American

FOOTBALLNFLCFLContentsDefinitionIntroductionCupsHistoryHowandwhy…?ThefieldGeneraltermsPlayerpositionsIdiomsRandyPausch’s“LastLecture”DiscussionDefinitionNoun agameplayedbytwoteamsof11playersonarectangularfield100yardslong;teamstrytogetpossessionoftheballandadvanceitacrosstheopponentsgoallineinaseriesof(runningorpassing)plays

Introduction(1)Americanfootball,knownintheUnitedStatessimplyas

football

andoftenasgridiron

or

tacklefootball

outsidetheUnitedStates,isacompetitive

teamsportknownforcombiningstrategywithphysicalplay.Theobjectiveofthegameistoscorepointsbyadvancingthe

ball

intotheopposingteam's

endzone.Theballcanbeadvancedbycarryingit(arunningplay)orbythrowingittoateammate(apassingplay).Pointscanbescoredinavarietyofways,includingcarryingtheballovertheopponent'sgoalline,catchingapassthrownoverthatgoalline,

kicking

theballthroughthegoalpostsattheopponent'sendzone,ortacklinganopposingballcarrierwithinhisendzone.Introduction(2)IntheUnitedStates,themajorformsare

highschoolfootball,

collegefootball

andprofessionalfootball,whichareessentiallysimilarbutfeatureslightlydifferentrules.Themajorleagueforprofessionalfootballisthe

NationalFootballLeague.ThesportisalsoplayedoutsidetheUnitedStates.Nationalprofessionalandcollegiateleaguesexistin

UnitedKingdom,

Germany,Italy,

Switzerland,Finland,Sweden,Japan,

Mexico,

Israel,

Spain,Austria,

andseveralPacificIslandnations.SuperbowlGreyCupHistory(1)ThehistoryofAmericanfootballcanbetracedtoearlyversionsof

rugbyfootball

and

associationfootball,playedintheUnitedKingdominthemid-19thcentury,inwhichaballiskickedata

goal

and/orrunoveraline.Manygamesknownas"football"werebeingplayedatcollegesanduniversitiesintheUnitedStatesinthefirsthalfofthe19thcentury.History(2)Americanfootballresultedfromseveralmajordivergencesfrom

rugbyfootball,mostnotablytherulechangesinstitutedby

WalterCamp,consideredthe"FatherofAmericanFootball".Amongtheseimportantchangesweretheintroductionofthe

lineofscrimmageandof

down-and-distance

rules.Inthelate19thandearly20thcenturies,gameplaydevelopmentsbycollegecoachessuchas

EddieCochems,

AmosAlonzoStagg,

KnuteRockne,and

Glenn"Pop"Warner

helpedtakeadvantageofthenewlyintroduced

forwardpass.History(3)Theoriginof

professionalfootball

canbetracedbackto1892,with

William"Pudge"Heffelfinger's

$500contracttoplayinagameforthe

AlleghenyAthleticAssociation

againstthePittsburghAthleticClub.ThefirstProfessional"league"wasthe

OhioLeague,formedin1903,andthefirstProfessionalFootballchampionshipgamewasbetweenthe

BuffaloProspects

andtheCantonBulldogs

in1919.In1920,theAmericanProfessionalFootballAssociationwasformed.Thefirstgamewasplayedin

Dayton,Ohio

onOctober3,1920withthehost

Triangles

defeatingthe

ColumbusPanhandles

14–0.History(4)Theleaguechangeditsnametothe

NationalFootballLeague(NFL)twoyearslater,andeventuallybecamethe

majorleague

ofAmericanfootball.InitiallyasportofMidwesternindustrialtownsintheUnitedStates,professionalfootballeventuallybecameanationalphenomenon.Football'sincreasingpopularityisusuallytracedtothe

1958NFLChampionshipGame,acontestthathasbeendubbedthe"GreatestGameEverPlayed".ArivalleaguetotheNFL,the

AmericanFootballLeague

(AFL),beganplayin1960;thepressureitputontheseniorleagueledtoamerger

betweenthetwoleaguesandthecreationofthe

SuperBowl,whichhasbecomethemostwatchedtelevisioneventintheUnitedStates.How&WhyDidFootballBecomeAmerica’sObsessionWhywerepeoplenotsatisfiedwithrugbyandsoccerwithwhichtheywerebequeathed?Whatweretheylongingfor?HowdidAmericanfootballevolveawayfromsoccerandrugby?Whatdoesthe1872painting“AmericanProgress”depict?Howdoesitrelatetofootball?HowdoesfootballmirrorAmericansociety?VideoWhywereAmericancompetitorsandspectatorsnotsatisfiedwithrugbyandsoccer?Whatdidtheyneed?massmotionsneededastorywitha(mythical)leadertoleadtheteamneededthatfixHowdidAmericanfootballevolveawayfromsoccerandrugby?moreorganized,controlled,scientificQBcreated(1880);hero,protagonist1stdowncreated(1882)3.Whatdoesthe1872painting“AmericanProgress”depict?Howdoesitrelatetofootball?HowdoesfootballmirrorAmericansociety?AmericandestinyasgivenbyGodtomarchacrossthecontinentacquisitionofterritory;capture,hold,defenditTheField“gridiron”2uprightsgoalpostGeneraltermskickoffhuddlesnaplineofscrimmagedowns(i.e.1stand10)tacklefumbleincompleteInterceptionturnoverpenaltyflag“HailMary”P(pán)layerPositionsOffensive: -quarterback(QB),centre -runningback,tightend,widereceivers -fullback,offensivetackles,guardsDefensive: -linebackers,defensivetackles,defensiveends,weak/strongsidesafety,cornerbacksPlayerPositionsSpecialists: -punter,kicker,holder,long/shortsnappersScoringtouchdown=6points-extrapointconversion=1point-two-pointconversion=2pointsfieldgoal=3pointssafety=2pointsIdiomskick-off–tostartquarterbacksomething–todirectaprojectholdtheline–stayandnotmovetouchdown–toachieveorwinsthfirstdown(and10togo)–accomplishedanobjectiveonthewaytoagoal“ImmaculateReception”

Itwasaplaysoimprobableitbecameknownasthe“immaculatereception”.Andlikethemiraclethenameevokes,it’saneventstillshroudedbymystery. Intheclosingminutesofthe1972AFCdivisionalplayoffgamebetweentheOaklandRaidersandthePittsburghSteelers,Oaklandscoredatouchdowntotakea7-6lead,thenpinnedPittsburghdeepintheirownterritoryasthefinalsecondsofthegametickeddown. Facedwitha4thand10fromhisown40,Steeler’squarterbackTerryBradshawfadedbackfromscrimmageintendingtohitBarryPearsonwithashortpassoverthemiddlewhilefullbackFrancoHarrisremainedinthebackfieldtoblock.ButOakland’sswarmingdefensequicklysentthoseplansawry.

ScramblingunderheavypressureBradshawfiredadesperationpassto(John)“Frenchy”Fuquaacrossmidfield.JackFlemingwasthevoiceoftheSteelers:…..

JustasFuquareachedoutforthepass,Oaklandsafety’sJackTatumslammedhimhard,sohardthattheballricochetedoffbothplayersandbackintothearmsofchargingFrancoHarris.… ButdidTatumreallycatchtheball?AnddidHarrisreallytouchtheballbeforeittouchedtheground?TheoutcomeofthegamebecameinlimboforseveralminuteswhilerefereeFredSwearingenandchiefofficialsArtMcNallyconferred.Bothmenultim