American’s love their sports, shown by the way TV is taken over any time a major sporting event starts. If you are wondering why Big Bang Theory is starting so late a certain year, that would be because CBS is covering baseball. Or, how about why there is a massive winter break around November? That’s due to the fact the NFL is jumping into high gear in the build up to the super bowl. You get the idea, Americans love sporting events and we have picked the top three to discover why they are so popular.
American Football
Never to be confused with “soccer” American Football is a brutal sport that is a cross between British football and rugby. Or, put another way it’s where a huge team of massive men line up and hope to get passed the opposing team to score a touchdown. It has developed some controversy lately due to star players run-ins with the law. Not to mention the way the league accounted for the prominent issue of wife abuse in the NFL. But aside from all the controversy American Football is incredibly fun to play, albeit quite dangerous. The tackles are brutal, and there are no real rules for how a person can be tackled, except for not pulling on a person’s helmet. If you are ever thinking about participating in American football but worried about injuries, fear not. American Football players wear huge pieces of what is essentially armour to protect them from the heavy blows they face during the game. That said, no matter how dangerous it might be American Football is as popular as ever. The Super Bowl is watched worldwide in February in countries across the world.
Baseball
Not so much padding for this one. A pair of shorts, a baseball shirt and a good pair of molded baseball cleats, you’re good to go. Although, it might also be wise to invest in a cup because you do not want the experience of a baseball hitting you in your special place unprotected. They certainly pack a punch, especially straight off the sweet spot of the bat. Baseball is commonly referred to as America’s favourite pastime. Despite being watched across the globe, many foreigners struggle to see why. Baseball is an incredibly long and slow game to watch but then again we suppose the same could be said for cricket, football and tennis. Besides, things do liven up once someone gets a home run, and the speed the top pitchers can throw is a sight to behold. To understand baseball you probably have to attend a game. Once you are there, you will get lost in the euphoria of enjoying the sport while eating a hot dog and having a bottle of beer.
Basketball
Basketball hasn’t faced as much controversy as the other two sports on this list. Players aren’t often called out for using steroids, and they tend not to get in trouble with the law either. Unlike baseball, basketball is a fast paced game with a number of points scored in a matter of minutes. These days the players are incredible to behold and watching them has been described by some as being like poetry in motion.
So there you have it, three of the top sports American’s love. Other honorable mentions include soccer, boxing and hockey.
