[Salazar]

I can't believe this logic actually exists! Maybe hes just BETTER at rugby?

You do him an undeserved honour by calling that logic.

[danwarb]

Nate Ebner World Class Rugby player http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P94LZzurYM Taken in the 6th round of the NFL draft (197th overall). A guy with marginal talent and decent speed is considered a great Rugby player. If the best American athletes played Rugby instead of football there would be no competition.

Says he was named MVP for the US at the Rugby World Cup in 2007, where they lost all of their group games.

[shira]

My dad and coaches in football as a kid always told me: "Those pads aren't to protect you. They're so you can hit the other guy harder." I think there's some validity in that.

Terrible attitude for a father or a coach.

[Galvanise_]

The question you have to ask yourself is 'Why would the rest of the world give a fuck?'

More or less everywhere else plays football (foot) and are happy with that.

[legend166]

Comparing players across different football codes in terms of physical attributes is so pointless. The requirements in all of them are so different.

[Kinyou]

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.

According to that logic would China be the best at everything if it only wanted to.

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

Nah, Germany has its own league for example.



not really recognized by the media, but it's there.

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

According to that logic would China be the best at everything if it only wanted to.

Well they are trying. See the Olympics.

[Chuck Norris]

Nate Ebner World Class Rugby player http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P94LZzurYM Taken in the 6th round of the NFL draft (197th overall). A guy with marginal talent and decent speed is considered a great Rugby player. If the best American athletes played Rugby instead of football there would be no competition.

Being a world class US rugby player is like being a world class US soccer player

Actually, probably a lot worse, America at least manages something in the FIFA World Cup. The US tied with Portgual and Namibia as the worst teams in the 07 Rugby World Cup, winning zero games. Which the guy you mentioned was a part of.

[Natetan]

Is Japan the best at sumo?

.....ok well they're not, but the best sumo players are in Japan. My point Is no one else plays it, but Japan doesn't have the Gaul to all it the fuyu basho WORLD championship because Japanese already know its a very local sport

[MrHicks]

american football lacks the country VS country awsomeness that other worldwide sports have

the atmosphere during a soccer world cup is simply in a league of its own
national championships sound so underwhelming by comparison

but i guess if nobody else plays your sport you really can't have a american football world cup even it you wanted too

[danilark]

Being a world class US rugby player is like being a world class US soccer player Actually, probably a lot worse, America at least manages something in the FIFA World Cup. The US tied with Portgual and Namibia as the worst teams in the 07 Rugby World Cup, winning zero games. Which the guy you mentioned was a part of.

Yeah, exactly. I would hardly call that guy "world class".

A lot of people in this thread know nothing about Rugby. Players have to learn intricate set-piece plays from scrums and lineouts and think on their feet as the game is being played. Not to mention forwards have to know lineout moves and calls.

This is a crappy vid but it's an example of set-moves in rugby http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFHqRDfL7oc

[F#A#Oo]

American even if they gave a shit would not be that great in football/soccer...

It's definitely one of those sports where you need god given talent...

[Killdozer]

My experience with Canadians playing American football:

I went to HS in an affluent non-football oriented community. Last time we progressed out of our division was 10 years prior.


When I was a HS senior a Canadian team was using our field in the AM for practice. Watching them practice was equivalent to elementary school Pony level Pop-Warner. They are terrible, in the most terrible way.

That is all.

[Jokab]

American even if they gave a shit would not be that great in football/soccer... It's definitely one of those sports where you need god given talent...

Hardly. You don't need talent to be good at anything. Hard work and dedication can get you anywhere you choose to go.

[Trent Strong]

Hardly. You don't need talent to be good at anything. Hard work and dedication can get you anywhere you choose to go.

What? That's even more preposterous than the post you were responding to.

[Zeppelin]

Hardly. You don't need talent to be good at anything. Hard work and dedication can get you anywhere you choose to go.

I very much doubt that when it comes to the top European football leagues. The competition there is insane and if you're born without talent you'll probably be to old by the time you've developed it.

[elseanio]

If generation upon generation of European countries played American Football, then you couldn't say for certain USA would be the greatest. There's nothing unique about an American that makes them good at this certain sport, other than it being instilled from an early age.

[Kenshin001]

Not only winning, but crushing. 2007: US-S. Korea: 77-0 US-Germany: 33-7 US-Japan (defending champs): 23-20 (2OT) (Championship game) 2011: US-Australia: 61-0 US-Germany: 48-7 US-Mexico: 17-7 US-Canada: 50-7 (Championship game)

I wonder about the type of people who play gridiron in those countries. Are they some sort of fringe dwelling non-conformists? Eccentrics? Americaphiles? While their friends are enjoying soccer, rugby, Australian Rules, they are putting their blood sweat and tears into a game that will bring no reward or glory, that no-one gives a shit about.

[catfish]

completely strange topic.

"would america be the best at a sport nobody gives a shit about apart from america, if anybody gave a shit about it"

It would come down to how much money every country was putting into it, plus a few other variables. It would probably be like the football world cup where there are some favourites, but it's always surprising who wins in the end.

The answer is a flat 'no' in the world of pretend where the whole world loves American football, America would not consistently be the best at it.

[Kabouter]

I wonder about the type of people who play gridiron in those countries. Are they some sort of fringe dwelling non-conformists? Eccentrics? Americaphiles? While their friends are enjoying soccer, rugby, Australian Rules, they are putting their blood sweat and tears into a game that will bring no reward or glory, that no-one gives a shit about.

Probably people playing it for a wide variety of reasons. Maybe American parents, a large interest in America, saw a game when they were young and thought it looked amazing, wanting to play something different etc. Doubt there's only/mainly a single type of person playing it outside the US.

[Kenshin001]

Probably people playing it for a wide variety of reasons. Maybe American parents, a large interest in America, saw a game when they were young and thought it looked amazing, wanting to play something different etc. Doubt there's only/mainly a single type of person playing it outside the US.

Yeah, I guess so but it seems to me you are never going to get any players at an elite level. It's always going to be a disparate group who for some reason either chose not to for some reason or couldn't cut it in their country's national sports.

[Raonak]

No other country plays(or cares) about american football, so america would win.

BUT if other countries played it, i would say that the rugby countries (SA/Auz/NZ) would probably beat america imo.

[Mohonky]

I find the sport hard to take seriously. I mean, you have a defensive and offensive team within a team?

[F#A#Oo]

Hardly. You don't need talent to be good at anything. Hard work and dedication can get you anywhere you choose to go.

You really do...

My friend started his youth career at around 7-8 years old at Atalanta in Italy. They have a really good youth system. He's been in their system for about 10 years now but even with all the coaching and dedicating his whole life to becoming a footballer he may well not make it as a pro in the top of any league and will have to settle for a lower division in the near future with part-time work on the side or just pack it all in and get a regular job.

He's just not got the talent for the top but he's been given the best chance of it with what he's got and god knows the sacrifices he and his family made to make his career possible.

[alstein]

I wonder about the type of people who play gridiron in those countries. Are they some sort of fringe dwelling non-conformists? Eccentrics? Americaphiles? While their friends are enjoying soccer, rugby, Australian Rules, they are putting their blood sweat and tears into a game that will bring no reward or glory, that no-one gives a shit about.

In the case of Mexicans, many were college players in the US.

Where I went to school, we graduated a German linebacker last year. Giants picked him up in the 7th round this year.

[Kozak]

No other country plays(or cares) about american football, so america would win. BUT if other countries played it, i would say that the rugby countries (SA/Auz/NZ) would probably beat america imo.

Why?

[Fusebox]

Why?

Probably because the other countries are already used to playing similar sports without having to dress up like space marines.

[zbeeb]

Why?

real men lolz

[Zeppelin]

I find the sport hard to take seriously. I mean, you have a defensive and offensive team within a team?

Plus a 1 hour game takes 4 hours to play. Such a convoluted sport, really.

[Tashbrooke]

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

That's what i thought,



and if any sports going to the olympics first, its real football... or 'soccer'

[Jay Sosa]

You could probably run a high school football team out there to represent the USA and they would steam roll their way to a gold medal.

rofl

I find the sport hard to take seriously. I mean, you have a defensive and offensive team within a team?

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

and if any sports going to the olympics first, its real football... or 'soccer'

WTF?

[Kinyou]

That's what i thought, and if any sports going to the olympics first, its real football... or 'soccer'

Soccer is already a Olympic discipline. It's just that no one really cares...

Well they are trying. See the Olympics.

And are still failing at big parts. What I mean is that not just enough money and enough people to choose from will get you to the top. One of the main factors is the society you live in and their viewpoints on the sport

[Dapperk]

ITT 90% of the posters have no idea of:

1. the complexity of American Football. Other countries would be so far behind in the game the Americans would dominate for years. That isn't to say that other countries couldn't catch up, but it would take some time just to get the rules, play sets and intricacies down. Football really is a game of strategy first and foremost.

2. The physical conditioning of American Football players. Many people who have no idea about the NFL or football in the US just take a look at the offensive linemen and assume football is a bunch of fat asses. Either that or assume that the stop and go nature of the sport means that players have poor conditioning. Many of the best athletes in the US bar none are football players. These are players that probably could have been world class Olympians or dominated in other sports but chose football. I'm not going to comment on rugby players, as I know they obviously have a great deal of physical conditioning as well, but the NFL is home to some down right physical anomalies. Guys who can run 4sec 40s and bench 2x their weight. Padding or not, you would not want to be anywhere near these guys.

[Tashbrooke]

Probably because the other countries are already used to playing similar sports without having to dress up like space marines.

I thought about that, a friend of mine has all of the 'space marine' equipment, i couldnt believe how someone would play in this,

I think that in the first year however, if everyone played the sport, they'd win, but after AUS/NZ got wind of that shit, you fuckers would go down.

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

That's what i thought,



and if any sports going to the olympics first, its real football... or 'soccer'

I can't believe this logic actually exists! Maybe hes just BETTER at rugby?

srsly though, id hate to see america play rugby, i can just picture the horrifying Americanising of the sport, dont get me wrong, i think what yanks can do for sports is brilliant they make shit way more interesting, like nascar, if any other country did that, nobody would give a shit, but who thought they could make loads of dudes driving in a circle entertaining!

yes i watch top gear

[Dapperk]

srsly though, id hate to see america play rugby, i can just picture the horrifying Americanising of the sport, dont get me wrong, i think what yanks can do for sports is brilliant they make shit way more interesting, like nascar, if any other country did that, nobody would give a shit, but who thought they could make loads of dudes driving in a circle entertaining! yes i watch top gear

Americans do play rugby. It's an extremely popular and competitive sport at the college level. It's just not popular beyond that.

[godelsmetric]

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.

It clearly doesn't work this way, since a country with 16,000,000 people in it can put together a football team which gets to the world cup finals, beating a country with 192,000,000 in it in the process.

[Tashbrooke]

ITT 90% of the posters have no idea of: 1. the complexity of American Football. Other countries would be so far behind in the game the Americans would dominate for years. That isn't to say that other countries couldn't catch up, but it would take some time just to get the rules, play sets and intricacies down. Football really is a game of strategy first and foremost.

i agree to an extent that it would take some catching up,but then again world series for most sport tend to happen every 4-5 years? so i cant see that

2. The physical conditioning of American Football players. Many people who have no idea about the NFL or football in the US just take a look at the offensive linemen and assume football is a bunch of fat asses. Either that or assume that the stop and go nature of the sport means that players have poor conditioning. Many of the best athletes in the US bar none are football players. These are players that probably could have been world class Olympians or dominated in other sports but chose football. I'm not going to comment on rugby players, as I know they obviously have a great deal of physical conditioning as well, but the NFL is home to some down right physical anomalies. Guys who can run 4sec 40s and bench 2x their weight. Padding or not, you would not want to be anywhere near these guys.

I swear you all think these guys are the strongest people in the world, come on, i'me pretty sure america doesnt have ALL the strong people..

[Fusebox]

I'm pretty sure 90% of kpops facts are just made up.

[Salacious Crumb]

It clearly doesn't work this way, since a country with 16,000,000 people in it can put together a football team which gets to the world cup finals, beating a country with 192,000,000 in it in the process.

There's a slight difference in the average quality of life, opportunity and access to quality facilities between those countries.

America is 4th on the HDI, Brazil is 85th.

[Dapperk]

i agree to an extent that it would take some catching up,but then again world series for most sport tend to happen every 4-5 years? so i cant see that I swear you all think these guys are the strongest people in the world, come on, i'me pretty sure america doesnt have ALL the strong people..

Nah I wouldn't even try to suggest that. I've seen enough rugby and world sports to have seen some downright animals from other countries.

[secondspace]

Even if the rest of the world started to give a damn about American Football, I could see the US having a structural advantage for a long time. The importance of high school and college football isn't really replicated by other sports around the world. It would be hard to imagine schools adopting the game these days.

The end result would be that the game could be popular, but most of the professional players would likely be US college players who weren't good enough for the NFL.

Not going to happen anyway, much more likely is the US winning the World Cup and falling into line with the rest of the world.

[CaramaC]

Yes America, yes you are. You are the world champions.
( of a sport 99.9% of the rotw doesn't care about)

[Kozak]

rofl

As funny as that statement is, its true.

http://www.americanfootball2011.com/...ticipants/usa/

[godelsmetric]

There's a slight difference in the average quality of life, opportunity and access to quality facilities between those countries. America is 4th on the HDI, Brazil is 85th.

Well, Brazil consistently fields an incredible team, better than other teams from countries with much higher HDI indexes.

But my point was rather more that a country with a comparatively small population (16mil) can get to the finals, beating similarly developed countries with much larger populations.

[shanshan310]

Nah I wouldn't even try to suggest that. I've seen enough rugby and world sports to have seen some downright animals from other countries.

So then what was your point? No one was saying football players were fat asses, but a lot of people (you included) seemed to be suggesting that they were better than players of other sports, and players from other countries. If that's not what you meant, what was it?

[Dapperk]

So then what was your point?

That football players aren't a bunch of under-conditioned lightweights that would collapse after running for 3 minutes straight like suggested here?

[Kinyou]

ITT 90% of the posters have no idea of: 1. the complexity of American Football. Other countries would be so far behind in the game the Americans would dominate for years. That isn't to say that other countries couldn't catch up, but it would take some time just to get the rules, play sets and intricacies down. Football really is a game of strategy first and foremost.

Countries would obviously buy American trainers who'd bring their experience along with them.

[WorriedCitizen]

There's a slight difference in the average quality of life, opportunity and access to quality facilities between those countries. America is 4th on the HDI, Brazil is 85th.

That's not the reason. Football is very professional in dozens of countries. No matter the size of the population in the end the teams always play 11 vs 11. So even a small country can have a golden generation of players.

If the world would care about American Football with the same determination the situation would be similar. The US would probably be the equivalent of Brazil still but other countries would be able to beat them on a good day.

[shanshan310]

That football players aren't a bunch of under-conditioned lightweights that would collapse after running for 3 minutes straight like suggested here?

see my edit.


And where was that suggested exactly?

[Jay Sosa]

As funny as that statement is, its true. http://www.americanfootball2011.com/...ticipants/usa/

They're quite old for HIGHSCHOOL kids don't you think?