OT: - Most difficult thing in sports | Page 2 | The Boneyard

OT: Most difficult thing in sports

methodology said:
In the video i posted they say 20/12 is average vision of an MLBer. It also says it takes 300-400 milliseconds to blink and you only have 125 milliseconds to gauge the pitch
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Just this alone would make me want to fact check this video. I highly doubt they compile vision test data. Also isn't pretty much every MLBer on steroids? Steroids are proven to have a negative effect on vision.
 
UcannUconn said:
A few years ago I would have been onboard with this, I definitely think that playing QB requires unreal smarts it’s like a high level violent game of chess, but because of the rules changes and the prevalence of the short pass I think it’s become easier to be a serviceable QB than it is to be a serviceable CB. The rules are now so heavily stacked against the DBs it’s become so hard to play the position.

I’m leaning towards playing goalie in Hockey as the second hardest thing to do. It requires a similar skill set as being a good hitter.
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Depends what you consider a sport, but driving Formula 1 has gotta be at or near the top.
 
Devland said:
Just this alone would make me want to fact check this video. I highly doubt they compile vision test data. Also isn't pretty much every MLBer on steroids? Steroids are proven to have a negative effect on vision.
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Part of scouting is their vision because it's that important. They also have mandatory test by their clubs yearly because it's that important.

2 different sources, the video posted, and during the world series they quoted this data. Some players have such good vision they say they can see the seams on the ball spinning and that signals tothem the type of pitch coming. You've already said you never watch baseball so give the video a view its quite amazing what a hitter processes in the short time needed
 
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I would break down between skill and difficulty.


For example there are less than 64 people in the world capable of playing QB in the NFL. There are many more baseball players capable of playing their positions than there are capable QB's. And an NFL QB pays pretty good money.

That being said, baseball hitters at the MLB level are incredible with their hand/eye coordination, bat speed and balance.
 
The most difficult thing in sports is suffering as a fan. It's so depressing when your team isn't doing well.
 
intlzncster said:
Depends what you consider a sport, but driving Formula 1 has gotta be at or near the top.
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Not sure I agree with that at this point in the sport’s history. Results are far more dependent on engineering of the car than driver skill at this point. Not that it doesn’t take a lot of skill to drive.
 
The thing about hitting a baseball at any advanced level is the movement of the ball in addition to the speed. If a pitcher threw straight 95 mph fastballs in the major leagues he would get crushed. The batters get the timing down and for guys with that eyesight and hand/eye coordination its not too hard to make solid contact. Add to the equation fastballs that tail or cut or dip or rise, and now the batter's job has gotten much more difficult. And that doesn't even address the fact that the pitcher is trying to fool the batter, so curveballs and other offspeed stuff are options as well.
 
I played a lot of high level baseball, college and beyond and like Huskybass said hitting a fastball is not that hard as long as the trajectory is straight. Crushing a fastball is one of the most satisfying things in sport.

Hitting a major league curveball or slider is impossible, it can't be done.
IMG_20180614_0001.jpg
 
Technically, for me and probably most on here, dunking a basketball is harder. It comes in at 0%. I can close my eyes, swing, and maybe get contact. Even if my odds to get a hit are less than 1%, they are certainly not 0.

Point is, whats impossible to compare in any sport is the ability of a good high school athlete versus someone truly elite. In that scenario, in any sport, its almost all impossible. That is the definition of elite and these pros are the best 1% in the world.
 
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djct1999 said:
Technically, for me and probably most on here, dunking a basketball is harder. It comes in at 0%. I can close my eyes, swing, and maybe get contact. Even if my odds to get a hit are less than 1%, they are certainly not 0.

Point is, whats impossible to compare in any sport is the ability of a good high school athlete versus someone truly elite. In that scenario, in any sport, its almost all impossible. That is the definition of elite and these pros are the best 1% in the world.
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What?
 
Hitting a 95mph fast ball is not hard. Hitting anything off-speed with movement when you’re expecting fastball is hard.

I think Formula 1, golf, playing QB, and boxing are all very difficult though. Each sport has its niche.
 
The whole idea of hitting a ML fastball is not about the speed but whether you "guess" right. I mean 95 is not what it used to be, they all throw near there almost. But if you're geared up to sit back and drive a curve ball to right center and he throws a 95-96 or more best you're doing is fighting it off at that point. The game is a guessers game when you get to higher levels vs big time pitching. That makes it even more tough but guess right you can hit any pitch in the strike zone.

As said above even now at almost 60 I can grab a cage at the beach with the 90MPH and after a couple just time it to line drives but not all that tough if you played and you know what's coming.But bat against a stud, whole new ballgame and one real difficult thing to be great at.
 
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Explains why very late breaking cutter by Rivera when he on was "unhittable" and kept hitters up at night.
 
Guarding LeBron James.
When I was young, I had a chance of hitting a fast ball, or, if I guessed correctly, even a good curve ball. But I would have no chance at all ever of guarding LeBron.
 
Hitting a baseball for sure, an MLB Catcher.

NFL- QB, a lot of game planning and need to be more media accessible and of course reading coverages and sustaining hits, CB all the rules are against you and you gotta cover the Gronks, Megatrons, speedy little guys too like Edelman and Tyreke Hill.

NHL-Skating in general toughest sport to officiate because you actually have to be in shape to fly down the ice, Goalie definitely try to stop 100 plus MPH shots while guys are flying at you as well, would say a Lacrosse Goalie as well.
 
How many major league baseball players or pro basketball players have died in the last 100 years playing their sport? Throw in soccer, hockey even football with is actually dangerous and they do not compare to descending a mountain on a bike in the rain.

Hitting a baseball is not near the top of the list of truly difficult things to do in sports. There is virtually no amount of danger to participation in baseball or basketball at any level. To pretend anythiing in either of them is the "most difficult thing in sports is silly.
 
mauconnfan said:
The whole idea of hitting a ML fastball is not about the speed but whether you "guess" right. I mean 95 is not what it used to be, they all throw near there almost. But if you're geared up to sit back and drive a curve ball to right center and he throws a 95-96 or more best you're doing is fighting it off at that point. The game is a guessers game when you get to higher levels vs big time pitching. That makes it even more tough but guess right you can hit any pitch in the strike zone.

As said above even now at almost 60 I can grab a cage at the beach with the 90MPH and after a couple just time it to line drives but not all that tough if you played and you know what's coming.But bat against a stud, whole new ballgame and one real difficult thing to be great at.
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I HATED pitchers that would start me with a good curveball or changeup. There’s nothing worse than being down 0-1 from an offspeed pitch. Then you don’t know what’s coming.
 
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Being a hockey official is #2. No line changes. Have to avoid the puck & 230-pounders on the boards. All while on skates and try to officiate the game. ... #1 is being a UConn fan. Watching our athletics Spiraling downward into the abyss.
 
Palatine said:
How many major league baseball players or pro basketball players have died in the last 100 years playing their sport? Throw in soccer, hockey even football with is actually dangerous and they do not compare to descending a mountain on a bike in the rain.

Hitting a baseball is not near the top of the list of truly difficult things to do in sports. There is virtually no amount of danger to participation in baseball or basketball at any level. To pretend anythiing in either of them is the "most difficult thing in sports is silly.
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Why are you throwing danger in there? It’s not difficult to ride a bike down a hill.
 
Robertelamin said:
Why are you throwing danger in there? It’s not difficult to ride a bike down a hill.
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Agree. Danger is a measure of willingness to do it, not skill. Besides, I am pretty sure being hit in the head by a fastball can certainly be dangerous.

In general, I don’t think is any one “most difficult thing”.

As for dangerous, I think big wave surfing is way up there. And it sure as hell is difficult and requires a lot of skill.

 
Palatine said:
How many major league baseball players or pro basketball players have died in the last 100 years playing their sport? Throw in soccer, hockey even football with is actually dangerous and they do not compare to descending a mountain on a bike in the rain.

Hitting a baseball is not near the top of the list of truly difficult things to do in sports. There is virtually no amount of danger to participation in baseball or basketball at any level. To pretend anythiing in either of them is the "most difficult thing in sports is silly.
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Good post. I would put deep sea underwater welding slightly above in the rankings, though.
 
Walker11 said:
Good post. I would put deep sea underwater welding slightly above in the rankings, though.
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Those welders are very athletic lol. Don’t think that makes it into this discussion but obviously it’s dangerous.
 
As for baseball pitching, would like to see them analyze a side arm pitcher. Its personal because one actually stopped me from playing baseball. I could have sworn every time that damn rightie threw the ball is was coming right at me and not the plate. Can't have fear holding the bat.
 
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