Top athletes don't ride bicycles
- Thread starter sparknote_s
- Start date
Oy! It has always bothered me that people compare an athlete in one sport to an athlete in another. They're two different worlds with different requirements.
I've always believed that anybody can do anybody's job if they really, absolutely wanted to. To a certain degree anyway. There are natural factors involved, of course.
Lance is great at cycling because that's his passion and that's what he has trained for. He's got the mindset and the phsyique to do what he does. Ricky Williams may be (or may not be - I don't know him, really) great at football because that's his passion and what he's trained for. He's got the mindset and the phsyique to do what he does.
I'm sure Lance could run with a football, but yes, get demolished. And Ricky Williams could ride a bike, but die in the mountains.
Meh...It takes alot from both individuals. Don't compare apples and oranges.
I've always believed that anybody can do anybody's job if they really, absolutely wanted to. To a certain degree anyway. There are natural factors involved, of course.
Lance is great at cycling because that's his passion and that's what he has trained for. He's got the mindset and the phsyique to do what he does. Ricky Williams may be (or may not be - I don't know him, really) great at football because that's his passion and what he's trained for. He's got the mindset and the phsyique to do what he does.
I'm sure Lance could run with a football, but yes, get demolished. And Ricky Williams could ride a bike, but die in the mountains.
Meh...It takes alot from both individuals. Don't compare apples and oranges.
Yeah- this guy is stupid. I would like to pull him out from behind his beer and pretzel and take him for a little bike ride. The problem is, at least here in America, that there are only three legitimate sports in the publics view...shoot, I play soccer, skateboard, and cycle- those aren't the ones are they?
I read a little bit, and it's obvious that the guy doesn't have a clue as to how hard cycling is. He thinks it's just pedalling a bike.
Sorry, a football player barely qualifies as an athlete to me. It's more about talent than it is about athletic ability. To make football even compare, you'd have to play each game non-stop, with no huddles and no rests. Then you'd have to play the entire season, start to finish, with 2 days off. Then I might consider football players on par with cyclists.
The ability to take a hit has nothing to do with athletic ability. Heck, I could knock "Mike Imrem" out with one punch, but that doesn't make me an athlete.
Sorry, a football player barely qualifies as an athlete to me. It's more about talent than it is about athletic ability. To make football even compare, you'd have to play each game non-stop, with no huddles and no rests. Then you'd have to play the entire season, start to finish, with 2 days off. Then I might consider football players on par with cyclists.
The ability to take a hit has nothing to do with athletic ability. Heck, I could knock "Mike Imrem" out with one punch, but that doesn't make me an athlete.
If memory serves me correctly, Ricky Williams quit for no reason other than he wasn't 'happy'. Oh, poor babykins...
Lance didn't quit even after cancer darn near killed him. Greg didn't quit when a gunshot nearly killed him. Jan didn't quit even after he came in second to Lance, multiple times. Tyler didn't quit when he had a broken collarbone - twice. (when he did drop out, it had to be serious) Floyd didn't quit after years as a domestique, did quite well this year. That extends even to people associated with cycling - David Walsh didn't quit, even after he couldn't find a shred of doping evidence in over five years.
Don't put our top cyclists in the same company as Ricky Williams. They are not quitters.
Lance didn't quit even after cancer darn near killed him. Greg didn't quit when a gunshot nearly killed him. Jan didn't quit even after he came in second to Lance, multiple times. Tyler didn't quit when he had a broken collarbone - twice. (when he did drop out, it had to be serious) Floyd didn't quit after years as a domestique, did quite well this year. That extends even to people associated with cycling - David Walsh didn't quit, even after he couldn't find a shred of doping evidence in over five years.
Don't put our top cyclists in the same company as Ricky Williams. They are not quitters.
I realize it is long, and Mr Imrem will never read it all, if any, but here is the e-mail I sent him. If nothing else but to put my feelings on the subject in words on a page.
*********************************************************
Mr. Imrem,
I do not claim to know your background in sports. Do you have one ? As in, were you an athlete in college
or beyond? Or are you a "writer" who just enjoys sports and chose to make that your life's work?
Either way at this point you are known as a "Sports Writer", you have made a career of writing about sports.
This is a fact from your position on the newspaper.
Now another fact, in writing your article dated July 26, 2004 about cycling and Lance Armstrong, you have clearly made it
known that a) you performed NO research on your subject, b) you have No expertise in cycling and c) it is obvious in your mind
to be a sport there has to have a ball, stick or both involved.
If you are going to have a career as a journalist, at the very least have enough respect for being a journalist to perform the task correctly.
Know your subject matter "Before" you type your keyboard. Do your research. Take pride in knowing you speak correctly of the sport in
which you write. If to you, a sport must have a ball and or stick in it to be a "true" sport, then stay with those sports.
Do not claim to know and present as fact that in which you have no direct knowledge.
If you did know cycling, or at least performed the proper research, you would have written an article that was fair, correct and informed
your readers. Instead you chose to pretend to be an expert on that in which you are not.
Some information for you if you ever decide to enlighten your readers on cycling in the future.
Lance Armstrong may or may not be the greatest cyclist ever, it is hard to compare the current state of "modern" cycling, with that of the past
era's. Training is more scientific, technology in equipment is more advanced along with a host of other aspects.
As an athlete, it would be hard to honestly say that many of the top cyclist, including LA, are not the most physically fit people in the world.
There are very few Football, Baseball, Basketball, etc. players anywhere that could perform at close to peak output for 6 plus hours a day, in all
weather conditions and altitudes, minimal safety equipment and do this for 3 weeks in a row. And this is just one event, many cyclist will race most of the spring and summer at this level. Many of which continue to participate injured. How many stick and ball players do that, not many.
This is not to say they are not great athletes, every sport has there own "Top Athletes"
It is no doubt that Ricky Williams may be a very good football player, but to label him a "great" player or athlete is just plain inaccurate. His greatest downfall is his attitude and laziness, as with many good players. Their attitude and lack of dedication leave them as mere good players when athletically they could be a great ones.
There is no reasonable way you can compare one of the top 10 athletes ever (Lance) to someone who will never even make it into the hall of fame for his own sport (Ricky). You also mentioned many other athletes that you say could "win the tour de France" if not for various reasons. Simple truth is, if "they could have, they would have"!!!!!
To quote you:
"Just imagine the speed, agility and muscle - the athleticism - it takes to navigate past, around and through people like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher and Warren Sapp."
I do agree....But...
I also say:
Just imagine the speed, agility and muscle - the athleticism - it takes to navigate past, around, through and up L'Alpe d'Huez, 3,360 km, up to 9% grade climbs, 60 kmph decents, cobblestone roads and of course, 190 other athletes in three straight weeks.
And remember, a football player goes all out for a few seconds, then rest', maybe does it again if he doesn't go to the sideline, in a couple of hours of game time he also takes three long rest breaks of NO activity and then does it again a week later.
Try 6 plus hours of all out effort, no rest breaks, no halftime, no sidelines. Then does it again the next day followed by 21more days. Yes there are 2 "rest days" on the tour, but guess what, They ride that day too!!!!
Please take your position serious enough to state truths, not lame comparisons that don't hold water.
---------------------------------------
Troy "Metalleg" Haas
*********************************************************
Mr. Imrem,
I do not claim to know your background in sports. Do you have one ? As in, were you an athlete in college
or beyond? Or are you a "writer" who just enjoys sports and chose to make that your life's work?
Either way at this point you are known as a "Sports Writer", you have made a career of writing about sports.
This is a fact from your position on the newspaper.
Now another fact, in writing your article dated July 26, 2004 about cycling and Lance Armstrong, you have clearly made it
known that a) you performed NO research on your subject, b) you have No expertise in cycling and c) it is obvious in your mind
to be a sport there has to have a ball, stick or both involved.
If you are going to have a career as a journalist, at the very least have enough respect for being a journalist to perform the task correctly.
Know your subject matter "Before" you type your keyboard. Do your research. Take pride in knowing you speak correctly of the sport in
which you write. If to you, a sport must have a ball and or stick in it to be a "true" sport, then stay with those sports.
Do not claim to know and present as fact that in which you have no direct knowledge.
If you did know cycling, or at least performed the proper research, you would have written an article that was fair, correct and informed
your readers. Instead you chose to pretend to be an expert on that in which you are not.
Some information for you if you ever decide to enlighten your readers on cycling in the future.
Lance Armstrong may or may not be the greatest cyclist ever, it is hard to compare the current state of "modern" cycling, with that of the past
era's. Training is more scientific, technology in equipment is more advanced along with a host of other aspects.
As an athlete, it would be hard to honestly say that many of the top cyclist, including LA, are not the most physically fit people in the world.
There are very few Football, Baseball, Basketball, etc. players anywhere that could perform at close to peak output for 6 plus hours a day, in all
weather conditions and altitudes, minimal safety equipment and do this for 3 weeks in a row. And this is just one event, many cyclist will race most of the spring and summer at this level. Many of which continue to participate injured. How many stick and ball players do that, not many.
This is not to say they are not great athletes, every sport has there own "Top Athletes"
It is no doubt that Ricky Williams may be a very good football player, but to label him a "great" player or athlete is just plain inaccurate. His greatest downfall is his attitude and laziness, as with many good players. Their attitude and lack of dedication leave them as mere good players when athletically they could be a great ones.
There is no reasonable way you can compare one of the top 10 athletes ever (Lance) to someone who will never even make it into the hall of fame for his own sport (Ricky). You also mentioned many other athletes that you say could "win the tour de France" if not for various reasons. Simple truth is, if "they could have, they would have"!!!!!
To quote you:
"Just imagine the speed, agility and muscle - the athleticism - it takes to navigate past, around and through people like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher and Warren Sapp."
I do agree....But...
I also say:
Just imagine the speed, agility and muscle - the athleticism - it takes to navigate past, around, through and up L'Alpe d'Huez, 3,360 km, up to 9% grade climbs, 60 kmph decents, cobblestone roads and of course, 190 other athletes in three straight weeks.
And remember, a football player goes all out for a few seconds, then rest', maybe does it again if he doesn't go to the sideline, in a couple of hours of game time he also takes three long rest breaks of NO activity and then does it again a week later.
Try 6 plus hours of all out effort, no rest breaks, no halftime, no sidelines. Then does it again the next day followed by 21more days. Yes there are 2 "rest days" on the tour, but guess what, They ride that day too!!!!
Please take your position serious enough to state truths, not lame comparisons that don't hold water.
---------------------------------------
Troy "Metalleg" Haas
Nice email Metalleg.
Wow that guy is really ignorant... he's already starting off with a biased view of sports and thinks (american) football players are the best atheletes??? Please... I'd like to see ANY football player FINISH the tour de france, let alone even ride 10k UPHILL!!
I'm seriously laughing at this guys "article".
Wow that guy is really ignorant... he's already starting off with a biased view of sports and thinks (american) football players are the best atheletes??? Please... I'd like to see ANY football player FINISH the tour de france, let alone even ride 10k UPHILL!!
I'm seriously laughing at this guys "article".
I pretty much agree with everything posted so far. Certainly comparing football and cycling is at least, a complex task and at most, bound to fail. The two have very little in common and at some point subjective opinion will find it's way into the comparison. Football is all about a few seconds of explosive energy along with agility and the ability to take a pounding and hop back to your feet. Cycling is about pacing and producing more moderate amounts of energy but for hours at a time, maintaining a heart rate seen infrequently in football and tactics.
That said, the author of the article should probably dig through back issues of Sports Illustrated to locate the article in the December 2002 issue when Lance Armstrong was awarded Sportsman of the Year.
I'm sure Lance wouldn't make the best hockey player either but certainly other professional athletes find what Lance does to be amazing whether some fleshy, opinionated, keyboard-jockey does or not.
That said, the author of the article should probably dig through back issues of Sports Illustrated to locate the article in the December 2002 issue when Lance Armstrong was awarded Sportsman of the Year.
Among professional athletes Armstrong is mythic. New York Rangers defenseman Dale Purinton heard that Armstrong can ride a Cybex bike 2,700 RPM for an hour, "So I tried it," says Purinton, 26. "I kept it up for two minutes; then I had to quit. I was totally exhausted. My whole body was aching. The man is not human."
I'm sure Lance wouldn't make the best hockey player either but certainly other professional athletes find what Lance does to be amazing whether some fleshy, opinionated, keyboard-jockey does or not.
Don't knock football or you're being just as "ignorant" as them.
Using your logic - how many children play football in high school with the hopes of playing in college? How many play football in college with the hopes of going pro? The truth is if football was so easy everybody would be doing it and going pro. This is true of all sports. Just be glad that somebody is being athletic and aspiring to similar goals that you are (just in a different sport).
Using your logic - how many children play football in high school with the hopes of playing in college? How many play football in college with the hopes of going pro? The truth is if football was so easy everybody would be doing it and going pro. This is true of all sports. Just be glad that somebody is being athletic and aspiring to similar goals that you are (just in a different sport).
I agree- I don't know if we want to knock football
I just saw this thing about a kid who was a promising skiier I think...Olympic hopeful and all, and he lost his leg to bone cancer at 15. Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for himself- he started biking. Now he is in the Handicapped games and apparently is coached By LA's coach...anyway, that is an athlete.
I take the word to imply a certain amount of dedication and where-with-all, which is something I believe Armstrong has. I also take it imply a certain degree of sportsmanship, which I have heard is sometimes lacking in Mr. Armstrong- anyway, it isn't about how much your body can take, or what happens when you are tackled. It has to do with dedication. While I don't like Tennis, or Synchronized Swimming, or Figure Skating- I am sure that these sports have there share of great athletes.
It seems that Mr. Imhren is stuck in the rut that most Americans are in...which is that a "sport" has to be on TV more then once every year. A sport is something he watches while drinking a beer and eating pretzels...which nullifies his opinion anyway so there is no need to get worked up over it, but the Ricky Williams thing has really stuck- so I will vent to complete strangers on the net because my wife just says "yes dear- I know."
While Lance may not be the greatest athlete of all time (My vote goes to anyone who has ever competed at the special olympics...but I am a big sap) he is amazing- he is right up there. He is maybe comperable to Joe Montana in terms of what he has done in the sport (ie turning it on it's ear for a decade) if he must be compared to a football player. Love him or hate him...like Montana, every year before the TDF (like the superbowl), there will be a clip of LA until someone de-thrones him.
But Ricky Williams??? What is that? Ricky Williams may be the greatest player to ever play the game, but he is certainly (and admittedly I apply my personal definition here) not a great athlete. He has made it to the highest ranks of a sport he has probably loved all his life. He has done the one thing millions of American boys dream about every night. He has been offered millions of dollars to play a GAME...and Oh, what that must do for his social calendar. And he has quit, so he could smoke WEED???? Are you kidding me?? Damn- I'm all for having a little recreational fun every now and then, but I think that "great athlete" cannot be applied in this instance...
Perhaps "Great Pothead".
Now- don't everyone get all upset because I brought up weed- I don't care if RW smokes his socks...and I think weed ought to be legal, but I also think a "great athlete" could at least be dedicated to the sport enough to rise above the fact that it isn't
My 2 cents
I just saw this thing about a kid who was a promising skiier I think...Olympic hopeful and all, and he lost his leg to bone cancer at 15. Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for himself- he started biking. Now he is in the Handicapped games and apparently is coached By LA's coach...anyway, that is an athlete.
I take the word to imply a certain amount of dedication and where-with-all, which is something I believe Armstrong has. I also take it imply a certain degree of sportsmanship, which I have heard is sometimes lacking in Mr. Armstrong- anyway, it isn't about how much your body can take, or what happens when you are tackled. It has to do with dedication. While I don't like Tennis, or Synchronized Swimming, or Figure Skating- I am sure that these sports have there share of great athletes.
It seems that Mr. Imhren is stuck in the rut that most Americans are in...which is that a "sport" has to be on TV more then once every year. A sport is something he watches while drinking a beer and eating pretzels...which nullifies his opinion anyway so there is no need to get worked up over it, but the Ricky Williams thing has really stuck- so I will vent to complete strangers on the net because my wife just says "yes dear- I know."
While Lance may not be the greatest athlete of all time (My vote goes to anyone who has ever competed at the special olympics...but I am a big sap) he is amazing- he is right up there. He is maybe comperable to Joe Montana in terms of what he has done in the sport (ie turning it on it's ear for a decade) if he must be compared to a football player. Love him or hate him...like Montana, every year before the TDF (like the superbowl), there will be a clip of LA until someone de-thrones him.
But Ricky Williams??? What is that? Ricky Williams may be the greatest player to ever play the game, but he is certainly (and admittedly I apply my personal definition here) not a great athlete. He has made it to the highest ranks of a sport he has probably loved all his life. He has done the one thing millions of American boys dream about every night. He has been offered millions of dollars to play a GAME...and Oh, what that must do for his social calendar. And he has quit, so he could smoke WEED???? Are you kidding me?? Damn- I'm all for having a little recreational fun every now and then, but I think that "great athlete" cannot be applied in this instance...
Perhaps "Great Pothead".
Now- don't everyone get all upset because I brought up weed- I don't care if RW smokes his socks...and I think weed ought to be legal, but I also think a "great athlete" could at least be dedicated to the sport enough to rise above the fact that it isn't
My 2 cents
sparknote_s said:
"Wayne Gretzky was skinny enough in his prime to win the Tour de France. Dennis Rodman could have if it wouldn't have bored him to death. Alex Rodriguez would have if there were more money in it."
Now that's funny. Clearly, the writer is either a) just trying to be a controversial jerk, which is very common in his field, or b) completely ignorant of the fact that genetic potential is a key factor and that A-Rod, The Great One and Rodmando, just might not have the right genentics. I've heard others use similar arguments, that anyone could train enough, etc., and win. Riiiiiiight.
The whole thing boils down to this... what's your definition of athlete? Or of athleticism? If it's how fast you can run, or how long you can run at a moderate speed, then you have two VERY different answers on who is better. If it's based on how agile you are, then the answer is different still. I'm fairly sure LA couldn't be a successful pro in many (any?) other sports. And I'd also bet that there may only be 1, 2 or 5 guys from the NFL who could've become pro cyclists instead.
Define athlete, and THEN you can pick the best. The writer is choosing criteria different from what favors LA. He's discounting endurance in favor of bursts of power and agility, which isn't invalid... it's just different.
Here is a reply I attempted to send. Not surprisingly, the e-mail was bounced back because mr. Imrem's in-box is full:
Dear Mr. Imrem,
Since your article is being circulated (and laughed at) in a number of circles, I suspect you may have already had a number of e-mails from cyclists and others, but here goes.
Your column demonstrates an amazing degree of ignorance. If you had ever spent any time following sports other than the American "ball sports", you would realize the absurdity of your comments. You state that Gretsky, Rodman, and Rodriguez could win the Tour de France if they wanted to. Putting aside the bizarre insinuation that Rodman was some kind of superb athlete, do you understand that cycling involves a little more than being "skinny" and sitting? That is the equivalent of saying, "I can learn how to skate around an ice rink, therefore I could be an NHL MVP." Or, "I could bulk up to the same weight as Ricky Williams and get dreadlocks, so of course, I could play football as well as he."
Bicycle racing is divided between amateur and professional ranks. A top ranked amateur (category 1 or 2) generally has to devote 20-25 hours a week to hard training. I'm not talking about doing jumping jacks on a field and grabbing your crotch every five seconds. I'm talking about getting your heart rate above 150 and cranking out 350 miles a week, rain or shine. Very few amateur cyclists make it to the pro ranks, and most of these athletes have been training and racing since they were in high school. A Pro cyclist will spend 25-35 hours a week training, or approximately 350-600 miles. Very few pro cyclists are able to compete in the Tour de France. Hard training alone will not get you there. You must also have a enourmous genetic gifts. Armstong's resting heart rate is in the low 30s. In a time trial, he sustains a heart rate of up to 180 beats per minute for over an hour. His capacity to consume and process oxygen is measured at levels that no one, with the exception of a few other pro cyclists, has ever matched.
Walter Payton could train from age 5 to age 35, solely on bike, and would be nowhere near the capacity required to win a pro bike race, much less the Tour. When Eric Heiden retired from speed skating at the very top of his sport and took up cycling, it took about three years before he able to be competitive at the top levels. Even then, he could not keep up with the cyclists in the Tour, and could barely make it over the mountain stages. You think Ricky Williams is in better aerobic shape, or has stronger legs, than Eric Heiden in his prime? Believe me, I would dearly love to see Ricky Williams attempt a serious training ride, much less a race, and watch him blow up on the side of the road. No amount of training in the world would enable him to keep up. Cycling is an endurance sport. Football players are not endurance athletes. They are, for the most part, sprinters. Those who excel at football have sprinter's physiques and muscle types. You don't transform yourself from a bulky sprinter to a super-endurance athlete through training, and there isn't a football player in the country that devotes as much time to training as a pro cyclist.
If I understand an underlying premise of your article, one must be "big" in order to be considered "athletic." You're right that Armsrong wouldn't fair well taking a "hit" in the NFL. But Ricky Williams could not pedal his bike for "a couple of hours" in the Tour. At speeds exceeding 30 mph, Ricky would last about 30 seconds. And brace yourself, but I guarantee you that no one outside the U.S. has the faintest idea who Ricky Williams is, nor do they care. Five years from now, no one in the U.S., except for the morbidly obese Sunday TV crowd, will remember Williams. You are right that Williams quit football to explore "other sensations." Problem is, those "sensations" violate the NFL's drug policy.
You state that the paths of Williams and Armstongs crossed this last week. Why? Because you noticed them in the news at the same time. Let's see, Armstrong set a new world record in the hardest sporting event that exists. Williams announced that he's quitting football because it was too much work and he wasn't allowed to smoke pot. You're right, the two stories do present an interesting contrast.
Armstong's "path" has been reported on for the last seven years. Sports Illustrated voted him athlete of the year in 1999. Gretsky himself, you know, that guy who was skinny enough to win the Tour, paid homage to Armstrong that same year, the first year Armstrong won the Tour. Where have you been? Probably asleep on the couch with a half-eaten bag of potato chips resting on your gut, waiting for more exciting coverage of an NFL training camp.
Dear Mr. Imrem,
Since your article is being circulated (and laughed at) in a number of circles, I suspect you may have already had a number of e-mails from cyclists and others, but here goes.
Your column demonstrates an amazing degree of ignorance. If you had ever spent any time following sports other than the American "ball sports", you would realize the absurdity of your comments. You state that Gretsky, Rodman, and Rodriguez could win the Tour de France if they wanted to. Putting aside the bizarre insinuation that Rodman was some kind of superb athlete, do you understand that cycling involves a little more than being "skinny" and sitting? That is the equivalent of saying, "I can learn how to skate around an ice rink, therefore I could be an NHL MVP." Or, "I could bulk up to the same weight as Ricky Williams and get dreadlocks, so of course, I could play football as well as he."
Bicycle racing is divided between amateur and professional ranks. A top ranked amateur (category 1 or 2) generally has to devote 20-25 hours a week to hard training. I'm not talking about doing jumping jacks on a field and grabbing your crotch every five seconds. I'm talking about getting your heart rate above 150 and cranking out 350 miles a week, rain or shine. Very few amateur cyclists make it to the pro ranks, and most of these athletes have been training and racing since they were in high school. A Pro cyclist will spend 25-35 hours a week training, or approximately 350-600 miles. Very few pro cyclists are able to compete in the Tour de France. Hard training alone will not get you there. You must also have a enourmous genetic gifts. Armstong's resting heart rate is in the low 30s. In a time trial, he sustains a heart rate of up to 180 beats per minute for over an hour. His capacity to consume and process oxygen is measured at levels that no one, with the exception of a few other pro cyclists, has ever matched.
Walter Payton could train from age 5 to age 35, solely on bike, and would be nowhere near the capacity required to win a pro bike race, much less the Tour. When Eric Heiden retired from speed skating at the very top of his sport and took up cycling, it took about three years before he able to be competitive at the top levels. Even then, he could not keep up with the cyclists in the Tour, and could barely make it over the mountain stages. You think Ricky Williams is in better aerobic shape, or has stronger legs, than Eric Heiden in his prime? Believe me, I would dearly love to see Ricky Williams attempt a serious training ride, much less a race, and watch him blow up on the side of the road. No amount of training in the world would enable him to keep up. Cycling is an endurance sport. Football players are not endurance athletes. They are, for the most part, sprinters. Those who excel at football have sprinter's physiques and muscle types. You don't transform yourself from a bulky sprinter to a super-endurance athlete through training, and there isn't a football player in the country that devotes as much time to training as a pro cyclist.
If I understand an underlying premise of your article, one must be "big" in order to be considered "athletic." You're right that Armsrong wouldn't fair well taking a "hit" in the NFL. But Ricky Williams could not pedal his bike for "a couple of hours" in the Tour. At speeds exceeding 30 mph, Ricky would last about 30 seconds. And brace yourself, but I guarantee you that no one outside the U.S. has the faintest idea who Ricky Williams is, nor do they care. Five years from now, no one in the U.S., except for the morbidly obese Sunday TV crowd, will remember Williams. You are right that Williams quit football to explore "other sensations." Problem is, those "sensations" violate the NFL's drug policy.
You state that the paths of Williams and Armstongs crossed this last week. Why? Because you noticed them in the news at the same time. Let's see, Armstrong set a new world record in the hardest sporting event that exists. Williams announced that he's quitting football because it was too much work and he wasn't allowed to smoke pot. You're right, the two stories do present an interesting contrast.
Armstong's "path" has been reported on for the last seven years. Sports Illustrated voted him athlete of the year in 1999. Gretsky himself, you know, that guy who was skinny enough to win the Tour, paid homage to Armstrong that same year, the first year Armstrong won the Tour. Where have you been? Probably asleep on the couch with a half-eaten bag of potato chips resting on your gut, waiting for more exciting coverage of an NFL training camp.
i am a cyclist, and not much AT ALL of a ball or stick sports fan, but...
seeing Rodman on a bike would be a sight to behold!
i used to watch a little pro ball when rodman was in his prime.
what a guy. he was amazing to say the least. always a show.
funny thing was, you could watch him play for a whole period,
and NEVER see him with his feet on the floor. ALWAYS in the air!
the fun part of riding with rodman would be some kinda crazy shenanigan.
you know, something like: stopping for a bathroom break, waiting, waiting...
RODman, where you been?
oh, i met some chick on the way in, and got laid in the ladies restroom!
might have even been madonna.
oh well, im off to look for a rodman "tatoo" jersey.
seeing Rodman on a bike would be a sight to behold!
i used to watch a little pro ball when rodman was in his prime.
what a guy. he was amazing to say the least. always a show.
funny thing was, you could watch him play for a whole period,
and NEVER see him with his feet on the floor. ALWAYS in the air!
the fun part of riding with rodman would be some kinda crazy shenanigan.
you know, something like: stopping for a bathroom break, waiting, waiting...
RODman, where you been?
oh, i met some chick on the way in, and got laid in the ladies restroom!
might have even been madonna.
oh well, im off to look for a rodman "tatoo" jersey.
Its obvious that this gentleman is simply trying to be "controversial"... Gleaning the limelight as it were with an opinion that goes against the grain of what people even in the moderate "know" believe.
I never played football, but I played soccer... and we in soccer (in my young brash days) panned the football players because we considered ourselves better "athletes" because we were required to be in good enough condition for flat out performance over the entire 90 minutes...
If you were to watch an entire football game and cut out ALL the time that didn't involve the actual ball in play, the total effort would be less than about 11 minutes...
But that wasn't meant to be a dig against football players because in their realm the intensity of effort in that amount of time required tremendous strength, agility, and prowess...
It's just an example of how ridiculous it is to say that a sport that requires so much physical suffering and amazing ability is not "Athletic" Is the javelin throw then not graced by athletes? or the Pole vault or shot put? There aren;t three hundred pounders bearing down on them?
I supposed the writers opinion is based on the fact that athletes can only be athletes if the sport involves violence...
But then again, I would simply be playing into his trap of simply wanting to stand out as having a strange opinion that generates controversy...
I guess there are trolls in the media as well..
Feanor
I never played football, but I played soccer... and we in soccer (in my young brash days) panned the football players because we considered ourselves better "athletes" because we were required to be in good enough condition for flat out performance over the entire 90 minutes...
If you were to watch an entire football game and cut out ALL the time that didn't involve the actual ball in play, the total effort would be less than about 11 minutes...
But that wasn't meant to be a dig against football players because in their realm the intensity of effort in that amount of time required tremendous strength, agility, and prowess...
It's just an example of how ridiculous it is to say that a sport that requires so much physical suffering and amazing ability is not "Athletic" Is the javelin throw then not graced by athletes? or the Pole vault or shot put? There aren;t three hundred pounders bearing down on them?
I supposed the writers opinion is based on the fact that athletes can only be athletes if the sport involves violence...
But then again, I would simply be playing into his trap of simply wanting to stand out as having a strange opinion that generates controversy...
I guess there are trolls in the media as well..
Feanor
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