The Most Impressive, Well-Rounded Athletes?

Off Topic
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[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:

[quote]Nards wrote:
Indeed. It’s actually in their taps there, like the kitchen faucet. They just call it water now, so they’re not even aware that when we say they drink Fosters that they do. If an Australian sees water coming out of a tap anywhere else on earth they ask why the water is so clear.

Also, no matter what size knife you pull out, and Australian can automatically pull one out that’s bigger. Even women and children. And even if they weren’t carrying one when you pulled out yours. They don’t even know how it happens either…it’s like some sort of magic.[/quote]

It’s very difficult to dislike Aussies, I mean they’ve brought so many good things to the world - tacos, vodka, and the band “Tatu”, just to name a few![/quote]

Mad Max and The Road Warrior!

162

[quote]02Thief wrote:
Wallabies all the way mate. All blacks are pussies.

There’s an outback steakhouse near where I live. Nowhere near the outback. Those bastards

[/quote]
Lol All Blacks have beaten the Wallabies 9 out of the last 10 matches played between them… and the tenth was a draw. Clearly the World’s best team, 2011 World Cup champions.

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[quote]02Thief wrote:

[quote]mbdix wrote:

[quote]Nards wrote:

[quote]mbdix wrote:
I completely forgot about crossfit athletes.
[/quote]

And rightfully so.[/quote]

LOL[/quote]

To be fair, the very top crossfitters are staggeringly fit. Unfortunately, the lower 99.999% contain some of the biggest douchebags on the planet
[/quote]

Yep…that’s why Crossfitters would lose. A good athlete, to be successful, needs panache. Crossfitters lack that.

164

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:
Don’t they have some sort of software that you can input numbers and does a large number to trials to see who comes out on top? Deadlist Warrior anyone…

I think there is and isn’t a overall perfect athlete. Each lack a certain skill or strength that will only make him or her great for their respected sport. MJ one of the most regarded baseball players tried to play baseball and how long did that last? The sports that transfer over the best to others is hockey and baseball. Most sports have a object manipulation (bat and stick).

Not saying basketball has it place because it really does. Mostt think because they have amazing verts that they are awesome athletes, most of these guys jump 12-16" and slam dunk. Doesn’t Yao Ming have to jump like 6" or less? However, their VO2max must be very impressive for massive guys like themselves. More so, once someone has to jump 40+" to slam dunk then I’ll be impressed.

If we are stating a survival situation I think the answer would be different and interesting to say the least.[/quote]

This was so off base it made my head hurt. You really just threw baseball players in the mix. They are by and large the least athletic professional athletes. And, Jordan switched and played a sport he hasn’t since midway through high school. And, despite his less than stellar batting average, people forget that it was drastically improving the last few months. Not saying he would’ve been Don Mattingly, but he was definitely showing signs of improvement.

165

[quote]02Thief wrote:

[quote]mbdix wrote:

[quote]02Thief wrote:
What about pro rugby players? I don’t have much exposure to NFL here (although I do enjoy it, need to find a team to support), these guys are around 100kg, are on the move for 80 solid minutes a game, sprinting and tackling, take and give some massive hits and keep going[/quote]

If you are looking for a team to support, come on over to the Dallas Cowboys. We will welcome you with a hand shake and a Fosters
[/quote]

LOL! No one in Australia drinks Fosters.

/ticks Dallas off the list[/quote]

Come to DC and catch a Skins game and we can polish off a few VB’s.

166

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:
The sports that transfer over the best to others is hockey and baseball. Most sports have a object manipulation (bat and stick).

[/quote]

You really just threw baseball players in the mix…[/quote]

…on the standpoint that baseball transfers to other sports because many sports use some form of object manipulation ie a bat, stick, racket, club, paddle, etc. What I said and never said baseball players are the best well-rounded athletes.

167

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:
The sports that transfer over the best to others is hockey and baseball. Most sports have a object manipulation (bat and stick).

[/quote]

You really just threw baseball players in the mix…[/quote]

…on the standpoint that baseball transfers to other sports because many sports use some form of object manipulation ie a bat, stick, racket, club, paddle, etc. What I said and never said baseball players are the best well-rounded athletes.[/quote]

And every other sport that uses a paddle (or whatever) requires the player to move while using it. In baseball, you stand still. The dynamics are completely different and there’s basically zero carryover. Hell, most baseball players don’t golf (at least in-season) 'cause the swing mechanics are completely different and it could throw off their bat game.

168

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:
The sports that transfer over the best to others is hockey and baseball. Most sports have a object manipulation (bat and stick).

[/quote]

You really just threw baseball players in the mix…[/quote]

…on the standpoint that baseball transfers to other sports because many sports use some form of object manipulation ie a bat, stick, racket, club, paddle, etc. What I said and never said baseball players are the best well-rounded athletes.[/quote]

And every other sport that uses a paddle (or whatever) requires the player to move while using it. In baseball, you stand still. The dynamics are completely different and there’s basically zero carryover. Hell, most baseball players don’t golf (at least in-season) 'cause the swing mechanics are completely different and it could throw off their bat game.[/quote]

I’ve played baseball myself and had little to no trouble picking up other racket sports that required me to move and my golf swing was just fine (was no Tiger Woods). On a professional standpoint yes, I agree with your last statement but if MJ played a sport other than basketball but one that used a object to hit another object (or what have you) do you think he would have done better at baseball quicker than he did coming from basketball?

Not trying to argue I hope we both are just having a friendly debate.

169

^ in theory, maybe, but the math doesn’t always add up like that.

And, me either dude. We’re just shootin’ the breeze. I enjoy having debates like these 'cause none of my real life buddies know shit about sports.

170

Also, I don’t think many sports actually PRODUCE these athletes. Generally, athletes are drawn to whichever sport suits their natural physical attributes the best. The training just enhances what is already there.

Most well rounded athlete would obvi be decathletes.

171

The “best well-rounded athlete” is a nonsensical term. Athletics is, by definition, sport/task specific. You can’t have the best at generally at specific tasks. Athletics can only be defined by specifics. What you generally get are people like crossfitters that, without specification, are some of the worst athletes out there (not considering crossfit a sport).

That said, I’ve read pole vaulters tend to be capable of many sports traits. Agility, dexterity, strength, explosiveness, est.

However, in my opinion, because athletics really means excelling at specialization, I think football is some of the best, because the specifics of each position are so different.

172

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
The “best well-rounded athlete” is a nonsensical term. Athletics is, by definition, sport/task specific. You can’t have the best at generally at specific tasks. Athletics can only be defined by specifics. What you generally get are people like crossfitters that, without specification, are some of the worst athletes out there (not considering crossfit a sport).

That said, I’ve read pole vaulters tend to be capable of many sports traits. Agility, dexterity, strength, explosiveness, est.

However, in my opinion, because athletics really means excelling at specialization, I think football is some of the best, because the specifics of each position are so different.[/quote]

I’m afraid I don’t follow. I’m talking purely about physical traits like endurance, power, strength, agility. All of which are quantifiable and objective - a definite answer exists. I really don’t understand how a great variation in specifics of each position mean the athletes of that sport are superior.

173

[quote]gregron wrote:

Most well rounded athlete would obvi be decathletes. [/quote]

I tossed this out a few pages back, but no one was havin’ it.

175

[quote]batman730 wrote:

[quote]gregron wrote:

Most well rounded athlete would obvi be decathletes. [/quote]

I tossed this out a few pages back, but no one was havin’ it.[/quote]

It’s not a good submission. There’s little hand-eye aspect to the decathlon. Don’t get me wrong, a great decathlete is a great athlete. I believe
Trey Hardy could have played in the NFL or MLB but I’d be more comfortable with that opinion if the decathlon ‘proved’ a little hand eye coordination.

176

[quote]on edge wrote:

[quote]batman730 wrote:

[quote]gregron wrote:

Most well rounded athlete would obvi be decathletes. [/quote]

I tossed this out a few pages back, but no one was havin’ it.[/quote]

It’s not a good submission. There’s little hand-eye aspect to the decathlon. Don’t get me wrong, a great decathlete is a great athlete. I believe
Trey Hardy could have played in the NFL or MLB but I’d be more comfortable with that opinion if the decathlon ‘proved’ a little hand eye coordination.[/quote]

Fair enough, although javelin and pole vault both require significant coordination, if not classic hand-eye. Also one could counter that the NFL requires no significant aerobic performance, gymnastics requires no running of any kind etc, etc.

My point is that every sport is light on one element or another.

edited

177

Gymnastics. Hands down. I would be willing to bet that there are few athletes in any sport who are as strong, pound for pound, as a top-notch gymnast.

Basketball players? C’mon. Gymnasts are more agile, more flexible, exhibit a FAR superior level of body control through complex movements, they’re strong as shit and probably a lot stronger than most basketball players (although the mechanical lever disadvantage that comes with being really tall certainly hinders their strength in lifts like the squat and any sort of pressing motion.)

They’re also fast and I’d be willing to bet the majority of them are extremely fast sprinters. You don’t develop that much fast-twitch muscle fiber and not end up being pretty fast as well. Plus, they practice sprinting since generating high speeds in a short time is crucial to the floor routine and the vault.

The rings and pummel horse are a perfect example of their superior strength and agility. The vault and the uneven bars display their unparalleled agility and body control. Speed and jumping ability is fully on display in the floor routine and the vault.

178

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:

[quote]Fuzzyapple.Train wrote:
Don’t they have some sort of software that you can input numbers and does a large number to trials to see who comes out on top? Deadlist Warrior anyone…

I think there is and isn’t a overall perfect athlete. Each lack a certain skill or strength that will only make him or her great for their respected sport. MJ one of the most regarded baseball players tried to play baseball and how long did that last? The sports that transfer over the best to others is hockey and baseball. Most sports have a object manipulation (bat and stick).

Not saying basketball has it place because it really does. Mostt think because they have amazing verts that they are awesome athletes, most of these guys jump 12-16" and slam dunk. Doesn’t Yao Ming have to jump like 6" or less? However, their VO2max must be very impressive for massive guys like themselves. More so, once someone has to jump 40+" to slam dunk then I’ll be impressed.

If we are stating a survival situation I think the answer would be different and interesting to say the least.[/quote]

This was so off base it made my head hurt. You really just threw baseball players in the mix. They are by and large the least athletic professional athletes. And, Jordan switched and played a sport he hasn’t since midway through high school. And, despite his less than stellar batting average, people forget that it was drastically improving the last few months. Not saying he would’ve been Don Mattingly, but he was definitely showing signs of improvement.[/quote]

As a whole, I would say that baseball players are about average athletes compared to other major sports. HOWEVER, the pitching motion is quite possibly the hardest single movement in athletics to perfect. The fact is, most pitchers NEVER perfect it. The only ones who do are those who consistently throw strikes with impeccable control and never get injured. The absolute minutiae involved in the motion that can lead to injury is mind-boggling, and the tiny little things that can go wrong and force a pitch a foot out of the strike zone is equally staggering. On top of all that, the margin of error is infinitesimal. They say the game is a game of inches, but when it comes to pitching it’s more like a game of millimeters.

A quarter of an inch difference in location is the difference between a fly ball out and a 400’ home run.

Also, the game itself is BY FAR the hardest to master. Look at the age of a typical rookie in the majors. It’s about 23 or 24 and virtually NO ONE comes out of college good enough to go straight to the majors. It takes longer for players to reach the majors than it does for players to reach the NBA or the NFL as a direct result of how hard it is to play the game at the highest level. Football and basketball on the other hand are much easier to master at the highest level, or overcome with pure athletic talent. Pure athletic talent in baseball doesn’t mean shit, or else we’d see more guys like Mike Trout come in and dominate the game before they turn 21.

179

[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Gymnastics. Hands down. I would be willing to bet that there are few athletes in any sport who are as strong, pound for pound, as a top-notch gymnast.

Basketball players? C’mon. Gymnasts are more agile, more flexible, exhibit a FAR superior level of body control through complex movements, they’re strong as shit and probably a lot stronger than most basketball players (although the mechanical lever disadvantage that comes with being really tall certainly hinders their strength in lifts like the squat and any sort of pressing motion.)

They’re also fast and I’d be willing to bet the majority of them are extremely fast sprinters. You don’t develop that much fast-twitch muscle fiber and not end up being pretty fast as well. Plus, they practice sprinting since generating high speeds in a short time is crucial to the floor routine and the vault.

The rings and pummel horse are a perfect example of their superior strength and agility. The vault and the uneven bars display their unparalleled agility and body control. Speed and jumping ability is fully on display in the floor routine and the vault.[/quote]

Good points and all, but there’s still that “judging” factor going on. (ie. the very same thing that makes BB a non-sport)

180

[quote]chillain wrote:

[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Gymnastics. Hands down. I would be willing to bet that there are few athletes in any sport who are as strong, pound for pound, as a top-notch gymnast.

Basketball players? C’mon. Gymnasts are more agile, more flexible, exhibit a FAR superior level of body control through complex movements, they’re strong as shit and probably a lot stronger than most basketball players (although the mechanical lever disadvantage that comes with being really tall certainly hinders their strength in lifts like the squat and any sort of pressing motion.)

They’re also fast and I’d be willing to bet the majority of them are extremely fast sprinters. You don’t develop that much fast-twitch muscle fiber and not end up being pretty fast as well. Plus, they practice sprinting since generating high speeds in a short time is crucial to the floor routine and the vault.

The rings and pummel horse are a perfect example of their superior strength and agility. The vault and the uneven bars display their unparalleled agility and body control. Speed and jumping ability is fully on display in the floor routine and the vault.[/quote]

Good points and all, but there’s still that “judging” factor going on. (ie. the very same thing that makes BB a non-sport)
[/quote]

Unless they eat shit, even the lowest scoring gymnast in an international contest is a superior athlete to the best basketball players.

Who cares about the judging? Hell, what do you think an umpire calling balls and strikes is doing? Or a football referee calling/not calling pass interference or taking a look at a reviewable call? Or any fighting sport that ends in anything other than a KO or TKO?