Guest Redhawk Report post Posted April 29, 2004 ESPN's Page 2 ranked the most difficult sports to play, from 1-60. Boxing was No. 1, getting high marks in endurance, nerve, strength, power and durability. Rounding out the Top 5 was ice hockey, football, basketball and wrestling. The bottom 5 (from lowest to highest): fishing, billiards, shooting, bowling and curling. You can read the whole article here: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Just Looking Report post Posted April 29, 2004 Nice to see rugby getting some recognition, even though I thought their ranking was a tad bit low. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 No triathlon? I'm surprised... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted April 29, 2004 I don't tri-athalon is considered a sport because it's a combination of activites... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted April 29, 2004 I'm calling BS on boxing. Any chump can build the endurance and learn the strategies. Ice hockey and wrestling both require higher endurance and a much wider range of skills IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NCJ Report post Posted April 29, 2004 A pro boxing match last alot longer than a wrestling match. And as far as hockey goes it is very gruelling, but in hockey you have teammates and get breaks when it is time for the next shift and in between periods. In boxing you go three minutes and get sixty seconds to try to recover from the ass whipping you just took. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 Baseball is a more difficult sport than Soccer, Rugby and Lacrosse? Has ESPN shown any of these sports? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted April 29, 2004 I've seen college lacrosse on ESPN2 before. And funny, they show a lot of the lower-ranked sports: billiards, fishing, golf, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ced 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 I find the generic score for "Martial Arts" a little disappointing. Muay Thai kickboxing by itself would outscore the generic Martial Arts score as would MMA. Rugby losing out to American Football in all categories except endurance doesn't settle well with me either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 also Swimming is very low. I don't expect it to be top 10, but not as low as it is shown Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted April 29, 2004 The fact that Auto Racing beats out any sport on this list, let alone 18 makes this list null and void. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 I don't tri-athalon is considered a sport because it's a combination of activites... That's probable, seeing as decathlon isn't there either. But considering the continuous nature of the swimming, biking and running, you'd think it'd merit consideration. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 Baseball and Softball are not the same sport. The differences very and in no way should the two be grouped together. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 The fact that Auto Racing beats out any sport on this list, let alone 18 makes this list null and void. Well that's great, Li'l Hemingway, but I'd say hockey, lacrosse, and rugby ARE much harder. As for baseball, it's a tough one to judge, as anybody can play it, but it's damn hard to play well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 Well it's nice that they mention Rugby! I'm telling you if they showed that sport on something besides Fox Sports World it'd get watched! Jeez! And it's f'n hard to do! I think baseball is pretty hard to do because it requires so much coordination. Plus when you're catching and chasing and throwing a ball that small around.....it requires a ton. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 You could say that about most of the sports on the list. The outcome wouldn't be pretty but the basic rules of the sport allows almost anyone to play. It's a matter of excelling at the highest level. Baseball's difficulty is much more mental and relies on excellent hand eye cordination. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2004 Anyone can bowl... but it is pretty hard when you do it competitively. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 I look at this all differently than I think ESPN does. Would I get killed trying to be a boxer? Yes I would. Can I at least throw a punch? Yes I can. Would I win as a football player? No I would not. Can I at least throw a football...catch a football...Yes I can. Would I succeed as a baseball player? Nope. Can I at least hit a curveball? NOPE. Most of these sports I can at least get out of the gates on. I would fail at all of them...but I'd at least get started. I'd never get out of the batters box in baseball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted April 30, 2004 I look at this all differently than I think ESPN does. Would I get killed trying to be a boxer? Yes I would. Can I at least throw a punch? Yes I can. Would I win as a football player? No I would not. Can I at least throw a football...catch a football...Yes I can. Would I succeed as a baseball player? Nope. Can I at least hit a curveball? NOPE. Most of these sports I can at least get out of the gates on. I would fail at all of them...but I'd at least get started. I'd never get out of the batters box in baseball. Actually, you could draw a walk. You could throw the ball 60 feet from the mound to the plate. You could field a grounder, catch a fly ball, or run from one base to the next. So technically, you can get started in baseball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 Yeah I'd be like a fielding specialist...who's specialty is not being able to field very well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dangerous A 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 It is known that one of, if the THE hardest thing to do in sports is hit a baseball, I'm not so sure that was taken into account when ESPN put this list together. I think the list is based more on physical performance. It all depends on how you look at it. Baseball is more mental and the game is based on errors, at least on the Major league level. However, it's really hard to measure a lot of what's needed to succeed in sports. I think in one way or another, the following are all hard to do: 1) Hitting a Major League Baseball Pitcher's Fastball 2) Get a jumpshot off over the outstretched hand of an NBA player 3) Run up the middle of an NFL's Defensive Line and get at least 2 yards 4) Knockout a ranked Prize Fighter in Boxing 99.9% of us cannot do any of these things, I don't care how tight you think you are. I'm not sure a list can truly capture how hard a lot of these things are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 Hitting a fastball isn't the hard part. Hitting the curveball, slider, change-ups sprinkled in with the fastball is what keeps good fastball hitters stuck down in the minors their entire career. Micheal Jordan could hit a fastball. Look how far it got him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 Moving on a thin metal blade on slippery ice while guys who are bigger than you try to catch you, and hit you really hard while you try to put a small disk past a well-padded, well-trained goaltender is a lot harder than most people think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 Believe me Max no one thinks being an NHL player is an easy task. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 I Dont want to get into a "NASCAR isnt really a sport" debate, but Auto Racing Durability at a 4.38 is way too low. DURABILITY: The ability to withstand physical punishment over a long period of time. Example: NBA/NHL players. Most drivers spend anywhere from 3-5 hours in a 100+ degree car, not to mention fighting the steering wheel of a bad handling car which will tire the arm muscles. Dehydration used to be a factor although they do get water during pit stops, but still most drivers are physically spent after a race and its not because they are out of shape. I can't believe that Skateboarding, Surfing, Diving, Field Hockey, Water Skiing and Horse Racing (all with higher durability ratings) require more durability than Auto racing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teke184 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 I've seen college lacrosse on ESPN2 before. And funny, they show a lot of the lower-ranked sports: billiards, fishing, golf, etc. Know what's pathetic? I've actually run across MAGIC: THE GATHERING tournaments on ESPN2... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 I've seen college lacrosse on ESPN2 before. And funny, they show a lot of the lower-ranked sports: billiards, fishing, golf, etc. Know what's pathetic? I've actually run across MAGIC: THE GATHERING tournaments on ESPN2... My new favorite on ESPN is the EXTREME Table Tennis. The players have entrances like in wrestling and rather large crowds for Ping Pong, err.. Table Tennis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 Rugby is damn hard though. I mean you don't have any pads on.....you're constantly running just like in soccer. You have to think on your feet the entire game. You don't get a break to set up a play or any time outs. You are moving. The only break you really get is setting up for scrums, setting up for lineouts, and in between try's. You gotta run down field and decide "Am I going to take this tackle or try to pull my teammate through the gap and pass the ball to him? Do I have a mate running with me? Now I gotta pass the ball to him well without overthrowing, underthrowing, or allowing it to be intercepted." It's fucking hard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jorge Gorgeous 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 I'm calling BS on boxing. Any chump can build the endurance and learn the strategies. Ice hockey and wrestling both require higher endurance and a much wider range of skills IMO. You obviously don't know a lot about boxing. Anyone can get hit in the face and throw a few punches back... but fighting and boxing are two very different things. I am by no means an expert, but I DO know enough to know that boxing requires a highly developed set of skills and techniques. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2004 My new favorite on ESPN is the EXTREME Table Tennis. The players have entrances like in wrestling and rather large crowds for Ping Pong, err.. Table Tennis. Not comparing Table Tennis to Boxing but the top players serves can reach 100 mph. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
