Football is a game played on a rectangular field (hundred twenty yards long and fifty-three yards wide) by two different teams, each with eleven members, with an inflated cowhide ball in an oval like shape. The purpose of the offensive side is score as many times as possible while the defense tries to stop that. To score, the offense must run the ball down the field to the opposing team's end zone or by kicking it through the goal post. Since football is considered a full-contact sport, many injuries can occur by "blocking, body checking, and grabbing." In this way, it is considered to be somewhat like rugby. Even with the roughness, it is considered the most popular American sport, attracting thousands of participants. The most renown game takes place in January and is called the Super Bowl, which is attended by some sixty thousand fans and watched by a hundred and thirty television watchers just in the United States.
Some of the equipment that is used by the teams is jerseys, cleats, helmet, and pads. The jerseys are to help identify each player from the other and the opposing team. The cleats are special shoes that help the players get a firm grip in the field. The helmet has face mask to protect the player from having something jab him in the face. On the bottom of the helmet, there is a strap that keeps the helmet in place when hit hard. Inside the helmet, there are pads to cushion the head when tackled to the ground. Beneath the jersey, there are more pads to cushion the body when tackled to the ground, surround the hips, chest, shoulders, and neck. While all those things are important, the most important item is the football itself. Without it, the game would have no function.
A regular football game is divided into four quarters, each fifteen minutes long. After the first two quarters are over, an intermission or half time is started, letting the players confer with their coach while spectators watch the half time show and eat expensive stadium food.
Football was basically born in Pennsylvania. The first professional football game took place in 1895 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It was a city league against rival town called Jeannette, Pennsylvania. After that game, football spread quickly through the countryside. Many individual teams formed along with Olympic teams. The first league of pro teams was formed in 1920 and were called the American Professional Football Association. Each team had to pay a hundred-dollar entry fee. Jim Thorpe became the first president of the league while still playing and coaching. In 1922, the American Professional Football Association gave way to the NFL (National Football league). So many college football players came to the league it was hard to distinguish the difference between the pros and amateurs.
The life style of a player, in the beginning, was very different than it is now. During the day, the players had regular jobs and went to games and practice at night, usually only three or four times a week. Now that everybody was familiar with what football was, more people went to watch, then making it equally popular as college football. Then in 1936, the NFL held the first draft, causing even more people to watch the NFL.
During the Great Depression and World War II, teams and players suffered financial problems. After World War II, the rules of the college game were altered. A team member could come and go during the game an unlimited number of times, as long as a play wasn't in progress. This caused a change in the way the team was developed. There was an offensive and a defensive "team", although they were still on the same side. The offensive was in charge of scoring, while the defense was to make sure the other team did not score a touchdown. This rule became so popular; it became part of the NFL rules, too.
Although many of the quarterbacks (people who throw the football) were skilled, many did not through good enough to guarantee a catch half the time. With little protection from the rushers (players who would charge the quarterback), Paul Brown invented a blocking system that kept the quarterback in a pocket while the rushers were held off. This provided a safe area to throw the football from. With this system, Brown coached the Cleveland Browns and won four championships between 1946 and 1949.
During the 1950's, the Browns, 49ers, and the Colts joined the NFL in a merger of the leagues. The move "ushered" in a time of popularity and prosperity. During the '50s and '60s, players jump-started the league with action plays and attracted more fans. During this time, the popularity grew so big that the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) began to show certain games on TV.
Some of the equipment that is used by the teams is jerseys, cleats, helmet, and pads. The jerseys are to help identify each player from the other and the opposing team. The cleats are special shoes that help the players get a firm grip in the field. The helmet has face mask to protect the player from having something jab him in the face. On the bottom of the helmet, there is a strap that keeps the helmet in place when hit hard. Inside the helmet, there are pads to cushion the head when tackled to the ground. Beneath the jersey, there are more pads to cushion the body when tackled to the ground, surround the hips, chest, shoulders, and neck. While all those things are important, the most important item is the football itself. Without it, the game would have no function.
A regular football game is divided into four quarters, each fifteen minutes long. After the first two quarters are over, an intermission or half time is started, letting the players confer with their coach while spectators watch the half time show and eat expensive stadium food.
Football was basically born in Pennsylvania. The first professional football game took place in 1895 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It was a city league against rival town called Jeannette, Pennsylvania. After that game, football spread quickly through the countryside. Many individual teams formed along with Olympic teams. The first league of pro teams was formed in 1920 and were called the American Professional Football Association. Each team had to pay a hundred-dollar entry fee. Jim Thorpe became the first president of the league while still playing and coaching. In 1922, the American Professional Football Association gave way to the NFL (National Football league). So many college football players came to the league it was hard to distinguish the difference between the pros and amateurs.
The life style of a player, in the beginning, was very different than it is now. During the day, the players had regular jobs and went to games and practice at night, usually only three or four times a week. Now that everybody was familiar with what football was, more people went to watch, then making it equally popular as college football. Then in 1936, the NFL held the first draft, causing even more people to watch the NFL.
During the Great Depression and World War II, teams and players suffered financial problems. After World War II, the rules of the college game were altered. A team member could come and go during the game an unlimited number of times, as long as a play wasn't in progress. This caused a change in the way the team was developed. There was an offensive and a defensive "team", although they were still on the same side. The offensive was in charge of scoring, while the defense was to make sure the other team did not score a touchdown. This rule became so popular; it became part of the NFL rules, too.
Although many of the quarterbacks (people who throw the football) were skilled, many did not through good enough to guarantee a catch half the time. With little protection from the rushers (players who would charge the quarterback), Paul Brown invented a blocking system that kept the quarterback in a pocket while the rushers were held off. This provided a safe area to throw the football from. With this system, Brown coached the Cleveland Browns and won four championships between 1946 and 1949.
During the 1950's, the Browns, 49ers, and the Colts joined the NFL in a merger of the leagues. The move "ushered" in a time of popularity and prosperity. During the '50s and '60s, players jump-started the league with action plays and attracted more fans. During this time, the popularity grew so big that the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) began to show certain games on TV.
