Why do they call it American Football?

[Thedayrecker]

Who knows?
Who cares?
And if I see that picture again, who knows what I'm going to do?

 

[Ladette]

Because we're awesome and can do whatever the hell we want. And we'll bomb any country that tries to disagree with us to glass.

 

[Krantos]

Considering the type of people who typically play it, I'm not surprised really. XD

 

[captainwalrus]

Because American football, along with association football, rugby football and every other football in between was derived from medieval mob football - hence, the etymological similarity?

 

[flamingjimmy]

There's actually a very simple reason why its called 'football' and it's really easy to find out with 10 seconds of googling, I don't know why people don't just try that sometimes.

American football was descended from Rugby Football and Association Football (association football being proper English football to you and me).

So, firstly, rugby is also technically called 'rugby football' even though they also mostly run along holding an egg with their hands.

This also explains why Americans call proper football 'soccer', which comes from 'association football'.

In the dark ages (before the English FA was founded, obviously), there was no generally agreed way to play football, and there were many games that used the name.

Seriously people, this information is so easy to find!!

 

[Grigori361]

Why do they call hockey hockey? It needs no explanation. It's just what people call it sometimes. No one is more right than another. It's like complaining that a tiger is called a tiger when it should be called "large striped mammal" or something.

EDIT: Stop quoting me please D: I'm trying to say it doesn't matter, so don't get worked up about it. Why do you park in a driveway? Why do you bake cookies and cook bacon? What's the deal with airplane food? It really doesn't matter.

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Hockey/English/Pregame/origins.html

 

[Tsaba]

Rather than add more confusion to the matter, let me help us all out and consult the oracle known as "Google."

Spoiler: Now don't you feel better?

[link]http://lmgtfy.com/?q=American+Football+origin[/link]

 

[Quiet Stranger]

They SHOULD call it Handball.

 

[gert11]

Football is a term dating back a bit. It refers to a sport played on the feet. As opposed to played on horse back. A ball doesn't necessarily have to be circular. The more you know, the less you sound like a pompous a-hole.

 

[trooper6]

They SHOULD call it Handball.

There is already a sport call handball.

 

[Jark212]

Man this thread has gone straight down the gutter and is flopping around...

But I'll offer something all of us (American) Football fans could agree on:

Spoiler

 

[xdom125x]

1.) So it doesn't get mixed up with the other sport called football(which I think deserves the title more based on logic).

2.) They use their feet the entire they are playing.(this isn't a real answer, just a joke)

 

[Nova Helix]

America has a need to be different.
America :Handegg = football (that really makes me laugh)
Rest of world: football = footbal
America: 1 mile = 5280 feet (WTF?)
Rest of world: 1 Kilometer = 1000 meters (easy)

 

[Charli]

Because it's what we call football in America.

No see we want an explanation for why that is really. We don't understand, before that bastardized version of Rugby, football (soccer*) did and has existed, why on earth did you rename a sport: Football... when... there was no need and it doesn't really earn the name "Foot" - "Ball" in the first place?

Call me a bit... picky but it seems arbitrary and contrived. And the U.S. population has never given me a good reason other than "Because we say so". My friend and I have this debate over and over until we just go "I'm hungry lets get something to eat" and forget all about it.

*What on earth does that mean either.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Yes, congratulations, you managed to revive a joke on this site that is older then most users.

Their are numerous theories as to why its called Football. Some people claim that a soccer team wished to get rid of the no hands rule and created the game as a variation of Rugby, keeping the name 'football.'

Other people claim that it was because forward passes weren't allowed originally, causing the players to use their legs more often.

Their are probably several other origins, but those two are the only ones I can remember off the top of my head. Also, please keep the anti-American attitude out of here folks. We're not the only country to call American Football 'Football.'

 

[Normalgamer]

Because americans have to do everything differently. Especially when it makes no sense and pisses everyone else off.
Its just part of their culture.

Way to be an ignorant prick to a full country of people, educate yourself a little.

OT: No idea, just got chosen with that name.

Way to be a uptight prick who jumps down peoples throats because you do not understand a simple concept like humour. Educate yourself a little.

And do not whine about other peoples explanations when you do not have one yourself.

That's your humor? Man you must be great at parties, I'm pretty sure not a single person would see that as humor.
That logic is just plain hilarious, educate yourself.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Also, it should be United States Handegg, not American Handegg.

or just American Handegg, considering we are the only country with "America" in its name. derp

What happens when America liberates part of the Swiss town of Handegg then? Yeah, didn't think of that, did you?

 

[Ken_J]

I always thought it was because of the ball. It is a weird ball and I'm pretty sure its a FOOT long.

 

[chif-ii]

I mean seriously how can you call a sport Football if you only use your feet in a desperate situation and 90% of the time it is either thrown or passed along.

Also

troll thread has failed.

its called American football because football has two version, Soccer [European football], and what everyone thinks is the best sport ever.

so go on and argue about why it has its name and which version is better.

all of us real sport players are laughing.

besides, REAL men play TABLE TENNIS.

It's called Ping-Pong, IDJUT!!!!!!

Why is it called Football? Because the name was available.