Favorite Sport

[RazorClaw]

 Like I said, not true. Hockey requires mastery of the stick, your feet, skating, stickhandling, and passing. That's not even counting goalie. Soccer requires running (equivilent to skating but not as hard), kicking, dribbling, and hitting the ball with your head. Also, hockey is more fast-paced and you never stand still, whereas in soccer, one can take a "break" sort of, when on defense. Prove to me that soccer players are in better shape than any other sport.  

[Aqualis]

 Soccer players are weak, in my opinion. And I've known a few. They may be able to run for a long time but that's about it. No strength.

[Nohcnonk]

 Soccer players don't need much muscle, so they're more conditioned.

[Deathclaw]

 

Like I said, not true. Hockey requires mastery of the stick, your feet, skating, stickhandling, and passing. That's not even counting goalie. Soccer requires running (equivilent to skating but not as hard), kicking, dribbling, and hitting the ball with your head. Also, hockey is more fast-paced and you never stand still, whereas in soccer, one can take a "break" sort of, when on defense. Prove to me that soccer players are in better shape than any other sport.

You come to my training for soccer, you probably couldn't handle it.

Also: soccer players do more than just run, and training involves conditioning, weights, working on soccer drills, positional drills, etc.

You never stand still in soccer, your supporting the man with the ball, making runs for the ball, moving in and out of space, marking your man, setting up the defense and counterattack, etc.

Soccer training is so intense, it is harder than any other sport. Soccer players are in better shape, and Aqualis, we aren't weak.

Edit: Nohc, soccer players need muscle, we are conditioned and in shape, muscular, etc.
Edit X 2: soccer players have to be smart, have to have a head for the game, have to know the angle to play the ball, the timing, etc.

[Juska]

 I think everything your people are talking about should be considered a sport, football is better than everything.

Razor if hockey's so great why aren't they playing?

[RazorClaw]

 That's the second time you've made that argument, and for the second time, I point out that THAT ARGUMENT IS RETARDED! They aren't players because of a disagreement between the owener's and players' unions. Like in Baseball. Baseball's popular, and a good sport, but it got shut out. Juska, how much can you bench? 100 pounds? 150? How about squat? Honestly. Have you ever had to run up and down the field 27 times with a 22 second break every three down-and-backs? Because that's the equivilent of the END of one of our hockey practices, without even bringing in the rest of the practice. The game you describe is much different than either the professional, recreational, or AA soccer I've seen being played. Also, the argument that they are in better shape is pathetically weak. If that's so, tell me: Who can run farther, Zdeno Chara, or Mia Hamm (or insert other really good soccer player)? You don't know, do you? Have you raced against a hockey team, or competed in any way with one? I have, and he is quite good, the fastest guy there. He is also the fastest guy in town at running and skating his age, so it doesn't really boon soccer. Most of his conditioning comes from hockey.  

[Deathclaw]

 Here are a few of the drills we do in our soccer training....

Two twenties... run from one corner flag to the farthest, diagonally across the field, and back. 45 second time limit, you do it 20 times, no break.

Mile repeats... run a mile, 8 minute time limit... 1 and a half minute break, another 8 minute mile... you have to do 8 of them, and make them all in time.

Here is something we did on my club team as early as 5th or 6th graders... run 1.5 miles to the junior college football stadium, run a half mile when you get there. Then run bleachers, sprints, and a few other drills. Then another half mile on the track, then back to the soccer fields, with a 5 minute break then some skill work, etc.

[RazorClaw]

 The down-and-back thrice is 66 seconds of skating as hard as you can, then resting for 66, then going again, etc., 12 times. I don't see how it is comparable to long-distance, unless you have to sprint the whole time.  

[Badrang the Tyrant]

 How about everyone stop arguing about which sport is the best and just reply to the dang question:  What is /your/ favorite sport.  Not everyone likes soccer, not everyone like hockey, not everyone likes football, and etc.

[Deathclaw]

 Try two twenties.... no break, you have to go from corner flag to farthest corner flag, diagonally across the field, and back in 45 seconds. NO BREAK! In yours you get a break, and to make it in 45 seconds, your sprinting the whole time.

Here is part of Law I in soccer, concerning field dimensions.

Law I - The Field of Play

Dimensions. The field of play shall be rectangular, its length being not more than 130 yards nor less than 100 yards and its breadth not more than 100 yards nor less than 50 yards. (In international matches the length shall be not more than 120 yards nor less than 110 yards and the breadth not more than 80 yards nor less than 70 yards.) The length shall in all cases exceed the breadth.

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You can do Pythagorean Theorum or whatever you use to find the distance, but it's a long way, 20 times, in a short amount of time.

[RazorClaw]

 How many times a year do you do this? And how does it prove that all soccer players are better conditioned?  

[Aqualis]

 Go play with a kettelbell for 10 minutes - just 10 - then come tell me how conditioned you are.

[Deathclaw]

How many times a year do you do this? And how does it prove that all soccer players are better conditioned?

It proves soccer players are better conditioned because you couldn't keep up with my team in training. Skating is easy, you can get momentum and coast for a while. We do those things pretty often, on our conditioning days, which is weekly, sometimes more than others.  

[RazorClaw]

 Wait a minute- assuming- ASSUMING- that I cannot do these training exercises, MEANS NOTHING! There are so many hockey players who are in better condition than I am! DC, have you ever skated before? I'd love to see a video clip of you on skates, I need a good laugh.  

[Deathclaw]

 I've skated before, on wood and ice, both are easy. The first time I skated on ice, I didn't fall, need any instruction, etc.