# People raised in the US: Did you ever ponder why football is called that? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635 "2010-07-05T21:30:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/21 "2010-07-05T22:54:35Z")
Yes, I did. It never made any sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/22 "2010-07-05T22:55:22Z")
So in European football (soccer) what do they call the ball? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/23 "2010-07-05T23:02:58Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > So in European football (soccer) what do they call the ball? I’m not sure about in the rest of Europe, since they have different languages, but in English national football it’s called ‘that distant round thing that the other team always has.’ ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/24 "2010-07-05T23:16:36Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Minimum would be three: > > Start of 1st half > Start of 2nd half > > and one of: > After a score > Start of overtime Wait: two kick-offs, then during the last play the clock runs out and then someone scores. Final score: 6-0. Isn’t that right? Or would an extra point still be kicked? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/25 "2010-07-05T23:30:12Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > For people raised in the US, as a kid did you ever wonder why a game in which, most of the time, nobody kicks the ball with their foot (people mainly just pass the ball with their hands or hold the ball with their hands and run, and only during rare moments does someone actually get to use their foot on the ball), why such a game would be called ‘football’? Yes, I wondered about that. I assume most kids did. So they ask somebody who tells them, “The game used to be played more with feet.” Apparently the pass was an innovation that came after the game was set up. The above US football history might be wrong: it’s my impression, which is what the OP inquires about. Generally speaking, I have never followed spectator sports, with the exception of the Olympics and the past 3 world cups. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/26 "2010-07-05T23:42:44Z")
As far as I know, American football was derived from rugby which was, in turn, derived from soccer. The name ‘football’ was carried down and (apparently) eventually dropped by rugby players. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/27 "2010-07-05T23:53:47Z")
Just like other good Americans, I never question why something is called ‘something.’ [at least, until I grow up and find the SDMB] It all goes back to those crazy Romans, kicking around a ball. And, oh yeah, violence\* is inherent in the system. From the OED > [@OED](#): > > 1. An inflated ball used in the game (see 2). It is now either spherical or (as in the Rugby game) elliptical, and consists of an inflated bag or bladder enclosed in a leather case. > > 1486 Bk. St. Albans, Her. Evja, It is calde in latyn pila pedalis a fotebal. 1508 BARCLAY Egloges v, The sturdie plowmen..driuing the foote ball. 1650 BAXTER Saints’ R. IV. (1653) 282 Like a Football in the midst of a crowd of Boys. 1708 MOTTEUX Rabelais IV. vii. (1737) 26 The Bladder, wherewith they make Footballs. 1795-1814 WORDSW. Excursion VII. 743 If touched by him, The inglorious foot~ball mounted to the pitch Of the Lark’s flight. > 2. a. An open-air game played with this ball by two sides, each of which endeavours to kick or convey the ball to the goal at the opposite end of the field. > There are various styles of playing the game, but the most widely recognized are the Association and the Rugby Union and League games, and American football (see sense b below). > > 1424 Sc. Act Jas. I, c. 18 The king forbiddes t na man play at e fut ball vnder e payne of iiijd. 1531 ELYOT Gov. I. xxvii, Foote balle, wherin is nothinge but beastly furie and exstreme violence. 1663 Flagellum or O. Cromwell (ed. 2) 8 Players at Foot-ball, Cudgels, or any other boysterous sport or game. \*Notice the _beastly furie and exstreme violence_. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/28 "2010-07-06T00:02:29Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Wait: two kick-offs, then during the last play the clock runs out and then someone scores. Final score: 6-0. Isn’t that right? Or would an extra point still be kicked? The extra point still gets kicked. The game clock [doesn’t even run](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convert) during an extra point attempt in the NFL and CFL, whether it’s a kick or a two point conversion. I suppose for the hypothetical you laid out, the scoring team could opt to try and win 8-0 instead of 7-0 and therefore only 2 kicks are needed in the game. That seems…unsportsmanlike… to me, for some reason! ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/29 "2010-07-06T00:06:54Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Unquestionably. Especially since it’s possible to go through an entire football game with just two kickoffs. But such a game would surely have several punts, the success of which has a large influence on the other team’s field position, which is vital in a close, defensive contest. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/30 "2010-07-06T00:09:05Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > But such a game would surely have several punts, the success of which has a large influence on the other team’s field position, which is vital in a close, defensive contest. Oh, no doubt. But it wouldn’t necessarily have any punts. I was just painting the most kickless hypothetical. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/31 "2010-07-06T00:12:50Z")
Extra points are not kicked in OT in the NFL because it does not matter. But they are kicked in regulation time even if time expires on the last play. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/32 "2010-07-06T00:14:46Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Extra points are not kicked in OT because it does not matter. But they are kicked in regulation time even if time expires on the last play. That was my thinking. So, does that mean my streak of never being wrong about anything ever is still intact? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/33 "2010-07-06T00:17:44Z")
Just by way of example, here’s the number of “kicking” plays the New Orleans Saints had during the last Super Bowl: Kickoffs: 6 Punts: 2 Extra Points: 2 Field Goals: 3 Total “kicking” plays: 13 Total rushing and passing plays: 58 Total plays: 71 % of plays that were “kicking” plays: 18.3% ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/34 "2010-07-06T00:18:08Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > That was my thinking. > > So, does that mean my streak of never being wrong about anything ever is still intact? You forgot your smiley. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/35 "2010-07-06T00:22:47Z")
People claim 1/3 of all plays are special teams (which mostly is kicking) but I think that number is high. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/36 "2010-07-06T00:25:56Z")
I never wondered about “football,” but I have wondered about “soccer.” ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/37 "2010-07-06T00:27:34Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I never wondered about “football,” but I have wondered about “soccer.” [http://comics.com/get\_fuzzy/2010-07-05/](http://comics.com/get_fuzzy/2010-07-05/) ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/38 "2010-07-06T00:49:21Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > You forgot your smiley. 😃 Yeah. My streak does make me happy. But I feared if I added it people would think I was joking. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/39 "2010-07-06T00:58:10Z")
The NFL can go to a tiebreaker based on points so that is why they still kick the XP even when it’s not needed in regulation time. ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635/40 "2010-07-06T01:06:46Z")
“Soccer” is slang for “as **SOC** iation football”. It has always been slang - it has never been the proper name. The proper name has always been football. They only added the “association” on to it when it became organised in the 19th century. Before that it was just called football. Shakespeare mentions it when someone insults someone else by calling them “You base football player” in King Lear. He also mentions it in Comedy of Errors. It was an insult because football back then was played by the rowdy masses. One village would challenge the neighbouring village to a game. The pitch was a mile long, the ball was a pig’s bladder and the general idea was to kick the shit out of each other. Back in Shakespeare’s day, football was a game for uncivilised people, the underclass, the drunken rowdy mob. The first time it got banned in England for being too rowdy was in 1324. But it _was_ called football back then (because you used your feet to propel the ball). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-raised-in-the-us-did-you-ever-ponder-why-football-is-called-that/545635.md?page=3)