Football season is soon approaching. I can tell this because all of a sudden I get a feeling that I am missing something. My friends and I call it F W or Football Withdrawal. This phenomenon is no doubt soon to be classified as a major disease process that hits mostly at the start of summer, but may start at the beginning of April, when the draft starts.
When thinking about how to explain the intricacies of this sport, one thinks of everyday sorts of things that people who didn't have a sports background could understand and assimilate to the structure of how football is played.
If an alien would come down right now , and the first thing seen was a football game, they would certainly wonder why all these grown men are chasing a small ball wrapped in animal skin back and forth on a hundred yard field and why would someone pay millions of dollars for that? The object of the game is for the offense to get the ball down the field. They have 4 try's or Downs to get the ball 10 yards. If they fail the opposing team gets the ball and tries to do the same thing. In contrast, the defense is there to break up the plays, stop the ball and the player who is carrying the ball and try to get to the Quarterback anyway they know how.
Football players can be assimilated to the human body. We need every bit of it to create the team. Some terms need to be stated before the team is identified
Offense- the offense is made up of a Quarterback(QB) running back (RB), full back, tight end (TE)offensive line, and wide receivers.(WR) Many formations exist with this group. Their goal is to move the ball down the field and score points.
Defense- The opposite of offense , as they are trying to get the ball away from the offense. The defense consists of a defensive line, cornerbacks to cover the receivers, and a safety and free safety to cover screen passes or running plays.
End Zone- This is where you want the ball to be to score a touchdown. it has to be carried or cross the line to count as a touchdown. A touchdown is 7 points.
Field Goal- If a team does not make a touchdown, the next best thing is a field goal. This puts 3 points on the board for the team.
Running play-This can be taken by the running back,(RB) Quarterback(QB) or wide receiver (WR) in a reverse format. All can take the ball and run as far as they can to try to score a touchdown.
Passing play- This can be a short screen pass or a long pass down the field. A flea flicker is when the QB hands off the ball and then the other player hands it back, giving the receivers time to get down the filed for a long pass
As the football experience is like a human body, we now turn to an explanation of the parts
Coach
The coach is the BRAINS of the operation. The team of coaches dissects film of opponents day after day, looking for weaknesses and making up signals for formations that constantly change, depending on what is presented on the other side of the ball.
Quarterback ( QB)
The QB is the HEART of the operation. The leader of the team on offense,the QB gets all on the same page in the huddle, calls the plays or gets signals from the coaching staff, and then has to make sense of it and read the defense.
Running Back ( RB).
The running back is the LEGS of the operation. The ball is handed off and the running back tries to get it as far as possible to the end zone. Running backs can also catch passes.
Wide Receiver ( WR).
The WR is the HANDS of the operation. The WR is fast, running down the field quickly to get open for passes. They use a variety of runs, such as buttonhook, where they initially go out and then come back in slightly, cross patterns, where they cross over the field, slot and stunts, where they know the ball will be in timed patterns
Tight End-
No, this is not self- explanatory . They got their names because they were flankers, or ends.. This position is the FLANK, as they can act as a offensive lineman as a blocker, or as a receiver.
Offensive Line (OL)
The OL is the RIBCAGE,as they protect the QB (Heart) from injury and block all who are trying to get to the QB , or the one who is carrying the ball.
Defensive Line ( DL)
The DL is the VITAL ORGANS, as a good DL can make or break a ball club. Its about generating points to be sure, but it is also about preventing points, and causing turnovers that can lead to victory.
Kicker/Punter
These team members are the FOOT of the operation. The punter kicks the ball as far as possible down the field so the offense has to go as a far as possible. The kicker makes field goals and extra points after the touchdown, as well as kicks off.
So as a whole, the players all have to work together as a team to have success. Not one person can do it alone. As the great coach Vince Lombardi once sai "Football is like life- it requires perseverance, self- denial,hard work, sacrifice,dedication and respect for authority". I guess that why they named a trophy after him.
