American football vs. Rugby

[Symmetry]

Why rugby is better than American football:

10) AF is often called "chess on a playing field". Chess is not a sport.

9) American football players passed their college minor in law because they were on the team. Actual lawyers play rugby.

8 ) In rugby, obesity will not make you an athlete.

7) With American football you drink in the parking lot before the game. With rugby you drink in the pub.

6) Rugby football isn't isolated to the town of Rugby, and players actually use their feet.

5) Referees in rugby control the game. Referees in AF throw handkerchiefs at the players.

4) Rugby has a long and proud history of not getting dogs to fight to the death.

3) Rugby players only leave the pitch when subbed, injured, or penalised. AF players leave the pitch during commercial breaks.

2) A great rugby player has a good chance of representing his nation on the world stage. A great American football player is lucky if his state has a team.

1) American football has awesome cheerleaders, rugby has... ah... you win.

[Army of GOD]

Ok...so ONE semi-popular women's sport...

[thegreekdog]

I've played and watched both sports. I'd rather play rugby and watch football.

[Titanic]

I would really enjoy AF is it wasn't so slow, but there are so many breaks in it I just lose any interest in it. Love watching and playing Rubgy, great fun

[Neoteny]

I've never understood the argument of football being slow. It does have breaks, but at least there is planning going on. In a sport like soccer (which is usually being touted as better, and I am a fan of, as well as rugby, and most other sports) it could also be said that it is boring because 90% of the game is spent kicking the ball back and forth down the field. It seems like a silly reason not to like a sport, because there is something else going on, even if you don't know what exactly it is if you're just watching. That's also part of the fun.

[Symmetry]

Ok...so ONE semi-popular women's sport...

Not sure I get your meaning, so have another ten:

10) Rugby players understand lateral passes.

9) Rugby features a team named after a character in the Commedia dell'arte- the Harlequins. American football has a team called the Packers, you know, named after packing stuff.

8 ) I can afford a ticket to a rugby game.

7) Rugby balls are thicker and more often handled by women. The American versions have stitches. I think you know what I'm talking about.

6) Kickers in rugby consider it an achievement to score from any angle at almost any distance. Kickers in American football are considered to be good if they stand in front of the posts and get it over most of the time.

5) NFL celebration: a tub of gatorade. Rugby celebration: champagne.

4) The only major sport where you have a decent chance of really handing it to the French? Rugby, mon cher.

3) Nobody watches the final of the rugby world cup for the commercials.

2) Rugby games get introduced by tribal war dances. AF games get introduced by Nike.

1) If you'd ever gone out drinking with a women's rugby team, you'd take both the sport and the gender more seriously. Also drinking. My god, you'd take that more seriously.


BTW- I really enjoy the NFL, so I hope nobody takes this too seriously

[Titanic]

I've never understood the argument of football being slow. It does have breaks, but at least there is planning going on. In a sport like soccer (which is usually being touted as better, and I am a fan of, as well as rugby, and most other sports) it could also be said that it is boring because 90% of the game is spent kicking the ball back and forth down the field. It seems like a silly reason not to like a sport, because there is something else going on, even if you don't know what exactly it is if you're just watching. That's also part of the fun.

That "90%" of the game is still being played though. In AF over 50% of the time the game is not even being played. I don't watch sports to see something else going on, I want to watch the actual game.

[thegreekdog]

American football must definitely be a cultural thing then. I have major problems trying to watch football/soccer. I find it insanely boring.

On rugby, there is no comparison to its violence, action, and intensity. I played for five years (4 years of college, 1 year while a law student before my orthopedic surgeon told me I wouldn't be able to walk when I was 50 if I kept playing). I've played nearly every major sport (football, baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, tennis, etc.) and rugby is by far the most fun to play and the most fun after play. I guess I can't emphasis enough, if you're just starting college in the US, and your school has a rugby team (many do), go join up.

[Neoteny]

I've never understood the argument of football being slow. It does have breaks, but at least there is planning going on. In a sport like soccer (which is usually being touted as better, and I am a fan of, as well as rugby, and most other sports) it could also be said that it is boring because 90% of the game is spent kicking the ball back and forth down the field. It seems like a silly reason not to like a sport, because there is something else going on, even if you don't know what exactly it is if you're just watching. That's also part of the fun.

That "90%" of the game is still being played though. In AF over 50% of the time the game is not even being played. I don't watch sports to see something else going on, I want to watch the actual game.

Well, if you don't consider planning your plays and who is going to run them "playing," then you're right. I'll take 50% strategy 50% action over 90% random kicking and 10% action. I don't need the extra "playing." But, of course, there's strategy in soccer as well, but there's not as much variety of action either. You sacrifice the "playing" for the variety of plays.

[Titanic]

Well, if you don't consider planning your plays and who is going to run them "playing," then you're right. I'll take 50% strategy 50% action over 90% random kicking and 10% action. I don't need the extra "playing." But, of course, there's strategy in soccer as well, but there's not as much variety of action either. You sacrifice the "playing" for the variety of plays.

Its not 90% random kicking, the whole game is a deep strategy between the two sides and imo football players requite more individual inteeligence then a AF player (not meant as an offense against Americans, more that football players recieve instructions twice in the 90 minutes so a lot of the time its about what they personally think is the right thing to so).

If you ever watch any professional match in detail you'll realise its not "random kicking", but reatining possession, building pressure, breaking down the opponant, finding gaps in the defence and so on. Its a long hard thought out strategy rather then a 10s dash then a new strategy 30s later.

[Neoteny]

Yeah, I understand that. I'm trying to imply that there's more going on in the downtime than sitting around doing nothing. And why should a long thought out strategy be any better than many short thought out strategies?

[Titanic]

Yeah, I understand that. I'm trying to imply that there's more going on in the downtime than sitting around doing nothing. And why should a long thought out strategy be any better than many short thought out strategies?

Its not necessarily, and I never said that. I mentioned earlier that I really like AF but just hate the breaks, I really think its exciting when they actually play but when they are not I get really bored no matter what else they are doing, I'm watching it for the game. Thats just my view on it.

[Symmetry]

I've never understood the argument of football being slow. It does have breaks, but at least there is planning going on. In a sport like soccer (which is usually being touted as better, and I am a fan of, as well as rugby, and most other sports) it could also be said that it is boring because 90% of the game is spent kicking the ball back and forth down the field. It seems like a silly reason not to like a sport, because there is something else going on, even if you don't know what exactly it is if you're just watching. That's also part of the fun.

That "90%" of the game is still being played though. In AF over 50% of the time the game is not even being played. I don't watch sports to see something else going on, I want to watch the actual game.

Well, if you don't consider planning your plays and who is going to run them "playing," then you're right. I'll take 50% strategy 50% action over 90% random kicking and 10% action. I don't need the extra "playing." But, of course, there's strategy in soccer as well, but there's not as much variety of action either. You sacrifice the "playing" for the variety of plays.

Why Neoteny is wrong on this one:

10) Rugby players kick to advance. AF players kick when they're screwed on fourth. And they do it badly.

9) I don't know the favourite colour of any rugby player. Watch an AF game- I'll know within ten minutes that the linebacker likes green.

8 ) In rugby, you've got a decent chance of watching a player change the game over the course of 80 minutes. In AF the guy is a hero if he gets his team past five before leaving the pitch.

7) Four words: "Flag on the play". If you've seen an AF match they'll be very familiar.

6) Madden became famous for drawing graphics that explained the plays after they happened. Rugby commentators don't need to explain anything with MS paint.

5) Seriously (and this a US only point) what's with the amping of the volume every time it cuts to commercials?

4) Extra material to the rugby world cup final: White South African receives the cup from Nelson Mandela and makes a plea for racial harmony. Superbowl: white pop star gets Michael Jackson's sister's tit out. Plea for record sales.

3) Rugby players work out how best to get a ball into a set area without asking the coach or captain every 30 seconds.

2) I've never felt the need to go and make a snack while watching a rugby game. When AF is on it's that or watch the commercials every ten minutes.

1) TV Timeouts

[Nobunaga]

... I played rugby once, many years ago, and got my arse seriously kicked. I really didn't know what I was doing but it was fun all the same.

... AF has the kind of high velocity impacts that you don't see in other sports, and I think that's one of the main reasons for its popularity in the U.S. Watching a defensive back knock the helmet off a receiver with an end-sprint hit, and the seeing the receiver somehow come down with the ball in his hands... great stuff.

... The throwing game is great to watch. Running is generally boring.

... I personally think soccer, with the addition of some manner of weaponry, would be vastly entertaining.... maybe clubs of some kind.

...

[Titanic]

... I played rugby once, many years ago, and got my arse seriously kicked. I really didn't know what I was doing but it was fun all the same.

... AF has the kind of high velocity impacts that you don't see in other sports, and I think that's one of the main reasons for its popularity in the U.S. Watching a defensive back knock the helmet off a receiver with an end-sprint hit, and the seeing the receiver somehow come down with the ball in his hands... great stuff.

... The throwing game is great to watch. Running is generally boring.

... I personally think soccer, with the addition of some manner of weaponry, would be vastly entertaining.... maybe clubs of some kind.

...

I thought it was a fairly decent post until that! At least you made me laugh, that was so unexpected.

[Nobunaga]

... I played rugby once, many years ago, and got my arse seriously kicked. I really didn't know what I was doing but it was fun all the same.

... AF has the kind of high velocity impacts that you don't see in other sports, and I think that's one of the main reasons for its popularity in the U.S. Watching a defensive back knock the helmet off a receiver with an end-sprint hit, and the seeing the receiver somehow come down with the ball in his hands... great stuff.

... The throwing game is great to watch. Running is generally boring.

... I personally think soccer, with the addition of some manner of weaponry, would be vastly entertaining.... maybe clubs of some kind.

...

I thought it was a fairly decent post until that! At least you made me laugh, that was so unexpected.

... A joke. My son loves soccer, I'm not into it.

...

[72o]

10) AF is often called "chess on a playing field". Chess is not a sport.

Who calls it that? Foreigners? No Americans I've ever encountered.

9) American football players passed their college minor in law because they were on the team. Actual lawyers play rugby.

Not very many good football players would take law as a major or minor. They major in sports medicine or something else easier, because if everything goes well they will never have a real job. Even the good rugby players have to work.

8 ) In rugby, obesity will not make you an athlete.

Neither does it in football. I think you'd be surprised how strong those 310 pound offensive linemen are. That's not all fat. I think the difference is football has specific positions which require different physical attributes. Rugby is not as structured.

7) With American football you drink in the parking lot before the game. With rugby you drink in the pub.

That's because no one goes to rugby matches. Get 100,000 people to the next rugby match, and see whether you'd rather hang out in the parking lot a couple hours ahead of time, or fight through the crowds 10 minutes before it starts.

6) Rugby football isn't isolated to the town of Rugby, and players actually use their feet.

Is football isolated to the town of Football? Players also use their feet in football, but only for specific plays, because it's much more effective to play the way they currently do.

5) Referees in rugby control the game. Referees in AF throw handkerchiefs at the players.

So the "handkerchiefs", enforcement of penalties, and play stoppage do not constitute control of the game? What do the little playing cards in your precious soccer have that the handkerchiefs don't?

4) Rugby has a long and proud history of not getting dogs to fight to the death.

That's too bad. We Americans do it on the sidelines during the football games. It's awesome. At least you guys produced David Beckham, he's so much less of a dooshbag than Michael Vick.

3) Rugby players only leave the pitch when subbed, injured, or penalised. AF players leave the pitch during commercial breaks.

That's because enough people care about football to put it on TV. Rugby players and team owners don't have to worry about those pesky fans, or endorsements, or advertising. They are all lawyers.

Also, it's called a field. Pitch is what you do to start play in baseball.

2) A great rugby player has a good chance of representing his nation on the world stage. A great American football player is lucky if his state has a team.

The world stage? Where is that exactly? How come no one in America knows the name of the reigning Rugby world champions? I bet even you know who won the Super Bowl this year.

And pretty much every state has a team, or two, or dozens, depending on whether you're talking college or NFL. Also, keep in mind, we have individual states that dwarf your little nation in area and population.

1) American football has awesome cheerleaders, rugby has... ah... you win.

Exactly. Cheers.

[Titanic]

I think the difference is football has specific positions which require different physical attributes. Rugby is not as structured.

Yes it is. Every rugby team has the same formation which means that a lot of players are brought up to play in a certain role throughout their life.

That's because no one goes to rugby matches. Get 100,000 people to the next rugby match, and see whether you'd rather hang out in the parking lot a couple hours ahead of time, or fight through the crowds 10 minutes before it starts.

Twickenham, the MCC and other rugby stadiums have very large attendances.

Is football isolated to the town of Football? Players also use their feet in football, but only for specific plays, because it's much more effective to play the way they currently do.

AF is limited to America though, that was his point. Very rarely do AF players use their feet, almost always only for 4th down.

That's too bad. We Americans do it on the sidelines during the football games. It's awesome.

...and yet loads of Americans bitch about the hooligans in football.

At least you guys produced David Beckham, he's so much less of a dooshbag than Michael Vick.

No idea who Vick is, but there are much better people then Beckham out there, he was just the best at merchandising himself.

That's because enough people care about football to put it on TV. Rugby players and team owners don't have to worry about those pesky fans, or endorsements, or advertising.

Football is the most popular game in the world, the world cup final is watched by over 2bn people, yet it hasn't sold itself out to corporatism.

The world stage? Where is that exactly? How come no one in America knows the name of the reigning Rugby world champions? I bet even you know who won the Super Bowl this year.

And pretty much every state has a team, or two, or dozens, depending on whether you're talking college or NFL. Also, keep in mind, we have individual states that dwarf your little nation in area and population.

The rugby world cup possibly....? I have no idea who won the super bowl (even though I watched it), but Arizona Cardinal lost right? Btw, what state in the USA has a larger population then the UK?

[Gypsys Kiss]

I know, I know............

By the way when did the USA annex Puerto Rico?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population

[F1fth]

I've played both for a time, and I must say I agree with rugby being more fun to play, and AF being more fun to watch. Watching AF is more conducive to being around people and the tension between plays can be monumental, whereas with rugby the excitement builds up whenever a great play is made. I would totally watch the hell out of rugby if they ever showed it on TV in the states though.

[Symmetry]

Is football isolated to the town of Football? Players also use their feet in football, but only for specific plays, because it's much more effective to play the way they currently do.
[...]

So the "handkerchiefs", enforcement of penalties, and play stoppage do not constitute control of the game? What do the little playing cards in your precious soccer have that the handkerchiefs don't?
[...]

That's too bad. We Americans do it on the sidelines during the football games. It's awesome. At least you guys produced David Beckham, he's so much less of a dooshbag than Michael Vick.
[...]

The world stage? Where is that exactly? How come no one in America knows the name of the reigning Rugby world champions?

I think you're confusing football (soccer) and rugby.

Anyway- lot's of people know the reigning Rugby world champions are South Africa. Who bothers to watch the American Football World Series? I've got no idea who won, but at least I'm not ignorant about it.

I do know that no America football teams from outside the US are allowed to play in the World Series. You can't argue with that. It's a "World Series", but you won't see any teams from other countries kick a field goal. Nobody cares who wins. Even a quick google search says that the Yankers usually win.

So I checked- now I know that the World Series was won by the Phillies. Evidence here. What? You need a name for your team of hulking touch-down makers? Just call them the Philadelphia Phillies. They could at least bother to research a bit of history and find a decent name.

I think you should learn something about rugby before you go around insulting people. Beckham is pretty good compared to American football: Michael Vick (dog fighting), O J Simpson (murder), Barry Bonds (steroids), Dan Marion (he was in Ace Ventura), etc. And Beckham isn't even a rugby player, so your example is stupid.

At least you could check your facts before posting something. It's just a sign of intellijence.

[Frigidus]

I do know that no America football teams from outside the US are allowed to play in the World Series. You can't argue with that. It's a "World Series", but you won't see any teams from other countries kick a field goal. Nobody cares who wins. Even a quick google search says that the Yankers usually win.

We have never called it a world series. It's the Super Bowl. It's the National Football League, so at the end of it they're national champions. Some just call them world champions because there's no other competitive football league (there are some other leagues in America, but any talent that crops up there just goes into the NFL).

So I checked- now I know that the World Series was won by the Phillies. Evidence here. What? You need a name for your team of hulking touch-down makers? Just call them the Philadelphia Phillies. They could at least bother to research a bit of history and find a decent name.

Er...that's baseball. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the last Super Bowl (maybe you're just joking to make a point?).

I think you should learn something about rugby before you go around insulting people. Beckham is pretty good compared to American football: Michael Vick (dog fighting), O J Simpson (murder), Barry Bonds (steroids), Dan Marion (he was in Ace Ventura), etc. And Beckham isn't even a rugby player, so your example is stupid.

We've also had some real wonderful people come out of the NFL (unsurprisingly, Walter Payton is one of my favorites). Human nature means that there are always good and bad people. That's just how it is. Not every football player is a horrible monster like Dan Marion.

At least you could check your facts before posting something. It's just a sign of intellijence.

I know you're probably trolling, but just in case I've got to defend my sport.

[muy_thaiguy]

Barry Bonds is in Baseball. Same with Dan Marion.

Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_F ... ted_States

[Frigidus]

Barry Bonds is in Baseball. Same with Dan Marion.

Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_F ... ted_States

I think he's blurring the distinction between the two in veiled disdain.

[muy_thaiguy]

Barry Bonds is in Baseball. Same with Dan Marion.

Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_F ... ted_States

I think he's blurring the distinction between the two in veiled disdain.

Still, though, they are quite different and should not be blurred together nonchalantly.