American football nuttiness

Discussion in 'The Lounge Bar' started by Dave55, Dec 2, 2013.

  1. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Adding to what Jeff said. There will be several of these nuts at every game:

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  2. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I've played both. I thought rugby was far rougher and required more stamina. The absence of protective gear changes it completely. If you try and tackle using football techniques you'll only do it once!
     
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  3. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Hi Jeff.

    I thought that it was just "Football" on the 'Merican side of the pond.

    Does anyone ever refer to it as "Gridiron Foootball"?

    Best wishes,
    Dave.
     
  4. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Dave 55.
    I've always rather liked that visual pun.
     
  5. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    On occasion, mostly when sports writers are trying to write eloquently.

    The field is often called the gridiron, though. In the early days of the sport, it had lines lengthwise as well as across the field as currently.

    I read an article in a science magazine years ago that contrasted the forces involved in player contact between the two sports. The testing involved placing accelerometers on players and recording the impacts. The main thing I remember from the conclusions was that the helmet and other pads allowed the football players to hit with far more force than the rugby players, but dissipating the impact over a larger area and involving less pain. The downside was that the internal organs, specifically the brain, endured far greater adverse affects because of the sudden deceleration and joints and bones were often stressed beyond design limits and could be injured with a greater likelihood. Of course, with the helmet, you are less likely to get your ear torn off or you nose shifted over to your cheekbone, so I guess it is a good trade-off.

    There is a great deal of turmoil over here now dealing the helmet to helmet contact, deliberate or accidental, by players. Personally, I think were we to take away helmet and pads from the players, the need for the draconian and inequitably dispensed penalties for the said offense would be obviated. Overall, I would suggest that catastrophic injuries would decrease. Of course the loss of pads would do little to lessen the injuries to knee ligaments, as the pads currently worn do nothing to protect the knee from the conditions that would damage them.

    Speaking of draconian and inequitably dispensed penalties, have you ever watched soccer (futball) referees in action? Capricious lords of the pitch.
     
  6. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    I have indeed seen many soccer referees. None of them seem to know who their father is, or where they have left there spectacles!!!!
     
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  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Oh they get so much abuse and its even worse in the semi pro world where they only get paid about £60 for a game to be abused
     
  8. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Substitute refs during the 2012 strike by NFL officials

     
  9. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Don't know about that! So far as I know there are two types. Football and Canadian football. We have slightly different rules and a small separate league.
     
  10. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    The CFL confused the heck out of me the first few weeks I saw it, as I couldn't work out why teams kept punting on third down. Bigger pitch, an extra man, but only three downs instead of four to move the ball 10 yards. Quite a culture shock after 20 some years of the NFL.

    Gary
     
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  11. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Confused I am
     
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  12. wooley12

    wooley12 Active Member

    The new Alliance of American Football league played it's first game tonight. History was made. Kind of interesting to watch a game with no superstars. No stats to judge from. 8 teams in medium sized cities. Medium sized players. $20 tickets.
     
  13. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Same rules as the NFL?
     
  14. wooley12

    wooley12 Active Member

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  15. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    I am surprised that the rules of Association Football survived the travel across the Atlantic without rule changes
     
  16. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Why are there fewer pass rushers? How does that work?
     
  17. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The best thing about the Superbowl is when the jets appear on the last note of the national anthem but I have enjoyed being clueless about it all since the mid-1980's. I think you have to play the game to understand how it works but I don't suppose there is "walking American Football ( sticks and zimmer frames allowed )" so I shall remain clueless.
    In the meantime the FA ( Football Association ) currently have this Alice in Wonderland rule about the FA Cup ( below ) which boils down to the old saying of " It's one rule for one, and one rule for another." Either you have numerous video cameras and operators at your ground, or you don't. Where it has been used it completely ruins the flow of the game, but it's all about money these days.

    RULES OF THE FA CHALLENGE CUP COMPETITION (“the Competition”)

    13. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

    ............

    (j) Video Assisted Referees
    “VARs” means Video Assisted Referees as defined under the protocol of the International
    Football Association Board (“IFAB”).
    The Association reserves the right to select any match in the Competition Proper, at its absolute discretion, in which VARs will be used. This means that the Referee in such matches can make decisions based on information provided by the VARs in accordance with the relevant protocol of the IFAB.
    Guidance regarding the use of VARs will be provided by The Association to the relevant Clubs at the appropriate time.
     
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  18. wooley12

    wooley12 Active Member

    I was a pass receiver in high school and my guess is that fewer rushers would mean more successful pass plays. Pass plays are safer overall than running plays. Fewer players smashing into each other. Pass plays are generally more exciting.
     
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  19. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    I'd seen some mention of the AAF, but didn't have a clue what it referred to. It's not been picked up in the UK so I'll have to see what I can find on the net. I suspect the pass rusher limits might also be a way of keeping QBs alive longer. I noticed this season in the NFL the emphasis on reducing the hits on QBs was supposed to take defenc(s)e out of the game, yet we had the most defensive minded Conference and Championship games I can recall for a long while.

    Gary
     
  20. wooley12

    wooley12 Active Member

    Not many ECB Premier League games are shown on this side of the pond either :). I think you are right about the QB protection. So far it looks to me to be a testing ground for the NFL. Plus, so many Billionaires, so few fun investments. The future is outside of the stadium. Most young dedicated sports fans that I know watch the NFL on their phone with an app to see the games and how their bets are doing. Sports betting is becoming legal in more states in the US as the states look for money. I have a buddy working in on sports betting. He's pretty excited.
     

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