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Football is better than Rugby - FACT

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I checked the IP addresses and unless he's doing some grade "A" trolling it's a different guy. Rugbyisawful was so over the top I don't think he would even have tried to be less pigheaded. Amazingly we didn't even ban the guy.



No he didn't want a debate(he wanted attention as all trolls do) he had already produced dissmissive "counter arguments", some people did bring legitimate debating points to the table and he simply ignored them. It's not my assumption about what he wanted it's clear from the actions he undertook and the context of his statements made. The evidence is overwhelming that he simply wanted to aggravate the membership something he succeeded in doing.

You probably aren't get much of a response Luigi because no one wanted this awful thread brought up again, it was started in such a "poison the well" type way debate was completely inpossible.

A legitimate debate concerning the pro's and con's of the various sports in good humour might have gone somewhere or at least been less of a complete train wreck.

Yeah i can see your point thats why im trying to so diplomatic e.g not just trolling an talking bull**** at the end of the day your sport (rugby) is played by more than a hand full of nations professionally for the most part there is a healthy following its not like gridiron were it last 4 5 hours an to be honest other than catching a bull in flight very little skill you have far better upstanding of player conduct than you could say for football or rugby league an gridiron aswell as fan wise to an in saying all of that every other sport has its pros an cons i guess the real question is how do you value a sport but evening withstanding that question each person will have there own opinion no matter what other people say which is good it shows passion which is why some people get so worked up over this for example im sure you can sort of see my negativity towards gridiron an americans in general but again i tell myself as much as id like to think i can tanish everyone with the same brush for the act of a few stereotypical delinquents i shouldnt
 
You must be a very narrow minded individual to think i am the same person i come upon this thread over google whilst i was researching the names of codes an how many people play what sport an what ones are succeeding an so fourth i logged onto this site through my facebook feel free to check me out i am definitely not rugbyisawful i do have a respect for rugby as it is played by not one nation you guys for the most part aren't like ignorant americans where they believe everything they say do is end of story so much self righteous its not funny i do have numerous friends who play it an bleed it through an through i was just on her to see if my assumptions were correct that there is the odd one eyed individual such as your self an then there is others that are accepting an don't mind having a yarn about what sport they prefer an why an so on dont get tunnel vision on me an my queries :)

Luigi,

Can you please do me a favour and start employing a bit of punctuation in your posts? Honestly, that paragraph was virtually unreadable... I don't think I've ever seen such a long stretch of text without a full-stop or comma outside of some of the more ridiculously detailed clauses I've covered for some of our clients where I work.

As for your claim that I'm narrow minded, well that sounds like exactly the kind of thing you would say if I was on the right track ;).
 
Luigi,

Can you please do me a favour and start employing a bit of punctuation in your posts? Honestly, that paragraph was virtually unreadable... I don't think I've ever seen such a long stretch of text without a full-stop or comma outside of some of the more ridiculously detailed clauses I've covered for some of our clients where I work.

As for your claim that I'm narrow minded, well that sounds like exactly the kind of thing you would say if I was on the right track ;).

Haha i do apologise for my punctuation but I am multitasking here an should really be continuing on with study. Anyway as for saying that I'm just ascerting your assumption that I am either trying to antagonise or upset you because i called you narrow minded thats rather unfair you accused me of having an agenda which i don't an the fact that because I'm not being 100 percent for your sport i must be the person who started this thread under another identity which to be honest grinds my gears :)
 
Thanks, that read a little easier (even if t here was still only one full stop)...

I suppose the natural question is what sport do you play/follow and why do you think it's the best? That's probably the best starting point.
 
Thanks, that read a little easier (even if t here was still only one full stop)...

I suppose the natural question is what sport do you play/follow and why do you think it's the best? That's probably the best starting point.

Haha can't be perfect.

Yeah good point well I've played both an watched both including less known or played versions of both e.g sevens an indoor football an of each version I have a different perspective of for varying reasons.

I rate football over rugby but in saying that don't think rugby be is bad game mind you in recent tests with springboks to be specific the game seamed a lot like kick for territory an just go for conversions which I dislike as felt it takes away from purpose which is to score trys

An in regards to football these a similar situation if one is winning to just hold Possession till final whistle which I find just as bad an both the shorter versions don't have that it's just all out attack but then I feel your sort selling yourself out for a easier version of either code I could go on on but I'll let you give me your perspective without going on on
 
Positive and exhilarating play is a good way to attract people in any sport, and so perhaps that's part of why I don't much like soccer.
As a game, I've always experienced it as very negative; low scoring, low contact and low tolerance for change. I also don't like the way diving has become so institutionalised that there's even a double-speak euphemism for it: "simulation".

On top of that, there's a cultural layer though and I'd contend that's more important. Growing up in Sydney, soccer is followed by a lot of stuck up douchebags... guys like Craig Foster, who think following an international sport makes you the equivalent of a polyglot, when in reality you're more akin to someone who knows his accents, but no other languages. They're constantly demanding everyone that we have to call it "football" and not soccer, seemingly unaware that Australia isn't some European or South American country where the only major form of football is soccer. Basically there's serious element of snobbery and cultural cringe to soccer fans, and that in itself is enough to turn me off it.

As for Rugby, growing up in Randwick, running rugby was the primary ethos for teams, so my early memories of the game were always of fast paced and exciting matches with incredibly handling and attacking flair. As for League, hard running attack is written into its DNA, and in my area we had a strong League and Union presence, and most of us grew up played both games. There's a bit of ****le between the two games here, but it's not like England and plenty of League and Union clubs have good relationships.

In terms of what I like about Rugby as a game, I like that it's a game for all types of people with a variety of skill-sets and that it's also a game that matches two fundamental types of contest (set-piece and rolling play) whilst always focusing on the contest for possession. It can be played a variety of ways, but when it's played negatively (i.e. percentage 10 man rugby) it can be a little painful. That's sort of what I like about League. It lacks rugby's depth, but it has systematically removed all the incentives to play an excessive kick-focused game - it's all about ball in hand action, power, skill and speed.
 
I've always felt that kicking in rugby is unfairly malligned. There are the obviously 'exciting' aspects to kicking in-game; The chip and gather ala Willie le Roux I find very exciting. There is the shallow cross field kick Aussie pivots always seem to have a knack for. Kick and chase if done well and not overly depended on can add good value to a game's appeal IMO; the battle in the air.

Then the tactical kicking battle which I can understand some can find tedious I actually can appreciate. That said there is a huge difference between kicking for advantage and kicking simply because that is your default action..
 
Stormer,

It's not kicking per se that is criticised in Australia - people here love clever tactical and attacking kicking games. What gets criticism is kicking as the first option whenever a team gets the ball. We saw the Brumbies play a couple games this year where White or Toomua had a kick-pass ration of about 5 to 1, and it drove people nuts.
 
Stormer,

It's not kicking per se that is criticised in Australia - people here love clever tactical and attacking kicking games. What gets criticism is kicking as the first option whenever a team gets the ball. We saw the Brumbies play a couple games this year where White or Toomua had a kick-pass ration of about 5 to 1, and it drove people nuts.

yeah, there's even a sport for that... AFL...
 
I've always felt that kicking in rugby is unfairly malligned. There are the obviously 'exciting' aspects to kicking in-game; The chip and gather ala Willie le Roux I find very exciting. There is the shallow cross field kick Aussie pivots always seem to have a knack for. Kick and chase if done well and not overly depended on can add good value to a game's appeal IMO; the battle in the air.

Then the tactical kicking battle which I can understand some can find tedious I actually can appreciate. That said there is a huge difference between kicking for advantage and kicking simply because that is your default action..

Yeah...I agree. I prefer the running game, but when kicks are used to strategically advance the ball - like grubbers and chips and whatnot, especially when it's the only way to advance the ball against a wall of defenders - I like it. And I LOVE it when such a kick results in a try.

What I absolutely hate - and what I consider to be the 'kicking game' - is when the teams keep volleying the ball back and forth to gain territory, especially when it happens three or more times in a row. Ends up looking like a friggin' game of soccer football, and I just don't see the real point to it, other than (perhaps) to give players a bit of a rest from the running and the tackling.


das
 
I support New Orleans saints and like football and all the super bowl stuff it is great but I would have it second behind RU, maybe joint second with League for me.

Which NFL team do you support OP?
 
Stormer,

It's not kicking per se that is criticised in Australia - people here love clever tactical and attacking kicking games. What gets criticism is kicking as the first option whenever a team gets the ball. We saw the Brumbies play a couple games this year where White or Toomua had a kick-pass ration of about 5 to 1, and it drove people nuts.

Fair enough, if it serves no actual purpose it certainly can get frustrating. I suppose it comes down to intent; if the intent is positive as in trying to get into a good position or to break open play then it is great but if the players kick seemingly merely because they are at their wit's end as to what to do with the ball then, yes, kicking is just a cheap knee-jerk (pardon the pun) option and I hope the opposition punishes lazy kicking.
 
Hello, I've come on here to debate with those silly enough to think that Rugby, a sport played by about 10 nations is better than the worlds game, Football. I will put forth my list of reasons and you can put forward yours (although I already know what they'll be) and we can have a good debate.

1) - Rugby games are devoid of any atmosphere, the fans consist of the most boring people ever content to make absolutely no noise at all.
2) - Rugby has barely any match attending fans for club games. Leicester Tigers get a crowd on average of 21,244, thats the best there is in the whole of the Rugby Premier League. So far after one round of Premier League Football action EVERY team went past that apart from Swansea, who sold out but their stadium isn't as big as Leicesters.
3) - The 'world' cup in Rugby is handful of nations from the Commenwealth with a few teams there to make up the numbers, when the football world cup is on the whole world stops and watches.
4) - The fans aren't passionate, and by passionate I don't mean dressing up like a daffodil and looking a bell. Anyone who's been to a football match will realise the result at the game means a lot whole lot more to the fans than it does to the Rugby equivalent. As a fan of FC United of Manchester I experience the greatest atmosphere in Britain every week, and we're in the 7th tier of English football. SEVENTH. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Th9oRtmIE <-- If you can find any rugby fans more passionate than us, the 7th tier of football then I will give you £50.
5) - Rugby is played by people who couldn't play football, you know that fat kid who couldn't shoot, pass or run? He's probably playing rugby.
6) - Rugby is just a line of fat potatoes devoid of skill running into the other line of fat potatoes.
7) - Rugby came from some kid who was obviously diabolical at football and so he had to cheat being the fat useless mess he was and picked up the ball, hopefully he was battered.
8) - Rugby is for gays only, I'm straight so why on earth would I want to play a game based upon pulling men to the ground before diving on them and grabbing their ass. No thanks.
9) - Rugby players have to pass it backwards to go forwards, what the hell is the point? The Americans realised this and made their own game, American Football.
10) - Scores in Rugby have no significance, the fans barely celebrate them because they know they'll be another 57474 penalties anyway, goals in football are rarer and mean a lot more.
11) - Economics. Rugby fans call footballers overpaid (true) however this can be easily compared to cars. Why would you pay the price of an Aston Martin for a Ford Kia? There's a reason footballers are paid more, it's because there's actually interest in them because they are talented.
12) - [STOLEN] The 2006 World Cup Final drew an average live audience of 322 million people, with an eventual reach of 638 million people. Cumulatively speaking, over a billion people watched Italy beat France on penalties to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy. That’s one sixth of the planet. In terms the tournament as a whole, a cumulative audience of 30 billion viewers watched the finals in Germany. By comparison, the 2007 Rugby World Cup tournament had a cumulative world television audience of 4.2 billion. That’s 14%. Rugby is BETAMAX, Football is VHS. The bottom line is, Rugby sits behind Football, the Olympics, the Tour De France and the Superbowl in terms of a global fan base. That’s right, more people watch men cycling up a hill in spandex than watch Rugby.

And to counter your arguments -

1. "Footballers are babies, they fake injuries and dive!!!" This loses all creditbility when you remember rugby players chewing blood capsules to leave the field.
2. "Footballers are thugs, Rugby is the sport for gents!!!" Just how many eye gouges and stamps do the players get penalised for again?
3. "Rugby players can respect the ref!!!" True, I respect rugby players ability to show the referee the respect he deserves, however you must realise that when a game means as much as it does to the fans the players will do everything they can to win, if football was as unpopular as rugby I'm sure the refs would be given the appropriate respect.

This finishes my post, I look forward to debating with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HeJe8GC024 <-- Real fans for a real sport.

-RugbyIsAwful.

How did I miss this topic? :D Yes football is king...duh, the planet comes to a standstill, but i take issue with number 8 and 9 which are playground arguments. Couldn't care less if a player is gay (Gareth Thomas for instance). The Rugby World Cup dwarfs Gridiron with 98% of superbowl viewers being in North America and over half of them tune in to solely to watch commercials. When more folk prefer adverts over the game that sums it up. Its in the same boat as other activities that rely on one market and are non existent outside the country it was invented...Sumo in Japan, Aussie Rules in Aus, Gaelic football here. Aesthetically Gaelic football is the best of those four to watch and there is a constant flow to it. Aussie Rules i like least as its lottery ball...loads of aimless hoofing the egg (wrong shaped ball <_< ) up the field. You can see the higher skill levels of Gaelic players in the international rules series.

Not totally accurate to call Rugby a commonwealth game (cricket certainly is), there are two countries who adopted Rugby without being under British rule, namely France and Argentina.
 
How did I miss this topic? :D Yes football is king...duh, the planet comes to a standstill, but i take issue with number 8 and 9 which are playground arguments. Couldn't care less if a player is gay (Gareth Thomas for instance). The Rugby World Cup dwarfs Gridiron with 98% of superbowl viewers being in North America and over half of them tune in to solely to watch commercials. When more folk prefer adverts over the game that sums it up. Its in the same boat as other activities that rely on one market and are non existent outside the country it was invented...Sumo in Japan, Aussie Rules in Aus, Gaelic football here. Aesthetically Gaelic football is the best of those four to watch and there is a constant flow to it. Aussie Rules i like least as its lottery ball...loads of aimless hoofing the egg (wrong shaped ball <_< ) up the field. You can see the higher skill levels of Gaelic players in the international rules series.

Not totally accurate to call Rugby a commonwealth game (cricket certainly is), there are two countries who adopted Rugby without being under British rule, namely France and Argentina.

While it is true for the Super Bowl that many are tuning in for ads(or more likely stuck watching the game with others at parties etc.), Gridiron television numbers outside of the Super Bowl are still very strong in North America. Regular season games in the United States average a ton of viewers. NCAA draws excellent ratings at a collegiate level, while in Canada gridiron is a clear 2nd behind Ice Hockey in ratings. The Super Bowl is kind of an exceptional event in gridiron that dosen't reflect the core or casual audience.
 
Not totally accurate to call Rugby a commonwealth game (cricket certainly is), there are two countries who adopted Rugby without being under British rule, namely France and Argentina.

There's also Japan as well. The game, whilst still niche there, has a long-standing and fairly significant hold in the country and has the 6th largest playing population in the world. It's still behind Baseball (the real national game) and soccer (the up and comer), but it's presence is significant.

I actually work with a Japanese government office in Sydney and there are more guys here that follow rugby than soccer. That is partly a reflection of where they've worked and went to uni, but it's not something you would find in a country without a significant rugby presence.
 
How did I miss this topic? :D Yes football is king...duh, the planet comes to a standstill, but i take issue with number 8 and 9 which are playground arguments. Couldn't care less if a player is gay (Gareth Thomas for instance). The Rugby World Cup dwarfs Gridiron with 98% of superbowl viewers being in North America and over half of them tune in to solely to watch commercials. When more folk prefer adverts over the game that sums it up. Its in the same boat as other activities that rely on one market and are non existent outside the country it was invented...Sumo in Japan, Aussie Rules in Aus, Gaelic football here. Aesthetically Gaelic football is the best of those four to watch and there is a constant flow to it. Aussie Rules i like least as its lottery ball...loads of aimless hoofing the egg (wrong shaped ball <_< ) up the field. You can see the higher skill levels of Gaelic players in the international rules series.

Not totally accurate to call Rugby a commonwealth game (cricket certainly is), there are two countries who adopted Rugby without being under British rule, namely France and Argentina.

And what about the others sports? Basketball not even the most popular sport in USA, where the 2 kings sports are famerican football and baseball. And it's not even the second sport of countries like France and England, where rugby is the second sport.
 
How did I miss this topic? :D Yes football is king...duh, the planet comes to a standstill, but i take issue with number 8 and 9 which are playground arguments.

...and No. 9 is only partially true. In American football, only one forward pass can be made per down, and only when the ball being passed (usually, but not always by the quarterback) from behind the line of scrimmage. Once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage, any passes must be laterals, same as in rugby.
 
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...and No. 9 is only partially true. In American football, only one forward pass can be made per down, and only when the ball being passed (usually, but not always by the quarterback) from behind the line of scrimmage. Once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage, any passes must be laterals, same as in rugby.

Oddly in Canadian gridiron you can still advance the ball by kicking even beyond the line of scrimmage, as long as like rugby players who recover the kick were behind the kicker(or the kicker himself) when he kicked the ball. In fact you can actually get a reset of downs if your punter kicks the ball at lest 20 yards and either he or a player who was behind him when he kicked recovers it(note that this is quite rare, I've seen it a few times).

Drop goals still technically exist as well, though in NFL I beleive you have to be behind the line of scrimmage, while in CFL they can be from open play, it's effectively a moot point since there has been only one extra point even kicked in this fashion in about 60 years +.
 
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