A Realistic View at 2016

[Bellhorn04]

Emp9, by your definition, roller derby is more of a sport than the Olympic decathlon.

[Emp9]

I don't see how you can say that a footrace isn't a sport just because the people trying to beat you are running beside you and not 'playing defense' i.e. trying to block your path.

 

I think you're taking a very narrow view of what a sport is.

 

I don't think my view is narrow, just trying to draw a line in the sand metaphorically if you will. It's a thin line to begin with, I'll admit. Now if I quite literally tried to draw a line in actual sand and another person tried to kick sand over my line, that might be a sport. If I drew a line in the sand and another person tried to draw a "better" one, I would consider that a competition (no defense).

[User Name]

The average age thing is very misleading. Most of the other sports draft right into the big leagues. Baseball has at least a three year minor league stint even for the best players. Also, baseball has the highest crap out rate due both to ineffectiveness and injury. The guys who come through are usually pretty healthy and are already good at what they do. Their on the job big league training is typically small.

 

Also, those are reported injuries in general. I'd like to see that data for serious injury leading to surgery/significant shelf time. In fact, I will look that up.

[User Name]

That's a starting point for the data. What this doesn't show is the amount of time missed per injury. Look at all the baseball pitchers who have Tommy John surgery and miss a year plus. Not to mention the ones whose careers are terminated by arm injuries.

 

^This.

[mvp 78]

Emp9, by your definition, roller derby is more of a sport than the Olympic decathlon.

 

 

There's NO question that Roller Derby is more of a sport than the Olympic decathalon, or at least it used to be 25 years ago...

[mvp 78]

 

There's NO question that Roller Derby is more of a sport than the Olympic decathalon, or at least it used to be 25 years ago...

 

^ This

[Spudboy]

 

There's NO question that Roller Derby is more of a sport than the Olympic decathalon, or at least it used to be 25 years ago...

 

Murica.

[Maxbialystock]

Decathlons can be boring, maybe even very boring. But they are overall terrific competitions because of the variety of things they have to do. Rarely, however, to decathletes go mano a mano. Roller derby is probably more fun to watch.

[mvp 78]

Murica.

 

Make Roller Derby great again!

[mvp 78]

Decathlons can be boring, maybe even very boring. But they are overall terrific competitions because of the variety of things they have to do. Rarely, however, to decathletes go mano a mano. Roller derby is probably more fun to watch.

 

Probably?!? Did you even click on the video?!?

[Kimmi]

Back in the early '80s a study was done that concluded swimming and motocross racing required athletes to be in the best shape overall because they use most of the muscles in their bodies more.

 

My guess is that none here would agree that Motocross racing ( actual outdoor motocross racing, not the sensationalized X-Games type s*** ) is athletic.

 

People tend to be narrow minded and not open to new ideas.

 

Motocross is f***ing brutal.

 

LOL I know you're being serious, and I'm sure that this is true, but this literally made me LOL.

[Kimmi]

I know it's been stated already, but the point is not about which sport is the most grinding or which position is the most grinding. The fact of the matter is, being a player on an MLB team is a grind. Anyone who says otherwise is fooling him/her self.

 

It's a very long season, not to mention spring training and possible post season games. Then there's the offseason conditioning. Traveling that much is a grind, no matter how nice the accommodations are. Being away from your family that often, missing things like birthday parties or music recitals, is very stressful.

[SoxHop]

I almost think that Olympic gymnastics are the best athletes around. Strength, stamina, athleticism. Some of the things they do amaze me.

 

But from wrestling and also playing other big three..... wrestling is harder than the other big three, if there was the same competition in wrestling it would be out of this world.

 

30 seconds of wrestling matches about 30 hours of baseball.......... boxing is the same.......... just try not to get smashed in the face for 30 seconds and see how winded you get.......... baseball has nothing on those two.....

[SoxHop]

golf is a joke...... same athleticism as pool or darts. Tap dancing is more of a sport......

 

not to say it doesn't take talent.......... but a wrestler would mess up a out of shape gold player.....

[SoxHop]

Back in the early '80s a study was done that concluded swimming and motocross racing required athletes to be in the best shape overall because they use most of the muscles in their bodies more.

 

My guess is that none here would agree that Motocross racing ( actual outdoor motocross racing, not the sensationalized X-Games type s*** ) is athletic.

 

People tend to be narrow minded and not open to new ideas.

 

Motocross is f***ing brutal.

 

I can see that. And that's interesting for sure.

 

I have driven motorcycles through some tough stuff, and there isn't a fraction of a second your entire body isn't tense. Try that for 30 minutes and I bet you'd need a beer after.....

[cp176]

golf is a joke...... same athleticism as pool or darts. Tap dancing is more of a sport......

 

not to say it doesn't take talent.......... but a wrestler would mess up a out of shape gold player.....

 

I'm fortunate to have experienced a lot of different activities or sports if you will at some pretty intense levels. I don't criticize them simply because I appreciate how hard it is to excel at anything. My guess is that regardless of the sport, if you want to be among the best, not only do you have to have a little talent, you also have to be willing to do the work. None of us gets to decide what the criteria is - for me it was could I run a marathon in under 2:40. How many pull-ups or dips could I do before someone stopped me. How long could I keep moving up and down the court after the fat guys sat down. What is my resting pulse rate? I'm pretty sure that depending upon the criteria you choose to use, you could prove that there are a lot of professional athletes in s*** shape for sure. Some of them might not even be particularly "athletic".

[User Name]

golf is a joke...... same athleticism as pool or darts. Tap dancing is more of a sport......

 

not to say it doesn't take talent.......... but a wrestler would mess up a out of shape gold player.....

 

Sports are not only about athleticism. Do you even know how goddamned hard it is to be good at golf?

[mvp 78]

Easy. My grandma got 2 hole in ones in her 70's.

[User Name]

Jesus, two of them? I know a semi-pro guy who's played for over thirty years and has never gotten one.

[SoxnCycles]

Easy. My grandma got 2 hole in ones in her 70's.

 

The Pirate's Cove mini-golf course doesn't count!

[southpaw777]

I understand your point, but would never call you "ignorant" for disagreeing.

 

My point is that it's not like we're asking Papi to come back as a 1Bman, catcher or pitcher. Yes, being a DH with painful feet could be much more difficult than any of us imagine, and I have said all along that if the pain Papi feels or the prognosis for his future ability to walk pain-free is indicated, then I have no issue with him retiring.

 

My position is that the Sox should respectfully make him a fantastic offer and then respect his choice.

 

Many players weigh their love of the game vs pain or probability of life-long debility and choose to play longer. I'd say NFL players do this from the first day of practice.

 

Really moon? Your statement That Papi is only a DH, sits on the bench and doesnt do much. Then you compared it to your youth baseball and beer league softball...sorry man, but that statement WAS ignorant. you as a poster on this forum are not ignorant. In fact mostly just the opposite. But The statement was, so lets not get all sensitive about my comment.

Just please dont downplay the work it takes for every baseball player to become and stay at a high enough level to play in MLB with the best of the best. And dont compare it to your baseball/softball "career"...thats all.

[mvp 78]

The Pirate's Cove mini-golf course doesn't count!

 

Ha ha... No, this was real golf. Once she got better than my grandpa, he stopped playing.

[mvp 78]

Jesus, two of them? I know a semi-pro guy who's played for over thirty years and has never gotten one.

 

Maybe one of her quack doctors gave her secret powers. Idk. She survived on a diet of cheerios with orange juice and frozen salmon. Then she got alzheimer's, was forced to move in with my parents, tried to attack my uncle with a knife, was sent to a hospital, escaped from the hospital, carjacked someone, then passed away a few weeks later in hospice.

[mvp 78]

RIP Gaga...

[SoxnCycles]

Maybe one of her quack doctors gave her secret powers. Idk. She survived on a diet of cheerios with orange juice and frozen salmon. Then she got alzheimer's, was forced to move in with my parents, tried to attack my uncle with a knife, was sent to a hospital, escaped from the hospital, carjacked someone, then passed away a few weeks later in hospice.

 

That's one hell of a bucket list she had.

God bless her.

[Spudboy]

LOL I know you're being serious, and I'm sure that this is true, but this literally made me LOL.

 

Why? Have you ever been to a real motocross race? Do you know anyone who has?

 

Have you ever ridden a 240 pound projectile over terrain that is difficult to walk on for an entire 30 minutes plus two laps? Do you have any understanding of the conditioning and aerobic fitness required?

[mvp 78]

Why? Have you ever been to a real motocross race? Do you know anyone who has?

 

Have you ever ridden a 240 pound projectile over terrain that is difficult to walk on for an entire 30 minutes plus two laps? Do you have any understanding of the conditioning and aerobic fitness required?

 

Why "plus two laps?" Why not end it at 30 minutes?

[Spudboy]

Why "plus two laps?" Why not end it at 30 minutes?

 

Honestly I do not know why.

[TheBabeStrikesBack]

RIP Gaga...

 

Your grandma was Lady Gaga?

[mvp 78]

Your grandma was Lady Gaga?

 

Nope that was the nickname her great-granddaughter gave her.