I have no Idea why us "Yanks" call American "Football", Football, and real Football Soccer, makes no sence, but that's America for ya
to stray off topic once more (i am so so so sorry) - i could give you a history lesson dating back to medieval times, and, i will - you see it all dates back to medieval times, when football was basically a game where you would try to kick a ball through the town hall door, while the rest of the village tried to stop you, it is unclear what the rules are, probably because there werent any.
later some decided to make some rules for it, others did not like these rules, and some decided they wanted rules but not these ones - so we wound up with many different games of 2 main kinds - the kind where you could carry it with your hands, and the kind where you could not...
skipping on a few hundred years and you get some 18th century versions of rugby union, rugby league and association football (and the aussies were probably playing their wonderful mix of the 3 as well, i dunno), now im not sure, but from what i gather from American Football, it seems that it developed from Rugby League, but because it was not developed WITH the british government - what with the lack of communication and convicts being sent an all, it developed into a widly different game, while the rest of the British Empire was recieving these new ways of playing because of the soldiers and convicts being sent.
Now the early versions of American Football MAY have resembled rugby in some way, and from what i have found out it seems an American president didnt like the number of deaths that were incurring so a load of rules such as "clipping"(?) were made.
to cut the story short - i dont really know why, but that was a pretty damn convincing guess wouldnt you agree?
Now, allow me to stray BACK on topic and join suchey in attempting to hit a flies bollocks at 5000 yards - any chance at all mate?