Started By
Message
re: Why is American Football so popular in the United States?
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:30 pm to bpfergu
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:30 pm to bpfergu
the short answer is that soccer spread in popularity because the English brought it to their colonies around the end of the 19th century.
we had already broken away by then, hence we weren't culturally indoctrinated. in that vaccum, american football was created.
we had already broken away by then, hence we weren't culturally indoctrinated. in that vaccum, american football was created.
This post was edited on 3/7/13 at 8:31 pm
0
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:30 pm to Henry Jones Jr
quote:
I hate to watch soccer because of all the flopping. It pisses me off to no end.
Stay away from the NBA then.
Especially the Spurs...
This post was edited on 3/7/13 at 8:31 pm
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:34 pm to BrerTiger
quote:
Because we like gladiator type sports.
See the rise of MMA.
Or our off and on love affair with boxing.
+1. I honestly believe boxing would still be a top 3 sport in the U.S. today if it wasn't for the corruption and pay-per-view. Americans love combat sports. There's nothing more than entertaining than watching people beating the shite out of each other.
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:36 pm to dawgfan24348
Not really...football is a sissified version of Rugby.
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:38 pm to bpfergu
American football STAAAAACCCCKKKKEEEDDDD
soccer gay
soccer gay
Posted on 3/7/13 at 8:40 pm to broeho
NASCAR not a sport
Posted on 3/7/13 at 9:05 pm to LSU_2012
I've actually done alot of research into sports and their origination.
The best I've come up with is as another poster stated it is the ultimate team sport, and the variety of ways it can be played brings some core American entertainment values together for a perfect cocktail of wasting time.
Americans love violence, that isn't really that violent. Looooooooooooove violence, but we want it in a sissified clean presentation. Once it's serious, as in machete hacking followers of other faiths, or political upheaval we don't want any part of it. However, strap on the pads and hit a WR over the middle at full speed and we replay that 20x.
We also love speed, order, and rules. Goddamnit
'merica loves the frick out of some rules and penalizing people. We also enjoy complicating things to a maddening level.
The yard by yard segmentation of the football field is unique in sports, it allows for nit picking and competitions within competitions.
Every play in football is a mini battle, with instant gratification an instant winner and loser. We love to compare and yard by yard, down by down, series by series we can compare our team against yours. etc.
We are competitive, born to do the best we can, our political values are so ingrained in our culture that just being happy with what you were born into isn't going to cut it. We have to continually improve. Football at the local level is a manifestation of town vs. town, neighborhoods vs. neighborhoods and the size of the field and linear play allows for great crowds to amass and the specialized work and skills needed for the different positions means a community with the tallest people isn't automatically at an advantage. Everyone from the big fat guys, to the svelte and quick, so the thick and fast to the throwers to the good hands catchers to the pure speed runners and down to the guys that can kick the ball far have a place on a football team. The division of labor in a football game is the most varied and a good team requires a good variety of skills throughout the town.
Lastly, the sheer number of players it takes to field a team is a big factor. 11 at a time on the field, that's the largest amount of players on a team in a major sport. This means more mommas and poppas, friends, family, etc that have a stake in the game via the players. It's easier to create interest and buzz about a game where 50 locals are playing on the team compared to 10 or even worse individual sports where personalities drive interest in the competitions.
Football just brings everything unique about our country together in athletics, there's strategy and out-thinking your opponent, there's pure athletic feats, and it is all measured and easily translatable to print/tv/radio etc.
The best I've come up with is as another poster stated it is the ultimate team sport, and the variety of ways it can be played brings some core American entertainment values together for a perfect cocktail of wasting time.
Americans love violence, that isn't really that violent. Looooooooooooove violence, but we want it in a sissified clean presentation. Once it's serious, as in machete hacking followers of other faiths, or political upheaval we don't want any part of it. However, strap on the pads and hit a WR over the middle at full speed and we replay that 20x.
We also love speed, order, and rules. Goddamnit
'merica loves the frick out of some rules and penalizing people. We also enjoy complicating things to a maddening level.
The yard by yard segmentation of the football field is unique in sports, it allows for nit picking and competitions within competitions.
Every play in football is a mini battle, with instant gratification an instant winner and loser. We love to compare and yard by yard, down by down, series by series we can compare our team against yours. etc.
We are competitive, born to do the best we can, our political values are so ingrained in our culture that just being happy with what you were born into isn't going to cut it. We have to continually improve. Football at the local level is a manifestation of town vs. town, neighborhoods vs. neighborhoods and the size of the field and linear play allows for great crowds to amass and the specialized work and skills needed for the different positions means a community with the tallest people isn't automatically at an advantage. Everyone from the big fat guys, to the svelte and quick, so the thick and fast to the throwers to the good hands catchers to the pure speed runners and down to the guys that can kick the ball far have a place on a football team. The division of labor in a football game is the most varied and a good team requires a good variety of skills throughout the town.
Lastly, the sheer number of players it takes to field a team is a big factor. 11 at a time on the field, that's the largest amount of players on a team in a major sport. This means more mommas and poppas, friends, family, etc that have a stake in the game via the players. It's easier to create interest and buzz about a game where 50 locals are playing on the team compared to 10 or even worse individual sports where personalities drive interest in the competitions.
Football just brings everything unique about our country together in athletics, there's strategy and out-thinking your opponent, there's pure athletic feats, and it is all measured and easily translatable to print/tv/radio etc.
Page 2 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News