The Mechanics of Football

[Guest]

I'm not sure this is the proper forum for this post , or if there is a
proper forum for this post to begin with, but its something I've been
pondering quite a bit lately.



There is a physical explanation for everything that happens in
football, a mechanics to playing the game, if you will. And if there is
a certain mechanics for doing things such as throwing a football and
making cuts, then it can be learned, much like dance moves can be
learned. Regardless, many important physical parts of the game are
picked up by players by "feel", rather than instruction. This may play
an important aspect in the racial disparities at certain positions that
has helped cement the caste system.



For example: it's often said that many white skill players lack
"wiggle" or "hip fluidity". That may be because blacks have a better
"feel" for how to make those quick side cuts and changes of direction
that are important for skill players, just as whites have a better
"feel" for how to throw the ball correctly..



But, what if there is a simple body mechanics explanation for how to
make cuts, one that can be instructed to young white players? I think
there is.



A simple side cut, the ones running backs use to hit the hole and
juke defenders, doesn't really have anything to do with hip movement.,
in my opinion. All that's needed is for a person to shift the center of
gravity on the upper body to one side. If you want to cut right while
your running, just dip your right shoulder. You don't have to do
anything with your legs, just keep churning them, the cut happens
automatically when you lean because of the shoulder dip.



Go ahead and try it out in your back yard or whatever.



Anyways, enough rambling for now.

 

[White_Savage]

Interesting observation.

I don't want to sound like a lame egalitarian, who tries to explain away all racial differences in terms of "culture", nor someone who praises black "culture" if you can call it that, but in my travels, particularly in martial arts, I have come to the conclusion that certain movement patterns are in fact deeply ingrained in the culture that a person grows up in. For instance, I think one reason blacks have a reputation for being able to use head movement especially well in boxing is their style of dance and music. I've always been good at slipping punches with head movement for some reason myself though, don't ask me why, and of course, Jack Dempsey was the master par exellance of the art.

Having studied Medieval European sword and unarmed combat arts in detail, I can tell you how seemingly mudane things such as your footwear and practicing dances of the times make the movements seem more natural and sensible.

I honestly think one problem White children have too, is possibly not really doing any sort of dance, music, or simply playing physically enough from a young age, due to our culture.

 

[Bronk]

I totally agree with you Savage. Watch little black kids, at three-years-old -- even younger -- they are doing fluid little dance moves. That is a cultural thing.

I am a big advocate of kids playing football in the backyard because it is there that you pick up the "feel" of the game that Kaiser Sose is talking about. It is in those uninhibited, ruleless contests that most kids pick up the basic movements and feel for the game. My brothers and I all played college ball and we all agree that without those endless backyard games of tackle football, we might not have made it past high school.

 

[jaxvid]

I am a big advocate of kids playing football in the backyard because it is there that you pick up the "feel" of the game that Kaiser Sose is talking about. It is in those uninhibited, ruleless contests that most kids pick up the basic movements and feel for the game. My brothers and I all played college ball and we all agree that without those endless backyard games of tackle football, we might not have made it past high school.

You have brought up an interesting point. White kids might be disadvantaged by their smaller families and having less brothers to play with. I help coach kids football and I notice that the kids with brothers are better then the kids without. That is true for black or white.

 

[white lightning]

That's why some of these kids should go the the Boys Club or the YMCA.If you start young enough,the game does come alot more naturally.I have always wished more kids would get involved in track also at a early age.It develops the skills needed in all sports.

 

[Bronk]

As an alumni of the YMCA track and field program when I was a kid, I agree, Lightning.

Also, grab some kids and take them into the backyard to throw the ball around! My own kids are ripping it up for their respective teams because I got them outside and showed them how to get into a stance, beat a block, make a block, run a sharp pass route, tackle, etc. Watch some youth league football games -- or even some junior high games -- sometime. Kids can't even get into a proper stance these days! How are you going to get off the ball right without a good stance? Also, watch kids run pass routes, they round them off so badly it hurts. Teach them some basic things and it is amazing how far ahead of the pack they can get.

Kids love to get out and throw the ball around and they respond to just a tad of encouragement. They really respond to adults who get out with them and do that. I feel so sorry for some of these kids whose dads are sprawled out on the couch WATCHING ball when they could be out there showing them how it's done or just having some fun with their kids. Granted, some guys take it too far and turn what should be casual outside playtime into a damn NFL rookie camp, but hell. Every Thanksgiving I'd get my boys and my nieces and nephews outside to play some touch football.

Maybe some people might interpret that as me trying to dominate or manipulate kids, but it's not. Kids need people to care about them, today we are living life beyond human speed and leaving our kids behind. I love kids and I love spending time with them, challenging them, helping them, showing them.

 

[white lightning]

Great post Bronk.You sound like a great dad.Your right that people on the average just don't take the time these days.Alot of parents would rather put on a Disney Movie than to play with their kids.I'm glad to see that you are setting a good example.Children are the future.They are so innocent & so eager to learn.

 

[GWTJ]

When I was a kid, my dad didn't spend 10 days out of his life helping me in sports. I went to the Boys Club all the time for years growing up. I learned how to play pool, bumper pool, ping-pong, noc-hockey anddarts in the winter. In the summer we took field trips, I learned how to shoot a rifle, bow and arrow, I learned how to swim and we played all the main sports when we had free time. My son is 16 and he is still amazed(and annoyed)that dad knows how to do almost anything. From yo-yo's to frisbee to gutter ball andwiffle ball. We played sports every day back then. Indoors or outdoors. My experience was the norm in the 60's/70's but is the exception nowadays.


I can honestly say that I have been successful at passing on to my son so many of the things I and my friends enjoyed doing. As for football, I left that up to him. He never showed an interest for anything more than backyard fun so I never put him on an organized team. But the point I want to make here is that , realistically, I never would have wanted him to play football for too longanyway. Probably just through high school. It's a million to one that he could be good enough to earn 1 dollar from it and there are a lot easier ways to earn a buck. No matter how good you are and no matter how much damage you may do to other people on the field, you end up doing more damage to yourself. Football would have had to have been his passion, his love, for me to tell him he should try to advance in football. Even then, I would make sure that he choose a college for acedemic reasons first.


I am sure most white parents feel this way about sports in general. They're great, but get your education. If sports helps pay for it, that's a bonus.


If my son didn't advance in football because of the caste system I wouldn't be all that upset. One look at some of these ex players and you realize the huge price most of them paid for the privilige of being one of the best in the world at one of the most brutal and competitive sports ever invented. And out of the thousands that did play how many do we remember and how many are living well ten years later. Where are Jim Otto and Mike Webster now.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

The blacks who benefitted from the Caste System may not be rich anymore, but look at what it has done to our culture and our thinking. It is about more than money or even the importance of the game itself.