[hclark]

I am bit confused about football. It all came about as I was watching an episode of Ballykissangel (Series 1, #2 I think) and they were playing football. To me it seemed like soccer but they also kicked once or twice through uprights and used their hands. So now I am confused. Is this what football (not the American kind) is like?? Similar to what I would consider soccer? I looked through all the rules of play on the FIFA site and never saw anything about uprights, and very little about use of hands. What are the differences between soccer, and say the non-American version of football? Can someone more familiar with the sport help me? Its been bothering me, even though its not really all that important. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[fluffy bunny]

I'm guessing you are American or from thereabouts.
the rest on the world- we call ur football, american football, and we call soccer football.

2 teams of 11 players (incuding a goalkeeper each)kick a ball around a field, trying to get it in the opponent's goal (the nets on either side of the pitch). Each goal is defended by a goalkeeper who is the only person allowed to use his hands.

That's very basic, but just remember soccer and u can't go wrong.

[SusF]

To confuse the issue even more, there's Australian rules football and Rugby. They are similar to American football in a superficial sense, but played without the elaborate padding.

Go Cubs! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[fluffy bunny]

Ballykissangel's British isn't it?
The program will either have rugby (2 types, but u can imagine it as american fotball without the body armour), or football (soccer).

[e-Morgana]

What about Gaelic football - I don't know anything about it but as far as I knew, Ballykissangel is Irish.

[James Barclay]

e-Morgana is right - in BallyK (which is set in Ireland) the football is of the gaelic variety.

Soccer (or Football as we'd have it over here in the UK) is the game with the round ball, eleven aside and goals with nets and is the most popular sport in the world today.

American football (lights blue touch paper and stands well back) is a game played in body armour for no discernible reason, mainly involves standing about and adverts and has a few seconds of confused action every now and again.

Aussie rules football is a little like the gaelic variety. Both are fast, exciting and played by people who don't require padding in case they get touched by an opponent.

Rugby football, also played with an oval ball and without armour, is split into two codes (Union and League) and the differences are many and varied and I won't go into them here. In my opinion, union (which is more popular on a global scale) is a far better game.

Football, though (that's soccer to some) rules all as far as I am concerned.

[This message has been edited by NOM (edited January 17, 2002).]

[SusF]

Ballykissangel was set in Scotland.

Susan

[Sammie]

They may have filmed it in Scotland, but it was definitely set in Ireland. It's somewhat of a different accent. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[hclark]

Thanks for your help all!

BallyK is filmed in Evoca, Ireland. A lot of the buildings are real ones, like Fitzgeralds and the church. Its also set in Ireland. Its a British show, yes, that we get on public television and BBC America. Unfortunately it was cancelled this year midway during season 6.

What you've said makes me think that what I was seeing was some other form of football, like Gaelic or Aussie or perhaps just the home rules of the team that was playing. The teams weren't wearing any protection except perhaps what I'd consider shin guards.

Thanks for pointing out that soccer is equivalent to football. That's what I'd thought all along but had nobody to confirm it. We don't really have soccer up here in Iowa. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif They have started it as a school sport in some of the cities, but not in my rural area. From what little I've seen of it on television, it does look interesting. As for rugby, I've never seen it played, but know we have teams around here. If that's what I'd been watching though I wouldn't have recognized it.

As for American football, it may be pointless and barbaric, but can be interesting to watch. More so than some of our other sports as least. Its more interesting at the high school and college levels (where they don't stop play for commercials) or when the teams have people you know.

[fluffy bunny]

I have a problem with all the stop-starting in american football (and baseball for that matter).