OT: - Which pro playoffs are the best? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

OT: Which pro playoffs are the best?

Football followed by, Basketball, I rarely watch Hockey but respect the sport. I never watch baseball.
 
Playoff hockey is probably the one major sport where the intensity of the playoffs is much greater than in regular season. That said, I'm not a regular NHL watcher. Even when the Pens were in it regularly, I found myself not watching intently until the semis.

Hockey is a tough watch because it's hard to actually follow the puck if you don't watch regularly. And in soccer, you can see a play developing from a mile away, not so in hockey because it usually happens so quickly, except for power plays. That said, I will always watch a game 7 regardless who's playing.

I've found myself watching more MLB playoff games now that the games aren't 3.5-4 hours long. Baseball has always been my favorite sport and the one I was best and know the most about, so I get more enjoyment out of second guessing stuff than other sports. la

I've found watching an entire NFL tedious for at least a decade. But I'll turn on a close playoff game in the 4th quarter no matter who's playing.

Pro hoops has done nothing for me since the ABA folded. I watched Bird-Magic and the Jordan 90s, but it was only about those players, not the game.

So: 1) MLB, 2) NHL, 3) NFL, 4) NBA
 
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RuffRuff said:
We need to find a way to create a relegation system in the US - it's good entertainment.

As for NHL - truly an acquired taste. I for one, find it incredibly boring watching a tiny puck shoot around on TV. It's organized chaos. No real sets or alternate possessions, just madness. Reduces the drama. Also, major drag when one of these Floridian expansion franchises dominate vs storied franchises in real hockey playing locations. If a hockey game isn't within one goal or two within the last period or so, find it truly pointless to watch.
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It may be an acquired case especially where many people are used to the very slow baseball game or back and forth possessions of basketball. The organized chaos and non-stop action are what separates hockey from everyone else. I think watching hockey at the highest level is about possession but the possessions change much more quickly. Soccer and rugby are also games with non-stop action, back and forth. I started watching the playoffs and ended up rooting for Vegas, hockey locations be damned.

RuffRuff said:
I saw a key goal bounce accidentally off of another offensive players skate last year - when I said, this sport is kinda dumb, to me. It's just not my thing. I'm sure if I spent the time to understand it more, played it, had a child play it, I could get into it. I just don't have it in me to learn that sport. I'm not downplaying the skill at all, I think it takes a ton - I'm simply stating viewing the sport from a TV set loses my attention fast.

Again, I prefer sports where there is an organized back and forth, a clear defense and offense. In hockey, it's just all kinda blended together into one chaotic mash. Not into it.
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Every sport has accidental scores. Basketball in my opinion suffers because the scoring is so high and too easy, there are ebbs and flows and many games just come down to the last few minutes, skill and luck. Anyone can chuck up a 3 ball and hit it. When a basketball player chucks up a 3, he's clutch if it goes in, he choked if he missed. But we all know there is a fairly high level of luck.
 
Im not a huge baseball fan, but i do watch the playoffs. I even enjoy them. For that reason i say MLB playoffs. The contrast between how little i pay attention to the regular season and how much i enjoy the playoffs is the largest.

I watch and enjoy NBA playoffs, but i also watch and enjoy regular season games on occasion.

I might of said hockey until i started playing hockey more in frozen North Dakota. Its basically a game of constant cheating to the point its hard to do anything. A defender has a 10ft long reach with very loose hand check rules.

Part of that makes it even more impressive when someone can make the game pretty to watch but it still annoys me a bit.
 
We should talk about which sport has the best fights. For me its baseball and its not close.
 
Soccer/football is bizarre. There are all these mid season cups. In mexico there 2 seasons per year. Im often not sure when the playoffs are. The season ends then starts again a few months later. And there are no 7 games series. They have 2 games series. The winning team often advances based on goal differential.
 
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Kolumbo said:
It may be an acquired case especially where many people are used to the very slow baseball game or back and forth possessions of basketball. The organized chaos and non-stop action are what separates hockey from everyone else. I think watching hockey at the highest level is about possession but the possessions change much more quickly. Soccer and rugby are also games with non-stop action, back and forth. I started watching the playoffs and ended up rooting for Vegas, hockey locations be damned.


Every sport has accidental scores. Basketball in my opinion suffers because the scoring is so high and too easy, there are ebbs and flows and many games just come down to the last few minutes, skill and luck. Anyone can chuck up a 3 ball and hit it. When a basketball player chucks up a 3, he's clutch if it goes in, he choked if he missed. But we all know there is a fairly high level of luck.
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But the difference is that there are few goals - so when I see one bounce off a skate, it’s like really? It’s a game of deflection and blocked vision. There are so few goals that feel clean and artistic when I watch.

Disagree with soccer - teams control in midfield and run sets. There is paced alternating possession. You can watch a team set up. In hockey it’s just madness. Too many large men in a small arena on ice with large sticks trying to squeeze a tiny object past a goalie that consumes most of the net.

It’s obviously easier to score in basketball but shooting 35 to 45% that makes the difference. Easily the best sport to watch on TV and live in my book, with easily the most impressive athletes.
 
RuffRuff said:
But the difference is that there are few goals - so when I see one bounce off a skate, it’s like really? It’s a game of deflection and blocked vision. There are so few goals that feel clean and artistic when I watch.

Disagree with soccer - teams control in midfield and run sets. There is paced alternating possession. You can watch a team set up. In hockey it’s just madness. Too many large men in a small arena on ice with large sticks trying to squeeze a tiny object past a goalie that consumes most of the net.

It’s obviously easier to score in basketball but shooting 35 to 45% that makes the difference. Easily the best sport to watch on TV and live in my book, with easily the most impressive athletes.
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I've always thought it would be interesting to see hockey played on a much larger ice. You are right, the guys are huge and fast and the rink is small but that all adds to the sport. They do play possession, at an extremely faster clip.

I disagree that basketball has the most impressive athletes. Height is certainly a big plus because you're putting a ball in a 10' hoop. Football, soccer and probably hockey all have much faster players.

 
Kolumbo said:
I've always thought it would be interesting to see hockey played on a much larger ice. You are right, the guys are huge and fast and the rink is small but that all adds to the sport. They do play possession, at an extremely faster clip.

I disagree that basketball has the most impressive athletes. Height is certainly a big plus because you're putting a ball in a 10' hoop. Football, soccer and probably hockey all have much faster players.

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Those dudes are very small
 
Kolumbo said:
I've always thought it would be interesting to see hockey played on a much larger ice. You are right, the guys are huge and fast and the rink is small but that all adds to the sport. They do play possession, at an extremely faster clip.

I disagree that basketball has the most impressive athletes. Height is certainly a big plus because you're putting a ball in a 10' hoop. Football, soccer and probably hockey all have much faster players.

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Isn't the european arena bigger? Possession is so fast and muddled it just looks like one big swarm to me.

7 foot men with 40 inch vertical leaps aren't more impressive? Fast doesn't mean good athlete, at all. I think most would agree that the NBA athlete is the best athlete in sports when you consider the size * overall athletecism * coordination. Those guys are freaks. Hockey players a niche specialty.
 
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I don't even watch NHL during regular season but will watch the playoffs. The atmosphere is electric for playoff hockey.
 
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RuffRuff said:
Isn't the european arena bigger? Possession is so fast and muddled it just looks like one big swarm to me.

7 foot men with 40 inch vertical leaps aren't more impressive? Fast doesn't mean good athlete, at all. I think most would agree that the NBA athlete is the best athlete in sports when you consider the size * overall athletecism * coordination. Those guys are freaks. Hockey players a niche specialty.
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Hockey players are superb athletes and much tougher than most NBA players. Their hand-eye coordination is amazing.

And speaking of NHL playoff intensity, Thursday night’s preseason game between Panthers and Lightning drew 186 penalty minutes. Battle of Florida indeed.
 
HCCForever said:
Hockey players are superb athletes and much tougher than most NBA players. Their hand-eye coordination is amazing.

And speaking of NHL playoff intensity, last night’s preseason game between Panthers and Lightning drew 186 penalty minutes. Battle of Florida indeed.
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Why do half of them come out of one 35mm populated country? Niche sport. No one is saying they aren't coordinated, or really tough (because they are) but to compare them to an NBA athlete is downright hysterical.
 
Watching the Rangers in the playoffs back in High School with all of my friends was amazing. We would have like 15 people over and we were stuck to the TV. Some of those series back in the early/mid 2010’s were so fun, as others have said, playoff hockey definitely converts the casual watcher to another level.

I assume not counting World Cup because that wouldn’t be fair, but NBA has surpassed NHL slightly for me. I just love watching how the level rises so much on both sides of the ball.
 
NHL, all the games are intense. NBA just takes turns sometimes.
 
HCCForever said:
Hockey players are superb athletes and much tougher than most NBA players. Their hand-eye coordination is amazing.

And speaking of NHL playoff intensity, Thursday night’s preseason game between Panthers and Lightning drew 186 penalty minutes. Battle of Florida indeed.
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"I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out." -Rodney Dangerfield

 
RuffRuff said:
Isn't the european arena bigger? Possession is so fast and muddled it just looks like one big swarm to me.

7 foot men with 40 inch vertical leaps aren't more impressive? Fast doesn't mean good athlete, at all. I think most would agree that the NBA athlete is the best athlete in sports when you consider the size * overall athletecism * coordination. Those guys are freaks. Hockey players a niche specialty.
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Negative. Running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, tight ends... no nba athlete can compare to those guys. throw in the fact that someone like lebron cries when someone brushes his arm and that removes all credibility. Not only are NFL players incredible athletes, they're out there looking to smash. Soccer players like Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, they'll run circles around nba players and do it for 90 minutes. Hockey players for sure are faster, stronger and crazier than nba players. crazy counts for something. Eye-hand coordination? Baseball players have you beat. Shaq was one of the best basketball players of all time because he was huge. dude couldn't make a free throw and certainly didn't have a 40" vertical.
 
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Kolumbo said:
Negative. Running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, tight ends... no nba athlete can compare to those guys. throw in the fact that someone like lebron cries when someone brushes his arm and that removes all credibility. Not only are NFL players incredible athletes, they're out there looking to smash. Soccer players like Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, they'll run circles around nba players and do it for 90 minutes. Hockey players for sure are faster, stronger and crazier than nba players. crazy counts for something. Eye-hand coordination? Baseball players have you beat. Shaq was one of the best basketball players of all time because he was huge. dude couldn't make a free throw and certainly didn't have a 40" vertical.
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Let’s agree to disagree on this one. You’re comparing physical freaks to soccer players? It’s pretty clear you have something against NBA players. You don’t think soccer players flop?

NBA players blow all these other sports away and it’s not close.
 
RuffRuff said:
Let’s agree to disagree on this one. You’re comparing physical freaks to soccer players? It’s pretty clear you have something against NBA players. You don’t think soccer players flop?

NBA players blow all these other sports away and it’s not close.
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Name the best overall athlete in the nba today and see if we can find someone to top him. Or 50 people to top him. I'd argue that the nba has the least physicall or athletic players of the big sports. And it's not even close. No one in the nba even needs to sprint and all they do is shoot a basketball in a non-contact sport. please. It's clear you've never watched soccer. Haaland is 6'5" and can run like the wind. Your boys can't run for 5 minutes without puking.
 
Kolumbo said:
Name the best overall athlete in the nba today and see if we can find someone to top him. Or 50 people to top him. I'd argue that the nba has the least physicall or athletic players of the big sports. And it's not even close. No one in the nba even needs to sprint and all they do is shoot a basketball in a non-contact sport. please. It's clear you've never watched soccer. Haaland is 6'5" and can run like the wind. Your boys can't run for 5 minutes without puking.
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Ask yourself this - why wouldn’t the best athletes choose to play the sport where they make the most money with least risk of physical injury (basketball)? Antonio Gates, etc. Because it’s really, really hard.
 
RuffRuff said:
Ask yourself this - why wouldn’t the best athletes choose to play the sport where they make the most money with least risk of physical injury (basketball)? Antonio Gates, etc. Because it’s really, really hard.
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If you are going to make any major league, you have to be elite in a given sport by the time you are in high school. For 99.99%, you can't change at that point and be elite at something else. If you grew up skating and playing hockey, you're not changing to bball in high school cause it's safer - and if you did, you're not going to be elite.

Bottom line - anyone who makes it to the bigs in any sport is an elite athlete in some aspect of the sport. If that's running and jumping, running fast, skating fast, taking a hit, swinging a bat, throwing a pitch or taking a slap shot, they are great at something most humans can't do.
 
Kolumbo said:
Name the best overall athlete in the nba today and see if we can find someone to top him. Or 50 people to top him. I'd argue that the nba has the least physicall or athletic players of the big sports. And it's not even close. No one in the nba even needs to sprint and all they do is shoot a basketball in a non-contact sport. please. It's clear you've never watched soccer. Haaland is 6'5" and can run like the wind. Your boys can't run for 5 minutes without puking.
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NBA players are freak athletes and built differently from the rest of us.

NHL players typically look like normal strong guys. In a fight you take them over the NBA guys but in terms of running, jumping, body control etc. being freakishly athletic it's NBA players all day.
 
superjohn said:
NBA players are freak athletes and built differently from the rest of us.

NHL players typically look like normal strong guys. In a fight you take them over the NBA guys but in terms of running, jumping, body control etc. being freakishly athletic it's NBA players all day.
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Many of them are freak athletes but not necessarily better athletes. It's all how you define athleticism. I'll argue that Victor Rosa is a better athlete than Donovan Clingan. Michael Jordan is probably the greatest nba athlete of all time, incredible, no question. He's no Jim Brown or Bo Jackson
 
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RuffRuff said:
Ask yourself this - why wouldn’t the best athletes choose to play the sport where they make the most money with least risk of physical injury (basketball)? Antonio Gates, etc. Because it’s really, really hard.
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this argument makes no sense. Every pro sport is extremely difficult. shooting a basketball into a hoop is difficult, sure, but it is a very particular skill. Rip Hamilton is a great athlete and succeeded in the nba. He'd have no shot at any other pro sport. That's where bigger, faster, stronger comes into play. I'm sure there are quite a few nfl players who could succeed at basketball doing what Rodman did. maybe they just hate basketball.
 
RuffRuff said:
Ask yourself this - why wouldn’t the best athletes choose to play the sport where they make the most money with least risk of physical injury (basketball)? Antonio Gates, etc. Because it’s really, really hard.
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Because the list of athletes who can just choose which sport they want to go pro in is .0001% of athletes. This is such a weird way to frame the question
 
Here is an AI response comparing NHL to NBA. It’s not as hilarious as RuffRuff states.

There's no consensus on which league has "better" athletes because they require different physical attributes and skills; however, the NBA is often considered to have more versatile, all-around athletes, while NHL athletes are seen as possessing higher levels of toughness, endurance, and explosive power due to the demands of ice skating, physical contact, and continuous play. Ultimately, the choice depends on which specific athletic traits you prioritize, as both groups are highly specialized and conditioned for their respective sports.

NBA Athletes Are Often Highlighted For:

  • Versatility:
    Their skills are seen as more transferable to other sports, with incredible athleticism combined with speed and shooting ability.
  • Endurance:
    Players maintain high levels of speed and agility for extended periods on the court, running several miles per game.
  • Coordination:
    They demonstrate a mastery of skills like dribbling and shooting, requiring exceptional hand-eye coordination.
NHL Athletes Are Often Highlighted For:
  • Toughness & Durability:
    The sport involves high levels of physical contact, leading to athletes who are accustomed to playing through injuries and demanding physical challenges.

  • Explosive Power:
    They generate significant speed and power on the ice while skating and battling for the puck, with skill and strength required in unison.

  • Endurance on Skates:
    Skating for long stretches while managing the physical demands of the sport and the added complexity of wearing skates contributes to exceptional conditioning.
Why It's Hard to Compare:
  • Different Skill Sets:
    The unique requirements of skating versus running on a court make direct comparison difficult.

  • Specialization:
    Professional athletes, by definition, reach the pinnacle of athleticism in their chosen sport, and comparing across different sports is inherently subjective.

  • Defining "Better":
    Athleticism itself is multifaceted, and different sports emphasize different aspects, such as strength, speed, agility, endurance, and hand-eye coordination
 
HCCForever said:
Here is an AI response comparing NHL to NBA. It’s not as hilarious as RuffRuff states.

There's no consensus on which league has "better" athletes because they require different physical attributes and skills; however, the NBA is often considered to have more versatile, all-around athletes, while NHL athletes are seen as possessing higher levels of toughness, endurance, and explosive power due to the demands of ice skating, physical contact, and continuous play. Ultimately, the choice depends on which specific athletic traits you prioritize, as both groups are highly specialized and conditioned for their respective sports.

NBA Athletes Are Often Highlighted For:

  • Versatility:
    Their skills are seen as more transferable to other sports, with incredible athleticism combined with speed and shooting ability.
  • Endurance:
    Players maintain high levels of speed and agility for extended periods on the court, running several miles per game.
  • Coordination:
    They demonstrate a mastery of skills like dribbling and shooting, requiring exceptional hand-eye coordination.
NHL Athletes Are Often Highlighted For:
  • Toughness & Durability:
    The sport involves high levels of physical contact, leading to athletes who are accustomed to playing through injuries and demanding physical challenges.

  • Explosive Power:
    They generate significant speed and power on the ice while skating and battling for the puck, with skill and strength required in unison.

  • Endurance on Skates:
    Skating for long stretches while managing the physical demands of the sport and the added complexity of wearing skates contributes to exceptional conditioning.
Why It's Hard to Compare:
  • Different Skill Sets:
    The unique requirements of skating versus running on a court make direct comparison difficult.

  • Specialization:
    Professional athletes, by definition, reach the pinnacle of athleticism in their chosen sport, and comparing across different sports is inherently subjective.

  • Defining "Better":
    Athleticism itself is multifaceted, and different sports emphasize different aspects, such as strength, speed, agility, endurance, and hand-eye coordination
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It doesn’t contextualize the size of the NBA athlete, which is the most impressive part. Have you ever been on the floor with basketball players? They’re doing this at a size that is not normal, top .001%, which to me is a major part of what differentiates them.
 
superjohn said:
NBA players are freak athletes and built differently from the rest of us.

NHL players typically look like normal strong guys. In a fight you take them over the NBA guys but in terms of running, jumping, body control etc. being freakishly athletic it's NBA players all day.
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I agree with most of this until the last sentence. NHL players have pretty good body control as well. And some of the greats like Bird and Magic weren’t great jumpers. Michael had exceptional hand-eye coordination but couldn’t hit a baseball in the minors. Of course hitting a baseball is probably the hardest thing to do in sports.

Sounds like we need a reboot of Superstars to see who has best all-around athletes. One year Peter Revson of autoracing fame won the competition.
 
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