Have You Heard of This Thing Called "The Superbowl"?

stumason


mini-rant over - awaiting flames from "football" fans (despite the fact it is primarily played with the hands...)

edit on 2/2/14 by stumason because: (no reason given)

A simple search answers that for you. An English chap was playing soccer and then grabbed the ball in his hands and started running. So that invented rugby.

Then in the US, ruby morphed into the gridiron. But the name of football, stuck. It goes back to the roots. For clarification, you can always call it gridiron.

You can't ever discuss the NFL without all the rugby fans coming in and going on about nfl equipment and how they don't need it in their country.

I don't know what the major insecurity issues are or why they have them. As they are two completely different sports. But they feel the need to make comparisons anyways.

Oh, and my response is, if you don't need protective gear, you are not playing hard enough.

You guys do know that your largest rugby player is the size of the smallest NFL player, right?

Zarniwoop
reply to post by duke396

 

So, to each his own.

Yep!

But it is silly that these people are filthy rich from throwing a ball around.

Equally as silly as people programming computers

I am inclined to disagree, given how much of the world is computerized. Some people don't realize exactly how much of our daily lives is only possible because someone was sitting at a computer monitor somewhere.

reply to post by JRedBeard

The thing that irks me the most about hardcore sports enthusiasm isnt just the amount of energy spent on rooting for the home team, its that IF WE CARED, COLLECTIVELY, HALF AS MUCH ABOUT OUR GAMES AS WE COULD ABOUT SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGUL WE'D BE BUILDING PYRAMIDS AND CONQUERING SPACE. Or something equally epic... our focus is a bit misplaced...

I think you mean if we cared half as much about productive and meaningful things as we do about sports...and I am inclined to agree. In fact, just yesterday morning, I found this:



My sentiments precisely.

AfterInfinity
reply to post by JRedBeard

 

The thing that irks me the most about hardcore sports enthusiasm isnt just the amount of energy spent on rooting for the home team, its that IF WE CARED, COLLECTIVELY, HALF AS MUCH ABOUT OUR GAMES AS WE COULD ABOUT SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGUL WE'D BE BUILDING PYRAMIDS AND CONQUERING SPACE. Or something equally epic... our focus is a bit misplaced...

I think you mean if we cared half as much about productive and meaningful things as we do about sports...and I am inclined to agree. In fact, just yesterday morning, I found this:

My sentiments precisely.

Which by no means means that those people in that picture aren't passionate about other things.
I am a fanatical fan myself, yet I somehow make time to get involved in OTHER THINGS TOO.

Like I said initially, a lot of people take an either or approach to sports. Either you're passionate about sports or social issues. Can't be both.
Its silly.

Why aren't you guys railing against people who sit up all hours of the day and night playing World of Warcraft?

Haters gonna hate I guess.

AfterInfinity
reply to post by JRedBeard

 

The thing that irks me the most about hardcore sports enthusiasm isnt just the amount of energy spent on rooting for the home team, its that IF WE CARED, COLLECTIVELY, HALF AS MUCH ABOUT OUR GAMES AS WE COULD ABOUT SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGUL WE'D BE BUILDING PYRAMIDS AND CONQUERING SPACE. Or something equally epic... our focus is a bit misplaced...

I think you mean if we cared half as much about productive and meaningful things as we do about sports...and I am inclined to agree. In fact, just yesterday morning, I found this:

My sentiments precisely.

This is a tired point that people always make about any recreational activity. It is really annoying.

Guess what, people can't spend 24 hours a day, worrying about things. In fact, I think doctors are pointing out that we are getting killed by a stress epidemic.

The brain and body need down time. Some people swim, some read, some garden, some get excited about football of any definition.

CagliostroTheGreat


I don't care if it takes the brain power of deepblue no deserves millions to throw an air filled elipsoid around a field of fake grass. No one.

Well if that is all it takes, go and do it then.

nixie_nox
You can't ever discuss the NFL without all the rugby fans coming in and going on about nfl equipment and how they don't need it in their country.

You guys do know that your largest rugby player is the size of the smallest NFL player, right?

edit on 3-2-2014 by nixie_nox because: (no reason given)

Is that before or after they take off all the padding, helmets, and cups?

I remember an American exchange student once came to our school, claiming that gridiron was superior in every way. So we invited him to play a game of rugby, and three phases later he left the field bloody and bruised, claiming we were all crazy.

Funny how no one is griping about the Olympics. I have to deal with that mess all the time and I would rather not. Guess what, that is life.

reply to post by nixie_nox


Its supply and demand. Simple as that.

These people railing against it are doing soout of a sense of superiority or envy or both.

It is very annoying.

Don't like the game? Then don't watch, simple as that.

reply to post by nixie_nox

The brain and body need down time. Some people swim, some read, some garden, some get excited about football of any definition.

Do you know anyone who gets paid thousands or millions a year to read or garden? Do you know anyone who gets paid more to read or garden than our soldiers get paid to catch a bullet or lose a limb?

Somewhat ironic that football fans were called "meat heads" in this very thread by the same people who seem to have problems understanding supply and demand.

They make money because we pay to view their product.

Very simple principle.

reply to post by HyphenSt1

Thecakeisalie

nixie_nox
You can't ever discuss the NFL without all the rugby fans coming in and going on about nfl equipment and how they don't need it in their country.

You guys do know that your largest rugby player is the size of the smallest NFL player, right?

edit on 3-2-2014 by nixie_nox because: (no reason given)

Is that before or after they take off all the padding, helmets, and cups?

I remember an American exchange student once came to our school, claiming that gridiron was superior in every way. So we invited him to play a game of rugby, and three phases later he left the field bloody and bruised, claiming we were all crazy.

Point about insecurity has been confirmed.

What do you have to prove, exactly?

The silly part is, it is not the same sport. Not the same number of players, not the same number, the timing is different, the size of the fields are different. Your field is bigger, does that make you feel better? lol

It is like lacrosse fans always arguing with hockey fans.

The differences in the two sports actually result in two different tackling styles.

In rugby, you tackle and wrap yourself around the player to keep them from releasing the ball.

In gridiron, the play stops when someone is tackled to the ground.

In rugby, the only person getting tackled is the person with the ball. In gridiron, 22/24 are tackling.

There are rules to tackling in rugby, in gridiron, the only one is you are not allowed to touch the helmet.

Therefor, not only in gridiron do they tackle, they collide and pummel.

BTW, the padding, is also used as weapons.

Since you are allowed to attack that is against the rules in rugby, you will see many gridiron tackles that start headfirst.

In rugby, they just want to take the player down. In football, they collide.

In a nutshell:

if you tried gridiron tackling in a rugby game, you would get a lot of death and destruction.

Because tackling in gridiron Is still worse than tackling in rugby, despite the padding.

The two players stack up like this...

A rugby player would certainly outrun an NFL player. Could probably run circles around them. But the rugby player will be uttering prayers the whole time that the NFL player doesn't catch him.

The brain and body need down time. Some people swim, some read, some garden, some get excited about football of any definition.

Do you know anyone who gets paid thousands or millions a year to read or garden?

Yup, authors.

Gardening, nope. But then they don't rack up millions in medical costs doing it either.

Do you know anyone who gets paid more to read or garden than our soldiers get paid to catch a bullet or lose a limb?

*laughs* trying to play on emotions?

Soldiers are completely voluntary. If they chose to take a bullet rather then go into the NFL, that is their choice. No one joins the military thinking they are coming out safe or a millionaire.

But they do get benefits for life. NFL players don't. It all actually equals out in the end.

nixie_nox
Gardening, nope. But then they don't rack up millions in medical costs doing it either.

There are some Columbian garderners who make more than a small nation.

Thecakeisalie

nixie_nox
You can't ever discuss the NFL without all the rugby fans coming in and going on about nfl equipment and how they don't need it in their country.

You guys do know that your largest rugby player is the size of the smallest NFL player, right?

edit on 3-2-2014 by nixie_nox because: (no reason given)

Is that before or after they take off all the padding, helmets, and cups?

I remember an American exchange student once came to our school, claiming that gridiron was superior in every way. So we invited him to play a game of rugby, and three phases later he left the field bloody and bruised, claiming we were all crazy.

After they take off the equipment they are still bigger and stronger than the best rugby player. So you base your view of American football from a kid? I can say the same thing about rugby because when I was in the military we played a game of football with some guys from England the game wasn't even half over and they were crying switch to touch football because tackle hurt too much. Rugby is a kids game football is for men.

reject
reply to post by HyphenSt1

 

This is one of the reasons why the Superbowl isn't as good as it used to be. Get rid of the stupid halftime show if I wanted to see a concert I would turn to a music channel. This halftime show would have been good if it was only the Chili peppers but they included the Bruno Mars guy when it comes to him this video says it best.

Someone said that "nobody's griping about the Olympics", well here I am. Most team sports are all the same to me, including the Olympics, I mean, I understand the rules, I kinda get why people like them, they're just sooooo dreadfully boring. I find nothing exciting about watching any sport on tv. Ive played baseball, basketball, football, and my favorite game ever was paintball, but watching them on tv is like watchin frickin paint dry.

It's boring as hell, I'd rather watch Nancy Grace. At least she's funny.

American Football and Rugby?
Apple and pears.

American Football, short intense bursts of power.
Rugby, sustained impacts over a longer period of time.

Granted its probably an unqualified personal opinion but I'd say American Footballers are more powerful and intense but lack the stamina and durability of top Rugby players.

In addition I'd say that there's more speciality in American Football where as Rugby players tend to be more involved in various aspects of the game.

Which one is the 'best'?
Personal opinion - and that's one of the beauty's of sport.