Maybe some of the Aussie guys could help on this one. In Australia, when is Footy = Australian Rules Football, and when is it football(American soccer)? I am getting confused.

Hank
Footy is a slang work for football

Australian Rules is called football

Soccer is called soccer

American Football is called Gridiron.

Does this help

There are about 3 kinds of football.

*Rugby Union (most universal in world, more elite)
*Rugby League (popular among working classes)
*Aussie Rules (parts of Australia, etc. Victoria)
Footy is a personal term, such as "I love my footy." Otherwise, people just say rugby--though most would agree that most often, "rugby" is understood to be union, by default, otherwise understood in context of where the conversation takes place.
Frustrating that guys salivate over the Aussie Rules photos (sometimes union or league) but you can't anyone to talk with any intelligence about the game or players.

Since this is overwhelmingly an American board, it's rather like expecting someone from NZ to talk intelligently about the virtues of the nickel back defense in a 2 minute situation, isn't it?

[quote]Originally posted by Tom Brooks:
...Frustrating that guys salivate over the Aussie Rules photos (sometimes union or league) but you can't anyone to talk with any intelligence about the game or players.

---

SLURP!!!

[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

Hank, forgot to add another thought. If a person says "soccer" that can only mean soccer. But as you might have been suggesting, people saying "football" can mean soccer. I think soccer is more common in Europe and South America, where rugby is not dominant. For example, you will hear about football hooligans (Liverpool's scousers, re: Harry Enfield). Lastly, even though the term "football" typically refers to rugby union, it logically belongs to soccer because it is the only sport that is purely "foot" ball. Soccer probably is the most popular (universal) sport in the world. More than you wanted to know but all good sports.