Wolverine Studios

[SteveBsFan]

Over time any human will eventually be able to hit even the best pitcher's pitch at least once. Most people will go their whole lives not even coming close to dunking.


Now hockey. Here's a "sport" created for the kids who can't quite fight so they can't do boxing or MMA and they aren't athletic enough to play any of the other sports so wealthy parents buy them equipment that most can't afford and send them out on the ice to stand with the other non-athletes with athletic dreams.

Well you knew I was going to quote on this

I completely disagree about hockey players not being athletic. They have to be extremely strong (maybe not LB strong, but definitely stronger than CB's, WR's, TE's), have to have the endurance to skate as hard as they can the entire time they're on the ice (which by the end of the game extremely drains you), have the agility to stop and turn on a dime, and go full speed in the other direction all while being on thin blades, and have the dexterity to not only handle a tiny puck, but handle it using a stick.

The closest comparison are football players, but some don't have to be agile at all (QB's, some linemen), some don't have to be very strong (although it does help), some don't need dexterity at all (again, linemen especially), and they really don't need a ton of endurance. Both hockey and football players sit on the bench a lot, but football players when not on the bench don't have to go full speed the entire time, only in spurts.

Basketball players? Eh, pretty athletic but I wouldn't put them up there with hockey or football just because they can jump high And baseball, certainly not as athletic.

And honestly, scoring in hockey isn't a whole lot different than football or baseball. If hockey players made goals count as 7, and put in some gimmick that allows a team a cheap 3 points for failing to score, you would probably see scores closer to football.

[JesterBlaze]

I completely disagree about hockey players not being athletic. They have to be extremely strong (maybe not LB strong, but definitely stronger than CB's, WR's, TE's), have to have the endurance to skate as hard as they can the entire time they're on the ice (which by the end of the game extremely drains you), have the agility to stop and turn on a dime, and go full speed in the other direction all while being on thin blades, and have the dexterity to not only handle a tiny puck, but handle it using a stick.

Little exaggeration?

In the world of pro sports hockey players are average strength, with some high and low exceptions. Certainly some NFL WRs and TEs are stronger than some hockey players. Even some NBA players are stronger than NHL I'd have to think.

No human can go as hard as he/she can for the length of time hockey players are on the ice. They no doubt exert themselves but no more than the NBA player who's truly playing defense and trying to get in position at every moment or the soccer player or boxer or MMA fighter. Certainly the hockey pads add weight to bear but bring out no more athleticism than hiking gear does a hiker.

And hockey players, due to the skates, do anything but stop on a dime. Have you seen the width of a dime? Going full speed I don't see a hockey player reversing direction in any less than 3 feet and their first few skating steps in the other direction are anything but top speed. Barry Sanders... that's stopping on a dime.

They are good on skates and with their sticks and pucks but that's not being athletic to me, that's using human tools. No different than Nascar racers or jugglers who are also not athletic based on these feats alone.

Basketball players? Eh, pretty athletic but I wouldn't put them up there with hockey or football just because they can jump high

Of course it's my opinion but I believe jumping high might be the single most important ability in being "athletic". When I think of athletic I think of someone who, through the use of their own strength, speed, agility, hand/eye focus, etc., can overcome most physical impositions thrown their way. Running, jumping, swimming, evading, aiming and throwing any size/shape object come to mind. Certainly maneuvering over slipper surfaces like ice can be an athletic contest but not with tools (skates) designed and attached to the human body.


On this same note I'm waiting non-expectantly to someday meet the true hunter and definitely a true athlete: a human who walks barehanded into the hunting grounds and walks out with big game.

[Coder]

Jester.. lace up in a pair of skates lately? Do you realize what goes into skating full power? Do you realize what goes into taking a hit from someone who's skating straight into you and still stand up?

I know you're kind of just messing around, like I was with calling basketball-players sissies, but you have to be extremely fit and well trained to play hockey at the elite level.

The eye-hand coordination of deking past a full defense while still balancing on your skates going at high speed describes exactly what you're defining as athletic.

"..through the use of their own strength, speed, agility, hand/eye focus"... all those attributes are there.. I thought you watched the video of Ovechkin ;-)

[JesterBlaze]

Jester.. lace up in a pair of skates lately? Do you realize what goes into skating full power? Do you realize what goes into taking a hit from someone who's skating straight into you and still stand up?

I know you're kind of just messing around, like I was with calling basketball-players sissies, but you have to be extremely fit and well trained to play hockey at the elite level.

I'll agree with what you wrote 100%. I know a lot "goes into it". I just don't think that "lot" is "athletic". A lot goes into becoming a doctor or lawyer but it doesn't make them athletic.

I certainly have respect for any man who can "take a hit" however again, it doesn't make said man any more athletic than before he was struck.

And I'm not trying to piss any hockey fans off. I have absolutely no doubt that the NHL has it's share of athletes.

The eye-hand coordination of deking past a full defense while still balancing on your skates going at high speed describes exactly what you're defining as athletic.

"..through the use of their own strength, speed, agility, hand/eye focus"... all those attributes are there.. I thought you watched the video of Ovechkin ;-)

The big difference with hockey is they're not simply using the human attributes that I spoke of. They're also using tools fitted specifically to them. Carpenters, plumbers... these are also not athletes though very good with their specific tools. Roller bladers, iceskaters, skateboarders... also not athletes IMO.

Athletes to me can play any sport or activity. In my lifetime hockey players, for the most part and of course not all, can play hockey and not much else. Basketball, baseball, football, soccer... these always had faces spanning multiple sports in my experience.

Training in anything goes directly against being athletic to me. Athletic means you can probably "just do it naturally". Training over and over is actually you going against your nature to not be athletic in an attempt to change what can't be changed. A hockey player isn't athletic because of what he does on the ice. He's athletic because of what he can do - at first try - in other physical arenas. The basketball player is similarly athletic for what he can do - at first try - off the basketball court but still in the physical competition area.

Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson... Athletes no doubt! And Sanders spawned from "nerd background" that crazy bastard!


To show that I'm not an NBA fanboy it works both ways: Shawn Bradley, Yao Ming... not athletes. I don't have to do anything other than look at their toothpick frames. But Spud Webb.... probably an athlete without knowing anything other than the fact that he was a midget who could dunk.

[SteveBsFan]

Of course it's my opinion but I believe jumping high might be the single most important ability in being "athletic".

I just can't see this girl

being more athletic than


But, I guess it's how you really define athletic.

To me, jumping is definitely athletic, but it's far from the most important ability.

[tarcone]

I know which one I would jump. And its not the one holding the cup.

[Chris Rex]

I know which one I would jump. And its not the one holding the cup.

Sure it's not...

:dancing:

[JesterBlaze]

I just can't see this girl

being more athletic than


But, I guess it's how you really define athletic.

To me, jumping is definitely athletic, but it's far from the most important ability.

The girl is jumping over a bar at least 16 inches high by the picture and most likely a lot higher.

The guy is holding a trophy. My desk can hold a trophy.

I guess you define athletic as half naked guys.