3 Flies Up

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3 Flies Up is a simple variant of American football that is popular in schoolyards, and typically involves one 'flier' who throws the football to a group of catchers, each individually attempting to best each other and catch 'flies' (passes that have not hit the ground) out of the air for points.

Once a single catcher catches three 'flies' (they do not usually need to be consecutive), he or she becomes the new flier, and a new game is played, in which the prior flier joins the rest of the catchers. This can go on for a long time, making 3 Flies Up a perpetual game that can be played indefinitely. In some versions, players make it "interesting" by playing until a specific moment or time, in which the current flier at the time is named champion.

[edit] Variations

Another popular version of the game (different regions and schools play different ways) is called "500", and consists of the same basic principles, but with a different scoring system; The passer randomly calls out a number between 1 and 500 as he or she throws the ball to the cluster of catchers. If successfully received by a catcher, the designated amount of points is awarded, and a winner is declared once a score of '500' is reached. Many school teachers prefer this method, because it can require some basic arithmetic skills, which can be practiced through the physical activity.

[edit] Legacy

Brett Favre, a flier from Mississippi, is generally regarded as the greatest 3 Flies Up player of all time.