Sorry, but im thinking baseball and football are more mental considerations and require players with more diverse skill sets to address more facets of those games for success.
You're clearly not much fan of sports. If football players played both offense and defense, as well as multiple positions, then yes, you'd be correct. They don't, in American football. If you want that, start following (or playing) rugby.
Baseball, yes, to a degree as the most difficult feat in professional sports is consistently hitting a professionally pitched baseball. Outside of that, it's a rather pedestrian set of physical skills in comparison at least on the individual basis (and I have a great appreciation for baseball and baseball players).
Last edited by 4ager; 06/30/15.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
Everytime the ladies team has a match a co-worker of mine ask me if I'm going to watch and I always say no I'm not that bored yet! He always gets mad and walks off mumbling something. Yesterday same thing but he follows up with "well 30 million people around the world play soccer everyday". I looked at him and said that's so they don't have to watch it. He didn't speak to me for the rest of the day or so far today. LOL
Last edited by Elkhunter49; 06/30/15.
A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand but touches your heart !!!
It was a good match up and I'm glad the US girls won.... but soccer is boring !!
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
I just can't understand the concept of soccer being boring.
90 minutes of constant running, strategy, etc., with no time out (except for bleeding head injuries). It's A display of superb conditioning, coordination, and athleticism.
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
Baseball, yes, to a degree as the most difficult feat in professional sports is consistently hitting a professionally pitched baseball. Outside of that, it's a rather pedestrian set of physical skills in comparison at least on the individual basis (and I have a great appreciation for baseball and baseball players).
I certainly agree with your position about the most difficult feat in professional sports. As an example, Michael Jordan, a great athlete and at least average in the outfield, looked like a low grade bozo at the plate when he was trying to "make it" with a pro team in AZ.
However, among the best baseball players, I see their other skills as anything but pedestrian. The long-time standard for a good player - "run, field, throw, hit for average and for power" - means: excellent speed on the base path and at your position - a very quick start and ability to cover ground fast and under control; to field the ball quickly, control it immediately, and do the correct thing with it NOW (e.g.: try shortstop like the good ones); throw the ball far, with a flat trajectory and hit your target accurately (especially outfield, catcher, third base and shortstop); and the outstanding hitting speaks for itself. Some baseball games can seem slow and boring, but excellent individual plays are anything but pedestrian to me because very few people can meet that noted standard.
Baseball, yes, to a degree as the most difficult feat in professional sports is consistently hitting a professionally pitched baseball. Outside of that, it's a rather pedestrian set of physical skills in comparison at least on the individual basis (and I have a great appreciation for baseball and baseball players).
I certainly agree with your position about the most difficult feat in professional sports. As an example, Michael Jordan, a great athlete and at least average in the outfield, looked like a low grade bozo at the plate when he was trying to "make it" with a pro team in AZ.
However, among the best baseball players, I see their other skills are anything but pedestrian. The long-time standard for a good player - "run, field, throw, hit for average and for power" - means: excellent speed on the base path and at your position - a very quick start and ability to cover ground fast and under control; to field the ball quickly, control it immediately, and do the correct thing with it NOW (e.g.: try shortstop like the good ones); throw the ball far, with a flat trajectory and hit your target accurately (especially outfield, catcher, third base and shortstop); and the outstanding hitting speaks for itself. Some baseball games can seem slow and boring, but excellent individual plays are anything but pedestrian to me because very few people can meet that noted standard.
Oh, I agree that a pro athlete is not "pedestrian" compared to the standard, garden variety fan.
That said, when the totality of the skill sets are taken into consideration, a baseball player's in comparison to a football player or basketball player or hockey player, or even a soccer player, is "pedestrian". That's no insult, because only against other pros in other sports does it come into play.
You're right that those skills are there, but look at a basketball player; similar running and explosiveness, far more endurance required, greater jumping ability, similar (though not necessarily for range, though for accuracy and ability to hit targets while moving) hand-eye coordination. Football the same, with much more power and the ability to take an impact added. Hockey is just nuts; I can't even stand on skates and those bastards do what they do? Hand-eye coordination to control and/or block/catch a puck at well over 100 mph? Soccer player; endurance, quick burst capability, FOOT-eye coordination, including distance and accuracy, the ability to use the knees and head on the ball with touch and accuracy.
"Pedestrian" isn't the right term; I know that. It was the one that came to mind. Across the board, the level of skill of any professional athlete in those sports, and many others, is ridiculous. To malign them, as some have, is silly.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
Instead of one girl tearing off her shirt when a goal is scored I think they should all tear off their shirts whenever anything significant happens. A ref throws a flag, off go the shirts. A penalty kick, off with the shirts. Ball out of bounds, off with the shirts. If two minutes have gone by and nothing has happened, off with the shirts!
When one of the two or less goals in the entire game is scored, they should all remove their shorts as well.
I’d watch it. Hell, I’d go attend a game in person.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
I just can't understand the concept of soccer being boring.
90 minutes of constant running, strategy, etc., with no time out (except for bleeding head injuries). It's A display of superb conditioning, coordination, and athleticism.
it makes perfect sense to me, the masses want micro wave or fast food NOW!
they also want to see the pinball game light up, so they know when to cheer.
that's why football went from one score can win it all 13-7 type games of our youth. To offense minded, hey "let's light up the scoreboard, even chix know to cheer or boo for a touchdown"
some great baseball games have been 1-0, some great football games 9-6 or similar low scores.
but only more than the casual fan gets that aspect, the drama that any score can turn this game.
thus why soccer doesn't appeal to a wide variety of Americans.
and if you've never played, or been actively involved with it, you've no idea of the superior conditioning it takes to play it at all, leave alone well.
don't hold it against em cause they don't get it Mike,
heck lots of folks think the 2nd amendment is outdated too
Last edited by 2legit2quit; 07/01/15.
I'm pretty certain when we sing our anthem and mention the land of the free, the original intent didn't mean cell phones, food stamps and birth control.
Well, rematch of the 2011 Women's World Cup final; Japan v U.S.A. Should be a great match.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
Instead of one girl tearing off her shirt when a goal is scored I think they should all tear off their shirts whenever anything significant happens. A ref throws a flag, off go the shirts. A penalty kick, off with the shirts. Ball out of bounds, off with the shirts. If two minutes have gone by and nothing has happened, off with the shirts!
When one of the two or less goals in the entire game is scored, they should all remove their shorts as well.
I’d watch it. Hell, I’d go attend a game in person.
Now that would make the game "awesome".
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants.
If being stupid allows me to believe in Him, I'd wish to be a retard. Eisenhower and G Washington should be good company.
Sorry, but im thinking baseball and football are more mental considerations and require players with more diverse skill sets to address more facets of those games for success.
I would agree about baseball being mental, particularly with regard to calculating the possibilities associated with each pitch and reacting correctly. But, that thinking mainly applies to one position - the one you are playing - and not every pitch brings a needed reaction for that position. Yes, a good all-around baseball player must have high and somewhat diverse physical skills - but they don't need to have stamina over a sustained period with no breaks.
In football, the player is given specific plans/orders to execute during any given play (most are not required to reason or know much) and the action time is very brief. Then, a rest, and you get some more specific orders. Lots of specialization. Physical strength/speed required? - yes. Brainpower essential? - not much for most. Stamina required? - not a major issue.
When a person is playing soccer well, the entire game can be a very individual reactive and decisive process - for each individual player - and those decisions/reactions are expected to take place immediately - and effectively - on your own. Specific and detailed orders are rare. The on-field thinking is conceptual/analytical and reactive - difficult to know what is coming next but one is expected to react well, without prompting.
Right - not for everyone and some never can see themselves becoming a soccer fan. That takes nothing away from the interesting and unique characteristics of the sport. Fun thread.
A great justification for triathelons and marathons being the greatest sports.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants.
If being stupid allows me to believe in Him, I'd wish to be a retard. Eisenhower and G Washington should be good company.
Sorry, but im thinking baseball and football are more mental considerations and require players with more diverse skill sets to address more facets of those games for success.
I would agree about baseball being mental, particularly with regard to calculating the possibilities associated with each pitch and reacting correctly. But, that thinking mainly applies to one position - the one you are playing - and not every pitch brings a needed reaction for that position. Yes, a good all-around baseball player must have high and somewhat diverse physical skills - but they don't need to have stamina over a sustained period with no breaks.
In football, the player is given specific plans/orders to execute during any given play (most are not required to reason or know much) and the action time is very brief. Then, a rest, and you get some more specific orders. Lots of specialization. Physical strength/speed required? - yes. Brainpower essential? - not much for most. Stamina required? - not a major issue.
When a person is playing soccer well, the entire game can be a very individual reactive and decisive process - for each individual player - and those decisions/reactions are expected to take place immediately - and effectively - on your own. Specific and detailed orders are rare. The on-field thinking is conceptual/analytical and reactive - difficult to know what is coming next but one is expected to react well, without prompting.
Right - not for everyone and some never can see themselves becoming a soccer fan. That takes nothing away from the interesting and unique characteristics of the sport. Fun thread.
A great justification for triathelons and marathons being the greatest sports.
Actually, it makes a great case for decathletes and those that play sports like water polo (rugby in a damned pool) far more so than triathletes and marathon runners (especially the latter).
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
My disenthusiam with soccer developed years ago when I realized the progressive cause of an attempt to pollute the USA with European mores which were designed to seduce us to an inferior status in the world which included abandoning the blessed Imperial system of measurements we used to achieve world domination with the much more "effecient" and "worldly" metric system.
Last edited by eyeball; 07/01/15.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants.
If being stupid allows me to believe in Him, I'd wish to be a retard. Eisenhower and G Washington should be good company.
