American Sports

[Liam]

Exactly, there is no comparison between American Footballers and Rugby players, because Rugby players for the most part are on the pitch for 80 minutes, have to do a multitude of jobs and for the most part are getting towards the same size as some American footballers are.

Only the recievers, the quarterback and the running backs really get targetted in NFL for big hits, and in 60 minutes a lot of them won't be on the pitch for even half that time.

And I still love Dragsys "more happens in a quarter of NFL than in a football match" comment.

Yeah, I love watching a series of small runs for short yardage and then maybe, just maybe a decent pass in there, that's if the chance isn't thrown away.

I know there are games different to that, but there are games different to the boring games of football you single out.

[MDK]

What about the football players who aren't getting involved on the match and can afford to walk up and down the pitch doing little?

We sold Chris Tate years ago >_>

[Liam]

To add to it, I'd probably argue for NRL, Aussie Rules, Hurling and Shinty players relative to NFL players, but thats just me.

[MDK]

And tiddlywinks.

[fineintent]

Footballers are largely always moving, jogging and watching the game. They very rarely stand still unless they're a keeper or exceptionally lazy. Stats show they run for miles every game.

[Cactus Drags]

Anyone who brings up the "rugby with pads" argument is fucking retarded and automatically disqualified from further discussion, because you clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Scrums and scrimmages are entirely different, Rugby is nowhere near as fast as American Football, thus there's less impact in the collisions (on average), and that's why they where the pads. And Rugby players ahve started wearing those beehive honeycomb hat things and flak jackets, so the padding thing is bollocks anyway. And why are their shorts and shrits getting smaller and tighter?

Only the recievers, the quarterback and the running backs really get targetted in NFL for big hits, and in 60 minutes a lot of them won't be on the pitch for even half that time.

And I still love Dragsys "more happens in a quarter of NFL than in a football match" comment.

Yeah, I love watching a series of small runs for short yardage and then maybe, just maybe a decent pass in there, that's if the chance isn't thrown away.

I know there are games different to that, but there are games different to the boring games of football you single out.

[Liam]

Anyone who brings up the "rugby with pads" argument is fucking retarded and automatically disqualified from further discussion, because you clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Scrums and scrimmages are entirely different, Rugby is nowhere near as fast as American Football, thus there's less impact in the collisions (on average), and that's why they where the pads. And Rugby players ahve started wearing those beehive honeycomb hat things and flak jackets, so the padding thing is bollocks anyway. And why are their shorts and shrits getting smaller and tighter?

Only the recievers, the quarterback and the running backs really get targetted in NFL for big hits, and in 60 minutes a lot of them won't be on the pitch for even half that time.

And I still love Dragsys "more happens in a quarter of NFL than in a football match" comment.

Yeah, I love watching a series of small runs for short yardage and then maybe, just maybe a decent pass in there, that's if the chance isn't thrown away.

I know there are games different to that, but there are games different to the boring games of football you single out.

You don't think two 300 pound linemen clashing every play is a big hit? EVERYONE gets hit hard, every game. Sure, some of it isn't wild collisions like an open-field hit, but it's still tough.

Fuck all happens in football. Honestly. And I enjoy watching football (international more so than league). Diving has completely ruined the itnegrity of the sport though, it's laughable now. What's ridiculous is the constant time wasting - taking the ball into the corner flag, taking ages to set up kicks and whatnot - there's no sort of pride in your own ability to beat the other team. AF, the closest thing is taking a knee, but that's usually when the scoreline is unsurmountable, it's more of a sign of respect than anything, like "yeah, we beat you, we aren't going to humiliate you further."

I guess it's personal preference, but there's far greater strategy and that involved in AF, which is why I prefer it. In football, if you're inferior, you just get eleven men behind the ball, stop any attack and hoof the ball as far as you can. If you're superior you pelt the net till it goes in.

And don't use the generalisation counter-argument. We're all going to be generalising, because it'd take too long to describe every fucking game we've ever seen.

By the way, have any Rugby/Football players ever broken a leg in-game, had it taped up - no painkillers, and played on and had a storming game? Jack youngblood did for the Rams in a Superbowl. I know there was that 'kepeer who broke his neck.

To be honest, we aren't all going to be generalising, as I don't care much for it since I enjoy both games. I was just breaking down it to its basest like you did. I know games of all three sports can be boring, but what sports can't be?

I also agree with what Mudda stated before which is if you think there is little strategy in football, then I really don't know what game you are watching to be frank. As much as NFL, maybe not, but there is enough.

Colliding into each other and blocking at the line of scrimmage aren't big hits by any means in my eyes, especially since the rules basically knee-cap people from doing anything other than really making a block. The only open play hits occur on the ball handlers generally, and they just are nowhere near as regular as anything that happens in rugby. I'm not saying NFL players aren't tough, but even without ther pads argument, there is absolutely no comparison between what NFL and Rugby players go through in a game. And as for the padding that some rugby players use now, a lot of it is minimal and only for small things (the skull-cap just stops your ears getting a battering/troden on/ripped off), and it also isn't standard issue (and more don't wear them than do).

And there have been players who have played on with broken necks, broken legs and various other ailments, it just naturally depends on how bad the break is. The Man U kepper who broke his neck helped them win the FA Cup, IIRC, so yeah, it does happen. Plus, Rugby players generally have to play with injuries for the most part, either ones picked up on the pitch if they aren't too severe, or they have to start at less than 100%.

Oh, and as for speed of the games, NFL is faster, but then again it all depends on what teams you are talking about, as I'm sure that teams like the Australian and New Zealand international team have their fair share of players that are as big and move as fast as a lot of the faster NFL players.

Edited August 4, 2006 by liamwannabe

[Toe]

Your argument is moot. Hockey is the better sport, there is no reason to argue over second best.

[TOG]

I'm not going to argue AF vs. Rugby because I know fuck all about Rugby, but I can say the reason I love AF (and am not much into other sports, except for hockey) is the strategy that goes into it. Most sports have strategy, of course, but nothing near what you see in AF in my mind. I've never understood people complaining about the downtime between plays, it's hardly that bad, and in other sports that don't have such a downtime, it's replaced by moments of far less intense play than you would get in one down of AF.

[MDK]

Didn't Stuart Pearce break his leg in a game and then play on until half time?

And David Beckham has been playing without a brain for years, beat that >_>

[Guest WCWWCWWCW]

I am not going to get deep in this conversation, but football is just as violent as rugby!

[Cactus Drags]

Before I call you an idiot, which football are you referring to?

Edited August 4, 2006 by Dragsy 7-0

[fineintent]

I'm assuming he means yank football.

But that said, the scars I have all over my legs from football tell their own story. Try telling the likes of Vinny Jones, Mark Hughes, Bryan Robson, Paul Ince, Roy Keane, John Terry etc that football isn't a hugely physically demanding and painful sport.

[alldaws1]

I didn't see anyone saying football isn't a physically demanding sport.

[fineintent]

I didn't see anyone saying football isn't a physically demanding sport.

[Cactus Drags]

It's a huge problem, Australia were knocked out of the World Cup because that Italian twat dived in the last few minutes and won a penalty.

Edited August 4, 2006 by Dragsy 7-0

[The Kraig]

Using the World Cup, an event which pretty much everyone agreed was atrocious, isn't really going to help you.

[alldaws1]

I didn't see anyone saying football isn't a physically demanding sport.

"Fuck all happens in football", in addition to the diving is ruining football debate. It's a problem no doubt, but not that big a problem.

To me that just means he finds it boring. Just because you find something boring doesn't mean you think it's not physically demanding. Take weightlifting for instance. Big yawn, but that blatantly involves the lifter to be in great physical shape and it will take its toll on the his/her body.

[livid]

Anybody who criticizes the game of football (American) because of the use of pads and the breaks, you have no right to talk until you actually play the sport and practice in it and actually get a feeling as to why there's so many breaks. Let's face it, there's a physical demand in every sport, but the breaks used in american football after every play have to do with the fact that it is one of the most physically demanding sports out there and it uses a lot of strategy that you wouldn't be able to provide without the break. I'm a diehard football fan and played it for four years in high school and to a point, it is an aquired taste, but with some effort, you could probably get into it a lot.

Edited August 5, 2006 by Livid

[IAceI]

I played American Football at break once for some fun. I went on a run and some guy thought if he used his shoes in his jumper for shoulder pads it'd look good.

It looked good when I ran right through him and took it in for a score ¬_¬