What sport is Football? And Hockey?

[INW]

You have regular football there too.

Referring to soccer right?

[Mkay1]

Please stop being selfish, and focus on the topic. This is about a fun event, not self-gratifying fighting.

INW: edited to make you happy.

[INW]

uhhh, we are fighting?

I didn't think anyone was bitching or being selfish or that anyone had an issue...hmmm, maybe I have been reading this topic upside down.

[Mkay1]

Selfish because you are taking the topic away from its purpose (to inform about the event), but you wouldn't understand that.

[INW]

Well get back on topic and stop getting off topic by screaming at us!

[Phytotron]

Geez, you people are ridiculous.

Within North America, football (the type with the oblong ball) is never referred to as "Gridiron" or "Gridiron Football." It's simply 'football,' or 'American football' if there may be an international audience.

Within North America, the word gridiron refers only to the field itself, not the sport. It originated from the resemblance of the field lines to a gridiron grill. And yes, it is a very commonly used figurative term, on par with "hardwood" in basketball. (Hard to believe an American, especially one who watches football, would never have heard it. And shouldn't you follow the Panthers, INW?)

Classic George Carlin routine on baseball vs. football. Note the use of "gridiron."

Outside North America, the term "Gridiron Football" is sometimes used to refer to American Football, to distinguish it from other forms of football, such as Australian football, association football (soccer), rugby union and rugby league. I only just learned this, myself. You won't find many Americans who've ever heard that before, and so is of little use in a community that includes Americans.

The NFL is the National Football League. It is one, specific professional league, not ever used to refer generally or generically to the sport. A youngster, high school, or college player, or player from a different pro league—anywhere in the world—would never say, "I play NFL." No one would ever say, "I like NFL better than baseball," where they're using 'NFL' (the league) in place of 'football' (the sport). One might say, "I like watching the NFL better than college football."

The NFL and its usage is not analogous to FIFA. The NFL's rules and governance only apply within its league. It has no jurisdiction over any other league, be it amateur (e.g., the NCAA) or professional (e.g., the CFL or AFL).


The word "soccer" is an English term, derived from "association football." As you know, in the US, soccer is the term for association football. And there's no sense getting bothered or in a tiff about it. It just is. It's not like it's a moral issue.

From Wikipedia: "European football is a colloquial term referring to any international football club competition that is organised by UEFA. ... The term may also mean simply club football that takes place in Europe." Th UEFA bit is also new to me, and probably most Americans.

Some Americans use "European football" to refer in general to the sport of association football (soccer)—not only that played in Europe, but anywhere—probably due to the basic knowledge of its origination in Europe.


Given that this is an international community, you all should probably adopt the convention of using "Association Football (soccer)" and "American Football," and get over and on with it.


With respect to hockey, man, what? Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey

Ice hockey and field hockey are types of hockey. (It is not analogous to American vs. Association football.) Each is simply called 'hockey' in the respective countries where it is the most popular form of hockey. And ice hockey is the most popular form in many other countries besides just the US and Canada. Within the US, both ice hockey and field hockey are played. Field hockey is rather common, but is usually referred to as such, so as to make the distinction, whereas ice hockey is usually referred to as plain hockey.

(Hmm, I wonder which is more commonly played in the US: Soccer or Field Hockey? And at the various levels.)


Good enough?


EDIT: Grr, awespamly exposing my edits.

[teen]

awesome !

[syllabear]

I never intended to draw direct parrallels between my examples for each sport, i.e. NFL =/= FIFAm BUT; each term is used within the context of each sport, and not really used outside of it. I'm not retarded Phyto, I'd appreciate if you didn't presume I am.

[INW]

Within North America, the word gridiron refers only to the field itself, not the sport. It originated from the resemblance of the field lines to a gridiron grill. And yes, it is a very commonly used figurative term, on par with "hardwood" in basketball. (Hard to believe an American, especially one who watches football, would never have heard it. And shouldn't you follow the Panthers, INW?)

Nah, I was born and raised in New Hampshire, so I go for the Patriots, my home team! I actually dislike North Carolina and all of their "professional" sports.

Within North America, football (the type with the oblong ball) is never referred to as "Gridiron" or "Gridiron Football."

And the word "pigskin" refers to the "oblong ball".
Now I have heard the term "pigskin" a bunch.

So "Lets go play with the pigskin on the gridiron!"

[Gonzap]

stfu, football is played with feet, no more discussion, if you want to call it something invent a new word, football is already taken and this guy on my signature is the best at this!


you can call it rugby

[Z-Man]

Split. [/moderatorhat]

Sports have silly names sometimes. Deal with it. I mean, what has Water Polo got to do with horses? Nothing! It's madness. So accept that there is a Rugby mod called American Football, and deal with the fact that they call the 'other' football Soccer. And Americans need to deal with the fact that everyone else calls Soccer plain Football. It's just the name.

[sinewav]

I play baseketball.

[Phytotron]

you can call it rugby

But 'rugby' is already taken, as well (on top of it, there are two main types of rugby). You're of no more special status than rugby players/fans. And it's not like American football is some recent invention where there's still any discussion of, "gee, what should we call this?" It's not changing names. And, it is a derivation of both rugby and your association ("soccer") football. It is the American version of football. American football. Since it is more popular here than association "soccer" football, we refer to the latter as simply 'soccer'—again, an English term, not our invention—to make the distinction. I don't know why association football fans get so upset about it, like we're defiling your religion or something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_(word)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of ... n_football
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer

To repeat myself: There's no sense getting bothered or in a tiff about it. It just is. It's not like it's a moral issue. Given that this is an international community, you all should probably adopt the convention of using "Association Football (soccer)" and "American Football," and get over and on with it.

And Americans need to deal with the fact that everyone else calls Soccer plain Football.

I've never actually found this to be an issue among Americans. We're well aware of that, and don't dispute it.


Sinewav, do you really?

[Mkay1]

Z-mans post seemed to be biased. It does not credit (American) Football as its own entity, like phyto posted before I had time to. Also it seems to be confronting American's views instead of an impartial equal amount of "clarifying".

Edit: Phytotron, that is exactly what dukevin did in the topic title, "New-Years American-Football Tournament". This argument arose from nothing serious. Don't get this topic started with color and syllabear profusely saying colour* after it is said. (its funny how this site says colour isn't spelled correctly)

[Phytotron]

Didn't dukevin change that after syllabear or whomever initially raised an objection to it just saying "football," though?

Is the website in charge of the spellcheck? In any case, it's only telling you 'colour' is incorrect because you're in the US.