becasue their defense is young and really inexperienced. But Dungy is doing a good job of turning this around with the help of one of the hardest hitting Strong Safeties in the US, Mike Doss. And I am a huge Ohio St fan.

Also, if I remember right, the OC gives Manning a run and a pass play and Manning reads the defense and calls it at the line.

I cant say a whole lot about how the Colts play though. Im a Browns fan. :(

Football is a Sport for everyone. Got positions for the Big kids and the Short kids. And football is not just dumb big men running into eachother. Ive played Football, Basketball, Baseball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Rugby, and Wrestling in my life, and football by far requires the most smarts. A player must memorize over 25 plays where he does a different thing on every one, but still be able to adjust to a new play in seconds. Football is also a sport that in my opinion requires the most time and skills to be good at. Year round lifting and running 4 times a week 2-3 hours a day, and for a month practice Mon-Fri for 8 hours a day. And in that month can only have about half the amount of required plays down to where we can run them in a game effectively.

Theres a reason teams only play 1 game a week, because it takes 3-4 days to fully recover from the abuse recieved during the game.I dont know how many of you have seen hits that occur in football, but if they didnt wear pads they wouldnt survive 5 minutes.

The USA would win Gold Medals by default. No team would dare to compete. Imagine Ray Lewis on the dream team. That's damn scary...


Err, then in 12 years, Guatamala or Burkino Faso would be kicking our ass, and we take Bronze.

And remember when the Olympics was the Olympics?

Professional athletes have all my respect, but why did they change the rules?

Football is a Sport for everyone. Got positions for the Big kids and the Short kids. And football is not just dumb big men running into eachother. Ive played Football, Basketball, Baseball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Rugby, and Wrestling in my life, and football by far requires the most smarts. A player must memorize over 25 plays where he does a different thing on every one, but still be able to adjust to a new play in seconds. Football is also a sport that in my opinion requires the most time and skills to be good at. Year round lifting and running 4 times a week 2-3 hours a day, and for a month practice Mon-Fri for 8 hours a day. And in that month can only have about half the amount of required plays down to where we can run them in a game effectively.

Theres a reason teams only play 1 game a week, because it takes 3-4 days to fully recover from the abuse recieved during the game.I dont know how many of you have seen hits that occur in football, but if they didnt wear pads they wouldnt survive 5 minutes.

Most likly you didn't play rugby at a decent leval. all players in Rugby, esspecally Scrum halfs and Fly halfs have to rember a hell of a lot of moves. You get a lot of ploys, it also needs communication as well. You can't just walk onto the pitch and do what you want, if you do your team will be smashed.
Also most rugby players wil ahve to do a different thing in each move, to be good at Rugby you ned to train at least 3 times as week just for skills and to do a lot of fitness training at home as well.

I Do 3 hours of training on Sundays and Tursdays and a few smaller bits most days as well as a lot of running at home to keep in shape.

I always find this funny. The rugby and association football fans malign American football players as wimps because of the padding. Then when the reason for the padding is pointed out - prevention of serious injury and death - they get all horrified, forgetting they were the ones brought the subject up by bragging about how dangerous association football is....

Most professional rugby players don't go a season without being injured a minimum of 2 or 3 times, and often their long-spanning careers bring them serious injuries too, all of which often require surgery.

Over here we don't really like killing people quite as much as you do across the pond. And as funny as it is, it doesn't take much skill at all in running at someone as fast as you can and heatbutting, them knocking them flat out cold; think about that before you start to preach about how great and violent Am. Football is next time.

In complete agreement with the 2 posts above .

Most professional rugby players don't go a season without being injured a minimum of 2 or 3 times, and often their long-spanning careers bring them serious injuries too, all of which often require surgery.

In other words: Football and rugby players receive about the same amount of injuries, with possibly fewer minor injuries in football.

Over here we don't really like killing people quite as much as you do across the pond.

Riiiiiight... come to think of it, I'm going to go kill someone right now, just for the fun of it. Back in a few.

And as funny as it is, it doesn't take much skill at all in running at someone as fast as you can and heatbutting, them knocking them flat out cold;

Maybe not. But it's not like it takes that much more skill to make a tackle in rugby. And actually getting past your blockers in order to get a good hit on someone takes a good deal of athleticism. Also, headbutting is illegal.

think about that before you start to preach about how great and violent Am. Football is next time.

You missed his point. Rugby fans brought up the violence of their sport first when they claimed that their sport is for real men, and American football is for sissies in pads. Now they're arguing that American football is an excessively violent sport that expresses our excessively violent culture. Which is it?

Most professional rugby players don't go a season without being injured a minimum of 2 or 3 times, and often their long-spanning careers bring them serious injuries too, all of which often require surgery.

Over here we don't really like killing people quite as much as you do across the pond. And as funny as it is, it doesn't take much skill at all in running at someone as fast as you can and heatbutting, them knocking them flat out cold; think about that before you start to preach about how great and violent Am. Football is next time.

Again, it was the rugby and association football fans who claimed that America football players were wimps because they wear padding, claiming that their sports were more manly due to a higher degree of violence. Note that the poster I was reponding to originally bragged about illegal violent play in association football.
Second of all, as I stated in my post above, since 1976 the rules for American football specifically forbid the head as the first point of contact. This rule change, as well as technological advances in protective gear, has served to decrease the level of serious injury in American football. If, as you would have us believe, Am. football is a "bloodsport", rules and equipment for protecting the safetly of players would not have been enacted.
Finally, no where have I preached anything. I have merely pointed out the contradiction of rugby and even association football fans who claim that their sport is superior due to a misinformed sense of the macho while bragging about levels of violence, and that these same fans then react in horror when
I point out that American football is demonstrably more dangerous. The fact that the very point that starts this whole charade - padding - is designed to decrease the level of serious and fatalities. As Copiosa Scotia pointed out, you can't have it both ways - either:

1) Rugby and association football are bloodthirsty manly sports wherein a player has a good chance of getting injured because he is too macho to wear protective gear, while American football players are sissies who need to wear protective gear. (That's the common Brit and Aussie argument.)
2) American footballers are bloodthirsty brutes who's only goal is to kill and maim, while association and rugby footballers are real sports men who do no un-necessary harm. (That's the common Brit and Aussie follow uop .)
3) American footballers are real men who aren't afraid of serious physical contact, while association and rugby footballers are the sissies. (That's the common American argument.)
OR
4) All three sports are physically strenuous, and therefore have rules governing protective measures for players. These rules may be more or less effective depending on the degree of physical contact allowed within the game and the enforcement of the rules. The rules American football seem to allow the greatest physical contact while those of association football the least. The enforcement of the rules against physical contact seems to be most lax in certain specific association football leagues, in which serious social and ethnic grudges exist. None are any more or less "manly" (however yo wish to . (This being the most correct option, as I see it.)

I always find this funny. The rugby and association football fans malign American football players as wimps because of the padding. Then when the reason for the padding is pointed out - prevention of serious injury and death - they get all horrified, forgetting they were the ones brought the subject up by bragging about how dangerous association football is....

I find it amusing when, as often happens, people who are arguing allocate everyone who doesn't agree with them into the same category, in this case 'Rugby and Association football fans who are maligning blah blah blah'.

I despise soccer, rugby, and American Football. I just find American football to be even more monotonously dull.

I find it amusing when, as often happens, people who are arguing allocate everyone who doesn't agree with them into the same category, in this case 'Rugby and Association football fans who are maligning blah blah blah'.

Go back and read through the attacks by both groups of fans on each other.

As both I and another poster pointed out, this was originally attempting to counter the rugby and association footballers attacks on Americas on self-contradictory grounds - "we're manlier because you're sissies and have to wear pads", followed by the argument "you're brutes because you have to wear pads".

As indicated by my above post, I accept that all three are violent, injury prone sports.

I despise soccer, rugby, and American Football. I just find American football to be even more monotonously dull.

Good for you. And how does this contribute to the discussion?

And for the record, I also prefer other sports. It doesn't make either of us morally superior, as you post insinuates...

I would much rather watch ice hockey, baseball or various combative sports (especially Sumo, kendo, boxing, or Muy Thai). Make of that what you will...

American football pretty much sucks. I find it so boring, but that's probably because I have no clue what's going on.

People saying "soccer" is for pussies are just being a bit stupid. What about people that don't play any sport, or track and field people. Just because people take part in non-contact sports don't make them "pussies".

American football isn't an Olympic sport because most of the World don't give a shit about it, mmind you handball's an Olympic sport and I have never met anyone who has ever played that.

Uhhhh... Football is an Olympic sport. Iraq's team just lost their chance at a medal.

:) That was my thought when I read the title of this thread as well. I'm always amazed why people forget that "Soccer" is called "Football" (and appropriately so) in most of the nations of the world.

Olympic football(not soccer) would be incredibly violent and America would always win.

Why would America always win? Baseball and Boxing are America's main sports, yet you only got one gold medal out of several categorys for boxing, and didnt get any medal in the baseball!

Die American pig-Nazis die (the normal americans are free to live in happiness and wealth)

blah blah blah ... Good for you. And how does this contribute to the discussion? ... blah blah

Firstly, this kind of condescending tone doesn't add any weight to your post, unless inspiring instant contempt is your intended purpose, so in future, I wouldn't bother if I were you.

I was responding to your post, which quoted me for some reason, and seemed to be including me in the 'rugby fans calling American football players wimps' category. The purpose of that post was to protest against that. In fact, I am not entering into the American football vs Rugby argument at all, and have so far only been stating reasons why American football should not be an olympic sport (i.e. nobody likes it).

Actually, the USA basketball team thought they won gold by default an look what happened to them.

....allows him to change plays at the line and keep opponents off balance....He does jump around like a Horny Chiken...he is so funny to wacht :D

...American football isn't an Olympic sport because most of the World don't give a shit about it, mmind you handball's an Olympic sport and I have never met anyone who has ever played that.Yeah...never met anyone who gives a shit about Handball...

Yeah...never met anyone who gives a shit about Handball...
*Waves* I have, my PE teacher does.

Man, I wish mini-putt, kaber-tossing and log-rolling were olympic events, but what're you gonna do?

Well, if they have handball, American football could be an Olympic sport as well. I just would make it strictly amateur, and with rules that would make it faster, for example, 3 downs like in Canada.

As for the violence, AF is not more violent than football, rugby or hockey.

Anybody who says soccer is for pussies has never played it. You run up and down the field for 90 minutes and tell me if that's for pussies.

And anyways, it's not as if there's no contact in soccer - people get knocked down and tripped and pushed all the times in soccer games. It's just that, in soccer, tackling isn't the purpose.

I like both, honestly (I play soccer, but I enjoy watching (American) football, too). Both have their tough and easy points. I think, however, that soccer is far more technical. In football, as long as you can throw and run, you've got almost all of the game covered (unless you're a lineman, in which case you need neither - only the ability to be big and knock other people down). Soccer, with being able to dribble, cross, shoot, pass and perform other moves, is far more technical and requires more advanced, technical training to be good at.

"American" football would never become an olympic sport because it is truly a sport for weenies. "American" football players would only be considered real sportsmen and athletes if they removed all that heavy padding and played a REAL sport like rugby.

That is why rugby, soccer and other men's contact sports have "world Cups" while football only has "bowls". Even the US does not have an "American" football team.

peace through the superiority of firepower,
Tom

Anybody who says soccer is for pussies has never played it. You run up and down the field for 90 minutes and tell me if that's for pussies.

And anyways, it's not as if there's no contact in soccer - people get knocked down and tripped and pushed all the times in soccer games. It's just that, in soccer, tackling isn't the purpose.

I like both, honestly (I play soccer, but I enjoy watching (American) football, too). Both have their tough and easy points. I think, however, that soccer is far more technical. In football, as long as you can throw and run, you've got almost all of the game covered (unless you're a lineman, in which case you need neither - only the ability to be big and knock other people down). Soccer, with being able to dribble, cross, shoot, pass and perform other moves, is far more technical and requires more advanced, technical training to be good at.


You obviously haven't played American football. I played on the Defensive line for 4 years on the Pop Warner level. It is not just being big and hitting. There are real skills like the swin and spin moves. You have to make a quick read on a play because if you are just following the ball you will get faked out of your pants on a reverse, Option, or PA pass.

LBs have a tougher skill as they lead the defense. They have to read WRs. QBs, and the RBs. I played LB and you have to be a quick thinker to be in that position. Brian Urlacher is not just good because he is big and fast as there are LBs bigger and faster than him, but not as good. Brian Urlacher is good at reading plays. I challenge anyone to try and read a complicated PA pass, option, and other plays and succeed. Football is a physical game, but also one of brains.

The Offensive LIne has to read a defence and be smart.

QBs have to read a defense (the hardest thing to do in football. If you misread a man coverage for a zone coverage you will get a shit load of pics.) It is the same in other offensive positions.

Football is not a pussy sport as some people here suggested. Many players die on the football field. The most memorable was a Detroit LIons RB killed when DIck Butkus hit him (it was a legal hit). Many players get paralyzed also.

Even at the Pop Warner level you have injuries. In one 8 game season an ambulance came to our field for serious injuries 5 time. There were more injuries that didn't show up until later and weren't noticed where ambulances weren't called. These include broken legs, arms, wrists, fingers, and even a ruptured liver (one of my teammates, our best Flanker and CB took a cleat to the chest.)

I have friends on the soccer team and all their injuries are hamstrings being pulled, something football players get quite a lot of (just ask me the whole Chicago Bears have that problem right now.)

"American" football would never become an olympic sport because it is truly a sport for weenies. "American" football players would only be considered real sportsmen and athletes if they removed all that heavy padding and played a REAL sport like rugby.

You know, no matter how many times this gets repeated, it's still going to be wrong. American football players wear pads because they would literally die if they didn't. Football involves a completely different type of hitting than rugby.

Rugby is fun to play, but it is one of those things where you have to be a fucking psycho to enjoy playing, especially on a higher level, one of my friends played Rugby last year, he looked like he had gotten beat in a bar fight, burst blood vesels in the eye, black eyes, bruises and stitches all over, basically it is something that is so fun for the 2-3 hours that you played the game that it was worth the pain you put up with for the rest of the week.

The NFL Europe seems to be pretty successful, I remember watching that, a Berlin Thunder vs. Rhein Fire game had an attendance of 50,000, that is good even for an NFL game. I think it was 50,000 anyways, you guys need to know something about me, I am never 100% sure about football, I can be 99% sure, but never 100%, since we have so many different levels in the US that is a lot of info, High School, NAIA, NCAA-1AA, NCAA-1A, NCAA-2, NCAA-3, NFL, NIFL, AFL, AFL2, lots of leagues, all with different rules, different teams, and different players, it can be quite overwhelimg, but I am sure it is similar in the UK, except it would be Football instead of American Football teams to remember, and fewer of them.

June-July would be perfect timing from an American Perspective for the Olympics, nothing is happening sports wise, sure we have Baseball but that is almost as boring to watch as soccer. (just my opinion) Personally, I like the Winter Olympics more, not as much distance stuff, more speed and tricks involved, like snowboarding, and they can not have 26 Mile snowboarding races becuase their are no mountains big enough for that.

[QUOTE=West Pacific]Rugby is fun to play, but it is one of those things where you have to be a fucking psycho to enjoy playing, especially on a higher level, one of my friends played Rugby last year, he looked like he had gotten beat in a bar fight, burst blood vesels in the eye, black eyes, bruises and stitches all over, basically it is something that is so fun for the 2-3 hours that you played the game that it was worth the pain you put up with for the rest of the week.
QUOTE]
Yep, in a lads vs dads match my choach could laugh for 3 weeks after being dumped. Very painful and very good fun.

i would not doubt the intelligence of players of either sport i dislike the machoism were as rugby is more charisma a 250+(113kg+ish) guy running 40 yards(36.5mtish) in 5 secs isnt as impressive as 100-120 guy running 40 meters(43.6 yrdsish)in 5 secs over 2 40 minute halves plus the scrum,rucks,mauls and tackling.
There is a big difference in profesionial rugby and amateur rugby as well as international and domestic and even northern vs sourthern hemisphere games(equitorial division)

To all you americans and others if you actually watched a game you could understand that it is physical and the two games obviously have different qualities pigskin going for big guys so you need bigger guys to combat.

if you reduced the size of your players then it could potentially allow for less injuries this where as rugby has smaller more mobile forwards and potentially more aglie backs(yes ive seen receptions)plus in rugby shoulders are verboten you have to use your arms in the tackle and no stiff arms(not that im implying you do)but if i guy comes at you with a shoulder of course you are going to get hurt.
i think grid iron is great but i cant understandhow people could watch 3 hours+ of something(apart from Cricket) which of course is where you got baseball from you should give up on that too maybe play 20-20 3 hour game of cricket you guys played the first international maybe you could watch the US of A play the N Z team in the champions trophy thursday-friday sometime(timezones)

cant let it die completly last thing thou cameron smith can run 1.3km in under 4 minutes endurance is important an d running long distances makes your short sprints faster

cant let it die completly last thing thou cameron smith can run 1.3km in under 4 minutes endurance is important an d running long distances makes your short sprints faster

Wind sprints make you run faster in short distance, running long distance will only allow you to run faster in the 4th quarter than you could if you did not run long distances.

To those who say Soccer isn't a violent sport I ask you this: Have you ever heard of soccer hooligans? Or about the South American goalkeeper who was stoned to death and dragged through the streets after failing to block a penalty kick? (I can not remember exactly which country the guy played for, I think it was Brazil though.)

Wind sprints make you run faster in short distance, running long distance will only allow you to run faster in the 4th quarter than you could if you did not run long distances.

To those who say Soccer isn't a violent sport I ask you this: Have you ever heard of soccer hooligans? Or about the South American goalkeeper who was stoned to death and dragged through the streets after failing to block a penalty kick? (I can not remember exactly which country the guy played for, I think it was Brazil though.)
I've heard about Football Hooligans, (Please use the proper term for football) I've had several encounters with them, but please lets not argue about it, cloughy has just died.

Wind sprints make you run faster in short distance, running long distance will only allow you to run faster in the 4th quarter than you could if you did not run long distances.

To those who say Soccer isn't a violent sport I ask you this: Have you ever heard of soccer hooligans? Or about the South American goalkeeper who was stoned to death and dragged through the streets after failing to block a penalty kick? (I can not remember exactly which country the guy played for, I think it was Brazil though.)
that doesn't necessarily mean it is a violent game - it means the fans are violent, at least in parts of africa/south america (i'm sure in a couple other places too). there should be FAR more security at those games in some places, players on a team should not have to fear for their life if they make a single bad play. words cannot describe how sickening that is.
that, however, doesn't mean ALL soccer (footy) fans are violent, murdering rioters. i was in germany this summer and i had the pleasure of going to an under-21 game between germany and switzerland that was played in mianz. the fans were very energetic, but there was no hint whatsoever of violence. (and it was a very large crowd)

for the record, having played it for 4 years in high school, and having gone through quite a bit in those 4 years, i would pick American football any day over soccer.

also, as another side note, it seems that anytime someone makes the comment "American football is so DULL," it is only because they don't understand the rules. that's just been my experience. please don't complain about it being boring if you don't understand what's going on. by all means, try to learn about the game, and then once you understand it, if you still think it's boring, that's fine.

that doesn't necessarily mean it is a violent game - it means the fans are violent, at least in parts of africa/south america (i'm sure in a couple other places too). there should be FAR more security at those games in some places, players on a team should not have to fear for their life if they make a single bad play. words cannot describe how sickening that is.
that, however, doesn't mean ALL soccer (footy) fans are violent, murdering rioters. i was in germany this summer and i had the pleasure of going to an under-21 game between germany and switzerland that was played in mianz. the fans were very energetic, but there was no hint whatsoever of violence. (and it was a very large crowd)

for the record, having played it for 4 years in high school, and having gone through quite a bit in those 4 years, i would pick American football any day over soccer.

also, as another side note, it seems that anytime someone makes the comment "American football is so DULL," it is only because they don't understand the rules. that's just been my experience. please don't complain about it being boring if you don't understand what's going on. by all means, try to learn about the game, and then once you understand it, if you still think it's boring, that's fine.
I know the rules, and I still find it boring. As for Soccar Holligans, I balive only around 1% of football fans are hooligans, however those 1% make us all look bad.