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...We hates it. What is it about football that Americans like so much? Are we attracted to senseless violence and watching people run and throw stuff? I'm so sick of hearing people talk about stinkin' football...

People like football because
 1. amazing talent
 2. something to pass time(entertaining)
 3. a time to group up with friends
 4. other opinions from different people

This is basically what any other event can offer (Redemption for example), except this one is exceptionally violent.

And BTW, when you say "amazing talent," you mean really good at...

senseless violence and ... run[ning] and throw[ing] stuff

if redemption was as popular as football ,that be awesome!

If an alien came to my house and gave me chocolate, that would be pretty awesome, too, and probably more likely.

I watch it because its actually like chess. There is a LOT of strategy that goes into each play.

Plus, theres nothing like watching a guy from your team make an interception and run past everyone for a touchdown.

Quote from: Good samaritan 2010 on April 30, 2010, 02:29:43 PM

People like football because
 1. amazing talent
 2. something to pass time(entertaining)
 3. a time to group up with friends
 4. other opinions from different people

This is basically what any other event can offer (Redemption for example), except this one is exceptionally violent.

And BTW, when you say "amazing talent," you mean really good at...

Quote from: BubbleBoy on April 30, 2010, 02:24:22 PM

senseless violence and ... run[ning] and throw[ing] stuff

Violent is not the word that comes to mind. Maybe physical, but violence has nothing to do with football. Violence seems more descriptive of sports such as hockey or ultimate fighting. I think "amazing talent" refers to the physical gifts God has blessed these individuals with.

Plus, theres nothing like watching a guy from your team make an interception and run past everyone for a touchdown.

This is exactly what I'm saying. You can say you like it for the strategy, but every argument for football that I have ever heard has ended with something like, "Plus, when that guy runs really fast and hits stuff, that is so cool!" Why? Why is this appealing?

Violent is not the word that comes to mind. Maybe physical, but violence has nothing to do with football.

If something frequently results in painful, life-altering injuries, or if the purpose of the game is to bring your opponent unwillingly from a standing position to a lying down position in any way possible, I call it violent. Maybe we have different definitions. (Instaposted by Alex, with whom I agree.)

I think "amazing talent" refers to the physical gifts God has blessed these individuals with.

Okay...but what are those gifts being used for? You can also say that Adolf Hitler was really talented because God blessed him with the gift of leadership, couldn't you?

You get 5 minutes in the penalty box for fighting, as well as possible game misconducts and game suspensions.

Football IS all that violent in comparison to every other sport (except for like, Rugby). Until you can show that it isn't, we are not really required to prove our negative.

In Hockey, you are TRAINED to injure people; you are trained to knock them down constantly against a wall, against and again, because if they actually fall down you get penalized. This is a violent sport. When someone on the opposite side of the ice rink slam someone against a wall, they aren't playing the game or trying to do something that HAPPENS to require you hitting someone; their entire goal is to injure that other person.

This never happens in football. Your goal is to tackle them, NOT to hurt them. Yes, people are injured. But unintentionally. You are always going to have jerks in a sport who want to injure other plays (in baseball people slam into the catcher and get them injured for life, in one case, I can't remember the batter's name, he actually killed the catcher). But in football the average person is not trying to be violent, only affective.

Also keep in mind that you are only trying to tackle one side of the field. In Hockey, for instance, everyone is out for everyone except for the guy with the puck, who is trying to score.

Quote from: Lamborghini_diablo on April 30, 2010, 03:03:12 PM

Plus, theres nothing like watching a guy from your team make an interception and run past everyone for a touchdown.

This is exactly what I'm saying. You can say you like it for the strategy, but every argument for football that I have ever heard has ended with something like, "Plus, when that guy runs really fast and hits stuff, that is so cool!" Why? Why is this appealing?

Why is playing cards appealing?

Quote from: adotson85 on April 30, 2010, 03:23:26 PM

Violent is not the word that comes to mind. Maybe physical, but violence has nothing to do with football.

If something frequently results in painful, life-altering injuries, or if the purpose of the game is to bring your opponent unwillingly from a standing position to a lying down position in any way possible, I call it violent. Maybe we have different definitions. (Instaposted by Alex, with whom I agree.)

The point of football is not to tackle people. The point is to score points by kicking, throwing, or running a ball. Thousands of people choke while eating each year, so I guess eating is violent by your definition.

Quote from: adotson85 on April 30, 2010, 03:23:26 PM

I think "amazing talent" refers to the physical gifts God has blessed these individuals with.

Okay...but what are those gifts being used for? You can also say that Adolf Hitler was really talented because God blessed him with the gift of leadership, couldn't you?

Their athletic gifts are being used for entertainment purposes. Adolf Hitler was VERY talented, and one of the greatest leaders of all time. He was able to unite and motivate an entire nation. I just don't agree with his actions, personally.

The point of mugging is not to stab people, either. It is to get their money. But stabbing is often essential in attaining this goal. And the love of money is to blame.

Why are you trying to compare a game to a criminal offense?

If it weren't for the amazing fellowship that comes from it, I might ask the same question.

Football does the same. All of the players on a team are almost always very close friends. Watching the game is a source of fellowship too, is it not?

Why are you trying to compare a game to a criminal offense?

I succeeded, didn't I? I guess it's just a natural thing to compare stuff you don't like to Adolf Hitler and stabbing people, maybe just to enforce the point that something being a certain way does not make it right. But if you don't like that, how about...the object of giving someone a hug is to demonstrate your love for them, but wrapping your arms around them is a necessary part of that. Happy now?

Football does the same. All of the players on a team are almost always very close friends. Watching the game is a source of fellowship too, is it not?

Absolutely correct, but this kind of fun and fellowship comes at the cost of peoples' health and safety, which IMO makes it so much harder to enjoy guiltlessly.

Any my arguments were dropped. I refer to those, I thought they were pretty good. 

Oh, yes, of course they were! Now run along and go play with your new stick. Remember to wear your helmet! Such a good boy...

Absolutely correct, but this kind of fun and fellowship comes at the cost of peoples' health and safety, which IMO makes it so much harder to enjoy guiltlessly.

So, in other words, you dislike EVERY sport because they're violent? Any physical activity can put your health and safety at risk. The thing that determines if its violent is if the injuries were intentional or not.

Im gonna go boycott rock climbing because its violent.  

Adotson, your comment about hockey is both uninformed and untrue. Hockey has less violence and injury prevelance than football, as well as more strategy. Football is, by nature, a sport of collision and not contact. Contact sports are things such as basketball or hockey, where yes, contact occurs, but it is not necessary to win, and is controlled. Football is a collision sport, where extreme physical contact occurs virtually unstopped and is uncontrolled, and is necessary to win.

Not really uninformed. Violence is defined as "1 a : exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse." Fighting, which is an accepted part of hockey, is by definition violent. I'm not saying that hockey centers around fighting, but it is part of the sport. I am in no way putting down hockey. I am just saying it is violent. You rarely ever see violent acts on the football field and if you do they are often followed by a severe punishment. Oregon's running back was suspended for the entire season for throwing one punch after the game was over.