American Kenpo Senior Council

Archive for the ‘Football’ Category

One favorite summer activity for many Americans is joining the summer softball league.  Softball is a team game directly descended from, and sharing most of the rules of, baseball.  It could be seen as baseball’s little sister.  The main differences include a bigger – and usually softer – ball and an underhand pitch as opposed to an overhand pitch.  Positions are often similar.

The one position that softball teams may add that is noticeably absent in baseball is the short center fielder.  This position plays directly behind second base and midway between the center fielder and the base itself.  The added advantage of this position is that the center fielder can play further back, allowing for more coverage and less holes across the field.

Softball can be played either fast pitch or slow pitch.  Aside from the speed of the ball, the most stunning visual difference is the arc the pitch takes to get to the plate.  In fast pitch the ball is sent in a mostly horizontal line from the pitcher to the catcher.  In slow pitch, the ball is required to take a highly arcing course and as a result the pitch is much slower.  Often, these pitches are called floaters.  The strike zone for these pitches is also quite different.

The ball itself can range anywhere from twelve to sixteen inches.  The smallest softballs are quite hard despite their name and require a mitt in order to catch them.  The sixteen inch balls and other larger sizes are quite soft.  These are often too big for a mitt, and so the game is played with bare hands.

Aside from these main similarities, each league is often customized to the players involved.  Each softball league has their own rules about certain aspects of the game like stealing and lead-offs.  Some leagues are held indoors while some remain outdoor only leagues.  Different versions of softball can be played co-ed, all male or all female.  Some leagues have age restrictions.  With all of the different options, it’s important to know what type of league you want to play for.

Watching football is a time honored tradition in America, and football season is just around the corner.   But how do you get a new convert interested in the game?  To someone who has never watched football before, the game often appears as nothing more than a bunch of guys running across a field attempting to tackle each other.  While tackling is always a large part of football, a true fan understands that the game has subtleties and nuances that escape the oblivious beginner.  

The only real way to help a football novice truly understand the game is to explain the rules to them as the plays happen.  But trying to explain these nuances to someone during the middle of the game can cause a fan to miss big plays. So what is a true football junkie to do?

Start with the basics.  A true football fan can explain the positions, important players and the system of downs without too much concentration.  But what appears as obvious to those who have watched the game for years can be a bit bewildering to those who don’t even know the difference between a left tackle and a defensive end.

Helping someone understand penalties takes more time than game basics and positions. The instant replays can buy a fan a little more time to explain the penalty and how each specific penalty works.  If a fan does not have to time to both understand a referee’s call and explain them in the space of a penalty time out, they can always use commercial breaks.   Otherwise, admit that not everything can be explained, and the fan can leave the penalty calls as something for a new fan to understand in their own time.

It’s important not to completely overload new football fans.  Too much information at once can be overwhelming, and may mistakenly make someone believe the game too complicated for them to understand. At the end of the day, the goal is to make help the new person enjoy the game as much as any long time fan.

The summer of 2010 marks a renewed interest for the United States in soccer. Known as football to the rest of the world, America has demonstrated a strong showing at the sport’s most prolific event. Its claim to superiority to other sporting events can only be thwarted by that of the Olympics.
Historically the American team has not had many good showings at the World Cup. It placed third in the inaugural 1930 World Cup. Recently the U.S. reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup.
In the 2010 World Cup, the Americans managed to reach the knockout stage in the round of sixteen. However, in a heartbreaking loss to Ghana in extra time, they were unable to progress as far as they would have liked.
The reception of fans in the United States has been noticeable. As soccer as progressed, albeit at a rather slow rate, in the previous decades, Americans can be seen in the event and in the sport. Coverage has been extended in sports reporting, and coverage of the games has been provided for free on the Internet. Also, Major League Soccer (MLS) has continued to reach out to the country in providing further interest in the sport.
It remains to be seen how soccer will be received in the coming years. In a country dominated by basketball, baseball, American football, and other notable sports, it may never reach the prominence as seen in other countries. It is reasonable to suspect that the current and generally positive trend will continue.
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa has certainly attested to this positive trend for the sport. Perhaps further success for the United States in international soccer and in the MLS will mean good things for the sport. Just maybe it can attract some of the nation’s top athletes, which could make claims to a more successful national program, and spark further interest.

In 1920, representatives from several professional football teams met in an automobile showroom in Canton, OH. The agreement reached at that session was that the teams play a common schedule and crown a champion at the end of each season. They called the league the American Professional Football Conference.

The initiation fee was set at $100. (Though, George Halas, one of the founders, remarked that he doubted that there was $100 in that showroom!).

The original teams were:

• Akron Pros
• Buffalo All-Americans
• Canton Bulldogs
• Chicago Cardinals
• Chicago Tigers
• Cleveland Indians
• Columbus Panhandles
• Dayton Triangles
• Decatur Staleys (Chicago Bears)
• Detroit Heralds
• Hammond Pros
• Muncie Flyers
• Rochester Jeffersons
• Rock Island Independents

Only two charter member teams are still in the league. The Chicago Bears (the team owned by the aforementioned George Halas and the Arizona Cardinals (formerly the Chicago Cardinals).

In 1922, the league renamed itself the National Football League. Throughout the 1920s, the league membership was erratic but eventually expanded to 25 teams.
Star Players

College football was still the predominant attraction among football fans. However, that began to change when notable college players turned professional. Red Grange (The Galloping Ghost) was one the most famous college stars to do so when he joined the Chicago Bears. He also went on a barnstorming tour in 1925 further increasing the game’s reach among sports fans.
Championships

Initially, league champions were awarded to whichever team had the best won and lost record. However, at the end of the 1932 season, the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans both finished the season tied. In order to name a champion, the league voted to hold the first NFL playoff game ever. The weather was so cold that the game was held at the indoor Chicago Stadium where the Chicago Bears won by a score of 9-0.

That is the beginning of what would become the Super Bowl

The summer of 2010 marks a renewed interest for the United States in soccer. Known as football to the rest of the world, America has demonstrated a strong showing at the sport’s most prolific event. Its claim to superiority to other sporting events can only be thwarted by that of the Olympics.

Historically the American team has not had many good showings at the World Cup. It placed third in the inaugural 1930 World Cup. Recently the U.S. reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup.

In the 2010 World Cup, the Americans managed to reach the knockout stage in the round of sixteen. However, in a heartbreaking loss to Ghana in extra time, they were unable to progress as far as they would have liked.

The reception of fans in the United States has been noticeable. As soccer as progressed, albeit at a rather slow rate, in the previous decades, Americans can be seen in the event and in the sport. Coverage has been extended in sports reporting, and coverage of the games has been provided for free on the Internet. Also, Major League Soccer (MLS) has continued to reach out to the country in providing further interest in the sport.

It remains to be seen how soccer will be received in the coming years. In a country dominated by basketball, baseball, American football, and other notable sports, it may never reach the prominence as seen in other countries. It is reasonable to suspect that the current and generally positive trend will continue.

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa has certainly attested to this positive trend for the sport. Perhaps further success for the United States in international soccer and in the MLS will mean good things for the sport. Just maybe it can attract some of the nation’s top athletes, which could make claims to a more successful national program, and spark further interest.

I enjoy professional football but have seldom understood all of its rules, regulations and penalties. The rules of the game can differ from play to play and can often be complex in nature, so having a basic understanding of this sport can make for a more enjoyable game whether you’re at the stadium or your local pub.

The Field

Knowing your football field is the first step to understanding this sport. The length of the field is 120 yards long and its width is 53 ½ yards. The goals are 100 yards apart with 10 additional yards at the end of each zone. The zone is where the goal posts are and kicking the ball through the goal posts is a sure way to score points and depending on the play even win the game. Every five yards the field is divided by yard lines and the 50 yard line is directly in the middle. Before each play both teams are provided enough space to line up on both sides of the football. To guarantee this, the football is always placed on what is known as hash marks prior to each play.

Football Format

There are four quarters in a football game and each quarter has a measurement of time. Both teams contend with each other to score the most points within the given time frame. For example, when a team member has possession of the football he can pick up yards getting him closer to the end zone as long as he doesn’t run out of bounds. If he makes it to the end zone without running out of bounds or being tackled he scores points for his team. Once a player is tackled or out of bounds the whistle is blown, the clock stops and it’s onto the next play.

Penalties

There are several penalties that govern a game and can cause for a loss of yardage. Here is just a couple you should know about:
False Start: If a football player moves right before the snap it will cost his team five yards.
Pass Interference: When a defender prevents his opponent from catching the ball after it’s in the air.