American football is derived from the English game of rugby, and is entirely different from ordinary football, that is, soccer or association football. American football is the most popular sport in all schools and colleges in the fall. Popular high school footballers are usually encouraged to come to a college or university by offers of scholarships and free room and board. And football games are so popular that a college or a university would very often be able to pay its sports expenses from tickets sales of football matches.There are professional football teams in nearly all major cites of the United States. Their players are almost always former college footballers. The number of spectators at professional football games is generally larger than at college games, because the professional players are naturally more skilled. College football games are usually played on Saturday afternoon, while professional football games are very often played on Sunday afternoons or evenings.The game is played with an oval ball; the 11 players on each side may carry it and take each other. The object of the game is to carry or forward pass the ball across the opponent’s goal. One player may throw another down as part of the game. The rules are complicated and the game is inherently dangerous. Many players have been seriously injured or even killed in the past. In order to avoid such injuries the most elaborate protective clothing has been developed. With dramatic protection for his head, shoulders and chest, and a visor over his face, a player when fully equipped looks like ferocious and malevolent visitor from another planet. An important football game is often played in the midst of an immense ritual. Half an hour before the game begins, bands with majorettes begin marching and playing music on the field, and their convolutions make the preparations in many ways more interesting than the game itself. Between the two halves of the game, the student spectators are led to cheer for their team by trained, uniformed student cheer-leaders, many of whom are pretty girls.

　　美国的橄榄球（美式足球）运动起源于英国的橄榄球赛，同一般的足球运动,即英式足球运动截然不同。秋天，美国的橄榄球运动是大、中学校里最流行的一项体育运动。大学通常以提供奖学金和免费膳宿的办法，鼓励著名的高中橄榄球运动员入校。橄榄球比赛备受欢迎，所以各大学常能用橄榄球比赛的售票收入来支付学校各项体育运动的费用。美国所有较大的城市几乎都有职业橄榄球队，其运动员大多是原来的大学橄榄球运动员。通常，职业橄榄球赛的观众人数比大学橄榄球赛的还要多，因为职业运动员势必要技高一筹。大学橄榄球比赛通常星期六下午进行，而职业橄榄球比赛常常在星期日的下午或晚上举行。比赛用的是椭圆形皮球，各方的十一名运动员可以带球并互相抱住摔倒对手，比赛的目的是带球，即把球传递攻入对方球门。作为比赛内容的一部分，运动员允许将另一个运动员摔倒。规则非常复杂，比赛充满着危险。过去，不少运动员曾严重受伤，甚至送命。为了避免这种情况的发生，精心制作的防护服装也就应运而生。戴上惹人注目的头盔、肩甲、胸甲和面罩，一个全身武装起来的球员，看起来就好象是外星球来的凶神恶煞。重大的橄榄球赛常常在盛大的典礼中举行。赛前半个小时，军乐队就在女队长的带领下开始在场地上边行进边奏乐，他们的绕场表演使得赛前的准备阶段在许多方面比正式比赛更为引人入胜。在比赛的半场间歇，受过训练、穿着统一的啦啦队队长领着看球的学生为自己一方欢呼加油。不少啦啦队队长都由漂亮姑娘担任。