Which sport requires the most talent/skill, version 2.0

[WillJ]

Well, this thread got a little messy, so here's a new poll. Vote away, people!

Oh, and quoting myself from the last thread: "It's tough to say, but excluding cricket (which sounds demanding, but I don't know much about it), I'd have to say ice hockey."

I say hockey because you have to have speed, agility, quickness, and obviously skating skills. You also have to be able to check well (or at least take checks), and of course be able to handle and shoot a puck. Excluding cricket again, I'd say that the runner-up is American football, then maybe basketball.

Oh, and I absolutely do not see how anyone could say tennis requires the most skill.

 

[JJP]

Football (soccer).

 

[Wolfe Tone]

Other - Hurling.

 

[medwynn]

Being a cricket freak (and a retired wicketkeeper - although not at a great level), I've voted that way. The amount of concentration a great batsman needs to spend 4 or 5 hours (occasionally more) at the the crease is phenomenal. Having said that, they are rarely out in the middle for more than 2 1/2 hours at any one time.

The other possibility I considered is motor racing. Again, about 2 hours at a time and again, the concentration required is immense. The difference between the two is that in cricket, lose your concentration and you lose your wicket, in motor racing you could lose your life. Maybe I should reconsider my vote?

The real problem is that it is very difficult to compare completely different disciplines. I've played baseball and loved it (lack of a social side in England stopped me). I've played golf and been remarkably bad at it (despite the fact that the ball isn't moving - sometimes even after I'm supposed to have hit it. )

At the end of the day, is Sachin Tendulkar (HOW many centuries? ) better than Roger Clemens (HOW many wins and strikeouts? :rocket: ) or Tiger Woods (HOW many Majors? ).

Sorry, I didn't set out to be so loquacious (good word, good word), but it's a lovely hot Sunday and I've had a few .

I'm now going for a few more and then pack to go to Ireland for a week (work unfortunately, but there's always the evenings ). In the meantime, have a good argument!

 

[SHard]

Voted cricket as explained in my post in the original thread

Originally posted by SHard
After reading what everyone has said I would probably have to say cricket. The mental strength required to bat for hours on end without making one single mistake is incredible. Every shot requires split second time.

Likewise bowling takes a lot of skill. Top bowlers are expected to bowl on target every time.

And fielding is a lot harder than in Baseball as you'll find you don't get a huge glove on one of your hands

 

[Bose]

Cricket from the ones up there, again also as pretty much noone here has experience with Australian Rules football.

I'm happy though with conceeding that Ice Hockey would take an enormous amount of both skill and courage. Very quick and demands every part of your body in the execution of the game.

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by Bose
Cricket from the ones up there, again also as pretty much noone here has experience with Australian Rules football.

Oh yeah, I forgot about ARF and rugby (or are they the same thing?). Of course, it doesn't matter too much, since I included "other."

 

[tcjsavannah]

I will say this - ice hockey is certainly the sport in which the referees/officials have to be in the best shape...

 

[Bose]

Originally posted by WillJ
Oh yeah, I forgot about ARF and rugby (or are they the same thing?).

Nah, pretty much the only things they have in common is that you use footballs and humans play them...

 

[ozscott75]

Although they do play rugby in Qld, so you're stretching the definition of human there.

 

[Bose]

Edit: and imbreds

 

[warmonger]

I've played 10 of the sports mentioned in competive amateur leagues or in high school comps and one at the professional level (fortunately I kept my day job). I would have to say that cricket would be the most technically demanding of the ones I've tried.

As others have mentioned Australian Rules Football would also be close to the top of the list.

And a rank outsider, that requires an incredible amount of skill and judgement - lawn bowls - don't knock it until you've tried it!

 

[Shabbaman]

With 'tack and field' I assume you mean 'track and field athletics'?

 

[MCdread]

I think roller hockey is harder than ice hockey. The field is much smaller, you can hardly see the ball and although you probably don't skate as fast as in ice hockey, the movements with the stick to control the ball are much faster and it takes a lot of skill to dribble 2 or 3 opponents in a very tight space without loosing the control of the ball and not falling to the ground.

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by Shabbaman
With 'tack and field' I assume you mean 'track and field athletics'?

Yep, a little typo there.

 

[WildFire]

Oh c'mon hockey is by far the sport that requires the most talent.

Try to do your job on ice

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Aussie Rules Football. Try to do your job at Moorabbin.

 

[Inter4]

I said it before and I'll repeat it now: FOOTBALL (soccer to you people from the US)

 

[Bose]

Originally posted by Inter32
I said it before and I'll repeat it now: FOOTBALL (soccer to you people from the US)

I've said it before and i'll repeat it now: FOOTBALL uses only your feet and occasionally your head. There's at least half-a-dozen sports which easily eclipse soccer. Once again the football follower has been shown to be a naive, close-minded sportsfan who couldn't give a toss about any other winter sports...

 

[Inter4]

football (soccer to US) is played in the entire world followed by the whole planet.
I don't know why only in the US it's not a popular sport.
One thing: why when baseball teams, basketball teams and hockey teams win the US championship they say they are world champions?????????????
I don't get it..they could say that if the beat the champions of all the other continents