Article For Those Who Think American Football is for Sissies. [Archive]

eric515

31 Jul 2002, 02:18 PM

http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/epaper/editions/sunday/sports_d334a55e61397130007e.html

I went to college with this guy, and saw this incident happen. How many rugby players have to deal with this??

clashcityrocker

31 Jul 2002, 02:28 PM

I don't think people here think Ami football is for sissies. Morons, yes. Sissies, no.

total_football

31 Jul 2002, 02:34 PM

I whole-heartedly agree with the last post. My beef with the "sport", such as it is, is that it is practically IMPOSSIBLE to watch and take seriously on TV--this is, of course, due to the fact that it remains a made for TV monstrosity. Is there anyway possible that they can cram more commericals/TV interruptions in that 'sixty' minute game that takes, oh, 3, 3 and a half, 4 hours to complete??

P.S.--just because you can bench press a house dosn't make you a well-rounded athlete! Well, rounded, as in ROUND--yes, but athlete.--No. Apparently, there are many players a-ROUND today that, taken together with their helmets, pads, tight pants and pretruding stomachs, that would render William the Refigerator Perry a venerable pip-squeak!

Stogey23

31 Jul 2002, 02:46 PM

You guys do know that it is possible for Rugby AND American Football to be sports for tough guys right?

FootyMundo

31 Jul 2002, 02:49 PM

Just as folks want to claim soccer takes no skill, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah . . . I find it laughable that anyone here would claim American Football takes little skill and that the players only rely on strength. This is more of the same blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. There's much more to the game at every position than just strength. Just as in soccer there are techniques to controlling the ball, there are techniques in football for blocking, tackling, catching, throwing, etc. All are skills that have to be practiced and learned and some are better at them than others.

highgarden

31 Jul 2002, 02:50 PM

Originally posted by total_football

P.S.--just because you can bench press a house dosn't make you a well-rounded athlete! Well, rounded, as in ROUND--yes, but athlete.--No. Apparently, there are many players a-ROUND today that, taken together with their helmets, pads, tight pants and pretruding stomachs, that would render William the Refigerator Perry a venerable pip-squeak!

Apparently, some people believe what they want to believe. Many football players are athletic enough to play other sports as well. Charlie Ward, Dieon Sanders, Bo Jackson and Brian Jordan come to mind. Some lineman are overweight, but it is less than 20%. As far as linebackers, defensive backs, running backs and receivers are concerned none of them are fat and all of them are both strong and fast. If you do not like a sport that is fine but do not post something if you do not know what you are talking about.

Elessar1733

31 Jul 2002, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by eric515
http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/epaper/editions/sunday/sports_d334a55e61397130007e.html

I went to college with this guy, and saw this incident happen. How many rugby players have to deal with this??

To answer your question with a question, exactly how many Ami. Football players deal with this? It sounds like a freak accident, and I'm sure crap like it has happened in Rugby. You just didn't read about it because Rugby isn't popular here.

dakotajoe

31 Jul 2002, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by eric515
http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/epaper/editions/sunday/sports_d334a55e61397130007e.html

I went to college with this guy, and saw this incident happen. How many rugby players have to deal with this??

Ronnie Lott of the 49ers had the same thing done.

I do remember watching a Rugby game on FSW. The Scottish color man told a story about how rough the game is. Bunch of players were huddling around a spot in the mud. He called out did someone lose a contact. Naw, replied one of the players, someone lost a finger. Loved the way he told the story.

Newman

31 Jul 2002, 05:53 PM

American Football is full of stories like this. Jack Youngblood playing a play-off game on a broken leg comes to mind. It's not for sissies.

However, given stories of Mike Tice teasing Kory Stringer about throwing up 5 times at a practice the day before he died from heat stroke, and the virtual mathematical certainty that an NFL offensive lineman will blow an ACL, and that players in the NFL live something like 10 years less than the averagle American male-It is indeed a game for the fearlessly brave, and witlessly stupid. Injuries don't make a game great.

As to whether NFL players are great athletes- of course they are, particulary cornerbacks, RB's and wideouts. These are the kids we need coming out for soccer here-a few more Barry Sanders and Rod Woodson types choosing soccer over ACL ball.

timmy409

31 Jul 2002, 06:01 PM

shouldt this go in free for all or other sports?

Jambon

31 Jul 2002, 06:13 PM

How sad that some people's world is so small that they can only appreciate one sport. That goes for American soccer-bashers as well as those ignoramuses that love to put down American football and basketball

I love soccer and American football because they are both so different.

Soccer is great because all tactical decisions are made on the field at game speed by the players without any time for planning, thus the spontaneity is what makes the game beautiful.

American football is the exact opposite. The coaching is amplified because the game is based on interchangeable players at highly specialized positions running a series of set piece plays. It's like a chess match in that what preceded has a direct relation to what must follow. It's tactically fascinating.

I really have such sympathy for the sports impoverished among you out there. Going through life with only one sport would make life practically not worth living.

Bombatta2

31 Jul 2002, 06:42 PM

That part about today's players making Refrigerator Perry look wimpy is right on the mark.

There is going to be an NFL player this season who will weigh over 400 lbs. He will be the first ever.

This is getting ridiculous.

Newman

31 Jul 2002, 06:45 PM

What is really amazing is that Aaron Gibson (your 400 lbs NFL-er) showed up in Madison his freshman year at over 400. Any bets on an over/under age for his first heart attack? 35?

He supposedly could dunk and do the splits when down to a svelt 350.

DoyleG

31 Jul 2002, 06:47 PM

Originally posted by Elessar1733

To answer your question with a question, exactly how many Ami. Football players deal with this? It sounds like a freak accident, and I'm sure crap like it has happened in Rugby. You just didn't read about it because Rugby isn't popular here.

Rugby may not be popular where you live.

TRC Real Sociedad

31 Jul 2002, 06:54 PM

A finger, big deal, my brother played rugby in college, his coach told them a story about a match in South Africa were one of the guys who plays in the scrum had a broken collarbone but he continued to play. When the two teams hooked up during the scrum, one of the guys on the other team buried his head in this guys broken collarbone, the guy screamed out then bit down as hard as he could from the pain. Unfortunately for the other guy, his ear was really close to the mouth of the guy with broken collarbone and you guessed it, he bit the guys ear off, the whole ear( none of that Mike Tyson top of the ear BS), clean off.

You got nine fingers( though thumbs aren't technically fingers), you only have two ears.

dakotajoe

31 Jul 2002, 06:59 PM

Originally posted by TRC Real Sociedad
A finger, big deal, my brother played rugby in college, his coach told them a story about a match in South Africa were one of the guys who plays in the scrum had a broken collarbone but he continued to play. When the two teams hooked up during the scrum, one of the guys on the other team buried his head in this guys broken collarbone, the guy screamed out then bit down as hard as he could from the pain. Unfortunately for the other guy, his ear was really close to the mouth of the guy with broken collarbone and you guessed it, he bit the guys ear off, the whole ear( none of that Mike Tyson top of the ear BS), clean off.

You got nine fingers( though thumbs aren't technically fingers), you only have two ears.

LOL!

elainemichelle

31 Jul 2002, 07:53 PM

Maybe it wouldn't have happened if weren't sissy enough to wear all that equipment in the first place...

Craig the Aussie

31 Jul 2002, 08:08 PM

This sort of thing happens in all sports. I remember a guy called John Sattler playing a full Rugby League grand final game with a broken jaw.

A Sydney Aussie Rules guy, Darren Cresswell, a couple of years ago dislocated his kneecap, smacked it back into place and kept playing. Another Aussie Rules guy, Daniel Chick from Hawthorn, had a finger amputated last year because it kept dislocating all the time.

A month or so back an Indian cricketer had his jaw smashed by a West Indian fast bowler, spat out a few teeth and some blood and kept playing.

Even when I was playing amateur Aussie Rules a few years ago our captain-coach played a full game despite having his jaw broken in 2 places in the first few minutes, and I have played a full game of rugby with a broken forearm (albeit only at high school level).

condor11

31 Jul 2002, 08:23 PM

1989 all black captain buck shelford had his testicles ripped by a french guy in a ruck and played on for the remaining 60 minutes

Parkhead_Faithful

31 Jul 2002, 08:40 PM