Off Topic?

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Originally posted by usil
- football (NFL) players still have their ears and teeth at the end of the game (providing they had them at the beginning of the game).
- NFL is much more tactical with hundreds of different plays, whereas rugby is just get the ball, run and hope no one rips your ear off in the process.

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Most rugby players tend to have their ears and teeth at the end of the game (providing they had them at the beginning). Dangerous tackles are not allowed, nobody plays the game with the intention of ripping anothers ear off or causing any injury to another player.

Rugby is not just get the ball and run, a lot of skill is required in:

i) Possession of the ball. When a player is brought down he can't just cover the ball so that nobody else can get at it, he still has to get it backwards.
ii) Passing the ball amongst the team, remember they can't throw the ball forward.
iii) Avoiding tackles from the opposition.
iv) Kicking the ball at goal from various angles and distances.
v) Obtaining the possession of the ball from a 'line out' or 'scrum'.

I wouldn't say that rugby union is less tactical than american football but, I would say that rugby union at world class level is far more interesting to watch.

Btw USA has a team in the 'rugby world cup' and they are entertaining to watch. Please take a look here:

http://rugby.itv.com/Latest_News/story_32045.shtml

I don't know, that jai-alai game is very deadly. Think about it, a solid leather ball passed around at baseball-pitch speeds. It's so dangerous, they have a huge wicker basket type thing affixed to their hands to catch the ball, as opposed to a mitt or gloves. :eek:

Sports Note: My NY Giants beat Minnesota today :). I couldn't believe it. Kind of takes the sting out of the Yankees loosing the World Series. :(

Hockey now there's a sport for the blood thirsty. Aye laddy! High speed action, filled with charging, tripping, clipping, and lots of fist fights! And that aint all no! Name me another sport that straps knives to your feet and provides you with a five foot long stick to use as a weapon ideal for things like hooking, slashing and poking. So brutal a sport is this that each team enlists in its ranks are those known to fans of the sport as "Enforcer", "Annihilator" or "Hitman". These fine gentlemen are expected to not just take their opponent out of play but out of the game by any means necessary up to and including stripping his intended victim of his helmet and pummeling him into a blubbering bloddy mass of unconsciousness! If that isn't enough to keep up the speed of the game we have found that by freezing the puck not only is hard as a rock but it will travel faster while on the ice. With a properly executed slapshot it travels upwards of 120 miles per hour. Is there any better explanantion why we consider the goalie as the craziest person on the team? Aye Hockey... a fine Canadian tradition and a real sport for real men.

Hockey now there's a sport for the blood thirsty. Aye laddy! High speed action, filled with charging, tripping, clipping, and lots of fist fights!

And that's before the face off!!!

I've been up to Coral centre to watch the senators play a time or two. My son-in-law is a Senators fan. I've got two grandsons playing highschool hockey here, sure keeps me busy in the winter.

Now HOCKEY IS A REAL SPORT!!!!

imagine the frustration those players go thru just to get ONE goal!!! no wonder they get in fights!:eek:

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Originally posted by TJolly
Rugby is not just get the ball and run, a lot of skill is required in

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Every sport requires some skill. What I said was tactics. Every NFL team has a playbook with hundreds of different plays, that all players have to memorize. Try playing John Madden NFL computer game, and you will see that even YOU have to learn the plays. It can get very complicated. I don't think the two sports can be compared.

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Originally posted by TJolly
Most rugby players tend to have their ears and teeth at the end of the game

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Show me one rugby player with a mouth full of teeth and I'll stop trying to claim American Football is better :D
Also, some rugby players where a protective head piece so that their ears won't be ripped off :p
Lastly, Hockey rules. Its the only sport I can think of (besides boxing) where players are encouraged to drop the gloves and go at it one-on-one. These players are real tough!

See ya all next Friday, same time same channel. :D BJ