Game of Inches

This article made me smile a little, especially the last question and answer, about football being a game of inches. Taken from today's Lincoln Journal-Star in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Mr. Sportsknowitall: Some background on sports songs

[Matt-MI]

I didn't know I ever threw the ball around "willy nilly".

[VALJ]

Originally Posted by Matt-MI

I didn't know I ever threw the ball around "willy nilly".

I've done some other things all willy nilly, though. If you've never done things "all willy-nilly", I highly recommend it once in a while.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Ken Hambleton

Football is a game of inches because announcers talk about the "one-inch line," even though there is no such line on the field.

There most certainly are TWO one-inch lines. This joker just fails to recognize that they're not labelled.

[Berkut]

He does have a point though - when someone runs for a yard or two on first down, and we spot the ball, it isn't like the precision that exists is really sufficient to then turn around and measure within an inch whether or not there is a first down.

Just an artifact of the game, of course, but it does mean there is a bit of luck involved in whether a team gets that last inch or 6 they need for a first down.

[svm1010]

Originally Posted by VALJ

I've done some other things all willy nilly, though. If you've never done things "all willy-nilly", I highly recommend it once in a while.

I did once, and I felt fine and dandy (yes at the same time)