Back to Amazon.com

The Trivial Eye: Are You Ready For Some Kind Of Football?

by Jason Toon

In the beginning, there was the ball. Then came the kick. Or maybe the carry. Or, in some cases, the throw. Then maybe the ball turned oval, or somebody put lines on the field. In some places, the pants got shorter. In others, helmets entered the picture. The eight sports below all share the same ancient ancestors. But they've evolved separately to the point where "football" means something completely different depending on where you're saying it. Can you name these eight branches on the football family tree?

Answers are here. Please post your guesses, speculations, or arguments below! But know this: the Trivial Eye is presented for public amusement and no prizes are offered other than that familiar feeling of aggravation that so much of your mind is occupied by useless trivia.

Question: who wants more Trivial Eye? Answer: you. Duh.

Photos are in the public domain except #2 by Flickr member olcoge; #4 by Flickr member kansas_city_royalty; and #7 by Flickr member GregoryMauch. All used under a Creative Commons License.