So, I'd like to pass this argument on to you from my friends and I... What exactly compromises an athlete, i.e. which sport takes the most athleticism, and what qualities does a good athlete have..? I for one think that an athlete should be a good mix of brain, speed, hops, and timing, as well as a little strength. I always say basketball is the sport that takes the most athletecism, others argue hockey, others football, others (me sometimes) rugby... Anyway, this should be a lively debate, hopefully we all just won't say basketball....
No I think its a debate, at least the ones I've been in with my friends has been a lively argument...about as debatable as Do You Believe in Monsters.
I'll take the bait... You have to participate in a sport to be an athlete. Golf is a game- you do not have to be an athlete to golf as a pro. Soccer is a sport- you have to be an athlete to participate as a pro. There is alot more to this of course, but thats as far as i'm going with this one.
In my opinion, anything that relies on subjective judging, like diving or ice skating, is not a sport. However, I wouldn't say divers and ice skaters are not athletes. There's also the looks vs. skills question: There are plenty of workout buffs who can preen around and look like studs, but many of them are definitely not athletes as they have no skills. Then there are people who are fat and thoroughly entrapped in middle age who still move with an underlying grace and athleticism and can display skills when needed (like, ummm, rimrocker).
If it can be played while drunk (i.e. golf, bowling, softball...) it is absolutely NOT a sport. Agree with rimrocker on the "subjective judging" qualification.
I think a strong case can be made that soccer players are the best athletes. The endurance plus quick burst requirements The coordination, balance, finesse, and plain leg strength The intelligence to "see" the field , see players cutting, set plays.. offside traps.. not to mention the game is 90 mins long!
I concurr with Soccer athletes being incredibly athletic... However, it's not just athletic ability, its intelligence...For example, Football, etc...
Without a doubt Soccer is the most demanding sport physically and mentally. This isn't meant to discount the intensity of other sports as they all have aspects that make them difficult in their own ways-- while also requiring their own unique athletic abilities. Taking a quick look at some of the more popular sports-- Football though the offense and defense only play about 13 actual minutes of a game, during that period they have to remember intricate plays while trying not to get crushed by 250 pound men running 4.5 40's. At times more of a coaches chess match than a sport. Is there any other sport that has so many coaches, coordinators, etc. etc.? All of which are linked by radio with on demand photos of the oppositions formations, plays, and line-ups. Overkill I think. Hockey pretty much a contant sprint with the hitting of football all while wearing thin metal blades on their feet-- they sub often, but its a tough exhausting sport. I think hockey like many sports today is losing finesse by bringing in larger and more powerful players. Basketball I feel is the closest to Soccer in terms of constant movement and excitement- but the frequent breaks for quarters and the abundance of timeouts take to much away from the game. It takes a special kind of body to make it in the NBA though--- unlike any other sport in that regard. Baseball I feel has lots of problems and could almost be considered a game more than a sport. Way to slow-- they have to speed up the games or baseball will continue to lose popularity. You definetly have to be an athlete to play pro ball though. Auto racing flat out insane and hard on the body (G's), but often boring to watch, but the drivers are without a doubt athletes. Tennis almost as physically demanding at times as Soccer (at least the mens game) with the mental aspects of golf all while in constant motion. A great sport with great athletes. Boxing-- as pure an athlete as can be really, fighting is an instintive part of being human-- though most fight promoter would qualify as non-human I believe.
I don't buy that soccer players are the best athletes. Partly because I have played soccer and, despite the excessive running, I didn't feel like it was that much more physically demanding than a hard game of basketball, for instance. Also, in soccer, while you don't totally neglect using your arms or hands for things, it is not so in depth as football/basketball/hockey, where you have to have some serious hand, feet and body coordination. Were you able to use your hands in soccer, I might feel differently.
if you are talking about just pure athleticism, and not skill, then imo it would be something like a decathlete. Every sport from golf to basketball to soccer mixs to varying degree of athleticism and ability to perform a skill. Track and field is probably the sport that is most dependent on athleticism because little skill is involved. And a decathlete probably displays the widest range of pure athleticism.
I think basketball and soccer cut it pretty close, but the amount of graceful jumping that needs to be done in basketball puts it higher in my mind than soccer. I take football out simply because all of the different positions, you could say some take much more atheltecism as a whole....
