ABSTRACT
Non-Americans watching American football would be dismayed. For them the scenes would be very similar and very violent. During the attempt to move towards the goal, the ball carrier is thrown to the ground, often in a violent manner, and sometimes disappears under a pile of opponents. This stops the action, while the teams meet in a huddle to discuss their next strategic move. After half a minute they regroup at the scrimmage line and the action repeats itself all over again. Why Americans are so fascinated with their teams and why they invest so much time, money, and emotion in this sport is hard to understand for non-Americans.
