3 Flies Up

"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.

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.

Legacy

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