Why is there a kicker in (American) Football?

[pennylane]

I never figured out why there is a kicker in football (yes I know that he does the kickoff/FG/PAT/whatever, and the game may not be allowed to be called football if no kicker)... but... why have one altogether? 22 guys (well 44 because offensive players don't play defense) are out there, working together in a battle of turf control. But they can go at it for 59:55, and then the fate of the game rests in a kicker. A little white guy that hasn't done anything the entire game.

Also, why is it in football there are 2 fundamentally different ways to score? In every other sport, there's but one. Basketball: get ball in hoop. Baseball: cross home plate. Soccer/Hockey: get ball between posts. In football you can get into the endzone, or you can have little white guy kick the ball in-between goal posts. Why?

I imagine there's history involved... but it just doesn't make sense how it fits with the game now. Seems so fundamentally different from the rest of the game.

There are probably strange things like that in every sport (ie, the pitcher in baseball has a different job than hitter/fielders, but his job is integral to the very idea of baseball)... but I guess it's just the fact that kickers can score by kicking... when nobody else on the team can that bothers me.

 

[ElFenix]

originally in football, if you got the ball into the endzone, either carrying or kicking, it was worth 5 points. there may have been uprights, i'm not sure. it was much more like ruggers than it currently is, though.

 

[pennylane]

I GUESS that makes sense... but it seems so pointless in the game as it is today. If I were making a game based on football, I'd eliminate the field goal and extra point crap. All you get is a punter (who would also kick off for you). If it's 4th down, either punt it or go for it. The kicker's still there, but at least little white guy doesn't do anything except change opposing team's field position. If you scored a TD you go for 2 no matter what.

Actually now that there's no field goal, TDs would be worth 2 or 3 points (depending on how much I'd value that since it's the most important way of scoring). Safety's and PAT's (done by the entire team, like the 2 point conversion these days) would be 1. Though maybe I'd eliminate PAT's altogether. And since the saftey's are so uncommon, a TD could be worth 2 points. Makes more sense to me.

Am I a lunatic? If you think so, give my a good reason why you can kick a field goal in today's game? And traditios isn't a good answer.

 

[Brackis]

Kicking a field goal is an incredibly difficult thing to do, but so is putting the ball in the endzone. Thus your teams hard work can still be rewarded with 3 points for driving a good distance of the field. the farther you drive the great % of the FGs you make.

Sounds perfectly fair to me

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: fanerman91
I GUESS that makes sense... but it seems so pointless in the game as it is today. If I were making a game based on football, I'd eliminate the field goal and extra point crap. All you get is a punter (who would also kick off for you). If it's 4th down, either punt it or go for it. The kicker's still there, but at least little white guy doesn't do anything except change opposing team's field position. If you scored a TD you go for 2 no matter what.

Actually now that there's no field goal, TDs would be worth 2 or 3 points (depending on how much I'd value that since it's the most important way of scoring). Safety's and PAT's (done by the entire team, like the 2 point conversion these days) would be 1. Though maybe I'd eliminate PAT's altogether. And since the saftey's are so uncommon, a TD could be worth 2 points. Makes more sense to me.

Am I a lunatic? If you think so, give my a good reason why you can kick a field goal in today's game? And traditios isn't a good answer.

A team should not have to face the same fate..that is, remain scoreless for going 3 and out from their own 20yd line as they would if they went down to the opponent's 1.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: fanerman91
Also, why is it in football there are 2 fundamentally different ways to score? In every other sport, there's but one. Basketball: get ball in hoop. Baseball: cross home plate. Soccer/Hockey: get ball between posts. In football you can get into the endzone, or you can have little white guy kick the ball in-between goal posts. Why?

You also score on sacking the qb in their own endzone, also known as, a safety. In basketball, there are three ways to score. Last, but not least, football is not soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, rugby, etc.

 

[pennylane]

Okay. That makes sense. But why kick? Kickers are the only player whose feet touch the ball.


I have summed my argument to essentially one sentence:

Kickers play a different game than the rest of the football team.

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: fanerman91
Also, why is it in football there are 2 fundamentally different ways to score? In every other sport, there's but one. Basketball: get ball in hoop. Baseball: cross home plate. Soccer/Hockey: get ball between posts. In football you can get into the endzone, or you can have little white guy kick the ball in-between goal posts. Why?

You also score on sacking the qb in their own endzone, also know as a safety. In basketball, there are three ways to score. Last, but not least, football is not soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, rugby, etc.

Yes in basketball there are 3 ways to score. But they all involve the ball going into the basket.

The 2 fundamental ways to score in football remain endzone and goal posts. Safeties are just the opposite of touchdowns and make sense from that perspective.

 

[TuxDave]

Originally posted by: fanerman91
Okay. That makes sense. But why kick? Kickers are the only player whose feet touch the ball.


I have summed my argument to essentially one sentence:

Kickers play a different game than the rest of the football team.

Unless the team kicks ass and pulls off a fake-out punt....

 

[dethman]

Originally posted by: fanerman91
Okay. That makes sense. But why kick? Kickers are the only player whose feet touch the ball.


I have summed my argument to essentially one sentence:

Kickers play a different game than the rest of the football team.

because football is stupid. that is all.

 

[shimsham]

its adds another way to score in what can be a low scoring game to reduce the number of overtime/tie games.

adds excitement to a game. its 35-35 going into the 4th. suddenly, the defense of both teams show up, and no one can score a touchdown. with 2 mins left, team A pounds it down field, converting on 2 4th downs and with 3 secs left, they have to attempt a 48yd fg into a sw win. tension, emotion, etc.

 

[BeauJangles]

football is the only sport with real specialization. THink about it. Defensive / Offensive linemen don't even handle a football in practice. They hardly ever see the damn thing! Safeties, Linebackers, Cornerbacks all see the ball more, but only on defense. Very unique.

 

[Falloutboy]

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
football is the only sport with real specialization. THink about it. Defensive / Offensive linemen don't even handle a football in practice. They hardly ever see the damn thing! Safeties, Linebackers, Cornerbacks all see the ball more, but only on defense. Very unique.

EXACTLY!! look at any other sport and for the most part all the players are of simlar type of build, in football you got everything from 5'6" scrany dudes kicking a football to 6'2" 350lb lineman and everything in between

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: Falloutboy

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
football is the only sport with real specialization. THink about it. Defensive / Offensive linemen don't even handle a football in practice. They hardly ever see the damn thing! Safeties, Linebackers, Cornerbacks all see the ball more, but only on defense. Very unique.

EXACTLY!! look at any other sport and for the most part all the players are of simlar type of build, in football you got everything from 5'6" scrany dudes kicking a football to 6'2" 350lb lineman and everything in between

Id say its more like 180lb 5'8 kickers and cornerbacks to 400lb+ 6'5 offensive linemen.

In the mid 1980s, there were only a couple football players over 300. Now there are 350+, with many over 400.

 

[maddogchen]

In Rugby, i've seen them kick it over the bar to score. perhaps they just took it from rugby. so the question now is.....why can you kick it in to score in rugby?

 

[pennylane]

Football is essentially a game of field control. On offense your job is to conquer the entire field. On defense your job is to prevent the other team from doing the same. Conquer the whole field and you score a touchdown. If on offense instead of conquering the whole field, you lose the whole field, that's a safety. That is the essence of football and it's fun to watch.

football is the only sport with real specialization. THink about it. Defensive / Offensive linemen don't even handle a football in practice. They hardly ever see the damn thing! Safeties, Linebackers, Cornerbacks all see the ball more, but only on defense. Very unique.

But all of those guys are united for one goal: conquer the field. Sure each one has a different job. The ball is pushed across the field via running and passing and protecting the running and passing. The ball is stopped by people who specialize to stop the quarterback, running backs, and recievers. Hell, even the fvcking punters and place-kickers help by controlling the other teams' starting position.

So what the hell does the FG/PAT kicker do?

Kicking a field goal is an incredibly difficult thing to do, but so is putting the ball in the endzone. Thus your teams hard work can still be rewarded with 3 points for driving a good distance of the field. the farther you drive the great % of the FGs you make.

In basketball you don't pin the tail on a donkey to get a point for getting "close" on a three-pointer. In baseball you don't throw a dart to get half a run if you reach 3rd base.

its adds another way to score in what can be a low scoring game to reduce the number of overtime/tie games.

adds excitement to a game. its 35-35 going into the 4th. suddenly, the defense of both teams show up, and no one can score a touchdown. with 2 mins left, team A pounds it down field, converting on 2 4th downs and with 3 secs left, they have to attempt a 48yd fg into a sw win. tension, emotion, etc.

So the 44 or so people who play the contest for 59:57 leave it in the hands of one person who plays a different game than everybody else?

 

[maddogchen]

Originally posted by: fanerman91
Football is essentially a game of field control. On offense your job is to conquer the entire field. On defense your job is to prevent the other team from doing the same. Conquer the whole field and you score a touchdown. If on offense instead of conquering the whole field, you lose the whole field, that's a safety. That is the essence of football and it's fun to watch.

football is the only sport with real specialization. THink about it. Defensive / Offensive linemen don't even handle a football in practice. They hardly ever see the damn thing! Safeties, Linebackers, Cornerbacks all see the ball more, but only on defense. Very unique.

But all of those guys are united for one goal: conquer the field. Sure each one has a different job. The ball is pushed across the field via running and passing and protecting the running and passing. The ball is stopped by people who specialize to stop the quarterback, running backs, and recievers. Hell, even the fvcking punters and place-kickers help by controlling the other teams' starting position.

So what the hell does the FG/PAT kicker do?

Kicking a field goal is an incredibly difficult thing to do, but so is putting the ball in the endzone. Thus your teams hard work can still be rewarded with 3 points for driving a good distance of the field. the farther you drive the great % of the FGs you make.

In basketball you don't pin the tail on a donkey to get a point for getting "close" on a three-pointer. In baseball you don't throw a dart to get half a run if you reach 3rd base.

its adds another way to score in what can be a low scoring game to reduce the number of overtime/tie games.

adds excitement to a game. its 35-35 going into the 4th. suddenly, the defense of both teams show up, and no one can score a touchdown. with 2 mins left, team A pounds it down field, converting on 2 4th downs and with 3 secs left, they have to attempt a 48yd fg into a sw win. tension, emotion, etc.

So the 44 or so people who play the contest for 59:57 leave it in the hands of one person who plays a different game than everybody else?

I view football as the only sport similiar to war. You need to conquer territory until you get to your opponents capital (the end zone) where you can do a little jiggy on their leader's dead butt.

You got your:
-head coach who is basically the Supreme Commander back at HQ coordinating everything
-QB which is the general on the field.
-You got your linemen which is basically trench warfare, controlling the line of scrimmage.
-You got your RB which is basically your main tank division that can bust through the holes in your trenches and make a break for it
-you got your receivers which are like parachuters that do flanking manuvers.

So all these weapons you have your general on the field delivering the fatal strike (the football) to whichever weapon he chooses. Everything else are diversions. After the defense tackles him, it must reposition itself to the new line of contention. If the defense is great, it will break though and force the offense back.

So whats the point of the kicker? The point of the kicker is when you get within striking of the capital and the defense stiffens up and you don't want to go the rest of the way, you drop a nuke on their capital. Much like what the US did to Japan in WW2. Capture islands, move within striking distance. BAM! All that fighting by hard-nose grunts but the real knockout blow was by a bunch of geeky flyboys dropping a nuke.

Why isn't it worth 7 points? because you nuked their capital and its of no use anymore, plus you can't do the jiggy on it .

just my weird idea.

 

[MisterPants]

It's a plot to keep evil foreign games out of the states. If the took out the kicker, they'd have even less reason to call it football.

 

[nycxandy]

Why is the sky blue?