What is the World's Best Sport?

[bluearth]

This is only for sports that require a ball of some sort and there is a scoring system.

I personally believe it is American Football (Gridiron)

I'll try and explain my opinion, starting with the negatives of the sport.

- Start and stop play. Each "play" lasts only 5-10 seconds. Then there is a 20-30 second "break" while the defense and offense reorganize and line up in their next formation. This is a necessary evil for American football though, as things I will touch on later like stats and organization would be impossible if the game never had any stoppage. Also, on any given play there may be a score. Many other games may be constant, but how often are the teams a threat to score when they're passing the ball or puck around midfield?

- Alot of commercial breaks. This can get annoying at times. An American football game lasts around 3 hours, and a portion of that, along with halftime and timeouts, is commercials. But there is a positive to this though as there are no advertisements on the field or on the players uniforms. Other sports may have non stop action but the players and field is littered with advertisements to pay for the broadcast of the game.

- Helmets prevent us from seeing the players. The helmets and padding prevents us from seeing the players faces. We don't get to see the determination in their eyes or the raw emotion that well when they're covered up in the helmets and padding. But there is a positive to this as there are some really cool looking uniforms and helmets out there like the Raider's Pirate and silver and black, or San Diego's lightning Bolt uniforms.

Now for the positives

1. No matter your body type, there is a position for you to play in American Football - There is no other sport in the world with athletes that vary in size as much as American Football. There is no other sport where a 5'6" 160lb player can share the same field with a 6'10" 370lb player and both be elite at their position. In the trenches you have huge sumo wrestling esque players battle while fast and agile players battle for the ball down field. Very different from basketball that demands you be at least 6'2" to even have a shot or soccer which does not tolerate any heavy players.

2. So many ways to score, so many ways to handle the ball - There is no other sport where you are allowed to kick the ball, throw the ball forward, throw the ball backwards, and carry the ball. You can score 3 ways, by carrying the ball into the endzone, by throwing it to another player in the endzone, or kicking a field goal through the goal posts. There is so much variety to this. Most sports only have one way of scoring, by putting an object into a net past it's keeper.

3. Creativity -

YouTube - ‪Best Fake Punt Ever (Bills/Titans)‬‏

4. Stat Keeping - American Football can be broken down into an exact science with extremely detailed stat keeping. There is no guessing someone is having a good year or a bad year. With stats like quarter back rating and yards per rush/catch you know everything there is to know about the performance of the players.

5. Near Perfect Balance - In some sports shutouts are all too common. But in American football shutting out the opposing offense is possible but something very difficult to obtain. On the offensive side if the players are good enough and execute then they are unstoppable. Its amazing to see how easily some teams score but how some struggle so much to score. Also, there is not too much scoring or too little scoring. The average game features 6-7 "scores", but a game can feature just 1 score or as many as 15 scores.

6. Visibile Progress - They're at the 30...they're at the 20. The story of a game can be told very clearly.

7. Highly visible difference in team styles - More visible at the college level then the professional level. Some teams will line up with 5 receivers every play. Some times will bring in 3 tight ends in a bunch every play and run the option. How many other sports have such dramaticly different looks in styles of play?

8. Heroes - Now there are heroes in every sport, but outside of basketball and maybe baseball I dont think they can touch the heroics possible in American football. A QB leading his team down the field for the winning last second score is one of the most heroic things in sports. Its just not possible for some other sports for a player to simply "take over" and will his team to victory like it is in American Football. What Michael Vick did to the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football last year is a prime example.

YouTube - ‪Michael Vick - Philadelphia Eagles Highlights‬‏

9. Physical contact - Not necessarily hits but the physical nature of the sport is impressive to watch. I have to admit personally its more entertaining for me watching a 260lb linebacker try to bring down an athletic freak like Adrian Peterson in the open field then highly aerobic athletes like Tennis players or soccer players play at a high level for a long time.

10. Highlights - American Football is a highlight real in the making. Touchdowns, spectacular catches, tackles, kicks, runs, interceptions, etc etc etc. I'm not trying to knock on soccer but what highlights are there in the sport? Made and missed goals?

11. The 1st down - This one simple thing, the first down, is probably the most dramatic rule in all of sports, especially in the closing minutes of a game.

[wilky61]

Football... But you didn't even put hockey in the poll? I can understand excluding lacrosse, but hockey???

My problem with soccer is that the pace is a drone (typified by those damn vuvuzuelas from last year, but football has highs and lows.

That said, I do find cricket to be pretty fascinating.

[Konfusion1230]

+1 for American Football. Great post. I don't understand why the rest of the world hasn't caught on to the sport. There are some great European basketball players. I'd like to see some great American Football players from around the world.

I do like to watch soccer but usually only international soccer. I had the chance to visit Switzerland and Germany in 2008 during the Euro Cup and those are some serious fans over there. I've been to a couple NFL games and an NBA game and the atmosphere wasn't even close to what I experienced just being in the city the soccer match was held in. I wasn't even in the stadium.

[cajmoyper]

It's so hard for me choose. I love the Spurs but am unlikely to watch any other games not involving my boys in basketball. But football on the other hand, even if my team, the Packers!!!, aren't playing I will most certainly consider watching.

I love the OPost. Although I will say this: even with the stoppage of play, even with a constant running of the ball by one team, I never get bored with football. I used to say something like this when defending the pace of American football: there is more action in one play of football than and entire half of soccer.

And on the "popularity" of soccer, the number one type of floor in Africa is dirt. Does that mean it is the most preferred. A lot of times, not all the time, soccer comes from the economic climate of the area. It doesn't require a hoop and you don't need another person to play catch with. That's my opinion. It may be wrong, but it sounds like good reasoning in my head. I'm voting for the kind of football only men can play.

[bluearth]

Originally Posted by wilky61

Football... But you didn't even put hockey in the poll? I can understand excluding lacrosse, but hockey???

My problem with soccer is that the pace is a drone (typified by those damn vuvuzuelas from last year, but football has highs and lows.

That said, I do find cricket to be pretty fascinating.

I noticed I missed hockey too late. It was not intentional. If a mod can add it I'd appreciate it

[CanadianKrazyMods]

Hockey... Hits more often than football, faster pace than basketball. just combine the 2 and put it on ice lol.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by CanadianKrazyMods

Hockey... Hits more often than football, faster pace than basketball. just combine the 2 and put it on ice lol.

I might be a rare southerner that loves hockey. I really love all sports except soccer the least.
The 17-minute intermissions kinda stink in hockey, though.

[silversnake]

Hockey...

There is nothing that compares to playoff hockey. Stanley cup is the hardest trophy to achieve, no question.

[-RONIN-]

Dammit... I keep agreeing with that habs fan.

[MaCruz]

American Football by far.

[JimShaw]

I am little discussed. I did not get to vote because cycling was left off the menu.

Did you know the Tour de France is on right now. This year over 2,200 miles will be covered in 21 days. In 1926 the Tour was 5,745 miles long.

Since its inception in 1903, the Tour de France has taken place every year, interrupted only by World War I and World War II.

More people will watch this sport than any other sport in the world. Not only will it be watched by millions, it is also considered the most grueling of sports.

I think you should re-design the voting menu so I can vote.





c

[cheaitsjustin]

American Football FTW!

I can't stand basketball which is a little ironic considering I've got the height for it.

[bluearth]

Originally Posted by JimShaw

I am little discussed. I did not get to vote because cycling was left off the menu.

Did you know the Tour de France is on right now. This year over 2,200 miles will be covered in 21 days. In 1926 the Tour was 5,745 miles long.

Since its inception in 1903, the Tour de France has taken place every year, interrupted only by World War I and World War II.

More people will watch this sport than any other sport in the world. Not only will it be watched by millions, it is also considered the most grueling of sports.

I think you should re-design the voting menu so I can vote.





c

I limited the poll to stick and ball sports. If I add all sports auto racing would be in, track & field, bob sledding, swimming, ice skating, etc. Those sports just cant be compared fairly with stick and ball sports.

I would like to add hockey though, not sure how I left it out

[D-Blitz]

Originally Posted by silversnake

hockey...

There is nothing that compares to playoff hockey. Stanley cup is the hardest trophy to achieve, no question.

+1.

[Azyiu]

Dodgeball

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

American Football by far.

Yep...

[Clark Kent]

Baseball. There is simply no other feeling in sports that compares when you make square contact with the ball off the sweet spot of the bat.

[Glassroots]

Hockey, no question.

[Dexter Morgan]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Baseball. There is simply no other feeling in sports that compares when you make square contact with the ball off the sweet spot of the bat.

I voted for (American) football, but this is definitely true.

[D-Blitz]

Football is definitely going to dominate here since this is a US-dominant forum. Worldwide probably would be soccer. I'm not a massive soccer fan, but I enjoy the sport and I think many in NA simply don't even give the sport a chance or are quick to adopt the common preconceived opinions of it this part of the world.

Personally, I don't mind football, I enjoy it every now and then - obviously, it's not as huge here in Canada. Hockey is probably one of the most underrated sports in the world. Intensity level in the playoffs is unreal. Most people who watch the playoffs get hooked on hockey. Hockey to me is probably the only sport that I'll watch any game whether my team's playing or not.