How popular is Soccer in USA ?

Ashers wrote:

On a side note, England's squad has just been announced...Sven in 'risk taking' shocker! He's included a young lad of 16 I believe who hasn't played a single game of top flight football in England. I'm actually really tempted to say fair play to him, with his job over and done with after the summer maybe this has given him more freedom. Theo Walcott, the guy in question, did cost his new club 12 million so someone rates him highly, very highly. Now can Sven actually use the squad properly when it matters?

Theo Walcott was purchased by Arsenal, the team I support.

Their manager (Arsene Wenger) has proven himself to be one of the shrewdest guys around, and is a great spotter of talent.

His present striker, Thierry Henry, is thought to be the best, or equal best, striker in the world, and was spotted by Wenger early on, playing as a winger. Arsene Wenger bought him quite cheaply, really, and immediately placed him into the centre forward role, because of his phenomenal turn of speed and good football "brain".
He is now Arsenal's all time top scorer, who just seems to waltz around defenders and leave them standing.

Theo Walcott, in speed trials, has proven to be FASTER than Henry, which is amazing. He is just as good with his left foot as he is with his right, and his previous manager described him as having the ability to run over puddles without leaving any ripples.

Sven went to the training ground at London Colney a couple of times, and is mightily impressed. The only reason Theo hasn't played in any major games so far, is that it is Wenger's tactic to bring on youngsters very gradually.
Wenger and Sven were overheard discussing him, where a comment was made that, apart from Rooney, Walcott was reckoned to be the most threatenig forward that is around at the moment.
The Arsenal defenders say that he is as hard to handle as Henry, worse in fact, as he can fly at you from both the left and the right.

I reckon that, given the chance, he could be a major surprise in the World Cup, and could end up doing an Owen or Rooney.

Question:

Why do Americans call soccer (a sport played with foot) "soccer" while calling football (a sport played with the hands) "football"?

Answer:

Simply enough, all of these games are called "football", or were to begin with. Over the course of time, different rule specifications effectively made them different sports. So, different types of football became soccer (association football rules), rugby (rugby football rules) etc.

The American game was more or less derived from rugby, and there are small similarities with the variety of rugby known as Rugby League, most notably the concept of a certain number of completed tackles (downs) to advance the ball, after which possession is turned over if no score results. The kicking element was originally much more common in the American game, with the concept of kicked goals from open play similar to dropped goals in rugby. The development of the forward pass pushed the kicking game to one side, as a thrown ball can be controlled much more accurately than a kicked one, and possession more safely retained.

As for the name, in common with most varieties, it's just known as football to its own players, and American football to those who wish to distinguish it from other forms. In Ireland, the word football is generally used to refer to Gaelic football, an indigenous game with similarities to both soccer and rugby (round ball, but handling allowed). Similarly, Australian football (known sometimes as Australian Rules football) is simply referred to as football or footy in Australia. In England, football refers to soccer, unless otherwise specified.

History of Football:

Football is one of the most famous sports in America. It is played everywhere across the states. Whether it is on the field or in your own backyard, it has become the center of many people's lives. Most people known the objective of the game it is played with a ball. You score be carrying or kicking the ball across the goal line of the other team. Teams must get the ball downfield 10 yards in 4 attempts called downs.

Football can be traced back to ancient Greece where it was known as harpaston. The modern version was started in England in the 12th century. At the time the kings banned it so that it wouldn't take the place of the sport of archery. In the 1800's two types of football were developed. The first allowed players to only kick the ball. But it was changed when a player took the ball under his arm and ran down the field. Several clubs sprang up, each favoring a different game. The clubs devoted to the kicking game met in London in 1863 and formed the London Football Association. This game was called association football, later called soccer. The clubs that favored the kicking version met in 1871 and organized the Rugby Football Union. Later, the game was called rugby football.

In America, football started in Virginal in 1609. Later in 1820, students at present-day Princeton University started participating in a soccer-like game called balloon. It started a competition between several other schools. Other colleges didn't take place in this competition, playing a more Rugby-like game. In the following years representatives from several of the participating schools decided on a new set of rules and begun the Intercollegiate Football Association. The rules were constantly changing after that. The first intercollegiate game was played between Princeton and Rutgers College in 1895. After the Intercollegiate Football Association was dissolved in 1894, two different groups emerged, formed by Walter Champ, and the other formed by a group of independent colleges. They merged and were called the National Colligate Athletic Association governed American collegiate Football ever since. Champ has become famous more making several important changes to the game in the late 1800's. For example, he reduced the number of players from 15 to 11. Also, he developed the standard formations and tackling rules that we have today. While Champ's rules were intended to make the game safer to play, President Roosevelt in 1905 prompted a new set of rules after a series of severe injuries and death.


The pro football league was formed in 1920. It was called the American Professional Football Association, until the National Football League, the NFL, replaced it. Until the 1950's college football was more popular. With the rise of television in the 50's pro football became more popular. One of the most famous pro football games was played in 1958. Later on the sport became more and more famous. When the first Super Bowl game was played in 1967, it matched champions from the NFL and the newer American Football League. It has become one of the most popular single-day sporting events.

College Bowl games are played on New Year's Eve. The different bowls are the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl. Coaches choose the winners. The High School League rules and seasons vary from state to state. Another small league of Football is the Pop Warner League. They are the Little League version of football.