[El Sloth]

Not to the extent of AFL or rugby union/league. Hell, probably not even near the level of soccer.

Its still a thing that is played there.

Like soccer in the states.

[shadyspace]

I would love to see a foreign nation play a game of football (Canadian doesn't count like usual).

[danwarb]

Would do well, because investment equals success in general., but wouldn't dominate if it were as popular as football football.

[cubanb]

Jeff Garcia or Doug Flutie vs Joe Montana/ Drew Brees?

[Derrick01]

I think most rugby nations would steamroll footballers. It's to weak of a sport. I mean, you'd have to kill off a lot of the interference rules and such though.

Doubtful. They have to play by football rules and the average NFL player is bigger and more athletic. They have guys closer to 300 pounds than 200 that can keep up with some running backs.

[Antiwhippy]

You're comparing Chess (American Football) to Checkers (Rugby)

I'm not super familiar with american football, so I'm just curious on how this comparison works?

Doubtful. They have to play by football rules and the average NFL player is bigger and more athletic. They have guys closer to 300 pounds than 200 that can keep up with some running backs.

Have you seen some rugby players? They're in the same league, if not even more so.

[MrToughPants]

I think most rugby nations would steamroll footballers. It's to weak of a sport.

Agreed.

You can have asthma and play in the NFL.

Hockey now that is a manly sport where men bleed, grow beards, play with broken bones and fight with their fists.

[m3k]

is australia the best at football (australian rules)?

if the rest of the world played afl, would australia be on top forever? would the other countries catch up in skill levels

i hear ireland is pretty good

[WoodenLung]

Hockey now that is a manly sport where men bleed, grow beards, play with broken bones and fight with their fists.

I swear every time I skip through the channels and go to the sport channel, there's some toothless dude being interviewed and I just know instantly it's a hockey player.

[Claude]

Also I guess it would depend on the techniques and teachings of players and coaches of different countries. Unless I'm not thinking clearly tonight..

[MC Safety]

Isn't Canada the only other country in the world that plays football?

If you ever get a chance, read John Grisham's "Playing for Pizza." It's a fun read about a semipro professional league in Italy.

The story is fictional, of course, but the Italian leagues are real.

[Dan Yo]

It happened so quickly that I feel it could happen in football too.

Meh, the year that this occurred in basketball, the US had become pretty lazy in their domination. Players that were not even close to representing the best America had to offer were on the team. Americans in general don't seem to take the Olympics that seriously. Yes, it's an arrogance thing.

[danwarb]

The average NFL player is no way more athletic than your average professional Rugby player. Rugby is none-stop for 40 minutes a half, and brutal.

[OddSpoon]

The average NFL player is no way more athletic than your average professional Rugby player. Rugby is none-stop for 40 minutes a half, and brutal.

Soccer players are far more conditioned than both. NBA Basketball players are whiny bitches who can't take a slight push.

[cdyhybrid]

The average NFL player is no way more athletic than your average professional Rugby player. Rugby is none-stop for 40 minutes a half, and brutal.

Football is not Rugby.

[Pollux]

Soccer players are far more conditioned than both. NBA Basketball players are whiny bitches who can't take a slight push.

You seriously trying to argue that NBA players are bigger bitches than soccer players?

[Salacious Crumb]

America has a talent pool of over 300 million people to draw from and all the money in the world, they can can be the best at every sport if they try, including soccer. USA vs Western Europe would be a more even match up.

[cubanb]

America has a talent pool of over 300 million people to draw from and all the money in the world, they can can be the best at every sport if they try, including soccer. USA vs Western Europe would be a more even match up.

That's a good point. Football and soccer draw from some of the same talents.

[Ezalc]

The rest of the world doesn't give a shit about American football, with the exception of the Super Bowl.

Nobody else in the world gives a shit about the Super Bowl besides America.

[TheKaeptain]

America has a talent pool of over 300 million people to draw from and all the money in the world, they can can be the best at every sport if they try, including soccer. USA vs Western Europe would be a more even match up.

The thing about Soccer is... Most kids give it up in High School to play football.

[danwarb]

America has a talent pool of over 300 million people to draw from and all the money in the world, they can can be the best at every sport if they try, including soccer. USA vs Western Europe would be a more even match up.

So why is the Spanish nation soccer team so good with a population of 46 million?

[WARCOCK]

You seriously trying to argue that NBA players are bigger bitches than soccer players?

Uhhh the risks of getting your ass hurt is much higher when people are slide tackling you than if they are dunking on you, brah. Yeah it's nothing compared to the danger exposure in the NFL or rugby, but basketball? Come on.

[m3k]

America has a talent pool of over 300 million people to draw from and all the money in the world, they can can be the best at every sport if they try, including soccer. USA vs Western Europe would be a more even match up.

wow

by that logic china and india would rule the world of sports with an iron fist

and no they wouldnt beat europe at soccer

[Dresden]

[cutmeamango]

Soccer players are far more conditioned than both. NBA Basketball players are whiny bitches who can't take a slight push.

Basketball players play day in day out, with training in the middle. They mostly stay 25-35 minutes on court, but it is a game that requires explosion and given the type of court and movement it is very taxing to their legs. They are very well conditioned.

Real Football (soccer for peasants) players run an average of 7 to 8km per game in 90 minutes, they play every 4 days or so with training in between. Quite the different physical conditioning from Basketball, so it is unfair to compare.

[crimzonflame]

If there ever was a Team USA for Football, then Joe Flacco should be the main QB.

[TheKaeptain]

Nobody else in the world gives a shit about the Super Bowl besides America.

This is such bullshit. The only other Championship game that draws more is The Champion League final. 111 million people tuned in to watch The Superbowl world wide.

[Kozak]

Soccer players are far more conditioned than both. NBA Basketball players are whiny bitches who can't take a slight push.

Soccer players aren't trained and conditioned to take big hits.

NFL would never become an Olympic sport because the rest of the world finds it boring. 30 seconds game time and 5 minute down time is not what a lot of us consider "fun".

This is such bullshit. The only other Championship game that draws more is The Champion League final. 111 million people tuned in to watch The Superbowl world wide.

Is there a figure for the "worldwide"? There are a lot of people in America, I wouldn't be surprised if the amount of viewers from outside of America was less than 10 million..

[Pollux]

Uhhh the risks of getting your ass hurt is much higher when people are slide tackling you than if they are dunking on you, brah. Yeah it's nothing compared to the danger exposure in the NFL or rugby, but basketball? Come on.

Oh I'm sorry. I guess I was mistaken and I wasn't watching soccer when guys were falling down like they'd been shot grabbing their ankle and screaming like a 5 year old girl, then jumping up and running away...perfectly fine? My mistake.

[Kabouter]

This is such bullshit. The only other Championship game that draws more is The Champion League final. 111 million people tuned in to watch The Superbowl world wide.

Yes, because 47% of American households watched it.

[WoodenLung]

Uhhh the risks of getting your ass hurt is much higher when people are slid tackling you than if they are dunking on you, brah. Yeah it's nothing compared to the danger exposure in the NFL or rugby, but basketball? Come on.

You should see the basketball in Greece, there they are more in danger of the crowds.

wow by that logic china and india would rule the world of sports with an iron fist and no they wouldnt beat europe at soccer

Well of course you can't just say : More people = More quality. India loves soccer but they got such terrible pitches that it really does stop their development.

Oh I'm sorry. I guess I was mistaken and I wasn't watching soccer when guys were falling down like they'd been shot grabbing their ankle and screaming like a 5 year old girl, then jumping up and running away...perfectly fine? My mistake.

Dear lord, lol, someone must have purely watched Barcelona.

[Dresden]

Oh I'm sorry. I guess I was mistaken and I wasn't watching soccer when guys were falling down like they'd been shot grabbing their ankle and screaming like a 5 year old girl, then jumping up and running away...perfectly fine? My mistake.

Sounds like the NBA to me. You forgot the part where they flail their arms trying to fly away, though.

[Blearth]

Every game named "football" is boring as fuck.

[Ezalc]

This is such bullshit. The only other Championship game that draws more is The Champion League final. 111 million people tuned in to watch The Superbowl world wide.

Bet that most of those people were all American, regardless if they were actually in the US or not.

[WoodenLung]

Bet that most of those people were all American, regardless if they were actually in the US or not.

Meh, I actually know a few people who watch the superbowl and even I did this last year... or two years ago, can't remember, there was a team named bears and I bet on them cause it sounded like a team for real men! Then the fuckers lost and I didn't even understand how. But it does take some dedication or just a fucked up sleeping pattern, will never watch the superbowl again though, what a piece of shit that was. Commercials all the time and extremely shitty music.

[Sutton Dagger]

Considering no other nations play it professionally (accept Canada?), then probably. It would be like asking the US to compete in Rugby League against Aus/NZ/Eng/ etc. they would get smashed.

Speaking of getting smashed, take some of those NFL players out of their helmets and shoulder pads and put them in a Rugby Union or League game... I can't see them coping with the hits or the intensity of a non stop game. :)

[Regulus Tera]

Is Japan the best at karuta?

America has a talent pool of over 300 million people to draw from and all the money in the world, they can can be the best at every sport if they try, including soccer.

uhuh

[FrenchMovieTheme]

to answer your question, the united states would obliterate the rest of the world for a minimum of a decade in the olympics if american football were to be played.

and this is assuming that we just field our college all star team. if we literally had the best of the best from the NFL no country would ever compete with us. but it will never be an olympic sport since it's too violent for most

[m3k]

almost no one cares for nfl outside of america... and comparing the sport to another is pointless

[crimzonflame]

Considering no other nations play it professionally (accept Canada?), then probably. It would be like asking the US to compete in Rugby League against Aus/NZ/Eng/ etc. they would get smashed. Speaking of getting smashed, take some of those NFL players out of their helmets and shoulder pads and put them in a Rugby Union or League game... I can't see them coping with the hits or the intensity of a non stop game. :)

I bet RG3 can take on a whole rugby team by himself.

[Regulus Tera]

You should see the basketball in Greece, there they are more in danger of the crowds.

This is fucking awesome.

[FrenchMovieTheme]

Considering no other nations play it professionally (accept Canada?), then probably. It would be like asking the US to compete in Rugby League against Aus/NZ/Eng/ etc. they would get smashed. Speaking of getting smashed, take some of those NFL players out of their helmets and shoulder pads and put them in a Rugby Union or League game... I can't see them coping with the hits or the intensity of a non stop game. :)

maybe. i wonder what would happen if some of these rugby players tried to put on a helmet and pads and actually learn to play professional football with its ultra complex schemes and formations/etc.

if you took took the best LB in the NFL i bet he could succeed at rugby. i doubt the best rugby player could step in and be a successful NFL player

[Seanspeed]

Both are incredibly amazing sports. I love the NFL more cuz I grew up mostly in the States with a dad who was a big American football fan and was a star high school receiver but didn't have the grades or money to go to college so went into the Army(and then Navy) instead. But my mom is British and the World Cup was always a big deal around my house and like many kids, played soccer for many years as a kid and I definitely appreciate both sports to a great degree. I've recently got more into soccer since we now have channels that actually cover European leagues.

But to the point of the OP, yes, we would steamroll any other country in American football. Just like we steamrolled every other country with basketball when we allowed pro players in the Olympic squads. We would steamroll any other baseball team, we would steamroll any other basketball team and we would steamroll any other American football team. America gets a lot of hate, but we produce some damn fine athletes and competitors if we care enough about it. If only we cared more about road racing, cuz F1 would benefit from a great American driver.

[tino]

Olympic committee would never put a sport where one country dominant in Olympic, so your question is dumb.

Korea had to make a lot of concession to Taekwando rules in order to get it in Olympic.

[Mully]

Somoans. For such a small island, they produce some of the NFL's top players. However, the US has the most talent by a wide margin. It's really amazing how much of a monopoly the US has on football.

[cubanb]

Olympic committee would never put a sport where one country dominant in Olympic, so your question is dumb. Korea had to make a lot of concession to Taekwando rules in order to get it in Olympic.

Ya, Basketball ever became an olympic sport. The Americans would dominate that forever and a day.

[MrToughPants]

maybe. i wonder what would happen if some of these rugby players tried to put on a helmet and pads and actually learn to play professional football with its ultra complex schemes and formations/etc. if you took took the best LB in the NFL i bet he could succeed at rugby. i doubt the best rugby player could step in and be a successful NFL player

If by succeed you mean die from a heart attack.

[Chuck Norris]

Somoans. For such a small island, they produce some of the NFL's top players. However, the US has the most talent by a wide margin. It's really amazing how much of a monopoly the US has on football.

No it's not, other countries play better sports

What's amazing is America's total fascination with the game

[FrenchMovieTheme]

If by succeed you mean die from a heart attack.

the only heart attack that would occur with patrick willis is he would cause them in opposing players

[vferrel]

I was thinking the other day if America in general gave a shit about soccer (I do), and if all those great athletes who dedicated their craft to basketball or football their entire life, did it to soccer instead. We'd be pretty damn good.