Ultimate Debate #4: Baseball is a Better Sport than Football

Argument 1. Strategy. I checked with my opponent and this doesn't break the rebuttal rule as long as I don't directly address what was said in his argument. The strategy difference between football and baseball is like chess and checkers. In football, you have the various plays I mentioned, each with a different strategy to move or stop the ball, depending on if it's an offensive or defensive play. In addition, there are audibles that allow the quarterback to make last minute play changes in accordance with how the defense is set up. As an example of how complex the play setup can be, here's a description of a basic defensive play, a 2-4-5 defense. It's a type of Nickel formation with 2 linemen, 4 linebackers, and 5 defensive backs. More common among teams with 3-4 base defenses than the 3-3-5, because all four starting linebackers remain on-field while the defensive linemen -- the slowest players on the defense -- come out. This maximizes versatility for the defense against 3- or even 4-wide receiver offensive sets. a safety will often cover the fourth receiver, and a linebacker will cover the tight end or halfback, leaving three to patrol the middle of the field. The 2-4-5 is most often used against the 2-minute offense, when substituting players may be difficult. (1) As far as offense, the plays and strategies they're set up for can be found here. (2) There are running plays, passing plays, combinations of the two, laterals, and more. Then there is the option of two point conversion, a gamble that can be very worth it if you succeed, but is incredibly difficult to pull off. There are decisions about when to punt and when to kick a field goal, depending on where you are on the field. There are many more strategies that come into play, but I think I've made my point. Then there's the two minute warning. Everything changes. During the normal course of the game, a lot of the plays are designed to run down the clock if it suits the team, others are designed to get the ball down the field as quick as possible. It's all in whatever strategy the coach decides to use. Some might say running down the clock is bad sportsmanship, but I disagree. Strategy is strategy, and the clock factors in. After the two minute warning, all of that changes. The plays are most often used to get as many yards as you can as fast as you can. Players even occasionally go out of bounds to stop the clock. Coming up with new strategies in between plays factors in as well, because depending on the situation the clock might still be running while the players are discussing options. That makes coming up with an effective plan much more difficult. In baseball, the offensive team hits the ball and runs, while the defensive team attempts to stop them. There isn't even a game clock, so the strategy doesn't change throughout the game. Admittedly, it isn't exactly easy to hit a 90 mph ball, but all professional sports are difficult. Argument 2. Reliability. This argument is relatively short, but still matters. In baseball, the game can get postponed or cancelled due to slight rain. This can be very inconvenient for fans who have traveled a long way to get to the game, and very annoying if you have to sit there and wait for the rain to stop. In football, it takes extreme weather conditions to cancel a game, so you have a much better chance of actually seeing the game you came to see. In closing, I feel as though I've provided ample reasons why football is indeed the better sport. I look forward to my opponent's rebuttals, as well as the chance to provide my own. The best comparison I can think of was put forward by the greatest comedian ever, George Carlin. I'll provide a link, as opposed to filling up the box with a quote. Not really part of my argument so don't vote based on what he says, but still a good laugh for the reader. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org... 2. http://www.totalprosports.com...