College Life
Tackling the Game of Football
By Aisha Townes
November 2008
It is the season to cheer for big muscular men tackling each other and tossing around the ol' pigskin. When asked about football, Spencer Hardwick's (former manager for the Harvard football team) face lights up. "It is the ultimate sport: exciting, fast, strategic, and it has great athletes," that add up to a great sport. While some of us might not be as enthusiastic about the sport as he is, we can still learn to appreciate it. Here are some helpful hints on learning to love the game, from football players and fellow females.
The point of the game is to accumulate the most points by getting the football into the opposing team's end zone. When a team has possession of the ball, they have four chances (downs) to advance the ball 10 yards (ultimately to the end zone). They can run (rush) or throw (pass) it. Now, if they don't make it by the third chance they will kick for a field goal or punt to the other team. And the tackling is in order to stop progress of the ball.
There is more strategy and finesse to the game. For the most general overview, watch this video. See here for all aspects of the game, from general rules to how to play. Now, as an aside, there is an unwritten rule to watching football, which will put you above all other girls: do not talk while the ball is being "snapped". Fans like to focus at this time and will glare at you if you interrupt the game.
Now that you have read up on and watched how to play football, you are well on your way to becoming a football fiend. There are plenty of football watching opportunities; on Thursday nights there is a college football game, Friday there's one high school football game, Saturday is college football all day, and on Sunday and Monday are National Football League (NFL) games on TV. And of course, support your college football team first! Here's a list of our games.
