Ultimate Sport? page 4

[wiltondeportes]

The problem is that you dismissed fighting sports first because you don’t like them, second because they’re not “realistic” as you can’t just start a fight because you can fight (in your world then, you can’t just start a pick up game because you can play the game? You need to be told when to do so?)

Now you’re saying that because you can get hit in lacrosse that somehow makes it superior to basketball.

All sports (ALL SPORTS) have varying degrees of difficulty, not all of them having to do with actual physical contact.

I never was big into tennis until I tried it and realized that it is MUCH more difficult than it seems. Now I can watch a match and be very into it and acknowledge when a player has done something that requires superior skill. I’ve never played golf in my life, but I don’t suppose getting a tiny ball into a far away hole in less than 4 tries is easy at all, yet you could still be far from an “athlete” physically and still compete at a high level…

I don’t think its possible to arrive at a conclusion for what the best game or sport is, even if you were to remove the “like” factor. Is it degree of difficulty, skill, athleticism, etc? there are many sports that require one but not the other.

I'm talking about something that requires the widest variety of attributes to be successful. Team strategy in fighting sports? Nonexistant unless you are in a war. I definitely favor team sports.

I've been in this argument with a friend of mine who thinks tennis is an incredible sport. I'm not denying its difficulty. I just think OVERALL, there's other sports that require more.

[iniQuity]

I'm talking about something that requires the widest variety of attributes to be successful. Team strategy in fighting sports? Nonexistant unless you are in a war. I definitely favor team sports.

I've been in this argument with a friend of mine who thinks tennis is an incredible sport. I'm not denying its difficulty. I just think OVERALL, there's other sports that require more.

You favor team sports, that’s cool. I’d argue that having to actively defend yourself against someone skilled in the art of ass-kicking requires a variety of attributes. Strength, agility, reflexes, flexibility, speed, accuracy, finesse, control, etc. Who cares about the team? Mano a mano, man.

I’m sure plenty of fighters would disagree that there’s no team element in fighting. Every time one of our muay thai guys would fight they’d come back and say they couldn’t have done it without the team, they always credited the team/gym as being an integral part in their development, especially their training of course. Sparring partners are team members, sure they don’t fight with you but does that necessarily mean you’re entirely on your own?

I’m playing devil’s advocate here, as I’ve no real preference between one on one sports and team sports. I love both and have done both. In my personal experience though fighting (muay thai specifically) was WAY more challenging than the team sport I did (soccer) and I was arguably better at soccer than I was at muaythai (judging by how often I got my ass spanked)

If we could outline some characteristics then we could start edging some sports out but I don’t know if we can agree in the end. Clearly our preferences are different and you won’t ever give fighting it’s due, so no point really.

[Coach Palfrey]

Yes, he does play a sport. He's a great athlete.

You do understand that he's a fighter, right?

And you're talking like someone who never achieved anything in sport. I speak to people like you all the time - it's the people who focus on fundamentals and not some arbitrary combination of difficult elements that succeed.

[Winterbike]

Yes, I have. Basketball is putting a ball through a hoop. How hard is that?

Lacrosse is using a stick to throw a ball into a net guarded by a goalie while people have the opportunity to hit you.

Hockey is using a stick to throw a puck into a net guarded by a goalie while people have the opportunity to hit you ON SKATES.

It's ok Lacrosse, being second isn't so bad.

[wiltondeportes]

You do understand that he's a fighter, right?

And you're talking like someone who never achieved anything in sport. I speak to people like you all the time - it's the people who focus on fundamentals and not some arbitrary combination of difficult elements that succeed.

That's hilarious. I've been criticized as not knowing how to fight, never playing a common sport (basketball I believe), and now you think I've never accomplished anything in sport.

[wiltondeportes]

Hockey is using a stick to throw a puck into a net guarded by a goalie while people have the opportunity to hit you ON SKATES.

It's ok Lacrosse, being second isn't so bad.

I have great respect for hockey players. I simply do not live where the lake freezes over in the winter, so it's pretty much the ONE sport I've never played.

[devildog6015]

I'll throw one out, how about horse racing? Not only does the rider need to be in good shape, but you also have to have a horse that is in great shape too. And not only that, running at speed on a thoroughbred takes quite a bit of bravery.

I played soccer for years, so that's my pick. Boring to watch, but it requires a level of stamina unmatched unless you are into triathlons.

[wiltondeportes]

You favor team sports, that’s cool. I’d argue that having to actively defend yourself against someone skilled in the art of ass-kicking requires a variety of attributes. Strength, agility, reflexes, flexibility, speed, accuracy, finesse, control, etc. Who cares about the team? Mano a mano, man.

I’m sure plenty of fighters would disagree that there’s no team element in fighting. Every time one of our muay thai guys would fight they’d come back and say they couldn’t have done it without the team, they always credited the team/gym as being an integral part in their development, especially their training of course. Sparring partners are team members, sure they don’t fight with you but does that necessarily mean you’re entirely on your own?

I’m playing devil’s advocate here, as I’ve no real preference between one on one sports and team sports. I love both and have done both. In my personal experience though fighting (muay thai specifically) was WAY more challenging than the team sport I did (soccer) and I was arguably better at soccer than I was at muaythai (judging by how often I got my ass spanked)

If we could outline some characteristics then we could start edging some sports out but I don’t know if we can agree in the end. Clearly our preferences are different and you won’t ever give fighting it’s due, so no point really.

I am not discounting fighting sports as if the athletes aren't good at what they do, but those athletes would probably be good at a lot of things. I feel like I've encountered a bunch of grunts who heard I 'don't think fighting counts' and they're getting pissy about it. If you just want to be devil's advocate, fine. This has nothing to do with my ability to fight.

I never thought of individual sports as sports. Maybe games or competitions.... The true epitome of sport to ME has always been football, baseball, basketball because they drew upon a wider range of abilities (as well as your teammate's abilities) . I've played competitively on both sides of the coin... the athleticism side and the cereberal, skill-based side. That's D1 varsity football here in California playing for the section championship, and that's college baseball at a couple different schools. I think guys like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders are the real great athletes of the past 20 years because they excelled in sports that required different types of skills. I say hey, lacrosse is sort of a unifying game because it seems like it asks the most out of its players. I say that without experience, but I'm going to go out and find a league to play in.

[devildog6015]

And car racing should be thrown in there too. Team sport all the way and it requires physical fitness for the driver. It's not fat guys turning left contrary to popular belief.

[Alex Good]

Since you discounted fighting (mma athletes are probably the most good all around athletes out there), I'd have to say the Highland games. Or, if I must pick a team sport then... Rugby. It's like team-based mma with a ball.