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Le P.I.A.F.!
Le Partage d'Informations
Amusantes et Fameuses!
AMERICAN FOOTBALL, A SPORT TO DISCOVER
What are the roots of American football?
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Early American football has its origins in rugby football and association football which has enjoyed long-time popularity in many nations of the world. Players have to score by kicking the ball. American football is different than French soccer because the rules are different. Moreover, American football is more violent than French soccer.
On November 6, 1869, Rutgers and Princeton played the first college football game. Then, it wasn’t until the 1880s that a great rugby player from Yale, Walter Camp, transformed rugby into the new game of American football with different rules. He is considered like “the father of American football”. By the 1880s, most athletic clubs had a football team. Competition was heated and each club wanted to stock its team the best players available.
The origin of professional football can be traced back to 1892 with William Pudge Heffelfinger 500$ contract to play in a game for Allegheny Athletic Club. In 1920, the American Professional Football association was formed. This league changed its name to the National Football League (NFL) two years later. The NFL championship is called the Super Bowl and is among the biggest events in the world. It is played every year.
Are there other competitions?
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There are many competitions. Since 1999, a World cup has been organized by the International Football Federation every four years. The Championship and Euro Bowl are two other competitions every two year. American football is the most popular sport in United States like is soccer in France.
Where is American football played?
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American football is played on a rectangular field which is 110 yards long and 53 yards wide. Lines are marked along the end and the sides of the field. Weighted pylons are placed inside the corner of the goal line and the end lines. The goalposts are the center of each two lines.
The stadium, google images
The field is divided into parts, called hash marks which are five yards long and painted in white. They are used to count the distance travelled by the players. As mentioned in the rules, the offensive team has to cover two hash marks. If the team doesn’t succeed after four attempts, it loses the ball.
What about the players?
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To be a good player, you need a helmet in order to play American football. The helmet is the most important and the heaviest equipment. We could believe that is a protection and the helmet should never be used to carry blow. Face mask is such an important part. Shoulder pads are the most impressive piece of equipment. We say that they are meant to cash the shots. For the legs there are protective cups. There are knee pad, tailbone pad, hip pad and thigh pad. The jersey and the football pants have different characteristics according to the teams. They have to hold the “pads” against the body to ensure maximum protection for the athlete.
There are not special shoes for this sport but they use crampons like soccer players. The ball is also called “Pin Skin”, (literally the pig’s skin. It ball is made of cowhide.
The best teams are New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys and so are Pittsburgh Steelers.
Today the best player is Tom Brady. He plays at NFL. And the best player in the history of American football is Jerry Rice. He was called “the Greatest of all time” thanks to his performances.
What are the rules of American football?
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First of all, at the start of every game is the coin toss to decide which team receives the ball first and which side of the ground they want to start from.
The game begins with a kick-off where one team punts the ball down field for the other team to then run back with the ball as far as possible.
Games last for four 15 minute-quarters. A two minute break between the 1st & 2nd and 3rd & 4th quarters is taken along with a fifteen minute rest between second and third quarters.
Each team has 4 downs to gain 10 or more yards. They can either throw or run the ball to make the yards. As soon as the team gains the required yards, the downs reset and the yardage resets. Failure to make the yardage after 4 downs will result in a turnover.
There are hundreds of different plays that players can run on any down. Plays are made up by the teams and often have players running all over the place in what is essentially organized chaos. The head coach or quarter back calls the on field plays for the attacking team whilst the defensive captain calls the plays for the defensive team.
On fourth down the offence has the option to either try to make up the yards they are short or to kick the ball. If they decide to kick they have two options; to punt or to try for a field goal. Anything within forty yards or so of the opposition’s goal posts will result in a field goal attempt. Further back will likely mean they take the punt option.
Shérine Vincent
American football is an important part of American everyday life and all Americans think that it is a good example for all people. It's a well-known sport and people like to play it a lot, whether it's in schools or for fun. Thanks to its rules, this sport is a good basis to build future life.