the written basics to football
This is written from a perspective of never seeing a football game before and trying to learn the basis of what is happening in a game.
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Type of event:
A football game at the Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium for the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina.
Upon enterting this new society I was faced with a new world of footballs and fans screaming chants into the air as the players ran across the field and played the game. I was shocked to see how excited and lively the crowd was at something so simple as this game. While I attended this event I was joined by, my husband, his sister and about 4 of her friends. As well as over 30,000 fans made up of college students, family, townsfolk, teachers and alumni. My sister in law and her friends were my interviewees for compiling information about this culture.
People dedicated time and a lot of their lives in supporting and enjoying this game by dressing up in team colors, some even painted their faces, their cars interviewees even claimed to have “brought the support home by repping the team in their household materials like blankets, pillows and decorative materials on their mantels” it seemed as though people were extremely passionate about football and treated the concept and the players like it was a religion. In fact, the people I interviewed claimed football to be just that- basically a religion. When asked why football was so important to society I received very similar responses; It traces back to history- football was a huge part of American culture in the past and thus to carry it forward is important to this culture. Interviewees claims that football works wonders in more than just entertainment- it unites people of different race, creeds, and backgrounds, to join together to support a cause that gives people hope and joy and can be related as a symbol of life and it’s testing trials. People of the American culture get very emotionally attached to football- because it hits close to home in their lives both symbolically and literally. Interviewees in this particular Greenville culture claim that most of them are “ raised to eat, breathe, sleep football anything else is secondary.”
Below I have compiled with research and my interviews with the fans a description of the series of events that occurred at this game, the actions performed with their significance as well as the roles that each member of this society played.
The actions being performed at this event began with entering the gates. Football players were on the field practicing by throwing the football back and forth. Meanwhile thousands of people were lined up at well over 200 entrances, showing their tickets and receiving access to enter their designated seats on their tickets. Upon entering the gates, you would see hundreds of vendors selling UNC Pirates football paraphernalia. Across a mile stretch you could see people all wearing and supporting the Pirates in purple and gold. There were hotdog stands, small ice cream machines, candy vendors, BBQ stands and other food stands filled with cheese fries, onion rings and corndogs. Many people were purchasing these snacks on the way to their seats. There were also many college students, families and others socializing outside of the entrance to seating. When you arrive to the seating area you will look across and see tens of thousands of fans at their seats anticipating the game to come. The band performed several songs on the field with the dance team dancing around them as they played their instruments. Fans all around cheered and showed excitement for what was to come. After the band performed and the dancers performed the cheerleaders began to sing their chants one after another, “Pirates, go, Pirates win” and a lot of other chants. This went on for about 30 minutes before the kickoff began- which is the first move of the game. Right before the kickoff began there was a video played on a large projection screen that gave tribute to the players- showing their pictures and names across the screen- highlighting their importance to the team and the season so far. The fans seemed to have particularly enjoyed this- each member that they called came to the field at the same time their picture flashed on the screen and the fans roared with excitement- some players received more praise than others indicating that they brought a lot to the team and deserved special recognition. Right before the kick off began the national anthem was played by the bands, and all the fans in stands became silent until the last note was played- then they roared with excitement and pride. At kick off the crowd roared and became excited- jumping to their feet and screaming chants and phrases. Throughout the entire game, which I will explain in more detail below as it was explained for me, the crowd was singing along with the band, chanting along with the cheerleaders and making different hand motions which signaled the downs. For example when the team landed a first down, fans would point a finger at the crowd singing “1” and then call out “Pirates! Arhgh!” When there was a third down sign the fans would point three fingers on each hand and cross them over each other, reaching out towards the crowd. When I interviewed the fans (My sister in laws friend) they said that fans do this to stay connected to the game, it helps them better understand the plays and they feel like they are further supporting the team. Fans did this throughout the entire game. The pirates made multiple touchdowns in which the band played a specific song for that was upbeat and sounded like what one might imagine victory to sound like. The crowd went ballistic at each touch down jumping in their seats and throwing articles of clothing, foam fingers into the air. The interviewees said this was a more physical way for the crowds to promote determination and continue to encourage the players as they played as well as show their support by praising their success. At half time there was a big cheerleading performance in which the dance team came out and performed alongside with Patons twirling them in the air. Interviewees informed me that this was performed in order to continue to promote encouragement for the team players as well as keep the audience cheering in the stands to pump up the players and ensure that they know the crowd and all fans believe in them and are supporting them until the end. After half time, the game proceeded on and the fans seemed for rowdy and excited this half than before. When asked why this was, interviewees said it was because the players need more encouragement in the last half of the game so if they are behind they can feel motivated through the roaring crowd. As the game proceeded on, the band played, the cheerleaders cheered and the crowd went wild throwing streamers in the air and jumping up and down in the bleachers. At the end of the game when the Pirates made their last touch down the crowd roared and scream and threw their arms up in the air chanting “pirates, pirates” Many people spoke about the after party to happen in celebration of the win at a local pub in which all fans sporting Pirate’s pride would receive a 20% off discount. Interviewees said, that football in this culture- is a pride and joy and that it represents what their town stands for. They say that the Pirates football team isn’t just a team to support but that being a fan is a way of life in Greenville and that those without Pirate’s pride are looked down upon. The Pirates have had successes in many games over the past decades fostering the love for football in this culture. Any time there is a football game, the interviewees claim that the town is empty and the stadium is full ready to support and cheer on the football players. When the football players are seen in public they are treated like celebrities, fans and other town’s people offer special privileges and request for autographs or personal souvenirs from the football players.
At football games, the football players have a role to fulfill by playing the game and aiming to win. Here are the football player roles:
Football offensive positions
The offense's primary job, as a team, is to move the ball down the field and score — either by touchdown or kicking a field goal. There are other ways to score as well, but those are primarily left to special teams. Within the offense, the functions are divided among these key positions:
· Quarterback: The leader of the team. He calls the plays in the huddle, yells the signals at the line of scrimmage, and then receives the ball from the center. Then he hands off the ball to a running back, throws it to a receiver, or runs with it.
· Center: The player who snaps the ball to the quarterback. He handles the ball on every play.
· Running back: A player who runs with the football. Running backs also are referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, and wingbacks.
· Fullback: A player who’s responsible for blocking for the running back and also for pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks, who are generally bigger than running backs, are short-yardage runners.
· Wide receiver: A player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football. Teams use as many as two to four wide receivers on every play.
· Tight end: A player who serves as a receiver and also as a blocker. This player lines up beside the offensive tackle to the right or the left of the quarterback.
· Left guard and right guard: The inner two members of the offensive line, whose jobs are to block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers.
· Left tackle and right tackle: The outer two members of the offensive line.
Football defensive positions
The defense's primary job, as a team, is to keep the offense from scoring — by tackling members of the offense, intercepting the ball, and generally preventing the offense from moving the ball close enough to their goal to create a scoring opportunity. Within the defense, the functions are divided among these key positions:
· Defensive tackle: The inner two members of the defensive line, whose jobs are to maintain their positions in order to stop a running play or to run through a gap in the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or disrupt the backfield formation.
· Defensive end: The outer two members of the defensive line. Generally, their jobs are to overcome offensive blocking and to meet in the backfield, where they combine to tackle the quarterback or ball carrier. On running plays to the outside, they’re responsible for forcing the ball carrier either out of bounds or toward (into) the pursuit of their defensive teammates.
· Linebacker: The players who line up behind the defensive linemen and generally are regarded as the team’s best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass.
· Safety: The players who line up the deepest in the secondary — the last line of defense. There are free safeties and strong safeties, and they must defend the deep pass and also the run.
· Cornerback: The players who line up on the wide parts of the field, generally opposite the offensive receivers.
During football games there are coaches who serve the purpose of keeping football players focused, positive, playing hard and having fun before, during, and after a football game. They also give the game plan to the players which enable them to use the best strategies to perform in an organized way. Here are some of the duties that a coach does in order to prep and maintain a successful team.
· To educate players through communicating ideas and concepts
· To improve players technical ability by applying knowledge and skills
· Promote fair play and laws of the game
· Gain trust of players, parents and fellow employees
· Establish and outline realistic goals and objectives
· Continually learn
· Delivering and controlling sessions in an organized, effective and, most importantly, safe manner
A referee or football officials play an important role in football Officials play a very important role in the game, from keeping the game rolling along and calling penalties when a rule is broken, to making sure the athletes don't hurt each other. Officials are responsible for monitoring the game clock and play clock, enforcing the rules of the game, and recording all rule infractions. You often hear them referred to by the general term of referee, but there is actually only one referee on the field during a game. Each official (usually seven) has his own title and assigned responsibilities. Following are the responsibilities of each along with their positioning on the field:
• Referee
Definition: The referee is the official that has control of the game and is generally the final authority in all decisions. Among his duties are:
• Announce all penalties
• Explain penalties to the offending team's captain
• Explain penalties to the head coach of the offending team and inform him of who it was called against
• Position himself in the backfield, approximately 10 yards behind the quarterback, before each snap
• Monitor illegal hits on the quarterback
• Watch for illegal blocks near the quarterback
• Determine whether the yardage chains should be brought on the field for a measurement
You can tell the referee from the other officials because he is the only one that wears a white hat. All other officials wear black hats
• Umpire
Definition: The umpire is the official that lines up approximately five yards off the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the ball. His duties include:
• Checking the legality of the players' equipment
• Making sure the offense has no more than 11 men on the field
• Monitor the legality of play on the line of scrimmage with a special emphasis on offensive holding and illegal linemen down field
• Assist the referee on decisions involving possession of the ball
• Record all timeouts
• Record all scores
• Record the winner of the coin toss
• Wipes the ball dry between plays on rainy days
• Head Linesman
Definition: The head linesman is the official that sets up straddling the line of scrimmage on the sideline designated by the referee. His duties include:
• Watch for line of scrimmage violations like offsides and encroachment
• Rule on all out-of-bounds plays on his side of the field
• Keep tabs on the chain crew
• Mark the chain to a yard marker on the field as a reference point for a measurement on the field
• Mark a players forward progress after a play is whistled dead
• Keep track of all eligible receivers
• Watch for illegal motion, illegal shifts, illegal use of hands, illegal men downfield
• Line Judge
Definition: The official who lines up on the opposite side of the field from the headlinesman. His duties include:
• Assist the head linesman on in making illegal motion, illegal shifts, offside and encroachment calls
• Assist the umpire with illegal use of the hands and holding calls
• Assist the referee on false start calls
• Make sure the quarterback does not cross the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball
• Watch for offensive lineman going downfield too early on punts
• Supervise the timing of the game
• Supervise substitutions by the team on his side of the field
• Back Judge
Definition: The official who sets up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the wide receiver side of the field. His duties include:
• Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
• Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
• Watch the area between the umpire and field judge
• Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties
• Watch for clipping on kick returns
• On field goals, stand under the goalpost and rule on whether the kick is good
• Field Judge
Definition: The official that lines up 25 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the tight end side of the field. His duties include:
• Keep track of the play clock and call delay of game if it expires
• Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
• Rule on plays that cross the defense's goal line
• Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
• Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties on the strong side of the field
• Mark the spot where a play goes out of bounds on his side of the field
• Watch for illegal use of hands by the receivers and defensive backs
• Side Judge
Definition: The official that lines up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield. His duties are essentially the same as the back judge:
• Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
• Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
• Watch the area between the umpire and field judge
• Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties
• Watch for clipping on kick returns
Cheerleaders, dance team, band and fans
Cheerleaders, a dance team, the band and fans also played a role in this event. The cheerleaders, dance team and band performed many dances, said different chants and even performed upbeat music throughout the game. Every time the football players got a down, or huddle to receive the game plan, the cheerleaders cheered on the side field while the band members played songs in the bleachers. After interviewing with several people around me at the football the following was gathered for explaining the importance of these happenings at this particular event: The cheerleaders, dancers, and band encourage and support the football players while they are on the field. They serve as a constant reminder that the team is supported no matter what the outcome may be, even though they emphasize a desire for the team to win. The use of these groups at a football game helps motivate and encourage football players to do their best and give all the effort they can in their attempts to win. Chants from the side line will help lift the spirit and provide a lasting drive for the football players to feed off of. Not do these groups serve the football players but also the fans. These encouragements are reflected onto the fans who dress up in school colors, wave flags, use pompoms streamers and even facial paint in order to show their support and excitement for their team. These fans help further the encouragement by showing the team that they are there for them, supporting them in their successes and failures and believe that the team will prosper and win.
Below is a short synapsis of basic rules in football as explained by interviewees:
The down system in American football keeps the game interesting. After all, if the offense kept running plays but never got anywhere, the sport would be really boring. Using the down system, the offense has four downs (essentially four plays) to go 10 yards. If the offensive team advances the ball at least 10 yards in four tries or fewer, the team receives another set of four downs.
If the offense has failed to advance 10 yards after three tries, the team usually punts the ball on the fourth down (a punt is a kick to the opponent without the use of a tee). The other team then begins with its own set of four downs, traveling in the opposite direction.
You do want to earn lots of first downs, which you get after your team advances the ball 10 yards or more in the allotted four downs. Getting lots of first downs usually translates to more scoring opportunities, which is what is essentially desired.
Football has its own lingo to explain the offense's progress toward a first down. A first down situation is also known as a "first and 10" because the offense has 10 yards to go to gain a first down. If your offense ran a play on first down and you advanced the ball 3 yards, your status would be "second and 7"; you're ready to play the second down, and you now have 7 yards to go to gain a first down.
As a viewer, you aren't expected to just remember what down it is and how many yards to go for a first down. Football makes it easy by providing people and signs to help you keep track:
· Two rodmen hold metal rods, with Xes at the top, connected by a chain that stretches exactly 10 yards. One rod marks where the possession begins, and the other extends to where the offensive team must go in order to make another first down.
· The third person, the boxman, holds a marker that signifies where the ball is and what down it is. Atop this rod is the number 1, 2, 3, or 4, designating which down it is.
Football fans have their own language when they talk about the game. To better understand this during my experience I asked the interviewees to explain common terms used like down, extra point, safety, and snap mean.
· Down: A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is ruled dead (meaning that the play is completed). The offense gets four downs to advance the ball 10 yards. If it fails to do so, it must surrender the ball to the opponent, usually by punting on the fourth down.
· End zone: A 10-yard-long area at both ends of the field — the Promised Land for a football player. they score a touchdown when they enter the end zone in control of the football. If they are tackled in their own end zone while in possession of the football, the other team gets a safety.
· Extra point: A kick, worth one point, that’s typically attempted after every touchdown (it’s also known as the point after touchdown)The ball is placed the 3-yard line and generally is kicked from inside the 10-yard line after being snapped to the holder. It must sail between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good.
· Field goal: A kick, worth three points, that can be attempted from anywhere on the field but usually is attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost. Like an extra point, a kick must sail above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goalpost to be ruled good.
· Fumble: The act of losing possession of the ball while running with it or being tackled. Members of the offense and defense can recover a fumble. If the defense recovers the fumble, the fumble is called a turnover.
· Hash marks: The lines on the center of the field that signify 1 yard on the field. Before every play, the ball is spotted between the hash marks or on the hash marks, depending on where the ball carrier was tackled on the preceding play.
· Interception: A pass that’s caught by a defensive player, ending the offense’s possession of the ball.
· Kickoff: A free kick (the receiving team can’t make an attempt to block it) that puts the ball into play. A kickoff is used at the start of the first and third periods and after every touchdown and successful field goal.
· Punt: A kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt is usually made on a fourth down when the offense must surrender possession of the ball to the defense because it couldn’t advance 10 yards.
· Return: The act of receiving a kick or punt and running toward the opponent’s goal line with the intent of scoring or gaining significant yardage.
· Safety: A score, worth two points, that the defense earns by tackling an offensive player in possession of the ball in his own end zone.
· Snap: The action in which the ball is hiked (tossed between the legs) by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter. When the snap occurs, the ball is officially in play and action begins.
Scoring
· When a team has possession of the football, it can score points in several ways. Touchdowns, extra points, two-point conversions, field goals, and safeties all can increase a team's score.
· Touchdowns
· A touchdown is worth six points — the ultimate goal. A team scores a touchdown when an offensive player carrying the ball, or a defensive player who has obtained the ball from the other team after recovering a fumble or intercepting a pass, advances from anywhere on the field and breaks the plane of his opponents' goal line with the ball. The ball just has to cross the line.
· A team is also awarded a touchdown when any player who's inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball behind his opponents' goal line. This sort of touchdown can occur on a kickoff, a punt, or a fumble.
· Extra points and two-point conversions
· A try for an extra point is attempted during the scrimmage down that's awarded after a touchdown. The extra point is successful when the kicker kicks the ball between the uprights of the goalpost and above the crossbar, provided that the ball was snapped 2 yards away from the opponents' goal line (or 3 yards away in high school or college). Teams should almost always make their extra point attempts — especially above the high school level — because the kick is a fairly easy one.
· When a team is feeling particularly confident — or desperate — it might instead attempt a two-point conversion after scoring a touchdown. The offense gets the ball on the 2-yard line (the 3-yard line in high school and college) and must advance the ball across the goal line as if scoring a touchdown.
· Field goals
· A field goal, often the consolation prize for an offense that stalls within its opponent's 30-yard line, is worth three points. A team scores a field goal when a kicker boots the ball entirely through the uprights of the goalpost without touching either the ground or any of his teammates.
· Safeties
· A safety is worth two points. The important factor in a safety is impetus, which is the action of an offensive player that gives the ball momentum. A safety is awarded to the defending team if it sends the ball into its opponent's end zone and the ball becomes dead without changing possession. This occurs when a quarterback, running back, or receiver is tackled with the ball in his own end zone or goes out of bounds behind the goal line. A safety also is awarded when the offensive team commits a penalty that would otherwise require it to have the ball marked in its own end zone.
· A safety is also awarded when a blocked punt goes out of the kicking team's end zone. And if the punt receiver muffs the ball and then, when trying to retrieve the ball, forces or illegally kicks it into the end zone (creating new impetus) and it goes out of the end zone, the defensive team is given a safety. If a muffed ball is kicked or forced into the end zone and then recovered there by a member of the receiving team, the defensive team is awarded a safe
It was an incredible experience to join alongside this society for a day and to see what the big deal was about football in this culture. This project in itself was exciting for me- but also an eye opener. I never have really taken any interest in football or the whole experience and to be able to observe and gain a larger understanding of its importance and significance to a culture was a very exciting experience for me. It was easy to pretend I knew nothing about this culture, because in reality I didn’t know much. But gaining the insight now allows me to relate better to people in my life who take football very seriously and enjoy it. It really reminds me of how much of our culture we take for granted each day and that something as simple as football can bring so much to a society and even be the thread that ties a culture together by bringing unity among people to share joy and passion alongside one another.
A football game at the Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium for the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina.
Upon enterting this new society I was faced with a new world of footballs and fans screaming chants into the air as the players ran across the field and played the game. I was shocked to see how excited and lively the crowd was at something so simple as this game. While I attended this event I was joined by, my husband, his sister and about 4 of her friends. As well as over 30,000 fans made up of college students, family, townsfolk, teachers and alumni. My sister in law and her friends were my interviewees for compiling information about this culture.
People dedicated time and a lot of their lives in supporting and enjoying this game by dressing up in team colors, some even painted their faces, their cars interviewees even claimed to have “brought the support home by repping the team in their household materials like blankets, pillows and decorative materials on their mantels” it seemed as though people were extremely passionate about football and treated the concept and the players like it was a religion. In fact, the people I interviewed claimed football to be just that- basically a religion. When asked why football was so important to society I received very similar responses; It traces back to history- football was a huge part of American culture in the past and thus to carry it forward is important to this culture. Interviewees claims that football works wonders in more than just entertainment- it unites people of different race, creeds, and backgrounds, to join together to support a cause that gives people hope and joy and can be related as a symbol of life and it’s testing trials. People of the American culture get very emotionally attached to football- because it hits close to home in their lives both symbolically and literally. Interviewees in this particular Greenville culture claim that most of them are “ raised to eat, breathe, sleep football anything else is secondary.”
Below I have compiled with research and my interviews with the fans a description of the series of events that occurred at this game, the actions performed with their significance as well as the roles that each member of this society played.
The actions being performed at this event began with entering the gates. Football players were on the field practicing by throwing the football back and forth. Meanwhile thousands of people were lined up at well over 200 entrances, showing their tickets and receiving access to enter their designated seats on their tickets. Upon entering the gates, you would see hundreds of vendors selling UNC Pirates football paraphernalia. Across a mile stretch you could see people all wearing and supporting the Pirates in purple and gold. There were hotdog stands, small ice cream machines, candy vendors, BBQ stands and other food stands filled with cheese fries, onion rings and corndogs. Many people were purchasing these snacks on the way to their seats. There were also many college students, families and others socializing outside of the entrance to seating. When you arrive to the seating area you will look across and see tens of thousands of fans at their seats anticipating the game to come. The band performed several songs on the field with the dance team dancing around them as they played their instruments. Fans all around cheered and showed excitement for what was to come. After the band performed and the dancers performed the cheerleaders began to sing their chants one after another, “Pirates, go, Pirates win” and a lot of other chants. This went on for about 30 minutes before the kickoff began- which is the first move of the game. Right before the kickoff began there was a video played on a large projection screen that gave tribute to the players- showing their pictures and names across the screen- highlighting their importance to the team and the season so far. The fans seemed to have particularly enjoyed this- each member that they called came to the field at the same time their picture flashed on the screen and the fans roared with excitement- some players received more praise than others indicating that they brought a lot to the team and deserved special recognition. Right before the kick off began the national anthem was played by the bands, and all the fans in stands became silent until the last note was played- then they roared with excitement and pride. At kick off the crowd roared and became excited- jumping to their feet and screaming chants and phrases. Throughout the entire game, which I will explain in more detail below as it was explained for me, the crowd was singing along with the band, chanting along with the cheerleaders and making different hand motions which signaled the downs. For example when the team landed a first down, fans would point a finger at the crowd singing “1” and then call out “Pirates! Arhgh!” When there was a third down sign the fans would point three fingers on each hand and cross them over each other, reaching out towards the crowd. When I interviewed the fans (My sister in laws friend) they said that fans do this to stay connected to the game, it helps them better understand the plays and they feel like they are further supporting the team. Fans did this throughout the entire game. The pirates made multiple touchdowns in which the band played a specific song for that was upbeat and sounded like what one might imagine victory to sound like. The crowd went ballistic at each touch down jumping in their seats and throwing articles of clothing, foam fingers into the air. The interviewees said this was a more physical way for the crowds to promote determination and continue to encourage the players as they played as well as show their support by praising their success. At half time there was a big cheerleading performance in which the dance team came out and performed alongside with Patons twirling them in the air. Interviewees informed me that this was performed in order to continue to promote encouragement for the team players as well as keep the audience cheering in the stands to pump up the players and ensure that they know the crowd and all fans believe in them and are supporting them until the end. After half time, the game proceeded on and the fans seemed for rowdy and excited this half than before. When asked why this was, interviewees said it was because the players need more encouragement in the last half of the game so if they are behind they can feel motivated through the roaring crowd. As the game proceeded on, the band played, the cheerleaders cheered and the crowd went wild throwing streamers in the air and jumping up and down in the bleachers. At the end of the game when the Pirates made their last touch down the crowd roared and scream and threw their arms up in the air chanting “pirates, pirates” Many people spoke about the after party to happen in celebration of the win at a local pub in which all fans sporting Pirate’s pride would receive a 20% off discount. Interviewees said, that football in this culture- is a pride and joy and that it represents what their town stands for. They say that the Pirates football team isn’t just a team to support but that being a fan is a way of life in Greenville and that those without Pirate’s pride are looked down upon. The Pirates have had successes in many games over the past decades fostering the love for football in this culture. Any time there is a football game, the interviewees claim that the town is empty and the stadium is full ready to support and cheer on the football players. When the football players are seen in public they are treated like celebrities, fans and other town’s people offer special privileges and request for autographs or personal souvenirs from the football players.
At football games, the football players have a role to fulfill by playing the game and aiming to win. Here are the football player roles:
Football offensive positions
The offense's primary job, as a team, is to move the ball down the field and score — either by touchdown or kicking a field goal. There are other ways to score as well, but those are primarily left to special teams. Within the offense, the functions are divided among these key positions:
· Quarterback: The leader of the team. He calls the plays in the huddle, yells the signals at the line of scrimmage, and then receives the ball from the center. Then he hands off the ball to a running back, throws it to a receiver, or runs with it.
· Center: The player who snaps the ball to the quarterback. He handles the ball on every play.
· Running back: A player who runs with the football. Running backs also are referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, and wingbacks.
· Fullback: A player who’s responsible for blocking for the running back and also for pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks, who are generally bigger than running backs, are short-yardage runners.
· Wide receiver: A player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football. Teams use as many as two to four wide receivers on every play.
· Tight end: A player who serves as a receiver and also as a blocker. This player lines up beside the offensive tackle to the right or the left of the quarterback.
· Left guard and right guard: The inner two members of the offensive line, whose jobs are to block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers.
· Left tackle and right tackle: The outer two members of the offensive line.
Football defensive positions
The defense's primary job, as a team, is to keep the offense from scoring — by tackling members of the offense, intercepting the ball, and generally preventing the offense from moving the ball close enough to their goal to create a scoring opportunity. Within the defense, the functions are divided among these key positions:
· Defensive tackle: The inner two members of the defensive line, whose jobs are to maintain their positions in order to stop a running play or to run through a gap in the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or disrupt the backfield formation.
· Defensive end: The outer two members of the defensive line. Generally, their jobs are to overcome offensive blocking and to meet in the backfield, where they combine to tackle the quarterback or ball carrier. On running plays to the outside, they’re responsible for forcing the ball carrier either out of bounds or toward (into) the pursuit of their defensive teammates.
· Linebacker: The players who line up behind the defensive linemen and generally are regarded as the team’s best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass.
· Safety: The players who line up the deepest in the secondary — the last line of defense. There are free safeties and strong safeties, and they must defend the deep pass and also the run.
· Cornerback: The players who line up on the wide parts of the field, generally opposite the offensive receivers.
During football games there are coaches who serve the purpose of keeping football players focused, positive, playing hard and having fun before, during, and after a football game. They also give the game plan to the players which enable them to use the best strategies to perform in an organized way. Here are some of the duties that a coach does in order to prep and maintain a successful team.
· To educate players through communicating ideas and concepts
· To improve players technical ability by applying knowledge and skills
· Promote fair play and laws of the game
· Gain trust of players, parents and fellow employees
· Establish and outline realistic goals and objectives
· Continually learn
· Delivering and controlling sessions in an organized, effective and, most importantly, safe manner
A referee or football officials play an important role in football Officials play a very important role in the game, from keeping the game rolling along and calling penalties when a rule is broken, to making sure the athletes don't hurt each other. Officials are responsible for monitoring the game clock and play clock, enforcing the rules of the game, and recording all rule infractions. You often hear them referred to by the general term of referee, but there is actually only one referee on the field during a game. Each official (usually seven) has his own title and assigned responsibilities. Following are the responsibilities of each along with their positioning on the field:
• Referee
Definition: The referee is the official that has control of the game and is generally the final authority in all decisions. Among his duties are:
• Announce all penalties
• Explain penalties to the offending team's captain
• Explain penalties to the head coach of the offending team and inform him of who it was called against
• Position himself in the backfield, approximately 10 yards behind the quarterback, before each snap
• Monitor illegal hits on the quarterback
• Watch for illegal blocks near the quarterback
• Determine whether the yardage chains should be brought on the field for a measurement
You can tell the referee from the other officials because he is the only one that wears a white hat. All other officials wear black hats
• Umpire
Definition: The umpire is the official that lines up approximately five yards off the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the ball. His duties include:
• Checking the legality of the players' equipment
• Making sure the offense has no more than 11 men on the field
• Monitor the legality of play on the line of scrimmage with a special emphasis on offensive holding and illegal linemen down field
• Assist the referee on decisions involving possession of the ball
• Record all timeouts
• Record all scores
• Record the winner of the coin toss
• Wipes the ball dry between plays on rainy days
• Head Linesman
Definition: The head linesman is the official that sets up straddling the line of scrimmage on the sideline designated by the referee. His duties include:
• Watch for line of scrimmage violations like offsides and encroachment
• Rule on all out-of-bounds plays on his side of the field
• Keep tabs on the chain crew
• Mark the chain to a yard marker on the field as a reference point for a measurement on the field
• Mark a players forward progress after a play is whistled dead
• Keep track of all eligible receivers
• Watch for illegal motion, illegal shifts, illegal use of hands, illegal men downfield
• Line Judge
Definition: The official who lines up on the opposite side of the field from the headlinesman. His duties include:
• Assist the head linesman on in making illegal motion, illegal shifts, offside and encroachment calls
• Assist the umpire with illegal use of the hands and holding calls
• Assist the referee on false start calls
• Make sure the quarterback does not cross the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball
• Watch for offensive lineman going downfield too early on punts
• Supervise the timing of the game
• Supervise substitutions by the team on his side of the field
• Back Judge
Definition: The official who sets up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the wide receiver side of the field. His duties include:
• Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
• Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
• Watch the area between the umpire and field judge
• Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties
• Watch for clipping on kick returns
• On field goals, stand under the goalpost and rule on whether the kick is good
• Field Judge
Definition: The official that lines up 25 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the tight end side of the field. His duties include:
• Keep track of the play clock and call delay of game if it expires
• Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
• Rule on plays that cross the defense's goal line
• Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
• Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties on the strong side of the field
• Mark the spot where a play goes out of bounds on his side of the field
• Watch for illegal use of hands by the receivers and defensive backs
• Side Judge
Definition: The official that lines up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield. His duties are essentially the same as the back judge:
• Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
• Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
• Watch the area between the umpire and field judge
• Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties
• Watch for clipping on kick returns
Cheerleaders, dance team, band and fans
Cheerleaders, a dance team, the band and fans also played a role in this event. The cheerleaders, dance team and band performed many dances, said different chants and even performed upbeat music throughout the game. Every time the football players got a down, or huddle to receive the game plan, the cheerleaders cheered on the side field while the band members played songs in the bleachers. After interviewing with several people around me at the football the following was gathered for explaining the importance of these happenings at this particular event: The cheerleaders, dancers, and band encourage and support the football players while they are on the field. They serve as a constant reminder that the team is supported no matter what the outcome may be, even though they emphasize a desire for the team to win. The use of these groups at a football game helps motivate and encourage football players to do their best and give all the effort they can in their attempts to win. Chants from the side line will help lift the spirit and provide a lasting drive for the football players to feed off of. Not do these groups serve the football players but also the fans. These encouragements are reflected onto the fans who dress up in school colors, wave flags, use pompoms streamers and even facial paint in order to show their support and excitement for their team. These fans help further the encouragement by showing the team that they are there for them, supporting them in their successes and failures and believe that the team will prosper and win.
Below is a short synapsis of basic rules in football as explained by interviewees:
The down system in American football keeps the game interesting. After all, if the offense kept running plays but never got anywhere, the sport would be really boring. Using the down system, the offense has four downs (essentially four plays) to go 10 yards. If the offensive team advances the ball at least 10 yards in four tries or fewer, the team receives another set of four downs.
If the offense has failed to advance 10 yards after three tries, the team usually punts the ball on the fourth down (a punt is a kick to the opponent without the use of a tee). The other team then begins with its own set of four downs, traveling in the opposite direction.
You do want to earn lots of first downs, which you get after your team advances the ball 10 yards or more in the allotted four downs. Getting lots of first downs usually translates to more scoring opportunities, which is what is essentially desired.
Football has its own lingo to explain the offense's progress toward a first down. A first down situation is also known as a "first and 10" because the offense has 10 yards to go to gain a first down. If your offense ran a play on first down and you advanced the ball 3 yards, your status would be "second and 7"; you're ready to play the second down, and you now have 7 yards to go to gain a first down.
As a viewer, you aren't expected to just remember what down it is and how many yards to go for a first down. Football makes it easy by providing people and signs to help you keep track:
· Two rodmen hold metal rods, with Xes at the top, connected by a chain that stretches exactly 10 yards. One rod marks where the possession begins, and the other extends to where the offensive team must go in order to make another first down.
· The third person, the boxman, holds a marker that signifies where the ball is and what down it is. Atop this rod is the number 1, 2, 3, or 4, designating which down it is.
Football fans have their own language when they talk about the game. To better understand this during my experience I asked the interviewees to explain common terms used like down, extra point, safety, and snap mean.
· Down: A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is ruled dead (meaning that the play is completed). The offense gets four downs to advance the ball 10 yards. If it fails to do so, it must surrender the ball to the opponent, usually by punting on the fourth down.
· End zone: A 10-yard-long area at both ends of the field — the Promised Land for a football player. they score a touchdown when they enter the end zone in control of the football. If they are tackled in their own end zone while in possession of the football, the other team gets a safety.
· Extra point: A kick, worth one point, that’s typically attempted after every touchdown (it’s also known as the point after touchdown)The ball is placed the 3-yard line and generally is kicked from inside the 10-yard line after being snapped to the holder. It must sail between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good.
· Field goal: A kick, worth three points, that can be attempted from anywhere on the field but usually is attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost. Like an extra point, a kick must sail above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goalpost to be ruled good.
· Fumble: The act of losing possession of the ball while running with it or being tackled. Members of the offense and defense can recover a fumble. If the defense recovers the fumble, the fumble is called a turnover.
· Hash marks: The lines on the center of the field that signify 1 yard on the field. Before every play, the ball is spotted between the hash marks or on the hash marks, depending on where the ball carrier was tackled on the preceding play.
· Interception: A pass that’s caught by a defensive player, ending the offense’s possession of the ball.
· Kickoff: A free kick (the receiving team can’t make an attempt to block it) that puts the ball into play. A kickoff is used at the start of the first and third periods and after every touchdown and successful field goal.
· Punt: A kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt is usually made on a fourth down when the offense must surrender possession of the ball to the defense because it couldn’t advance 10 yards.
· Return: The act of receiving a kick or punt and running toward the opponent’s goal line with the intent of scoring or gaining significant yardage.
· Safety: A score, worth two points, that the defense earns by tackling an offensive player in possession of the ball in his own end zone.
· Snap: The action in which the ball is hiked (tossed between the legs) by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter. When the snap occurs, the ball is officially in play and action begins.
Scoring
· When a team has possession of the football, it can score points in several ways. Touchdowns, extra points, two-point conversions, field goals, and safeties all can increase a team's score.
· Touchdowns
· A touchdown is worth six points — the ultimate goal. A team scores a touchdown when an offensive player carrying the ball, or a defensive player who has obtained the ball from the other team after recovering a fumble or intercepting a pass, advances from anywhere on the field and breaks the plane of his opponents' goal line with the ball. The ball just has to cross the line.
· A team is also awarded a touchdown when any player who's inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball behind his opponents' goal line. This sort of touchdown can occur on a kickoff, a punt, or a fumble.
· Extra points and two-point conversions
· A try for an extra point is attempted during the scrimmage down that's awarded after a touchdown. The extra point is successful when the kicker kicks the ball between the uprights of the goalpost and above the crossbar, provided that the ball was snapped 2 yards away from the opponents' goal line (or 3 yards away in high school or college). Teams should almost always make their extra point attempts — especially above the high school level — because the kick is a fairly easy one.
· When a team is feeling particularly confident — or desperate — it might instead attempt a two-point conversion after scoring a touchdown. The offense gets the ball on the 2-yard line (the 3-yard line in high school and college) and must advance the ball across the goal line as if scoring a touchdown.
· Field goals
· A field goal, often the consolation prize for an offense that stalls within its opponent's 30-yard line, is worth three points. A team scores a field goal when a kicker boots the ball entirely through the uprights of the goalpost without touching either the ground or any of his teammates.
· Safeties
· A safety is worth two points. The important factor in a safety is impetus, which is the action of an offensive player that gives the ball momentum. A safety is awarded to the defending team if it sends the ball into its opponent's end zone and the ball becomes dead without changing possession. This occurs when a quarterback, running back, or receiver is tackled with the ball in his own end zone or goes out of bounds behind the goal line. A safety also is awarded when the offensive team commits a penalty that would otherwise require it to have the ball marked in its own end zone.
· A safety is also awarded when a blocked punt goes out of the kicking team's end zone. And if the punt receiver muffs the ball and then, when trying to retrieve the ball, forces or illegally kicks it into the end zone (creating new impetus) and it goes out of the end zone, the defensive team is given a safety. If a muffed ball is kicked or forced into the end zone and then recovered there by a member of the receiving team, the defensive team is awarded a safe
It was an incredible experience to join alongside this society for a day and to see what the big deal was about football in this culture. This project in itself was exciting for me- but also an eye opener. I never have really taken any interest in football or the whole experience and to be able to observe and gain a larger understanding of its importance and significance to a culture was a very exciting experience for me. It was easy to pretend I knew nothing about this culture, because in reality I didn’t know much. But gaining the insight now allows me to relate better to people in my life who take football very seriously and enjoy it. It really reminds me of how much of our culture we take for granted each day and that something as simple as football can bring so much to a society and even be the thread that ties a culture together by bringing unity among people to share joy and passion alongside one another.