Hardest Sport To Play - Big Three

[korme]

I sat up until about 5 am last night arguing that baseball is the hardest sport of the big three, while my best friend CLAIMED it was the easiest because you don't need to be athletic to play it. I say shenanigans.

Discuss.

[MikeVic]

I'd say football, soccer, or hockey.

[Lathum]

hockey

[Greyroofoo]

hockey

+1

[Pumpy Tudors]

Reading is fundamental.

[astrosfan64]

Hockey by far.

[miami_fan]

I can't skate. Hockey

[Neon_Chaos]

hockey.

skating + stick mashing = not fun

[heybrad]

Hockey... and it's not even close.

[korme]

Hey fuckheads, hockey isn't an option here

But thanks for ruining a potentially good discussion

[MalcPow]

Reading is fundamental.

For serious.

And I say baseball. I think there's a role that someone who doesn't really know what they're doing can play in those other sports to contribute. The skills required to actually contribute in baseball are more difficult to really gain a base level of competence in.

[st.cronin]

Definitely hockey. Of the three choices, I'd say football is the easiest, because there are so many different ways to make an impact on the field. Basketball and baseball both require a combination of skill/athleticism.

[korme]

That's what I was saying last night, MP. There can be no Bullet Bob Hayes or Michael Lewis in baseball, but hell if they can run fast, line 'em up and have them play throw and catch.

[molson]

Football varies a ton based on position. You could put some big Ukranian kid who has never heard of American football at a linebacker position at the high school level with minimal practice, and he could help out and cause some damage.

Same with basketball. You really don't need to be athletic or know too much about the game to help out with defense and rebounding.

Baseball I'd say is the toughest out of those three. Hitting a baseball is really difficult. Fielding is even tougher if you're inexperienced.

That's how I think of it - if you had some big goofy foreign guy who hasn't heard of any sport - you wouldn't put him on a baseball field. But you might try him in football or basketball.

[JS19]

Baseball, not even close.

[Travis]

Baseball by a mile, even compared to hockey ;)

[Lathum]

Hey fuckheads, hockey isn't an option here

But thanks for ruining a potentially good discussion

yeah, but hockey is really hard.

all that skating and stickhandling while trying to not get your head knocked off.

[Lathum]

dola- I put baseball. allthough if it were on ice it would be even harder

[Neon_Chaos]

what's so hard about hitting a ball with a stick?









:)

*ducks for cover*

[SnowMan]

He said stickhandling /giggle

[Calis]

I sat up until about 5 am last night arguing that baseball is the hardest sport of the big three, while my best friend CLAIMED it was the easiest because you don't need to be athletic to play it. I say shenanigans.

Discuss.

I'd say baseball would the hardest as well, but I'd also say it was the one that called for the least amount of athleticism. So you're both right in a way, you're just more right. :)

[molson]

Hey fuckheads, hockey isn't an option here

But thanks for ruining a potentially good discussion

You tell 'em.

Jerks.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Hockey.

[KWhit]

Hockey????

He said big three. Not big fifteen!

[johnnyshaka]

Funny, I've played both hockey and baseball ever since I can remember and wouldn't classify either of them as "hard" to play.

I guess hockey is considered tough because you're on skates, something not a lot of people are comfortable with. True, that would complicate things but once you figure out how to skate it's a lot like basketball...obviously minus some of the violence.

Baseball, on the otherhand, is a very complex game that you probably couldn't explain to somebody in an afternoon at the ballpark. The physical challenges like hitting and catching are tough enough now add in the mental part of the game and understanding where you need to be positioned before and after the ball is put in play and you have a recipe for disaster. I've coached all levels of Little League for 10 years...it isn't easy.

[I. J. Reilly]

I voted for baseball; but on the assumption that for this pole pitchers aren’t being considered baseball players. Half the pitchers in the majors look like six year olds when they try to field their position.

[pennywisesb]

I voted baseball. I've seen some really "athletic" individuals look like real asses when it came down to fielding a fly ball or hit even a slow pitch softball. These same individuals started at both point guard for my high school basketball team and quarterback for the football team.

[wishbone]

Baseball would be the easiest to play because there is little chance of being physically negated, the average guy could play and possibly contribute (possibly due to pure luck). In football or basketball, the guy across from you can remove you from the game in a physical sense.

One of the interesting things about Major League Baseball in the last 10+ years is the number of non-english speakers to play, somehow they have been absorbed despite the language barriers that must exist. It can't be that hard if the concepts required to play are made clear using grunts and hand-motions.

[14ers]

The easiest would be Baseball.

If you are born with an arm that can throw 90 mph fast balls you are a major leaguer. Look at David Wells and tell me Baseball is hard!

[Cringer]

We should ask Drew Henson.

[Logan]

One of the interesting things about Major League Baseball in the last 10+ years is the number of non-english speakers to play, somehow they have been absorbed despite the language barriers that must exist. It can't be that hard if the concepts required to play are made clear using grunts and hand-motions.

As opposed to football and basketball, where the concepts required to play are made clear by following geometrical patterns? And the "give me the ball" can be communicated by sticking your non-English speaking hand in the air?

[MalcPow]

The easiest would be Baseball.

If you are born with an arm that can throw 90 mph fast balls you are a major leaguer. Look at David Wells and tell me Baseball is hard!

Basketball is the easiest! All you have to do is be seven feet tall and you're in the NBA!

Football is the easiest! All you have to do is have a 4.3 forty time and be good at running into people!

:)

[johnnyshaka]

The easiest would be Baseball.

If you are born with an arm that can throw 90 mph fast balls you are a major leaguer. Look at David Wells and tell me Baseball is hard!

Ask Rick Ankiel how easy it is to be a ML pitcher.

Pick on David Wells all you want...he'd be the skinny guy at a buffet for NFL lineman.

[Fidatelo]

I find baseball the hardest to play, although its not really fair. In baseball you're on an island all the time, and every stupid mistake you make is glariingly obvious. In basketball or football you can hide your ineptitude a fair bit. Can't make a jump shot? Dish it off. Can't catch or throw? Be a full-back.

[Butter]

Hey fuckheads, hockey isn't an option here

But thanks for ruining a potentially good discussion

This cracked me up.

It was like if you had asked of John, Paul, and George, who was the least talented of these 3 Beatles, and everyone said "Ringo".

I think baseball is the hardest.

[st.cronin]

This cracked me up.

It was like if you had asked of John, Paul, and George, who was the least talented of these 3 Beatles, and everyone said "Ringo".

I think baseball is the hardest.

Come on, now. Ringo was a brilliant musician. The answer is clearly "Paul."

[jeff061]

Baseball.

Didn't play football until high school, that was cake. Then again I only played because I was bigger than everyone and they were begging me too, so I just mauled people on the line.

[astrosfan64]

In terms of international sports, I would venture to guess that Hockey isn't far behind if behind at all when compared to baseball and basketball for your question of the "Big 3"

Football is pretty much only an America sport.

BTW, the answer is still hockey.

[RPI-Fan]

Hockey is so far ahead of these three that even though it's not in the poll I still have to vote for it.

[Crapshoot]

Baseball - not even close. There's actual skill involved at a level far surpassing the other sports.

[Schmidty]

1. Hockey.

2. Baseball.

3. Basketball.

4. Soccer.

5 Football.

[korme]

In terms of international sports, I would venture to guess that Hockey isn't far behind if behind at all when compared to baseball and basketball for your question of the "Big 3"

Football is pretty much only an America sport.

BTW, the answer is still hockey.

BTW, this entire post is asshattery.

[Lathum]

BTW, this entire post is asshattery.

what can we say, hockey should have been an option

[OldGiants]

That's what I was saying last night, MP. There can be no Bullet Bob Hayes or Michael Lewis in baseball, but hell if they can run fast, line 'em up and have them play throw and catch.

Yeah, all you get is Bullet Bob Feller.

[OldGiants]

Ted Williams hit a baseball as well as any one and he insisted it was the hardest thing he ever did including knocking Commies out of the air with a jet fighter.

[astrosfan64]

BTW, this entire post is asshattery.

Really?

Sport
2002 Estimates of Participants Worldwide
Number of Affiliated National Federations

Volleyball
998 Million


Basketball
400 Million


Table Tennis
300 Million


Soccer
242 Million


Badminton
200 Million


Tennis
60 Million


Baseball
60 Million


Dragon Boat Racing
50 Million


Team Handball
18 Million


Hockey
3 million


Judo
2.5 Million


Rugby
2 Million


Cycling
600,000


American Football didn't even make the list.

[rkmsuf]

Yeah Dragon Boat racing rules.

[KWhit]

Pocket pool didn't make the list either, but I bet it's played more often than anything.

[Dr. Sak]

Nascar...it is hard making all those left turns

[MizzouRah]

1. Hockey.

2. Baseball.

3. Basketball.

4. Soccer.

5 Football.

I would agree that hockey is #1.

[MikeVic]

Yeah Dragon Boat racing rules.

I had one practice for this... and I agree, it was fun.

[korme]

Really?

Sport
2002 Estimates of Participants Worldwide
Number of Affiliated National Federations

Volleyball
998 Million


Basketball
400 Million


Table Tennis
300 Million


Soccer
242 Million


Badminton
200 Million


Tennis
60 Million


Baseball
60 Million


Dragon Boat Racing
50 Million


Team Handball
18 Million


Hockey
3 million


Judo
2.5 Million


Rugby
2 Million


Cycling
600,000


American Football didn't even make the list.



Who gives a flying fuck about participation worldwide when I clearly narrowed it down to the 3 most popular professional US sports? You're arguing semantics and clearly being an assclown.

This is like if you made a poll stating which was better, chicken strips or buffalo wings and I kept posting that I enjoy baby back ribs much more.

[Lathum]

Who gives a flying fuck about participation worldwide when I clearly narrowed it down to the 3 most popular professional US sports? You're arguing semantics and clearly being an assclown.

This is like if you made a poll stating which was better, chicken strips or buffalo wings and I kept posting that I enjoy baby back ribs much more.

is hockey an option yet?

[Travis]

I might start another thread as it looks like this one is spiraling in a direction it wasn't supposed to, but I'm genuinely interested as to the reasoning so many people have said hockey. Even had it been included in the poll, I'd say baseball should beat it hands down, but around here, we're pretty much skating a few days after we start walking. Guess my main interest is if it's the skating aspect that's ramping it up the list or certain other related skills that people think are more difficult.

[Lathum]

I might start another thread as it looks like this one is spiraling in a direction it wasn't supposed to, but I'm genuinely interested as to the reasoning so many people have said hockey. Even had it been included in the poll, I'd say baseball should beat it hands down, but around here, we're pretty much skating a few days after we start walking. Guess my main interest is if it's the skating aspect that's ramping it up the list or certain other related skills that people think are more difficult.

It's the fact that it requires alot of skills.

Strength, Stamina, Hand-Eye Coordination, to name a few. All the while doing it on ice and keeping your head on a swivel to try and avoid the 5 guys on the opposite team trying to kill you.

[Travis]

It's the fact that it requires alot of skills.

Strength, Stamina, Hand-Eye Coordination, to name a few. All the while doing it on ice and keeping your head on a swivel to try and avoid the 5 guys on the opposite team trying to kill you.

Aside from the skating aspect though, what's there really makes it that much different from football though? If we're talking experienced players, very few of them *have* to look down to the puck all that often and have a pretty good feel for the regular flow of the game so know what situation will tend to result in higher risk probability (as an example, suicide passes, working for both hockey and football). Biggest difference I can see is the added element of shot blocking (or flat out getting hit by a puck while not expecting it), but I'd much rather block a slap shot with hockey padding than taking a fastball to the ribs. That of course is countered by the lack of away from the play contact that occurs in football, but again, it just surprised me that so many felt so strongly that it's so much harder than the others.

[Toddzilla]

Depends on what you mean "play"

If you mean - Whats the hardest game to get a random group of people together and play a game? That's Hockey, hands down.

If you mean - What is the hardest game to play at the highest professional level? That is Baseball, by a mile.