American Sports Thread

[deiseach]

I think it speaks more to the essence of American Football, especially the old values. Strap it up, line up and smash the bejaysus out of each other, while running up the gut in a cloud of 'dust' (or snow). The modern, pass happy NFL reverts to something more primitive when there's a tonne of snow on the ground and you can barely stand up, never mind throw a 40 yard spiral.

I also think it reinforces the image of the NFL being a tough guy sport. Ice Hockey is genuinely a tough guy sport, but the NFL also trades on that image. It's a winter sport, a cold weather, snots and blood sport. This may not apply to much to the new domed stadiums, or the Arizona Cardinals for example, but a game in a blizzard brings back memories and images of great games gone by. And it's so different, you'll not get Baseball or Basketball (obviously) in weather like that. 'this here's football weather'.

Gotcha. Was football so different in less 'pass happy' days? Is that what it's like in high school?

[AZOffaly]

Ah yeah. The NFL has changed an awful lot since I started watching in the 80s even. Conventional wisdom then was 'Run the ball, control the game, grind them down'. Then sometime in the early 00's, maybe with the 'Greatest Show on Turf' (The Rams with Kurt Warner), passing and high scoring became de riguer. Rule changes have also contributed to this as they protect QBs more, and call Pass Interference with alacrity.

The great quarterbacks of the past (Starr, Montana, Elway, Marino et al) had to really be efficient to pad their stats, which make them all the more remarkable. These days passing yardage and TD records are falling like dominoes.

There is a counter movement which briefly threatened, but I'm not sure if that's already peaked. It was the mobile 'read option' passer, like Kapernick, Griffin etc, which has come from College to the NFL, but now that defenses are starting to punish QBs that run, this might be already on the way out.

The top college programmes can pass effectively, but running is probably more important in college, and definitely in the less talented schools. the Option quarterbacks are still popular there, but a lot of colleges are putting in place more 'Pro Style' offenses, which leads to more passing attempts and some of the crazy scores the likes of Oregon, Baylor and others can run up.

High School is another step down in terms of the number of schools that can be all out pass, but High School coaches are trying to go that way if they can, no doubt about it.

[deiseach]

High School is another step down in terms of the number of schools that can be all out pass, but High School coaches are trying to go that way if they can, no doubt about it.

When I say 'high school', I meant that perhaps a running game is more common when you are playing with jumpers for goalposts (so to speak). The guys in the NFL are playing a different game altogether.

[AZOffaly]

Well, it's more to do with talent. It's probably easier to play an effective run game, than a great passing game. At the end of the day, if you have a great athlete in High School, he's probably at QB in the less deep schools, and the chances are he's playing in an option system and running the ball a lot.

The talent needed to have a consistent passing game (pass blocking, route running, accurate throwing, good reading of defense) makes it a lot harder for smaller high schools to do.

[deiseach]

I'd also suggest (waiting to be shot down) that football's roots are in colder parts of America?

[Syferus]

High School is another step down in terms of the number of schools that can be all out pass, but High School coaches are trying to go that way if they can, no doubt about it.

When I say 'high school', I meant that perhaps a running game is more common when you are playing with jumpers for goalposts (so to speak). The guys in the NFL are playing a different game altogether.

High school football is huuuuge. Texas is the gold standard for high school ball but I was at a random high school game in Hoover, Alabama a few years ago and there was something like 5,000 people at it in a very well appointed stadium. The whole american football system is very well funded and supported and is taken very seriously by players and supporters alike.

You see more option offenses in high school and college - where the QB has the option to either run with the ball himself or pitch the ball to a designated runner on his side depending on what the defense gives him - but likewise there's a lot of teams that play pro-style offenses too.

[AZOffaly]

I'd also suggest (waiting to be shot down) that football's roots are in colder parts of America?

I think that's fair to say. Certainly the whole pro Football identity would be rooted in places like Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Noo Yawk. Teams like Atlanta, Arizona, Seattle, New Orleans et al, would be relative new kids on the block in those locations. (Arizona were originally the Chicago Cardinals).

However, some of the 'hotbeds' (no pun intended) of college and high school football are in the South. Alabama, Florida and of course Texas are huge for college and high school ball especially. High School football in Texas is bananas.

Edit, basically what Syferus said.

[deiseach]

I've seen Friday Night Lights. Timmy Ryan wouldn't be out of place in it. Thanks for all the feedback, lads. Most informative.

[The Iceman]

There is a massive following in Seattle - bigger than anything I've ever seen for the NFL.
they are also working hard on building coolege football here and high school football - one of the nearby schools (Bellevue) is ranked 4th in the nation and drafted a QB from Texas!! An entire family moves 2000 miles up to the Pacific Northwest so their teenager can play football for a particular school.......

My Father in Law often talks about football being played in the cold and laughs at teams in Domes and covered stadiums. He's very happy to see the Super Bowl in NY this year and hopes it snows so we can see some real football (he says). So your observations are very true - football is rooted in the cold!

[our_fella]

What yous think of the match tonight lads? Cant see past an FSU win!

[AZOffaly]

On paper, yes, but a star rookie at QB against a strong running fast paced Auburn attack... hmmm... I'll say FSU, because I think their defense is better, but if Auburn get on a roll, or if Winston gets rattled, Auburn will win.

[Mayo4Sam]

I've seen Friday Night Lights. Timmy Ryan wouldn't be out of place in it. Thanks for all the feedback, lads. Most informative.

Read the book Deiseach, just finished and it is f**ked up

[our_fella]

On paper, yes, but a star rookie at QB against a strong running fast paced Auburn attack... hmmm... I'll say FSU, because I think their defense is better, but if Auburn get on a roll, or if Winston gets rattled, Auburn will win.

Serious points spread given @ 10.5..

Going to go with Florida over 36 points. Anytime theyre in the red-zone, theyre almost guaranteed to score

[deiseach]

I've seen Friday Night Lights. Timmy Ryan wouldn't be out of place in it. Thanks for all the feedback, lads. Most informative.

Read the book Deiseach, just finished and it is f**ked up

That's a recommendation?!

[Wildweasel74]

Wooooo! To be the man you gotta beat the man!! See the 49ers were getting some tips lol