Professional Football
Author: Jennifer Brown
 

In Europe, "football" is the term used for the game we call
soccer. Oddly enough, North American football was actually
devised from the game of soccer.

Professional football is conducted under the rules of the
National Football League (NFL).  The game as we know it, is
very different from those early days. The first soccer game
ever played in America was between Princeton and Rutgers
colleges. This evolved into football and in 1876, Walter Camp,
known as the "Father of American Football", wrote the rules of
American football.

In the early 1900s, football players were paid only $500 to
play professional football. You can't even get a pro player to
attend an autograph signing for that amount these days. The
Allegheny Athletic Association and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club
were the first teams to play football, as we know it. As
professional football evolved, more teams began to form. The
first teams to become professional were the Pittsburgh Pirates
(now known as the Steelers), the Bears, Cardinals, Giants, and
Packers. The Cardinals were the very first professional
football team. At that time, the Cardinals were based in
Chicago. Over time, the team moved to St. Louis, then Phoenix,
and finally to their current home in Arizona.

Since those early days, the professional football league has
grown, and it continues to grow. Today's professional players
receive millions of dollars, plus millions more through
endorsements and advertising revenues. It's a far cry from the
$500 paid to their league ancestors. People have been playing
football for more than a century, and the sport has grown from
a small pastime to one of the most important games in North
America.

The NFL regulates professional football. The NFL currently has
more than thirty teams that play, representing many of the
states. The greatest degree of football hype is reached at
Super Bowl time. A really good team is defined by the number of
Super Bowl wins they have to their credit. Some have won the
title many times, while others have never reached that degree
of glory.

Professional football players are usually recruited from
college teams. Coaches scout out the college teams to see which
players have the potential and skill to make it as a
professional football player. These athletes must be
disciplined individuals who are able to focus as much as
possible on the game, and avoid being distracted from their
main goal. Every year, each NFL team strives to make it to the
Super Bowl. Only one Super Bowl competitor will win the trophy,
but both teams are considered the greatest, most competitive
professional football teams.

From its humble beginnings on a soccer field, to a stadium
filled with screaming NFL fans, professional football has grown
to be one of the most important sports in North America.


About The Author: Jennifer Brown contributes to several web
sites, such as http://lyroz.com and http://cheap-recreation.com