Football Vs. Baseball: Which is the True Pastime?

The consensus opinion around America is that football is America's new favorite pastime. The question is how did football supplant baseball as America's favorite sport?

First, there is the duration of each game. Football is timed, but barring overtime, people can usually set their watches by the end of the game. In baseball, there is no telling how long a nine inning game will go. Both are fairly spectator friendly, but the time factor favors football.

Another factor is the quality of play. If you are watching a blowout in a baseball game, it can be pretty painful to watch depending on your particular interest in the game. However, if you are watching a blowout in a football game, there is still the chance of a potential comeback. College football is the best example of the potential for come from behind victories.

The action on the field weighs heavily as well. Football is a battle of brawn. Baseball has far more strategy involved when turning to the bullpen or when choosing a pinch hitter to send to the plate. For those who find it satisfying to second guess from the cheap seats, baseball is the perfect game for that.

In football, so much importance is put on a single game. Baseball is a marathon in that each game adds up to very little in the long run. Think of it as each football game in a 16 game season adding up to four or five baseball games.

The big play is a huge factor in any sport. In football, it could be a hail-mary pass for a touchdown or a key turnover leading to a game winning drive. In baseball, there is no bigger play than the home run. The home run is just about the biggest play in all of sports. It is majestic in its flight off of the bat, not to mention the sound of bat when a batter really connects with the ball. A deep pass for a touchdown in football could easily be broken up. When a batter connects with that ball and sends it for a ride, there really is no doubt about it.