Rugby are you kidding? The only reason people call it tough is because your allowed to bite ears and squeeze someones balls ala Reggie Evans style without a penalty. Football players are the cream of the crop, no doubt nor question about that.
[quote]jre67t wrote:
Rugby are you kidding? The only reason people call it tough is because your allowed to bite ears and squeeze someones balls ala Reggie Evans style without a penalty. Football players are the cream of the crop, no doubt nor question about that. [/quote]
Uh oh, here come the international folk with their “NFL is for pussies” and whatnot…
There is a trend towards smaller and faster LB’s all across American FB right now, but I would guess the average NFL LB is still somewhere between 6’1" - 6’3" and 230-250 lbs with a 4.55-4.65 40 and an unrivaled first step that would make you brake your ankles.
i think a “winner” of this argument is non-existent. each sport is going to have its fair share of beasts and phenomenal specimens, but there isnt a single arena in which all the various sport’s top studs can enter and duke it out to claim fame to “world’s best athletes”. all that to say, every sport will have unbelievable talent, choosing a single category to call best is tough, dare i say impossible. oh yea, im the best athlete
Are you serious as fast and stronger than any football player out there, most rugby players? What are you saying. Good athletes yes, but to insipidly say they are better than most NFL linebackers, dude what are you like 13 and swole? If that where the case there would be alot of australian middle linebackers playing for the NFL.
Yeah thats the reason we see alot of converts from rugby to NFL middle linebackers, because they are faster and stronger…right. What insipid nation or backroad do you live on? Please dont say the US…Rugby players better and faster and lets not forget stronger than NFL LBs…maybe one or two…somebody wake me up
Way back in the day when they had the “Superstars” competition it seemed that Football players pretty much dominated. For example I think Lyn Swann won the thing 3 or 4 years in a row. Also soccer player Kyle Rote won it a few times as well.
Anyone remember, or have seen, that competition on TV?
I also remember Shot Putter Brian Oldfield (sp) beat big Lou Ferrigno in the weight lifting event. It was the overhead jerk press. I’m not sure, but I think Big Lou did something like 300lbs. and Oldfield beat him by 30 or 40 pounds.
Um no, Owens isn’t good enough to play in the NBA. He even said so himself. I remember reading an interview with him and he said if he was good enough to play basketball professionally, he would be doing that instead of football. He might dominate some scrub players in exhibition games or whatever, but he would get eaten alive in the pros.
He may be athletic, but I don’t think he can shoot that well, and when you are only 6’3 in the NBA, you better have an outside game as well. If he ever did make the pros, he would be just another guy off the bench, a roster filler.
[quote]Mufasa wrote:
I have to go with Football Players on this one (overall).
I put up a pic of T.O. because some think that he has exhibted the skills in BASKETBALL to probably start on any Division 1 team and probably make most Teams in the Pros.
Love 'em or hate 'em; he’s an amazing athlete.
Mufasa[/quote]
what about boxers and mma fighters. those guys are for the most part, ridiculousy coordinated, strong, fast and have the mental toughness.
for the person that said golf, i think you need to have another puff and sit back down. fat guys play golf. and they drive around in little cars because they cant walk between the holes. that’s like saying billiards and darts and poker have the best athletes.
[quote]baretta wrote:
for the person that said golf, i think you need to have another puff and sit back down. fat guys play golf. and they drive around in little cars because they cant walk between the holes. that’s like saying billiards and darts and poker have the best athletes.[/quote]
I thought it would be apparent that I wasn’t serious. Since evidently it isn’t; I wasn’t serious about the golfers.
Lotta respect for basketball players as pure athletes, but I would have to go with football players.
Reason being, they use all parts of their body. Having good upper body strength in hoops is a good advantage - in football, it is a necessity.
Anyone who has spent time blocking and tackling knows that you must generate force with nearly every square inch of your body, not just an isolated area. If you are weak in the upper body, you will get exposed. If you are weak in the lower body, you will get exposed. If you are slow, you will get exposed. If you have poor conditioning, you will get exposed.
Power, strength, endurance - asked of all parts of your body.
That being said, some of the most amazing athletes around are hoopsters - but on the overall, I’d give the edge to football players (and I’d throw in ruggers).
[quote]baretta wrote:
what about boxers and mma fighters. those guys are for the most part, ridiculousy coordinated, strong, fast and have the mental toughness.
for the person that said golf, i think you need to have another puff and sit back down. fat guys play golf. and they drive around in little cars because they cant walk between the holes. that’s like saying billiards and darts and poker have the best athletes.[/quote]
Don’t forget Bowling.
I would go with football players as the best athletes. When I think back to my high school days (which weren’t long ago), all of the best athletes who excelled in other sports also played football. Even the ones that were great high school football players and considered “freaks” barely made the college teams and definitely did not start.
However, if the sport continues to grow at its current pace, then in 20-30 years we’ll find that MMA fighters are the best athletes in the world.
[quote]ZEB wrote:
Way back in the day when they had the “Superstars” competition it seemed that Football players pretty much dominated. For example I think Lyn Swann won the thing 3 or 4 years in a row. Also soccer player Kyle Rote won it a few times as well.
Anyone remember, or have seen, that competition on TV?
I also remember Shot Putter Brian Oldfield (sp) beat big Lou Ferrigno in the weight lifting event. It was the overhead jerk press. I’m not sure, but I think Big Lou did something like 300lbs. and Oldfield beat him by 30 or 40 pounds.[/quote]
I remember this program, but the one that sticks out is when a baseball player won it…Kelly Gruber I believe
[quote]Mufasa wrote:
I have to go with Football Players on this one (overall).
I put up a pic of T.O. because some think that he has exhibted the skills in BASKETBALL to probably start on any Division 1 team and probably make most Teams in the Pros.
Love 'em or hate 'em; he’s an amazing athlete.
Mufasa[/quote]
This is off topic, but I had to say it. T.O. couldn’t make any pro team, let alone most and he probably wouldn’t start on most D1 teams.
He’s a great athlete, but he’s not a great basketball player.
Athleticism will get you a long way in basketball, but at some point you have to be a good basketball player.
I guess we all know this debate is impossible to conclude, BUT:
I am very biased for basketball, but there are some athletes that are just rediculous.
Dwayne Wade is a serious athlete, as is Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and I think a hockey player mentioned heart? Allen Iverson is all heart. I understand this doesn’t include everyone though. As far as strength goes, Shaq is beast, and Ben Wallace has a physique I am jelous of. Again, doesn’t pertain to everyone.
I am a bball player, but I love football players and how they train. I actually enjoy being a strong powerful bball player, because I can bust my way through the other weaker players.
Okay, okay! I GIVE!!!
My mistake! (dang!)
T.O. is a Wide Receiver…and that’s it! Sorry to offend the Basketball Gods!
Mufasa
[quote]Bullmoose wrote:
baretta wrote:
for the person that said golf, i think you need to have another puff and sit back down. fat guys play golf. and they drive around in little cars because they cant walk between the holes. that’s like saying billiards and darts and poker have the best athletes.
I thought it would be apparent that I wasn’t serious. Since evidently it isn’t; I wasn’t serious about the golfers.[/quote]
sorry…sometimes internet doesn’t translate
Even though I come from new zealand where the national sport is rugby, I would never say rugby. Many of the players are poor athletes. Conrad smith(All black, currently injured) for example last year benched 220lbs for the first time. Although I sometimes question the importance of strength as I know the british players far exceed New Zealand and South african players in strength from fitness test stats ive seen yet it doesnt show on the field. Back to the topic, most Nfl players could gain the endurance of a top rugby player in 8 weeks, yet it would take years for a rugby player to reach the speed and strength levels of a top football player. I would have to agree with others on wrestlers, oly lifters, football players, decathletes and gymnasts for all-round top five. Off topic but has anyone ever seen a marathon runner try to explode out of the blocks or perform a broad jump. I couldnt help laugh when a runner in my class today scored 1ft’3" on the broad jump.
[quote]baretta wrote:
what about boxers and mma fighters. those guys are for the most part, ridiculousy coordinated, strong, fast and have the mental toughness.
…[/quote]
I saw Mike Tyson shooting baskets once. He is a total spaz.
One of my college roommates was voted best boy athlete over Mike Tyson in highschool.