[DarkTemplar316]

i guess i am in the minority and i love both baseball and hockey and have played both. I say love, because i am very passionate about both sports, but i have to say i like baseball more, because during the NHL lockout i didnt miss it as much as i thought i would...

anyway, cake, saying that baseball requires more athleticism than hockey is silly. I hate doing this, but look a guys like David Wells, David Ortiz, or Prince Fielder. Those guys aren't very athletic. All David Ortiz does is hit. he doesnt have to field unless totally necessary. He is a great hitter, but that is it. He could never play in the National League. With the exception of endurance sports like marathons and cycling, hockey requires the most conditioning. You are right, sometimes hockey is just guys skating around in ovals, but when you are skating you are constantly moving. In a 2 minute shift you do more moving than most baseball players do in 1 game. Then you have to add in the hitting. The amount of physical punishment a hockey player takes is amazing. You have to have an huge amount of athleticism to take hits and get back up and keep on going. I could keep on going, but id like to get into some strategy.

The strategy in baseball is easy to see, because the game moves so slowly. Also, sometimes strategy is over used in baseball. Like going by the "book" and going lefty vs lefty or righty vs righty, etc. I was a catcher when i played, so i know all about the how much strategy goes into each and every pitch, and so on.

But in hockey the strategy isnt as obvious to someone who doesnt know the game. Like, if you dont have a good angle, you shoot low and try for a rebound. If the goalie sees that you are shooting low he may try and kick it to the boards or in some cases kick it straight out because he sees that the forwards have collapsed down low. Or on the power play you pass around and try to set up a one timer, or set up a deflection in front. Then there is the strategy in hitting. Sometimes its used to fire up your team. It could also be used to break down the other team. If you hit guys enough, they wont be willing to take that extra stride to make the play and they ice the puck instead of getting the redline and taking a hit to make the play. But since the game is constantly moving these things are harder to pick up on.

And to say that hockey players have little control over where they shoot the puck is crazy. A slapshot is not as accurate as wrist shot, but it isnt nearly as random as what happens when you hit a baseball. Hockey players dont wind up for a shot and hit it backwards.

Cake, i know what im saying wont make you like hockey, and im not trying to start a bigger arguement. Im attempting to show you that there is more to hockey than just skating back and forth.

Also, loka, ive been hit by many baseballs and hockey pucks, and hockey pucks hurt a lot more . I guess maybe because im crazy, but when i caught i would actually like getting hit by a foul tip or block a ball in the dirt. I didnt like it all the time, but most of the time.

[Cake]

Some good points there, Templar. Obviously you are right in saying that David Wells and David Ortiz are not great athletes. I would counter though that they are certainly the exception and not the rule.

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to have an argument in the angry sense of the word, but only a discussion in the more philosophical sense of "argument". Your reply was perfectly formed in tone and content so I'm certainly not saying you were arguing with me, I'm just trying to ward off any future nastiness from others.

A lot of us have had this very same discussion many times. The reason I wanted to talk about it is because I respect the opinions and intelligence of the people who were posting, which is not always the case with the people I might have this discussion with. So for my part, I really am hoping to learn what it is that you guys see in the game.

As for getting me to love hockey, you are probably right on that account, but I'm always open to new things, especially if I have some small understanding of them. I for one never really enjoyed soccer until the 2002 World Cup and then I became fascinated with it, and especially with the international competition aspect of it. And as I told JD after the NHL Finals this year, I watched the last part of Game 7 and found myself enthralled. It was probably the drama of it more than anything, but I could see myself watching some hockey games in the future.

Will anyone else make some compelling arguments that hockey players are athletes?

[DarkTemplar316]

ah, im happy my tone was ok, because i didnt want to come off as being combative. I just hope it was coherent because i was rather tired and when im tired i tend to ramble.

i do agree with ortiz and wells being the exception, because most baseball players are in top condition.

I was thinking of breaking out the "pitchers miss starts with blisters" argument, but i hate when I hear that one. Because its impossible to pitch with one because it messes with your control, so even if you would play through the pain you wouldnt be effective and you'd hurt the team.

[SwEeTLuScIouSGaNjA]

Michael Peca is now a member of my beloved leafs...wootsors

-GaNjA(Proud Owner of Rohans Soul)
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Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love
-Lao Tzu-