National football league Essay Example for Free

National football league Essay 1 Is my title and introduction enticing? My title and introduction are enticing because it tells how the game of football became one of the greatest sports. 2 Is my thesis effective? Yes my thesis is effective because it details the important timeline of the critical changes to the sport. 3 Have I included enough details so the reader can visualize my experience? Readers can visualize my experience through my details. 4 Are the events presented in a logical sequence? All of my events are in logical order. 5 Have I used transitions to help the sequence of events flow smoothly? My transitions help the sequence of my essay flow smoothly with dates. 6 Have I used dialogue (if appropriate)? No 7 Have I used a consistent point of view and verb tense? I have used a consistent point of view and verb tense. 8 Is the point of my narrative evident? The point of my narrative is very clear and concise. 9 Have I ended the story satisfactorily? I ended my essay satisfactorily. 10 Have I proofread thoroughly? My narrative was proofread thoroughly by me and my roommate. Kelvin Hall Professor Ross HALL 2 ENG 101 30 September 2012 The History of Football. Before the 19th century, football was just known as a ball game played on foot; now it is a very competitive sport evolved over time to become one of the greatest sports ever played. This game had many versions with different rules according to which team you played. For instance, if you played Yale University their rules would be different than if you played Princeton. The first ever soccer-football game was played using the London Football Association rules. These were the rules that most teams followed until a coach from Yale University would write the first rules for American football. Walter Camp became known as forefather of football. From 1880-1883, he single handily reconstructed the game of football by restructuring the size of the field, position and numbers of the players, and the handling of the ball. He would use rules from both soccer and rugby to format the written rules. The number of players from each team on the field decreased from fifteen to eleven. The positions included seven lineman, two halfbacks, one fullback, and one quarterback. Prior to this adjustment there was utter confusion on the field. The size of the field dwindled as well. The players started using formations to line up on the field. He adjusted the scoring system by increasing the value of a touchdown to six points from five points and reducing the field goal to four points from five which today is only three points. Until his death in 1925, he would edit every American football rule book. The first professional football game was played between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles in 1920 under the American Professional Football Conference. It was not HALL 3 until 1922 that it became the National Football League as we know it to be today. It only included eighteen teams then but now has thirty-two. A new football league was formed in 1959 titled the American Football League. In 1962, the AFL filed suit against the NFL accusing them of monopoly and conspiracy. This legal matter went on for over two years before resolution. The championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants on December 28, 1958 was considered to be the greatest game ever played according to the NFL. It was the first game to go to sudden death overtime in history with a one yard touchdown run by  Alan Ameche. In 1966, both leagues agreed to play an annual AFL-NFL championship game. The first super bowl which was known as the AFL-NFL championship game was played between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967. This game was won by the Green Bay Packers; making them the first team in NFL history to win a super bowl which would be won again by them the following year. In 1970, Congress approved the two leagues merged to form one league with two conferences (National Football Conference and American Football Conference). To date, there are four NFL teams that have never made it to the super bowl and nine teams who have made it but have never won. The NFL has transformed tremendously since 1869. It has produced some of the greatest athletes in the world. The Pro Football Hall of Fame (currently having 273 members) was dedicated in Canton, OH on September 7, 1963. The super bowl is still the most watched televised program in history. Without Walter Camp and his contributions to the American football game; this game might still be considered just a game played on foot. HALL 4 Works Cited Hoffer, Richard. The First Super Bowl. Sports Illustrated 116. 5 (2012): 46-53. SPORT Discus with Full Text. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. HALL 5 Guttmann, A. (2006). Civilized Mayhem: Origins and Early Development of American Football. Sport in Society, 9(4), 533-541. College Football: History, Spectacle, Controversy. Coach and Athletic Director 71. 1 (2001): 62-. Pro Quest Research Library. PROQUESTMS. 26 Sep. 2012 Peterson, Robert W. (Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. ) Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, 1997.