04-29-2004, 11:45 AM | #1 (permalink) | |
cookie
Location: in the backwoods
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toughest sport? - analysis
There was a thread similar to this awhile back, but this is different take on it. I found this article, and the numbers in it fascinating, and sometimes amusing.
The chart can't easily/ clearly be replicated, so here is the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills I strongly recommend that you see the page as they intended, because the numbers below make it confusing. Some observations: I was kind of confused as to why rugby was ranked lower than real football, and surprised at how high football was ranked, because it depends on what position you play. I bet bull riders would quibble with the fact that their strength requirement is the same as golf. By their definition, I'm also suprised that soccer's analytical ability is greater than baseball's. I laughed at the "nerve" required to play table tennis. Quote:
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04-29-2004, 12:01 PM | #2 (permalink) |
Baltimoron
Location: Beeeeeautiful Bel Air, MD
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In my opinion, other then several of them needing to be taken off the list due to not fitting my definition of a sport, it's a good list. Several of the rodeo events could probably be a little higher, but it's ok overall.
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04-29-2004, 12:46 PM | #3 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Pa, USA
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Very good info!
I often pondered this exact issue, and it's really neat to see an entire article (w/ ratings) devoted to it. Thanks for sharing.
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04-29-2004, 01:48 PM | #5 (permalink) |
WoW or Class...
Location: UWW
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I like how Soccer is put in its proper place. Behind tennis.
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One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together. They each bought a pint of Guinness. Just as they were about to enjoy their creamy beverage, three flies landed in each of their pints. The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. The Irishman, too, picked the fly out of his drink but then held it out over the beer and yelled "SPIT IT OUT, SPIT IT OUT, YOU BASTARD!" |
04-29-2004, 02:15 PM | #6 (permalink) |
Junkie
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Martial Arts got some good respect there but it really got screwed on its speed (17th) and agility (21st) rankings.
It was also funny how gymnasts were ranked so low for agility (15) and strength (15). Pound for pound gymnasts are just as strong as football players. |
04-29-2004, 03:26 PM | #9 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: San Diego, CA.
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i think some of their ratings are pretty messed up..especially the flexability rating.
And i quote i think fits.... from Dogma... "Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, next to soccer."
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04-29-2004, 10:16 PM | #10 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: Sinaloa, Mexico
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Boxing and Ice Hockey are the tops on this, but they are arguably going through some terribly tough times in the sports world right now.
I'm amazed at how hockey players have to play so many games in a row, with so little rest. Boxers get a long time in between bouts, but hockey players have to fight through soreness. Tough bastards.
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04-30-2004, 09:16 AM | #12 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: Cow Country, CT
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I was just about to start a thread about this, but i would just like to mention something. Sailing was left of this list, i personaly sail competivly and am rather offended it was left off. Sailing is an olympic sport and a large number of people activly perticipate in competive sailing. ESPN broadcasts it, has comintators dedicated to and it makes sportscenter. Anyone know why they would leave it out?
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04-30-2004, 09:59 AM | #13 (permalink) |
Tilted
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Personally, I think that sailing is a hobby that is done competitively. There is no doubt that it takes talent, skill, and several other attributes that could make it considered a sport, but I could make the same argument for horse racing, figure skating, and to some extent, NASCAR. But, I could think of several that were on this list that I would take off before I would take sailing off, namely fishing.
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04-30-2004, 11:07 AM | #15 (permalink) |
Psycho
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Hmm, I think wrestling (I'm a fan) should get more points in endurance and analytic aptitude. Durability is important depending on how many matches you wrestle in a day... Flexibility really isn't that important, maybe minus a point or so there. Strength helps, but not as much as most people would think -- skll is much more important. You have to anticipate moves and lure your opponent into a certain position or mindset in addition to executing your moves, so I think analytic aptitude should get a point or so there. Endurance because you are exerting 90% plus at all times, but they get ~30 sec breaks every two minutes or so.
Maybe we can critique some ratings of our favorite sports and see how they compare with ESPN's ratings. edit: I think I should add that I think that boxing would still be a tougher sport than wrestling. Boxing is a very tough sport, I agree. But I don't think basketball would be tougher than wrestling despite the schedule. Last edited by nash; 04-30-2004 at 09:55 PM.. |
04-30-2004, 11:35 AM | #16 (permalink) |
Junkie
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I was impressed that pole vaulting got such a high rank. I did that through HS and my first year of college and its a hard thing to do. Once I saw a kid miss the landing pit and land on his head. 3 years later I heard about him and he was basically a vegetable.
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05-02-2004, 07:42 PM | #19 (permalink) | |
Psycho
Location: Central California
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Quote:
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05-03-2004, 03:51 AM | #23 (permalink) | |
Addict
Location: Third World
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Quote:
Also, in rugby you are allowed 5 subs, and once a sub is made, its normally permanent (depending on certain rules, i.e. blood-binm etc). Combined with the constant pace of play, this makes it unfathomable to me why football is ranked so much higher than rugby.
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05-03-2004, 08:15 AM | #25 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Oz
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Im dubious of this type of analysis, it seems terribly Americanized in its ranking too. Im happy with boxing 1st but think rugby and soccer need to be much higher up. Rugby (and Rugby league) at least needs to be in front of NFL Football.
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05-03-2004, 11:19 PM | #26 (permalink) |
Loser
Location: Paradise
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Rugby fan here, but the athletes in rugby just aren't at the same level of the athletes in American football. Its a different sport. Football you wear pads, then kill with your helmet. Rugby's high on endurance, where football's more like boxing. Except you get hit and you aren't protected and still are expected to make the play. They are both tough--the best rugby players can try to make it in the NFL, but the best football players have a better shot making it on a rugby squad.
Hockey is great--if you want to pool from the smallest talent pool imaginable. For that alone it shouldn't be #2. Also, NHB fighting outta be high on that list, even with rules its about as tough as boxing (less repetitive injury to the head since grappling is allowed). Its a list--why do I even fucking care?? |
05-08-2004, 12:21 PM | #27 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Aliso Viejo, California
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IMHO billiards is harder than curling.
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05-08-2004, 03:42 PM | #29 (permalink) | |
Crazy
Location: Sweden
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i think one of the harder sports are Formula 1, think it in this way,
they drive for about 1 and a half hour in totaly extreme forces take for example on the monza circuit, they brake from 370kph to 80-90kph in just ~100meters in every 1min and 20sec, end there on you make ~13 more brakes and then you have to accelerate out of every corner just as fast as you do the braking, and then you have the side forces on the upper body that are extreme ( up to 5G on some circuits) here is the ordinary day of a F1 driver when he is nt behind the stering wheel Quote:
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05-10-2004, 05:20 PM | #32 (permalink) |
Whaddya mean my hair is "GREEN"???
Location: Melbourne
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I reckon Schumacher would beat any NFL player or NBA star in an arm wrestle...and he could do it 100 times in a row...the physical stress of driving a formula 1 car cannot be compared to any other form of "auto racing" (as they so aptly classify it) or any other sport generally and it should be in its own classification and somewhere near the top.
I also agree with the rugby/soccer comments above...these sports are much more strenuous than NFL or NBA...American sports are too statisticised and stop/start...this gives players time to recover....not to mention interchange benches instead of permanent subsitutions. Take note...the top soccer clubs/players in Europe play about 70 matches per year, usually two per week, with a break of about 1 month each year. These games consist of 90 minutes of non-stop play, compare that with 48 minutes of stop/start basketball where a player will also have time on the bench and even less play time in NFL. Rubgy players wear minimal protection and cop the same knocks that NFL players do, but have no time outs, no offence/defence and play continuously for 40 minute halves. I think ESPN should learn more about the sports they are rating before saying American sports are the best/hardest/toughest. How the hell does baseball fit in the top 10 anyway??? Its easier than cricket!!! And I agree that boxing is the top of the list.
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05-10-2004, 08:53 PM | #33 (permalink) |
Insane
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I agree with Boxing and hockey being in top 5 but basketball!!! wtf thats not a difficult sport... Honestly rugby and lax are tougher sports than basketball and require more skill but Im happy Ive always said hockey is the most difficult sport around and i was close its #2 Iactually think hockey is tougher because hockey players have like 3 games a week and boxer are like a 3 times ayr thing.
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05-11-2004, 09:17 PM | #35 (permalink) | |
WoW or Class...
Location: UWW
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Quote:
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One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together. They each bought a pint of Guinness. Just as they were about to enjoy their creamy beverage, three flies landed in each of their pints. The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. The Irishman, too, picked the fly out of his drink but then held it out over the beer and yelled "SPIT IT OUT, SPIT IT OUT, YOU BASTARD!" |
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08-15-2004, 11:23 PM | #36 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: San Francisco
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the ratings for rowing are insane! The rank is fudgeable, and meaningless, but to rate flexibility and durability so low is retarded. Wonder if these "experts" have ever actually competed or worked closely with even 5% of these sports, individually. If not, where is that expertise, really?
This is worse than US News and World report!
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08-16-2004, 12:05 AM | #37 (permalink) |
WoW or Class...
Location: UWW
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Have most of them competed in every single sport? Hell no. I doubt anyone has.
Meanwhile, it's very feasible to have participated in a majority of those sports, the others can me reasonable ranked from life experiences. Just look at the number one sport. Boxing. Very few people step into the boxing ring, meanwhile, it's easy to respect it as a contender for the top spot because most people know what it's like to throw a punch, most people have probably taken a shot to the head at some point in their life (punch or otherwise), and they know how difficult it can be to willingly subject one self to such torture. Compare that to skateboarding. Again, very few people actually participate in it, but many people can respect the coordination and timing that goes into it.
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One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together. They each bought a pint of Guinness. Just as they were about to enjoy their creamy beverage, three flies landed in each of their pints. The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. The Irishman, too, picked the fly out of his drink but then held it out over the beer and yelled "SPIT IT OUT, SPIT IT OUT, YOU BASTARD!" |
08-16-2004, 12:53 AM | #38 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: The land of beer!
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Why isn't Triathlon in it? Also one of the toughest sport I think. First you have 4 km of swimming. Next you have 120km of cycle. And last but not least you have a run of 30km. It isn't a team sport so you have to do it all by yourself. No help from anybody. Maybe it isn't as tough as boxing, but it does belong in the top 3 I think!
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08-16-2004, 02:51 AM | #39 (permalink) |
Upright
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The anaylysis for boxing is bullshit. MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) like PRide, or UFC would defenitely be the 1st....their's no grappling, kicking/kneeing, lower body attacks in boxing but their is in MMA. However, all of the elements of boxing are incorporated into MMA
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analysis, sport, toughest |
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