Team ratings...onto OT football/soccer discussion

Zombie · Post by **Zombie** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 4:25 am

Manu, the best advice i can give you is when you don't know a sport, don't talk about it. Of course it's easy to be the MVP in a league full of 16 year olds!

In real leagues, kickers need to know every play, be able to spot the opposing team's formation and take advantage of it once in a while with trick plays. This year alone, i've seen Terry Baker, the Montreal Alouettes' kicker, run a few times with the ball, pass it a few times, and hand it off to someone else for the run a few other times.

Football is probably the most strategic sport there is (if not, it's second only to baseball). It's the only sport i know of that you need to go to university to play.

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 8:31 am

Zombie wrote:Slow? Funny you should say that, as soccer is the slowest sport on earth after golf and the most boring after... wait, it is the most boring!

You've never heard of test cricket have you? It takes 5 days to play a single game.

We invented that too.

Ian

martynq · Post by **martynq** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 11:25 am

manusate wrote:1) Show more respect for history. The brits invented the sport, so it´s their perogative to name it they way they like.

Do United Statesians do history? Their country is probably not old enough for that - hey, the school I went to is older than their country.

(That last sentence was prompted by a friend of mine who used to say this while he was out working in Boulder. His father's side of the family is actually American, so I guess he's allowed these sort of opinions.)

Cheers,
Martyn

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 11:39 am

Zombie wrote:[American] Football is probably the most strategic sport there is (if not, it's second only to baseball). It's the only sport i know of that you need to go to university to play.

In football the pro clubs run their own youth academies, picking up talented teenagers. This means that - in the UK - footballers often have a very substandard education and its rare to find them with degrees. Partly this is down to the fact that talented teens are capable of holding their own on a football pitch - where muscle is less important than skill and speed - and its rare to have players turn pro when they are over 20. In more physical sports like American Football and Rugby players often do have degrees because its difficult to compete until you are in your early/mid twenties.

I wont disagree on the merits of American Football as a good sport. In many ways I'd say it was the most tactical game around - coaches have such a huge input into every move - and the time to prepare for each one.

However its a very static game of constant set piece plays. Rugby and football are not anything like as static and the degree of fluidity and pace to the games make them, IMO, more exciting and interesting sports to watch and play.

Ian

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 11:41 am

martynq wrote:the school is went to is older than their country.

My old school was founded in the 1450's, so about the time Columbus was born.

My univerisity is even older...

Ian

manusate · Post by **manusate** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 11:53 am

Manu, the best advice i can give you is when you don't know a sport, don't talk about it.

I guess you would make more profit of your own advice than anyone else here.

Football is probably the most strategic sport there is (if not, it's second only to baseball).

Looking at your navel again? No good.

Post by **voyagers_uk** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 12:14 pm

That's enough of that, try and remember we are all friends here. We all play footie even though some of us use our hands

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 12:39 pm

I'd contest the point that american football is a highly tactical game. It is certainly extremely strategic - a large amount of the work is done off the clock, picking plays, far more so than other codes.

In that respect I find watching american football more like watching tennis or cricket. There's set, discrete periods of action with a lot of strategy and slightly more limited tactics than other sports. As a spectator sport I find it a little tiresome. I've both played and watched football, american football, rugby (league/union) and australian rules and, while I enjoy american football, it's certainly the least like any other kind of football - I think that's what grates with non-americans: that something that is so unlike any other "football" still bears the name.

Post by **voyagers_uk** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 1:59 pm

So..... your names not Bruce then..... well that could cause some confusion. Would you mind if we call you Bruce to keep it clear

feel free to interpose Football at your leisure

Anthony_TBBF · Post by **Anthony_TBBF** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 3:10 pm

It should be called "North American Handmelon".

That is the most intelligent thing I've heard in this thread so far.

In that respect I find watching american football more like watching tennis or cricket. There's set, discrete periods of action with a lot of strategy and slightly more limited tactics than other sports.

I would describe American Football as "discrete periods of action with a lot of strategy and slightly more limited tactics" periodically interrupted by at least 4 redneck analysts making fun of each other for 10 minutes before and after Budweiser/Miller Lite commercials.

Ghost of Pariah · Post by **Ghost of Pariah** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 4:35 pm

Anthony you forgot to mention the gratuitous use of hot and sexy sideline reporters that in all probability know very little about the game.

tchatter · Post by **tchatter** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 4:52 pm

You all seem to be forgetting one of the best spectator sports going...

Hockey.

Elements of Football (soccer), Football, Rugby, and Blood Bowl...

What other sport allows fighting?? Has "plays" like football (soccer), Football and Rugby? And is all at a pace as fast as it is?? AND is played on ICE (read:Astrogranite)?

Now lets quit complaining about which sport is better...

They all have pros and cons, some more cons then others...*cough* base *cough* ball.

TC

Ghost of Pariah · Post by **Ghost of Pariah** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 5:01 pm

I recently went to my first hockey game. We have Colonial Cup hockey in my area, in fact we are one of the most feared teams.
It was pretty cool, especially when one of our guys broke their goalie's nose.
I just don't understand all of the rules. Oh well, it's fun to get drunk and yell anyway. Just like 50 cent ('50p' to you brits) beer night at our local baseball stadium. I hate baseball but 10 beers for 5 bucks and some ferners to yell at is okay by me!

tchatter · Post by **tchatter** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 5:03 pm

I wonder if a broken nose on a goalie would be considered a niggling injury?

DaFrenchCoach · Post by **DaFrenchCoach** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 5:04 pm

Nah... Best sport is tennis.

Proof is that France is winning 2-0 vs USA

Seriously, I agree with those one swho said that soccer/football is the most popular sport all around the world. What still make me laugh in USA sport is the fact they called their championship "world series, world champinship, nahnahnah". Ask for yugoslavia ...

Comparing the popularity of [American] football and Football/soccer is like comparing CART Series and F1 ones...