0_Wizard
Hi. I'm a big American football fan. Are you into football? 
American football, referred to as football in the United States and Canada, and also known as gridiron football or simply gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end.
chosen_American_football_0
American football
chosen_topic_0_American_football
Football hooliganism
Football hooliganism is the term used to describe disorderly, violent or destructive behaviour perpetrated by spectators at football events. Football hooliganism normally involves conflict between gangs, often known as football firms (the term derives from the British slang for a criminal gang), formed for the purpose of intimidating and physically attacking supporters of other teams. Other terms commonly used in connection with hooligan firms include "army", "boys", "casuals", and "crew". Certain clubs have long-standing rivalries with other clubs and hooliganism associated with matches between them (sometimes called local derbies) is likely to be more severe.
Early history of American football
The early history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football. Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid–19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or run over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games. American football resulted from several major divergences from association football and rugby football, most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp, a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate considered to be the "father of gridiron football".
History of American football
The history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football. Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid-19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or kicked over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games. American football resulted from several major divergences from association football and rugby football, most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp, a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate who is considered to be the "Father of American Football".
2009–10 Sunderland A.F.C. season
The 2009–10 season is Sunderland's third consecutive season in the top division of English football, the Premier League. Ricky Sbragia was replaced by Steve Bruce in the close season. His aim is to improve on the club's 16th position the previous season. Darren Bent was the top scorer in the Premier League with 24 goals. Andy Reid was the top scorer in the League Cup with two goals. Fraizer Campbell was the top scorer in the FA Cup with two goals. Darren Bent was the top scorer in all competitions with 25 goals. At the end of the season, Darren Bent won both the club's official Player of the Season and the SAFC Supporters' Association awards.
College football
College football is American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most other sports in North America, no minor league farm organizations exist in American or Canadian football. Therefore, college football is generally considered to be the second tier of American football in the United States and Canadian football in Canada; one step ahead of high school competition, and one step below professional competition.
Arijit Singh
Arijit Singh is an Indian musician, singer, composer, music producer, recordist and a music programmer. He predominantly sings in Hindi and Bengali, but has also lent his voice to various other Indian languages. Singh is regarded as one of the most versatile and successful singers in the History of Indian Music and Hindi Cinema. At the start of his singing career, he received nominations for the Upcoming Male Vocalist of the Year award at the 2013 Mirchi Music Awards for renditions of "Phir Le Aya Dil" and "Duaa", winning the award for the latter. Singh received widespread recognition with the release of "Tum Hi Ho" and "Chahun Main Ya Naa" in 2013.
Football Supporters Europe
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is a football fan network formally established as a non-profit member association and claiming to have members from more than 48 UEFA member countries. Founded in July 2008 at the first European Football Fans Congress, it is considered as a legitimate partner for fan issues by institutions like the UEFA, the Council of Europe or European Professional Football Leagues. FSE can trace its history back to the international collaboration by fans’ organisations under the former name of "Football Supporters International" to provide “Fans’ Embassy” advice, information and support services to fans of national teams at international tournaments.
1_Apprentice
I'm a rugby fan, but I want to know more about American Football. What can you tell me?
0_Wizard
well the roots of American football can be traced back to rugby 
The history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football.
partner_History_of_American_football_0
Early history of American football
The early history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football. Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid–19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or run over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games. American football resulted from several major divergences from association football and rugby football, most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp, a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate considered to be the "father of gridiron football".
History of American football
The history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football. Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid-19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or kicked over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games. American football resulted from several major divergences from association football and rugby football, most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp, a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate who is considered to be the "Father of American Football".
Comparison of American football and rugby union
A comparison of American football and rugby union is possible because of the games' shared origins, despite their dissimilarities. In the event of a tackle in rugby the player may pass the ball behind him provided he is not on the ground. If the tackled player is on the ground, the ball must be released, allowing any other player (including the opposition) to pick up the ball (usually a ruck forms) and the play continues. In the event of a tackle in American Football the play is concluded and the team on offense maintains possession usually if either the ball was advanced past the first down marker (resulting in a first down and a renewal of the down count) or else the down count advances (although if the play was the fourth down play and the ball is not advanced past the first down marker then the defensive team would gain possession).
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with a foot to score a goal. Unqualified, the word "football" is understood to refer to whichever form of football is the most popular in the regional context in which the word appears. Sports commonly called "football" in certain places include: association football (known as soccer in some countries); gridiron football (specifically American football or Canadian football); Australian rules football; rugby football (either rugby league or rugby union); and Gaelic football. These different variations of football are known as football codes.
Comparison of American football and rugby league
A comparison between American football and rugby league is possible because of their shared origins and similar game concepts. Along with Canadian football, rugby league is the most similar sport to American football. Both sports involve the concept of a limited number of downs/tackles and scoring touchdowns/tries takes clear precedence over goal-kicking. Generally, American football games last much longer than 80-minute rugby league matches. Because the field is reset after each tackle in American football, it is much slower-paced than the more hectic rugby league, in which play stops for only as long as it takes the tackled player to get back to his feet and return the ball to play.
History of rugby union
The history of rugby union follows from various football games played long before the 19th century, but it was not until the middle of that century that the rules were formulated and codified. The code of football later known as rugby union can be traced to three events: the first set of written rules in 1845, the Blackheath Club's decision to leave the Football Association in 1863 and the formation of the Rugby Football Union in 1871. The code was originally known simply as "rugby football". It was not until a schism in 1895, over the payment of players, which resulted in the formation of the separate code of rugby league, that the name "rugby union" was used to differentiate the original rugby code.
College football
College football is American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most other sports in North America, no minor league farm organizations exist in American or Canadian football. Therefore, college football is generally considered to be the second tier of American football in the United States and Canadian football in Canada; one step ahead of high school competition, and one step below professional competition.
1_Apprentice
Is that so? I would never have guessed, what with the whole forward passing thing.
0_Wizard
both games have a lot of similarities, basically running or kicking a ball over a goal line but you are right, the forward pass is unique
Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid–19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or run over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games.
partner_Early_history_of_American_football_1
Early history of American football
partner_3_Early_history_of_American_football
Early history of American football
The early history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football. Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid–19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or run over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games. American football resulted from several major divergences from association football and rugby football, most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp, a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate considered to be the "father of gridiron football".
Comparison of American football and rugby union
A comparison of American football and rugby union is possible because of the games' shared origins, despite their dissimilarities. In the event of a tackle in rugby the player may pass the ball behind him provided he is not on the ground. If the tackled player is on the ground, the ball must be released, allowing any other player (including the opposition) to pick up the ball (usually a ruck forms) and the play continues. In the event of a tackle in American Football the play is concluded and the team on offense maintains possession usually if either the ball was advanced past the first down marker (resulting in a first down and a renewal of the down count) or else the down count advances (although if the play was the fourth down play and the ball is not advanced past the first down marker then the defensive team would gain possession).
List of gridiron football rules
The following is a description of the various and alternating rules of gridiron football. Numerous leagues or organizations tend to send a laundry list of rules in order to better distinguish themselves from their counterparts. American football is played on a field . The longer boundary lines are "sidelines", while the shorter boundary lines are "end lines". Sidelines and end lines are out of bounds. Near each end of the field is a "goal line"; they are apart. A scoring area called an "end zone" extends beyond each goal line to each end line. The end zone includes the goal line but not the end line.
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is a throwing of the ball in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron football (American football and Canadian football) in which the play is legal and widespread, and rugby football (union and league) from which the North American games evolved, in which the play is illegal. In some football codes, such as association football (soccer), the kicked forward pass is used so ubiquitously that it is not thought of as a distinct kind of play at all.
David Campese
David Ian Campese, AM (born 21 October 1962), also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player. Campese was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and held the world record for the most tries in test matches (64) until Daisuke Ohata scored his 65th try playing for Japan on 14 May 2006. Campese made his debut for the Wallabies on the 1982 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand, during which he scored a try in his first two Tests. In 1983, he equaled the then record for most tries in a Test match for Australia against the USA, scoring four tries. He was a member of the Eighth Wallabies for the 1984 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland that won rugby union's "grand slam", the first Australian side to defeat all four home nations, England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, on a tour.
Glossary of rugby union terms
Rugby union is a team sport played between two teams of fifteen players. It is known for its rich terminology. This is a general glossary of the terminology used in the sport of rugby union. Where words in a sentence are also defined elsewhere in this article, they appear in italics. 22  The 22 m line, marking from the tryline. 89  An "89" or "eight-nine move" is a phase following a "scrum", in which the "number 8" picks up the ball and transfers it to number 9 ("scrum-half"). 99  The "99" call was a policy of simultaneous retaliation by the 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa, (the 99 comes from the British emergency services telephone number which is 999).
Comparison of Canadian football and rugby union
A comparison of Canadian football and rugby union is possible because of the games' shared origins, despite their dissimilarities. The most significant difference in play is the allowance of blocking for the ball carrier, which is to say preventing a defender from tackling the player with the ball. This rule in Canadian football allows top-flight teams to include hundreds of different plays in each and every match. It also slows the game down, causing frequent stoppages and less spontaneity in play. The laws against this in rugby union allow for each team to contest possession at all stages of a game.