STAT: What do you know about football?

[MonaVox]

Quick bc I know nothing and in like 4 hours I have to pretend I do.

Anyone?

Beuller?

 

[*Patu*]

I know I luv Ballack, Morientes and Casillas...

 

[U2Lynne]

Quick bc I know nothing and in like 4 hours I have to pretend I do.

Anyone?

Beuller?

Assuming you are asking about American Football.....

There are FOUR QUARTERS in a game, each fifteen minutes long. If a player goes OUTSIDE the lines at the end of a play, the clock stops (thus, each quarter really lasts about 30 minutes on a regular clock).

Each team has FOUR DOWNS (plays) to make it 10 YARDS forward from where they have the ball. If they make it within the four downs, then the downs start over from where the ball is. (is. first play they make it three yards. Second play they go another eight yards. That is 11 yards from the first play, so they now get four more downs (plays) from where the ball now is). If they don't make it ten yards in those four downs, the ball gets TURNED OVER to the other team.

When the guy with the ball runs over the end line, it is a GOAL and they get SIX POINTS. The teams then gets to try to KICK it through the goal posts for AN EXTRA POINT (thus getting a total of SEVEN points) or they can RUN for TWO EXTRA POINTS (thus getting a total of EIGHT points).

Sometimes when the team doesn't think they will make it ten yards in those four downs, they will try to kick it through the goal posts on their fourth down. This is a FIELD GOAL and is worth THREE points.

I'm not even going to go into all the penelties and stuff. Just make sure you know the key words (in capital letters) and make sure your mouth is full of food whenever someone turns to ask you a question about the game.

 

[MonaVox]

you know I never knew about downs

I guess that's like basbeall innings kinda?

tanks

aaaaaaah

 

[Achtung Bubba]

(The six-point goal Lynne is talking about is a "touchdown," by the way.)

Perhaps I can give an explanation from a different perspective:

The game is ALL about TERRITORY. At any point during the game, one team is trying to seize territory by moving the football down to the other end of the field, and the other team is trying to stop them. The side that is moving the ball is called the "offense," and the side trying to stop them is the "defense."

("Defense" is pronounced "DEE-fense," not "de-FENSE.")

THE TIME

As already mentioned, there are four quarters, each 15 minutes long - though the clock does NOT continually run.

The 1st quarter starts with a kickoff - one team kicking the ball to the other team. (They flip a coin to see who decides who kicks and who decides what side of the field they want.)

When the 1st quarter ends, the two teams switch sides of the field and pick up where they left off.

When the 2nd quarter ends (ending the "first half"), both teams go to the locker room and rest (in a timed period called "halftime").

The 3rd quarter begins just like the 1st quarter: with a kickoff.

When the 3rd quarter ends, they switch sides and keep playing.

When the 4th quarter ends, the games over: whoever scored more points wins. If there's a tie, the tie is broken through additional play (though the rules are bit odd, and they differ between college and professional).

THE FIELD

The field is 100 yards long (1 yard = 3 feet), with 10 yard endzones at each end (for a grand total of 120 yards). These "endzones" are target areas of each team; if they can move the ball into the other team's endzone, they score a touchdown - which I'll get to in a moment.

Let's say that Tennessee and Florida (two Southern colleges) are playing. As you look from one end of the field to the other, you'll see the following:

- The Tennessee goal-line
- The Tenn. 10-yard line
- The Tenn. 20-yard line
- The Tenn. 30-yard line
- The Tenn. 40-yard line
- The 50-yard line (midfield)
- The Florida 40-yard line
- The Fla. 30-yard line
- The Fla. 20-yard line
- The Fla. 10-yard line
- The Fla. goal-line

Tennesse wants to get the ball into the Florida endzone, and vice versa.

THE KICKOFF

Each half begins with a kickoff. If a team scores, there's another kickoff: the team that scored kicks off to the other team to give it a chance to score right back.

In the kickoff, each team is on their own side of the field. The kicking team kicks the ball to the receiving team, which can catch the ball and run as far as they can: the more they run at THIS point, the less ground the actual offense has to cover to score. Very rarely, the guy who caught the ball can ACTUALLY get to other end of the field and score points.

If the receiver decides he'd rather not run, but just make sure he doesn't drop the ball or anything, he can wave his hands - calling for a "fair catch". If he does that, the play stops when he catches it, and nobody can tackle him (can hit him).

If the kicker kicks the ball into the endzone and isn't caught (or the receiver calls a "fair catch" in the endzone), then the ball is automatically moved to the 20-yard line.

If the ball is kicked out of bounds (to one sideline or the other, not PAST the endzone), it's considered a penalty, and the ball is automatically placed at the 35-yard line - a good starting field position for the offense.

THE DRIVE

Each attempt to move the ball down the field is called a "drive."

During the drive, the offense is required to move the ball at least 10 yards (30 feet) within four plays, called downs. For example:

- Before the drive, there was a kickoff: Florida kicked the ball to Tennessee, and kicked the ball into the endzone. Tennesse's drive then starts at its own 20-yard line, with the intention of moving the ball to the Florida endzone.

- The first play of the drive is called "1st and 10 at the Tennessee 20." This means it's first down, and Tennesse has to move the ball AT LEAST 10 yards to get a first down. The ball is at the Tennessee 20-yard line.

- Let's say Tenn. is able to move the ball 7 yards. That brings up "2nd and 3 at the Tennessee 27."

- Let's then say Tenn. moves the ball another 5 yards. That brings up "1st and 10 at the the Tenn. 32." Even though Tenn. got more than the required 3 yards, the next set of downs still begins "1st and 10."

(A bit of terminology: the 10-yard interval is measured with two large sticks connected by a 10-yard chain. Hence, the offence wants to "move the chain" or "move the sticks." They want to get another first down.)

Put simply, the offense can move the ball by either running the ball or passing it - throwing it to a teammate. The player who usually passes the ball, or gives the ball to the guy who will run with it, is the "quarterback." He is the "field general" of the offense.

ENDING THE DRIVE

There are several ways a drive can end:

1) Touchdown: The offense can score a touchdown, meaning the guy with the ball runs into the endzone or a player catches the ball in the endzone. The team that scores get 6 points and gets one chance - from very close to the endzone - to get a point or two after the touchdown. If they kick the ball between the goal posts, they score 1 point. If they can get the ball into the endzone, they score a "2-point conversion."

2) Field goal: The offense can decide to try to kick the ball between the "upright" bars of the goal post from whereever they are. If they do, they get three points. Generally speaking, they usually do this on 4th down from the opposing team's 35-yard line or closer.

Say Tennessee is on the Florida 35-yard line and want to kick a field goal. There's an additional ten yards from the goal line to the "uprights", and the kicker will be about six yards behind "the line of scrimmage" (where the ball starts at the beginning of a play).

35 + 10 + 6 = 51 yards, which is about as long a kick as you will see.

3) Punt: Generally, this ALSO happens on 4th down: if you're too far away to score a field goal, you can kick the ball TO THE OTHER TEAM, and they start THEIR drive where they catch the ball (if they "fair-catch") or where you tackle the guy who caught the ball.

4) Turnover: If the guy running with the ball DROPS it, it's called a "fumble." If the defense can grab the ball, that becomes a turnover.

Say Tennessee fumbles the ball at their own 35-yard line. Florida recovers the fumble, and THEIR drive would start at the Tenn. 35-yard line.

Likewise, if a defensive player catches a pass, that's called an "interception," another turnover.

5) Turnover "on downs:" If it's 4th down, and the offense can "convert" or get a 1st down, it's a turnover on downs.

Say Tennesse has the ball at the Florida 20-yard line, 4th and 2. They COULD try a field goal, but they decide to go for a first down (hoping they can eventually get a touchdown from this drive). If they fail, Florida gets the ball at the same place on the field.

Turnovers like this also occur if a field goal is missed, or if a punt is blocked by the other team.

6) Safety: you're unlikely to see this, but if the offense gets pushed back (through penalties or a very quick defense) and the guy with the ball gets tackled IN THEIR OWN ENDZONE, it's called a safety.

The defense scores two points for its own team, and its team gets the ball.

PENALTIES

Finally, I won't go into details about what are penalties and what arent, but, generally, penalties result in adjusting where the ball is but resetting the down.

If the offense commits a penalty, "1st and 10" could become "1st and 15", the ball gets moved back 5 yards, but it's still 1st down.


Hope this helps.

Bubba

 

[U2Lynne]

you know I never knew about downs

I guess that's like basbeall innings kinda?

tanks

aaaaaaah

I was gonna say that no, the quarters are like the innings and the balls/strikes are like the downs, but now I see what you are saying. Although you need to realize that one team could potentially have the ball for a whole quarter or so (well, you have 30 seconds to make a play and if you start on the 1 yart line and go four downs per play, that would be..... um, over a quarters worth of time

Have fun!

 

[Achtung Bubba]

I was gonna say that no, the quarters are like the innings and the balls/strikes are like the downs, but now I see what you are saying. Although you need to realize that one team could potentially have the ball for a whole quarter or so (well, you have 30 seconds to make a play and if you start on the 1 yart line and go four downs per play, that would be..... um, over a quarters worth of time

Have fun!

Um, I don't see the analogy, actually. Downs are just, well, downs. They have no really good baseball analogue.

In terms of "burning clock," the longest drive I've seen takes about ten minutes off the clock.

If you run the ball and get tackled in bounds, the clock keeps running.

If you run the ball and run out of bounds, the clock stops. If you pass the ball and the pass is incomplete, the clock stops.

AND, you can take a "time-out" to stop the clock: each team has 3 time-outs per half and can use them at the end of any play.

Clock control becomes VERY important toward the end of the game. If you have the lead AND the ball, you still want to score to put more points between you and your opponent, but you also want to take as much time off the clock as you can. That way, your opponent has that much LESS time to tie the game.

 

[Achtung Bubba]

And don't let this game overwhelm you: I've been going to football games for 21 years (and I'm only 23 years old), and I'm still learning about the strategy of the game.

(And, ultimately, if you know these basics, don't hesitate to ask questions between plays; most guys I know like girls who show an interest in the game. )

Bubba

 

[MonaVox]

Omy total goodness

thankyou Bubba!

Wow I can do calculus, but for some reason I'll have to read this things a few times.

WHAT IF I just play the helpless female?

 

[Achtung Bubba]

Heh: calculus is sometimes more logical.

Playing the helpless female should be okay if one rule is remembered: ask question between plays.

And, at any rate, I'll be here awhile listening to the Auburn game on the Internet. Feel free to ask any question that comes to mind.

Bubba

 

[U2Lynne]

Playing the helpless female should be okay if one rule is remembered: ask question between plays.

Bubba

Ah yes, I forgot that very important part about how men *love* their football and do not want to be talked to during that time.

<i>However</i>, if you have ever wanted something from your guy, now is the time to get him to say yes. Just start talking *during* the plays, and he will try to shut you up, now is the time to strike! Some of these guys will say yes to anything just to get peace and quiet and get back to their game!

{{{running and ducking}}}

 

[Achtung Bubba]

We're also, generally speaking, terrible at multi-tasking: that's what's so good about baseball AND football. Unlike basketball (which I also like) and soccer, there's enough time between plays to discuss the game if it's good - or completely random topics if the game is so lop-sided it's boring.

Speaking of plays, I should go into a *little* more detail about individual plays...

 

[MonaVox]

YOU MEAN THERE'S MORE?



I FOUND A RED SHIRT! AT LAST!

 

[Achtung Bubba]

PLAYS

Each drive is made up of a series of plays, and each play is defined, in part by the following information:

Down: 1st down, 2nd down, etc. This gives you an idea of how many plays the offense has to get another first down.

To Go: 1st and 10, 2nd and 3, etc. This tells you how many yards until the next first down.

(If the situation is "1st and goal," that means the offense is so close to the goal that they have 4 downs to score a touchdown: they CANNOT get another 1st down.)

Ball At: 1st and 10 at the Florida 20. This tells you where the ball is - how many yards they have to move the ball to get a touch down. If Florida is at its own 20, there is 100-20 = 80 yards until a touchdown. If it's at the opponent's 20, it has 20 yards until a "TD."

At the beginning of each play, the ball is placed between the two teams at what is called "the line of scrimmage." If the ball is moved PAST the line during the play, the offense gained yardage; otherwise, there is "no gain" or it lost yards.

The OFFENSIVE LINE lines up to one side of the line of scrimmage, the DEFENSIVE LINE lines up on the other side. Behind the offensive line are the BACKS: the quarterback (the "field general") and, for example, running backs and tailbacks - who usually run the ball. To each side of the offensive line are the WIDE RECEIVERS, who usually catch passes.

Behind the defensive line are LINEBACKERS, and behind them are DEFENSIVE BACKS. These backs usually try to prevent successful passes, and the linebackers either help them OR help the defensive line get through the offensive line (something called a "blitz," like the German blitz of WWII).

The play begins when an offensive lineman (the "center") "snaps" the ball, handing it off to an offensive back (usually the "QB" or quarterback). This player can run the ball himself, hand the ball to another back, pitch the ball under-hand to a back, or pass it to a receiver.

(If one of the offensive linemen or receivers move before the snap of the ball, it's a "false start" penalty - a loss of 5 yards and the down is replayed. If one of the defensive players crosses the line of scrimmage (the "neutral zone"), it's "offsides," a defensive penalty.)

(An offensive back CAN move before the start of a play, but only one back at a time can be "in motion.")

If the pass is incomplete - if the ball hits the ground - the ball is "dead" and the play is over. Otherwise - if a runner drops the ball, if the handoff doesn't work, if an underhand pitch isn't caught - the ball is "live," and can be recovered by the other team (a turnover).

The play ends with an incomplete pass, but that's not the only way a play can end:

- It can end when the ball-carrier runs out of bounds or scores a touchdown.

- It can end when the ball-carrier is "tackled," when a defensive player grabs the guy and brings him down to the ground, so that a knee hits the turf.

- In college rules, it can end when the ball-carrier's knee hits the ground, even if he just slipped.

I love the defense, so I will mention one more thing about the play: the "D" loves to stop a drive, but there are other things they like to do: cause a turnover (a fumble or interception) OR tackle the ball-carrier BEHIND the line of scrimmage. If they tackle the QB that way, it's called a sack.

The defense LOVES to sack the QB.

Bubba

 

[Achtung Bubba]

Re: YOU MEAN THERE'S MORE?

I FOUND A RED SHIRT! AT LAST!

What game are you watching? Who are you pulling for?

By the way, "red shirt" is also a term in college football. A student-athlete can go to school for 5 years but can only PLAY for 4 years. If he chooses to defer his freshman year and start playing his second year, he's called a "redshirted freshman."

There's also the "red zone," that part of the field between the 20-yard line and the closest endzone. A good "redzone offense" scores a LOT when they reach this area; a good "redzone defense" prevents a LOT of touchdowns from this area.

Bubba

PS - Auburn's beating West Carolina 14-0; Alabama's losing to Oklahoma 23-3 at the half. Today's a good day.

 

[MonaVox]

Re: Re: YOU MEAN THERE'S MORE?

What game are you watching? Who are you pulling for?

By the way, "red shirt" is also a term in college football. A student-athlete can go to school for 5 years but can only PLAY for 4 years. If he chooses to defer his freshman year and start playing his second year, he's called a "redshirted freshman."

I'm goin (With a boy ) to the first home game.....or something like that

UMD Terps

The school colour is red and Ididn't think I owned red. I found this red tanktop that's like 3 years old though. good enough

 

[Achtung Bubba]

Sounds like fun! One of the new grad students here at Carnegie Mellon's from Maryland, I believe.

(CMU is NO Auburn. <sigh>)

Things you *might* want to get / do:

- You might want to buy a shaker (to cheer with) or a shirt on the way (is the stadium on-campus? is it near a bookstore?) or in the stadium.

- You might want to get there early enough to get concessions before kickoff - and to see the pomp and circumstance of marching bands, the national anthem, etc.

- Depending on where you're sitting (and whether you have them), binoculars might not be a bad idea.

Either way, I hope you have a REALLY good time.

Bubba

 

[Achtung Bubba]

Frightening facts about Bubba:

- First word he ever spelled? AUBURN.

- Picture he used for his senior year baby photo (for senior year)? A picture of a two-year-old Bubba with Aubie, the mascot tiger.

- First time he swore in front of his mother? At an Auburn game - and the referee's parents probably weren't married.


My typical game-day gear includes the following:

- An Auburn tee-shirt.
- Binoculars.
- Headphones to listen to the radio commentary.
- Stickers / buttons from each bookstore that day.
- My lucky orange-and-blue shakers for the season.


At the freshman orienation weekend, the summer before my freshman year, other incoming freshman confused me for a current student: I knew the campus, cheers, and fight songs THAT well.

I had always known Auburn's fight song (and my mom, another fanatical Auburn alum, even let me cheer the "give 'em hell" when I was a toddler). But I SOMEHOW knew the alma mater when senior year rolled around: I never actually got around to learning it, but I knew it - almost instinctively.

As a graduation present, my mom bought me a stadium brick: they had renovated the athletes' entrance, adding a brick entrance-way, and people could "buy" a brick and have their name engraved on it. On a brick there you will find the following:

BUBBA xxxxxxx
CLASS OF 2001

(You'll have to go there to find out my last name. )


Finally, the best day of my life, thus far, has been November 18, 2000.

My senior year, Auburn played Alabama in Tuscaloosa (Bama's home campus) for the first time in about a century - and we beat them 9-0.

Before the game, I took a cute, sweet girl from my dorm to the Mellow Mushroom for lunch. We watched the game with twenty other guys in the dorm lobby, and we then rolled Toomer's Corner with toilet paper (an Auburn tradition) in the cold, drizzly rain. We then had dinner and went to a movie, and I asked her out: SHE SAID YES.

(On a scale of 1 to 10, beating Bama's an 11. She saying "yes" would have made it a 15 on its own. Together, it was like a 10,000.)

We've been going out ever since, and the love of my life and I hope to marry after she's done with vet school (c. 2007). We'll actually probably get married at the Auburn University chapel - and she's promised that I can brainwash at least one of our children to be another fanatical Tiger fan.

(As if I won't brainwash them all... Heh, heh, heh.)

(She's not a football fanatic yet, but there's time yet.)

It's GREAT that I've found such a sweet, beautiful, sexy, Christian girl to love the rest of my life - a girl that likes Star Wars just as much as me. The fact that she's an AUBURN GIRL too is nearly too much for me to handle.


Oh, and Auburn leads in the 2nd quarter, 21-0.

 

[Achtung Bubba]

28-0, 7:38 in the 2nd.

 

[Achtung Bubba]

Miami's beating Florida, 20-10.

Oklahoma overcame some good special teams plays from Bama, beating them 37-27 - doing so with two touchdowns in the closing minutes of the game.

Auburn has just scored again, closing the 3rd quarter, 49-0.

Damn straight, today is a good day.

Bubba

 

[MonaVox]

OK it went well.

HE ACTUALLY SAID

"You seem like you know what's going on. Usually girls are like poking me the whole time asking WHAT DOES THAAAT MEEEAANN?"



Tanks

 

[Achtung Bubba]

No problem whatsoever - and I'm glad you had a good time.

Bubba

 

[Angela Harlem]

Is this game really played on astro turf?

 

[Achtung Bubba]

Sometimes: while the vast majority of football fields - high school, college, and pro - are natural grass, there are quite a few stadiums (most notably domed stadiums) that use artificial turf.

(I realize the plural of "stadium" is "stadia," but that looks awkward.)

A little history lesson: at one time, artificial turf was all the rage for college football teams, but one of Auburn's greatest head coaches - Ralph "Shug" Jordan - resisted. Between the fact that Auburn dared to play on grass and the fact that we have a School of Veterinary Medicine (the best in the South), we were derided for being a "cow college."

And yet...

Artificial turf didn't live up to its expectations. College football, a sport far more steeped in tradition than professional football*, didn't feel right being played on anything other than natural grass. MORE IMPORTANTLY, the hard, unforgiving surface led to more injuries. Eventually, most colleges returned to natural grass, confirming the wisdom of Shug.

As a side note, all/most Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams have natural-grass stadiums and play most of their games on natural grass. However, the SEC Championship game continues to be played on the artificial turf of Atlanta's Georgia Dome. Generally speaking, the game plays differently on artificial turf - it allows for faster running and more tightly controlled routes.

It's like playing all of the US Open on one surface, then playing the championship on another. My suggestion is that the SEC Championship game be played at the home stadium of one of the two teams - either alternating between the two divisions or allowing the team with the best record have the home-field advantage.

Atlanta and the SEC itself gets too much money from the Championship game for this to happen, but it still makes more sense.

Bubba

* I can imagine that a few NFL fans are miffed at my assertion that college ball has more traditions, but I stand by it, for a variety of reasons:

1. College football has been around longer.

2. Your college team never abandons you for another city (e.g., Cleveland).

3. As a quick example, Auburn begins and ends its gameday with a collective tradition. I'll let the official site speak for me:

Tiger Walk
An Auburn tradition which began in the early 1960s when Auburn players would walk from Sewell Hall to the football stadium and fans would line Donahue Drive to wish them well. Over the years the Tiger Walk has grown into a major part of game day at Auburn, so much so that it is listed on the players? game weekend itinerary. The largest Tiger Walk is believed to have taken place prior to the 1989 Alabama game when more than 20,000 well wishers lined the street. Every Tiger Walk prior to home games draws thousands and over the last couple of years the Tiger Walk has become a standard as Auburn football players enter stadiums on the road. Tiger Walk is two hours before kickoff for every game.

Toomer?s Corner
The center of town, where the Auburn University campus meets the City of Auburn. Toomer?s Corner, where College Street intersects Magnolia Avenue, has long been the gathering place for Auburn athletic celebrations. After any football win, and significant victories in other sports, Auburn students and citizens alike join forces to ?roll? the trees (and anything else that doesn?t move) at Toomer?s Corner with toilet tissue. Celebrations after significant football victories can go on for hours and leave the heart of town looking like a blizzard passed through.

As far as I know, even the Greats of the NFL - Green Bay, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, and San Francisco - don't have anything like Auburn's traditions.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

...As far as I know, even the Greats of the NFL - Green Bay, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, and San Francisco - don't have anything like Auburn's traditions.

I believe you're right....Even though every person in my parents' generation knows all the words to Bear Down, Chicago Bears. It's almost frightening....

Anyway, speaking of the Beloved, they are playing at my alma mater's stadium this year, University of Illinois. The turf at U of I is called Astro play. it's not too bad, it's simulated grass. It's much better than the green astro turf carpet we've had for years...