Consigliere Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Just now, Tywin et al. said: Yeah, that’s right (said jokingly). Look, I was a talented multi-sport athlete back in my day (so like a decade ago), and I’m pretty sure I would have been good at cricket if it’s something I wanted to play. But it just looks so boring, and the only sport worth playing for seven hours is skiing and snowboarding. From the American perspect, cricket is an even more boring version of baseball. I'm not going to piss on anyone for finding a sport boring - I myself find American Football and Baseball to be tedious as fuck. I used to enjoy Basketball in my teenage years though. However, it comes across as quite disrespectful (arrogant even) to denigrate a sport just because it isn't popular in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 9 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said: Slow down there. Luka is a nice young player, but this is too much. Giannis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 I will say that when I spent a semester in the UK 10 years ago, almost every guy at the university was obsessed with American Football. The bars on campus would still be packed at 2am Monday mornings for the late Sunday games. Not sure if that's changed or if its just a phase they go through while at uni. They did think baseball was nonsense though, always comparing it to rounders. Not sure I ever heard an opinion on basketball. But baseball and basketball definitely have large, and growing, appeal outside of the US; just not in every country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywin et al. Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 18 minutes ago, dooog said: Lionel Messi. The greatest ever footballer in the most played, most popular sport in the world and playing in the most competitive era of sport. But if we're going for great athletes who are great and could excel at other sports it's a pie in the sky argument. Roger Federer was apparently a good footballer before committing to tennis. LeBron is a freak athlete who is probably annoyingly naturally good at any sport he puts his hand to. Bo Jackson was the same. There's dozens of others you could name. I lived in Argentina in 2010 during the World Cup, and hence love all things about Messi, but you cannot say he’s even the best in his sports history. Bo Jackson is the hardest person to place IMO because Bo was the most freakish athlete I’ve ever heard of, but his career was so short, and it was so short because he was so powerful that he literally injured himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartofice Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, Fez said: I will say that when I spent a semester in the UK 10 years ago, almost every guy at the university was obsessed with American Football. The bars on campus would still be packed at 2am Monday mornings for the late Sunday games. Not sure if that's changed or if its just a phase they go through while at uni. They did think baseball was nonsense though, always comparing it to rounders. Not sure I ever heard an opinion on basketball. But baseball and basketball definitely have large, and growing, appeal outside of the US; just not in every country. Of all the US sports "Football" is probably the most popular in the UK. It used to be shown on TV for a bit and it was certainly quite popular when I was growing up. We get teams coming and playing over here occasionally and it causes a bit of interest too. Its still pretty much a minority sport though. 2 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said: I lived in Argentina in 2010 during the World Cup, and hence love all things about Messi, but you cannot say he’s even the best in his sports history. I'd say Ronaldo and Messi have been so utterly dominant in Football for so long now its hard to say that there have ever been better players. I know its an argument that comes up a lot, but I'd say Messi was the GOAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said: I lived in Argentina in 2010 during the World Cup, and hence love all things about Messi, but you cannot say he’s even the best in his sports history. Also this is meant to be about greatest athlete. He is freakishly talented but he's not a particularly great athlete. Ronaldo is clearly superior in that regard. I'd say he is the greatest footballer, but even if he is it's close (Maradona, Pele, Ronaldo all have a shout). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywin et al. Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 33 minutes ago, Consigliere said: I'm not going to piss on anyone for finding a sport boring - I myself find American Football and Baseball to be tedious as fuck. I used to enjoy Basketball in my teenage years though. However, it comes across as quite disrespectful (arrogant even) to denigrate a sport just because it isn't popular in the US. First, isn’t half the fun of the World Cup to jokingly give crap to people from other countries? Second, I think you have to enjoy American football from a young age to really like it. It’s biggest problem is that there’s only about 11 minutes of real action over the course of 3 plus hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philokles Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Bradman or Ali depending on the criteria. If you are interested in multi-sport athletes from the turnnof the 20th century, CB Fry deserves some recognition. 15 year test cricket career for England, also played football for England and in an FA Cup final, held the long jump world record and offered the throne of Albania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 3 hours ago, Maithanet said: I really do think that you are selling short the skill, athletic IQ and body control of elite basketball players. The difficulty of basketball is in every way comparable to those sports you listed. Maybe there are a few exceptions where raw size and power allows you to dominate (looking at you here Shaq), but Lebron is not that. I don't disagree. My point is that skill at basketball doesn't necessarily or even probably translate to a high skill level in another sport. What we know is Lebron's transferable attribute is his size and athleticism, that's not sufficient to even be a good player, let alone great in soccer or baseball and doesn't really matter at all in golf. 3 hours ago, The Marquis de Leech said: Sticky wickets are a thing of the past - so, yes, I'd think Bradman would do significantly better in modern conditions. In fairness the counter argument is that, although conditions around batting were tougher, bowling, with improvements in fitness and access to better analysis tools, has probably got better. Although, again unusually for most sports, I'd say it hasn't really been on an consistent upward trend; I'd say bowling standards probably peaked in the '90s and, as players focus less on the longer form of the game, has declined since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 34 minutes ago, Philokles said: Bradman or Ali depending on the criteria. If you are interested in multi-sport athletes from the turnnof the 20th century, CB Fry deserves some recognition. 15 year test cricket career for England, also played football for England and in an FA Cup final, held the long jump world record and offered the throne of Albania. We have a winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 35 minutes ago, Philokles said: Double post. Also not mentioned are any winter sports. Marit Bjoergen has more than twice the wins as her nearest competitor in XC skiing. And holds record for Olympic medals. Shiffrin will also be in the conversation by the time she retires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooog Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 28 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said: I lived in Argentina in 2010 during the World Cup, and hence love all things about Messi, but you cannot say he’s even the best in his sports history. Compared to the all-time greats: Pele never tested himself in Europe. Maradona was probably just as talented but being a bit of a psycho didn't have Messi's temperament and cut his career short in his early 30s. Cruyff was incredible but not on Messi's level, he was also a chainsmoker. Best didn't have the longevity. Also, the overall professionalism, skill and fitness levels of footballers (and all sports athletes) today has never been higher. There's no doubt in my mind he's head and shoulders above the other greats of the modern era such as Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronn Stone Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 21 minutes ago, ljkeane said: I don't disagree. My point is that skill at basketball doesn't necessarily or even probably translate to a high skill level in another sport. What we know is Lebron's transferable attribute is his size and athleticism, that's not sufficient to even be a good player, let alone great in soccer or baseball and doesn't really matter at all in golf. I think that had he grown up in a country that focused on soccer, LeBron James might well have become an outstanding goalkeeper. Quick reflexes, incredible arm length and almost two meters tall. Lastly one attribute that LeBron has that translates to every sport, is an amazing work ethic. He won't be out trained by anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Just now, Bronn Stone said: I think that had he grown up in a country that focused on soccer, LeBron James might well have become an outstanding goalkeeper. Quick reflexes, incredible arm length and almost two meters tall. Most goalkeepers aren't 6'8" for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronn Stone Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 1 minute ago, BigFatCoward said: Most goalkeepers aren't 6'8" for a reason. One of those main reasons being that there are a shortage of 6' 8" people with LeBron's athleticism. He's quicker than most NBA-caliber players 8" shorter than he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 1 minute ago, Bronn Stone said: One of those main reasons being that there are a shortage of 6' 8" people with LeBron's athleticism. He's quicker than most NBA-caliber players 8" shorter than he is. Big goalkeepers can't get down. The goal is only 8ft high. You don't need to be freakishly tall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronn Stone Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Just now, BigFatCoward said: Big goalkeepers generally aren't athletic enough to can't get down. The goal is only 8ft high. You don't need to be freakishly tall. Fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 15 minutes ago, Bronn Stone said: Fixed. You think you did. But you didn't. Why do you all think the most 'athletic' people on earth are in a country with 1/20 of the worlds population? You think we don't have tall athletes in the rest of the world, and they haven't tried playing football? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Greenleif Stark Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Drew Brees..... future HoF QB, letterman in 3 sports in HS, and tennis wasn't one of them, beat Andy Roddick a few times when they were young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronn Stone Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 3 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said: You think you did. But you didn't. Why do you all think the most 'athletic' people on earth are in a country with 1/20 of the worlds population? You think we don't have tall athletes in the rest of the world, and they haven't tried playing football? I'm sure you are right. You clearly know everything. A century of dominating Olympics in a fashion disproportional to population was just a blip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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