Advanced FootballHOW TO WATCH MODERN FOOTBALL IN TODAY’S WORLD

The Basics

Football has been around since the late 1860’s, but the game as we know it did not come about until the late 1800’s-early 1900’s.

A physical game, football is played by two teams of 11 players on the field at any given time. The object of the game is to score a touchdown, which is achieved by running into the end zone with possessionof the football.

The Issue

Football is the most popular American sport, amassing a whopping 205 million viewers in 2014. (http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/11/nfl-tv-ratings-rankings-no-1-show-snf-mnf-local-markets)

However, if one wishes to become more than acasual fan of the game, watching on the TV isnot the best option.

To the right is what the TV camera generally

catches in their shot. See the problem? 40% of

the players are missing or cut off from the shot!

The Effect

One effect of this shows itself in popularity of players. To the left is a screenshot of what comes up if one googles “List of most popular American football players”.

On the first page, 8 out of the 11 players are current or former quarterbacks. Out of the remaining three players, two of them play a position that is often in the shot on the telecast.

The Issue

As a fan, it’s hard to hold an advanced knowledge of football, given what is provided to you as a viewer on TV. Watching games in person afford you the ability to see the whole field, but the lack of replay means you had better catch it the first time!

Resource One

To start, there are several resources online that allow for fans to increase their knowledge and understanding of the game. One such resource is Inside the Pylon, a webpage dedicated to breaking down the game of football.

Resource Two

Throughout the year, ESPN provides an alternate way to view big games. ESPN Film Room is a telecast of the game that uses current and former coaches as announcers, letting them speak about what they are seeing in the game and providing their own unique and professional insights.

Here is an example of the Film Room of last year’s National Championship game…

Resource Three

A final resource is YouTube. All over YouTube are All-22 videos of football games, which show all the players on the field as the play progresses. Typically without announcers, these video allow for viewers to watch an entire game without the influence of announcers.

Go to the next slide for an example of an All-22 video.

Tips for going forward

In order to become a more educated football fan, one must be willing to:

- Continue to watch games. Watching one doesn’t make you an expert!

- Ask questions. Even if you’re watching with someone who has never watched football before, ask them what they think!

- Create your own opinions. Don’t be afraid to have your own ideas and stick to them!

Oh, and…

Come cheer on your WOU Wolves this Saturday at 1:00 at MacArthur Field as we take on Simon Fraser!

Credits

“OU versus Arkansas City (Kansas) Town Team in 1899”. Photo credit to Nmajdan (Wikipedia)

“The Carolina Panthers on offense against the defense of the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl 50”. Photo credit to Steve Jurvetson (Flickr)

“Adrian Peterson of Minnesota rushes against San Diego in week 9, on his way to a record 296 rushing yards in a game”. Photo credit to Tiger Girl (Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tigergirl/1863083309/in/set-1200846/)

“U.S. Air Force Academy senior tailback Jim Ollis reaches…” Photo credit to Mike Kaplan. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:American_football/Selected_picture/2008#/media/File:Jim_Ollis_reaches_for_end_zone_AFB_071231-F-0558K-013_0YKNU.jpg)