Footballers (American) - Why do they dress up so much ? Are They Cissies ?

Question

I am a Brit so I am not versed in the arts of this oddest of games (namely - American Football).

Two questions :-

1. Why do they wear so much protection ? Are they frightened of being hurt ?

2. What roughly is the ratio of actual playing time to actual non-playing time (including 'time-outs') ?

I think that the game is 'stopped' for most of the time.
That is why, I believe that they don't have to be super fit !

Answer 1

Yes they are sissies, why do they call in football, when you only kick it a few times, it is called RUGBY!! They are sissies coz we brits do it with hardly any padding, if any at all.

Answer 2

1. Don't really need to address this one, everybody else has, and this is just another feeble attempt by a brit to say that Rugby is as tough as Football.

2. The reason that they stop play so often. Well, It's the nature of the game really. You see, for the players, this is a physical sport. But for the coaches, it's like a chess game. On each and every down an offensive play is called on one side, and a defensive play is called to try to match it. The switching in and out of players and the changing of formations takes time, which is why the game stops for 30 seconds between downs. Each team has 3 timeouts they can use per half (usually used to stop the clock from running out during a last minute scoring drive). As for halftime, well, it gives the coaches a chance to talk things over with the players if things aren't going too well and make changes to play calling style. But really, halftime is more of a great time to grab another beer, we are Americans after all.


As for them not being "super fit": It really depends on what position they play. Linemen are 300 lbs or more, they couldn't possibly be considered "fit", and it would be impossible for them to run around nonstop for two hours (that doesn't mean they aren't great athletes, they are there for strength, not for a marathon.) Wide recievers could be compared more to rugby players, they are more the same size, their position requires them to run down the field at full sprint on every play, so for them it's like doing wind sprints for two hours (while jumping, diving, and getting hit) so they have to be in amazing shape.

Answer 3

They wear pads because nobody wants to see slow, injury ridden athletes play.

Rugby players are always getting hairline fractures on their bones that slow them down. A bump on the knee is just a bump on the knee with a gridiron player. A bump on the knee is a partially fractured bone that will make a rugby player slower.

Also, most American players can run the 100 meter dash under 10.5 seconds and bench 100 kilos. How many rugby players can do the same?

Oh, btw, how many rugby players moonlighted in the olympics or other sports and won a championship?

In the NFL, there's Bob Sapp, (The Beast) there's John Capel, world championship sprinter and others that would be too numerous to mention. Can any rugby union claim the same?

That's why they wear the padding. Also, like I said, it's kinda gay to watch a player limp about because of some lame hairline fracture that could be easily avoided by wearing armor.

Answer 4

Im not an american nor a Brit but I appreciate the American Football game & I do appreaicte "D" football (In which played all over Europe). In order for you to truly comprehend then I say try to play the game or if you cant then try to research the injuries related to the games you would find that it is more violent than your Premiership nor any European or any football legue. Injuries sustained due to more often violent impact of the games left many tough & tested men left lame & maim imagine this, your running at full speed then somebody much bigger than you running at full speed towards you w/ his helmet aimed at your chest & with his arms strecht out for a clotheline just in case your able to evade. Or try this your running trying to catch a ball which is not round then somebody from behind you running at full speed & again most probably much bigger than you planting their shoulder blades on your waist & you go down like a log w/ your face hitting the ground so hard that your face mask is full of grass. Now those are some of the most simplest tackle in american football can you play the game dude? Not metioning the fact that there are football players who are notoriously hit you so violent that you make the human highlight real by the end of the season.

Answer 5

1) Football players are on average ALOT bigger than you average player. Plus there's the chance of getting hit by the even bigger defensive linemen (ex: Chargers v. 49ers - Chargers NT Jamal Williams leaps on a 49er WR with his 348lb body. I'm surprised they guy actually got up under his own power)

2) To the guy who said they last 1.5-2hrs ---> What are you watching? I was surprised the Denver-Raider game was over in 2.5 even though they killed the Raiders. Games usually last 3hrs, and every 1pm (EST) game on this past sunday went past 3hrs (not including overtime)
--------So, seeing as there's only 60min playing time (sometimes more if the clock is set back by an official), there is quite a number of breaks. The play clock (time before they must resume play) can be up to 60s sometimes, so if you add in all of those that happened when the game clock was stopped, it adds up.

Answer 6

simply put. picture yourself on the field holding the ball, now a guy that is 6'4 284 lbs is running straight at you with the intent of driving you into the ground (remember this guy can run the 400 in 40 seconds so yes he is fast) now remember where you are? do you want protection or not, because when these guys hit they do it and they mean it! and linebackers are usually the biggest meanest loudest players on the field, experts at psychological tactics as well as physical! i hope this sheds a bit of light on your question!
now about playing time.. the game is divided up into 4 quarters each with 15 Min's playing time but your average game lasts from 1 1/2 to 2 hours because of Halftime and time outs and just time when the clock is stopped so the refs can place the ball or check for first downs!

Answer 7

Maybe you should watch an entire game? The average game lasts around 3 hours. The reason they wear so much protective gear is so they get stopped from long term injuries. They hit each other with such force that it could badly damage body parts. They are far from sissies and it is one of the most watched games in the world. It is one of the most passionately played games in the world of sport. Try to pick up the game then you might pick up the game.

Answer 8

Rugby you are close to each player and tackle them, sure its rough but its like a good game of back yard fun.

American football we wear pads and such cause we are not close to each other most of the time. Normally people are running at full steam and lay out the other guy as if it was a Mack truck hitting a sub compact car. Without the protection the death rate would be extremely high.

They are similar sports but different. Like saying Nascar racing and Kart racing are the same. Sure both are racing sports but two separate sports within the sport.

Answer 9

Brits couldn't hang playing our version of football! Nor could Americans handle playing rugby or Australian rules! it's like comparing apples with walnuts! playing time and conditioning I would guess favor the blokes across the pond. You guys were never really any good at following rules, our game is too structured for you. as for us lazy Americans we just need a break every 30-45 seconds so drink up! sloncha!!

Answer 10

Quarterback Chris Simms took so many bad hits in a game a few weeks ago, he had to have his spleen removed!!
The players are extremely fit and often throw their whole body into tackles, remember in rugby, players have to grab/hold whilst tackling.
Both rugby and US football are great games and played by very big, powerful, speedy athletes.
The game is 60mins long but with stopages they total approx 2&1/2 to 3 hours.

Answer 11

They only wear protection because in the past there has been many disabling and even fatal accidents.

It's about half an hour a quarter (15 minutes playing time)

Hope this helps!

P.S I'm from England and I am a great fan of the game!