Americans and their silly sports

[Scotty Mac]

I think everyone should play STOOL ball.

now that is a REAL sport

 

[1066familyman]

Did chess boxing originate in the U.S.A does anyone know ?

Apparently it's one 3 minute round of boxing followed by one 3 minute round of chess. Winner is by check mate or K.O, whichever comes first.

 

[SeagullTim]

Basketball and Baseball are poor.

American Football is mediocre.

However, I do like a bit of Ice Hockey on TV now and then.

 

[Seasider78]

Watched the ice hockey live in the US and was a great live spectacle and baseball is watchable but never got into American Football too many stopages for my liking!

 

[JJ McClure]

Used to love ice hockey and regularly watched the Sheffield Steelers at uni, but have gone off it a bit of late despite Setanta having it.

Basketball is a bit cack. bounce bounce bounce score, bounce bounce bounce score. Yawn.

Baseball and American Football however rock.

 

[itszamora]

I quite like all of them actually, especially basketball.

 

[fatbadger]

Ice hockey is fine. Basketball is OK. Baseball is rubbish. American 'football' is worse.

 

[blue'n'white]

I thoroughly enjoy baseball - the whole atmosphere at the match is far superior to our football "experience" and they treat you like adults and bring beer and food to your seats. American football is great too but I cannot stand basketball - I can't get used to the idea that every time you get the ball you are supposed to score and games end up 112-111 - weird !

 

[Juan Albion]

You DO like to be a little bit prescious when anyone says ANYTHING derogatory about American Sports or religion, don't you Juan.

No, you can say anything derogatory you like about basketball. Be my guest.

 

[Dandyman]

Let's see...their national sports are rounders, netball and a gay version of rugby. Not much hope for them really is there?

 

[ATFC Seagull]

gay version of rugby.

Ever played rugby? Know anything about American football? I expect not.

 

[Scotty Mac]

Let's see...their national sports are rounders, netball and a gay version of rugby. Not much hope for them really is there?

and, suprisingly, they say the same sort of things about rugby, cricket, and too a lesser extent soccerball

 

[fatbadger]

Ever played rugby? Know anything about American football? I expect not.

I've played both. American football is ludicrously soft compared to rugby (either league or union). I always came off the pitch after the former feeling like I had had a gentle day out in the park; after the latter, I was exhilerated by the phyiscal exertion and usually bruised.

 

[Dandyman]

Ever played rugby? Know anything about American football? I expect not.

Sometimes, this is far too easy....

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I've played both. American football is ludicrously soft compared to rugby (either league or union). I always came off the pitch after the former feeling like I had had a gentle day out in the park; after the latter, I was exhilerated by the phyiscal exertion and usually bruised.

Who did you play American football for and what position?

Thats a fair enough comment, but personally I've never felt it that way. Rugby is definitely more exerting in terms of fitness, and certainly upper body strength as well so I can't really argue with that.

However I play inside centre and have never experienced a hit in rugby anything like the contact I come up against every week playing American football - I've been knocked out cold a few times and had 2 serious knee injuries, and thats not to mention the state of my shoulders and neck after a game. In my experience most rugby players understand the difference in tackling techniques, and the different ways in which you use your bodies in the two sports, so appreciate that American footall is not simply "rugby with padding".

Also I think a point for those who aren't in the know is that American football padding is not made of foam - its hard plastic and in the case of helmets large parts of metal. Your body still hits the deck and other players as hard and harder, and the pads simply protect your neck and shoulders from an impact they could not stand - they do NOT soften the blow. Regarding helmet-to-helmet contact (something that you just don't do in rugby), the best example I could give would be putting a saucepan on your head and running head down at a wall from 10 yards.

I'm not disputing your opinion, but finding it very different to mine!

 

[Nemesis]

Ice Hockey and Baseball are good

American football is OK

Basketball is shit

There's no hope for me now-I find myself agreeing with you.

Must go for a lie down.

 

[fatbadger]

Who did you play American football for and what position?

I grew up on and around RAF bases, USAF bases, and trinational (British, Italian and German) air force bases, in the UK and in Germany. Sport (at school and outside) was particularly varied and fun - the different national groups played each other's sports all the time. Obviously, with the Europeans, that was easier - we had more in common - but it also meant teaching the Germans (and most of the Italians) how to play rugby. The Germans and Italians also enjoyed basketball more than the Britons - most of us couldn't really compete with the American kids, whereas the Germans especially could give them a game. We all played baseball, too, but we never really got the others to understand cricket (although there was one American kid who proved to be brilliant with both bat and ball - he said he enjoyed the challenge of dealing with the bounce as well as the movement of the ball in the air). The Americans, unsurprisingly, were OK at rugby (and being a forces area, we had people from all over the UK and so played league and union - albeit more of the latter), as their positional sense, learnt from American football, was better than the football-loving Italians and Germans. They couldn't tackle for toffee, though! American football was played by everyone, and it didn't actually take long for the Europeans to be able to compete with the Americans (although, of course, the latter always remained the best). That answers your 'who did you play for' - school teams and after-school/Sunday morning youth teams. As for position - against my wishes I tended to get picked as a wide receiver (due to the positions I played in rugby, usually on the wing and sometimes as a centre). I was also sometimes drafted into the defence when we were short of players, as my rugby specialism also meant I was well-drilled and experienced in tackling and in tracking opponents in attacking formations.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

American Football - Unsophisticated 'rugby' with padding.
BAsketball - Utter tripe.
Ice Hockey - Enjoyable.
Baseball - Good to watch live, but dull on the box.

 

[smudge]

I quite like "gridiron" now.
Basketball is ok for the final 2 minutes when it's a close game.
Baseball & Hockey suck the large one.

 

[NMH]

I never did 'get' American football, and basketball is a freakshow of over-active pituitary glanders.

Baseball is awwwlraaaght though, and I hope the new stadium at Falmer borrows from American sport stadiums in layout and organisation.