Why do americans feel the need?

Question

to inform all english people that football is called soccer and it is not a real game would you all like it if we said american football was rugby but without the skill??

Can i just add it is not just brittish countrys that call it football pretty much all of europe do

I am not trying to rubbish american sports i just find it anoying how many of my questions on footbal are answered by americans in a negative way ie saying it is soccer or saying it is not a real game

Answer 1

Football, soccer, call it what you like. I don't really care what it's called. My wife loves soccer and I'm not that big a fan of it. I do enjoy watching the EPL once in awhile and I really do appreciate the skills and stamina of the players. I can see where it could become addictive. For the record, I was never exposed to soccer until I was in my late teens. I watched a few games in hopes to add to the list of things I could talk about with my then future wife. Instead, I was turned on to rugby. There are no leagues around here (Louisiana), so I'm only able to watch the game on television. I can honestly say that I enjoy it more than American football now. When I was younger, American football was the thing, but now I wish that I'd have had the opportunity to play rugby. You lucky dogs!

Answer 2

I think the primary reason that the US is not interested in European Football is two fold, primarily as mentioned earlier, we don't have great teams like many countries do. Our football/soccer is third rate at best, and for 90% of American's, we have never seen great matches played by the worlds best. The MLS here in the US can not draw top talent, and it also can not draw crowds, I think the acquisition of Beckham was intended to bring more professionals and more crowds, but I doubt that will work. The other reason why I believe that the US doesn't care as much about European football as American football, is the pride one takes, in their home town team. Most major cities throughout Europe have a football team, in the US only a hand full of cities have MLS teams, and once again they are the worst players in the world for their sport. I think that European football is definitely a real sport, with some of the best athletes in the world. Other people while answering have said that American Football is just a bad version of Rugby, but these people are falling into the same ignorant behavior that caused the question to be created. They don't understand the game, or watch it enough to enjoy it. American's love football because of the hard hitting nature of the game, after all the average career for an NFL player is 2.5 years, that is because the game is so physically demanding. As for the baseball comments, and it being a little girls game, you try hitting a ball thrown at over 90 MPH (145 KPH) from only 90 feet (27 meters) away.

Answer 3

I watch both sports and I like both sports. Just because regional dialect dictates what football is in what country does not make it any less entertaining. American football is not Rugby without the skill. Just as Football(soccer) is very much a real game with much demands of stamina and skill. Both games are very entertaining to watch. Don't be such a hater. Negativity breeds negativity

Answer 4

Football is only called soccer by us Americans. It is not meant to be degrading or condescending to the sport. I also have played all three sports (American Football, European Football, and Rugby) I feel that all three sports require a great deal of skill to play but, each skill set is unique. Americans love our Football almost as much as Europeans love European Football but, I must say that I've never heard of anyone getting killed during an American Football game. I have heard numerous accounts of people dying at European Football games and what you don't seem to understand is that's exactly what it is "a game". I certainly don't think that you should be so proud of any sport that causes the fans to become so violent that someone has to die just because they wanted to watch a game.

Answer 5

"american football [is] rugby but without the skill"?!?!?!?!?
i'm sitting here now watching the college football (american) all-star challenge and there is no want of skill in these twenty-somethings.
four out of five kickers made 50 yd feild goals (thats about 50 meters for you brits) and several quarterbacks throwing over 70 yds. i don't know much about rugby, but professional football is a full time occupation. players and coaches spend hours a day watching game film, lifting weights, and practicing. the average football career lasts for around a decade, and players suffer lasting injeries afterwards i.e. knee deterioration, brain trama, and shoulder problems.
to address the thought that football players are too low on stamina to play a full game, i advise you to think for a moment what it would be like to bench press 250+ pounds with 10 second intervals continuously for 60 minutes. besides the fact that the skill set is so different between an offensive and defensive position, there are 116 division 1-A colleges to 32 professional teams. having the same 11 players play the entire game makes no sense when there are 52 guys on the roster.
the different aspects of football- passing, catching, blocking (which is more complex than you think), tackilng, running (it's much harder in pads), especially intricate routes, kicking, punting, long snapping (i play center, i would konw how hard it is), and the raw speed and power make it much more than a bunch of sweaty guys running around in the mud.
By the way, NFL Europe, which is fairly popular in Europe, is made up of mainly NFL rejects, and aren't even close to the best there are

Answer 6

Interesting. I think you are right. We Americans love our sports, especially American Football. And we should respect the game of soccer, because it is a hard sport to play. But honestly, and I'm not trying to be disrespectful but, what do you call soccer in Europe? I know the Latin countries call it futball. Is it not called soccer???? Someone once asked what is the hardest single action of ANY sports? And many people believe it is either to hit a baseball or kick a goal in soccer. You're sport came first, so you're right we should get the name right, maybe you can tell us what it is you like for soccer to be called?

Answer 7

Considering there were 500,000 ticket requests for the first regular season football game to be held in England.....I think FOOTBALL has gained a lot of popularity in your country. Who cares what it is called, its just a fun sport to watch and play! SOCCER will never reach FOOTBALLS popularity in the USA. Its just like the old argument F1 or NASCAR...we as Americans tend to like a little more exciting action, or look at excitement in a different way than Europe. Anyway you look at it, its all good! Enjoy your sports and compete hard, as we will do the same! Have a good day friend!

Answer 8

I play all three, Soccer (football0, Rugby, and Football. They all take equal amount of skill and not all americans say things about soccer (football). Cant everyone just get along?

Answer 9

American football is called so because only the americans are interested in it. Football is known as football in most countries!

How can anyone say that football is not a game of skill. Have you never seen the footwork of Pele, Ronaldo, the beauty of Beckham's accuracy and Rooney's magic????

I'm british and don't know much about American football - like i said it's not popular here!

Answer 10

Soccer came from a slang term coined at BRITISH universities in 1895. It was a term to refer to As(soc)iation Football to distinguish it from Rugby Football (who were called ruggers). We adapted it just like they did to distinguish it from our version of football, which is a derivation of rugby league.

Also, I have played soccer, football, and rugby (at a university); and do not make it a habit of insulting other people's sports. All three of these game take a great deal of skills in different areas and tenacity.

Also, I believe that it is the rest of the world that complains about us calling it soccer more then us complaining that they call it football.