Complicated, isn't it?! No wonder the coaches have to keep studying their books and telling the players what they are supposed to be doing! For comparison, a rugby union team is something like this: The forwards (as they line up in the scrum): 1.......2..........3 - Front Row (2 props (loosehead and tighthead) and a hooker in the middle) .....4.......5...... - Second Row 6...................7 - Flankers (blind side and open side, back row) ........8............ - No.8 (back row) The half backs: 9.................. - Scrum half .................10 - Outside half (or fly half) The backs: ......12 - Centre (inside) ...............13 - Centre (outside) 11.....................14 - Wingers (left and right) ........15............ - Full back Although each has their basic role in the team (forwards are big strong guys who tend to drive forward and are involved in most set pieces, backs are the faster guys who either hit the line hard or run into space, and half-backs in between control the game and usually do the bulk of the kicking, along with the full back) anyone can do theoretically anything pretty much in terms of catching and passing the ball, or running with it, or kicking it. The same rules apply to everyone, and the same players stay on the field for the whole game, of course, unless they are individually taken off an replaced part way through (i.e. none of the chunks of team going on and off and on again routine, which complicates american Football even more!). ETA: American Football seems to have alot of 'ineligible players' who presumably therefore don't actually ever have anything to do with handling the ball itself. Am I missing something there? Odd to have 'players' like that - in a way it seems like they aren't really 'playing the game', if you see what I mean!
Of course. It's always a joke with the French, and sometimes Canadians. Especially the French-Canadians.
Just focus on the first two sentences those are the rule. The rest is example There has to be at least 7 men on the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball. At the snap of the ball two end men on the line of scrimmage, anyone in the backfield at the snap of the ball who are wearing an eligible number are eligible.
Explaining any sport always makes it seem much more complicated than it seems to those who understand it, like this old 'tea towel' explanation of cricket (which is actually entirely accurate): http://thewhizard.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/tea-towel-explanation-of-cricket.html
If you watch on television you almost always get to see the plays twice in the instant replay. It makes it easier to watch and it gives an impression of flow. It also makes it easier to learn the rules. there have been a lot of changes this year.
Yes like rugby has easy to follow rules. The offsides rules are more complex than American football. And then there was the first time I played it and took someones head off and got in a fight because it was an illegal tackle.
I'm still a little confused by rugby rules, but that's because I'm so used to football rules. I usually played the halfback in rugby.
This video covers the basics (of rugby union - rugby league is a different game altogether), and is aimed at people used to American Football: [video=youtube;aiOpAvEdHQo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiOpAvEdHQo[/video]
