Talk:Halfback (American football)

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Half back / Running back

They are exactly the same and one of them should either be deleted or merged with one another.

no they arent. In the CFL the halfbacks are in the defensive secondary, and not the backs that run the ball. They are called runningbacks listed as RBs. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.161.63.69 (talk) 23:30, 23 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

This article is about american football, not Canadian football, which is a similar sport, but different in a lot of ways. Additionally, there is an article here for the Canadian Football Halfback position. —ASPENSTI—TALK—CONTRIBUTIONS 04:33, 11 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Merge?

I was just wondering why there is an article for Running back and Halfback? There is no section in either article demonstrating the differences between a halfback and a running back. Whats everyones opinion on an article merge especially considering they are almost the same article? —ASPENSTI—TALK—CONTRIBUTIONS 04:31, 11 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose merge A "running back" can refer to either the halfback or the fullback. "Running back" is not a synonym for the halfback. There's a difference between them. Go Silver and Black!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.34.217.222 (talk) 18:53, 27 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose merge. In addition to the prior comment (which raises a valid point), the halfback position in the first 90 years of the game (c. 1870 to c. 1960) was both a defensive and offensive position. Unlike today's game (with 30 or more distinct positions), football in its original form had seven simple positions, all of which were two-way positions. Each of those historic positions has (and should continue to have) a separate article. They are: end (right and left), tackle (right and left), guard (right and left), center, halfback (right and left), fullback and quarterback -- no linebackers, free safeties, strong safeties, cornerbacks, nicklebacks, long snappers, tight ends, gunners, etc. Separate treatment of the halfback position (and each of the seven historical positions in the original game) is needed. It is not historically accurate to refer to a pre-1950s halfback as a running back or as a defensive back -- nor to refer to a pre-1950s end as a wide receiver (even though ends when playing offense were the most common pass receivers) or a pre-1950s center as a linebacker (even though most centers in the early days filled the defensive role most commonly thought of as a linebacker). The seven historic positions should not be modified to try to "fit" them into modern football terminology. Cbl62 (talk) 01:43, 12 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]