2016 Off-Season Talk

[coastal_caniac]

I'm curious: outside of long distance running or swimming, what other sports do others think might require the fitness level of top tier water polo players?

 

Checkers requires a high level of fitness.

[Kyrule]

I'm curious: outside of long distance running or swimming, what other sports do others think might require the fitness level of top tier water polo players?

I just watched a motocross event where they said something to the effect that it has been proven to be the most demanding sport.

As someone that used to ride/race motocross I can tell you it is the most physically demanding thing I've ever done, and nothing else is really close. If you are 28 in that sport you are considered old. Most riders never reach that age because they can't keep up physically anymore and their bodies have taken too much of a beating to be competitive.

If I tried to ride now I would probably get arm-pump after about 5 minutes.

If you're talking about pure cardio, strength, etc. then maybe something else would be more correct, but if you're talking about the overall physical demands on the human body, I honestly believe motocross might be the toughest sport.

[top-shelf-1]

First and foremost, a big thank you to OBXer!! I'm baaaack, bayyyybeeee!!!

 

And water polo.  Have you ever seen a pool with people playing water polo?  I haven't.  Double yawn.

 

"Water polo, I don't even want to talk about water polo because it's extremely cruel to the horses."

- George Carlin

 

[hag65]

my ranking of games with two nets a people trying to put a projectile into them, and a goalie defending them.

 

1. HOCKEY!!!

2. In line hockey

3. Floor Hockey

4. Field Hockey

5. Soccer

6. Indoor Soccer

7. Underwater Hockey

8. Broom Ball

9. Unicycle Hockey

10. Ringette

 

 

 

 

 

30. Water Polo

 

You forgot road hockey which should come in around 4.

 

[hag65]

First and foremost, a big thank you to OBXer!! I'm baaaack, bayyyybeeee!!!

 

 

I don't know what is more frightening.  You back, or the fact that you can carry on whole conversations with yourself now with 2 IDs.  What kind of schizo are you?

 

(said the man who fabricates whole skits between himself and big guy)

[coastal_caniac]

First and foremost, a big thank you to OBXer!! I'm baaaack, bayyyybeeee!!!

 

Glad it worked out.

[coastal_caniac]

Frog giggin was an Olympic sport when I was growing up.

 

Guess I haven't grown up yet either - we are going to load up once it gets dark.

 

Frog legs are yummy.

Edited August 6, 2016 by coastal_caniac

[Kyrule]

For those that don't know, there is hockey going on.

On the NHL Network there are a few World Junior Showcase games being shown.

I'm watching USA vs. Finland now and I believe our second round pick is playing (Janne Koukannen or something like that).

USA vs. Canada tomorrow live at 7:00pm EST. Finland vs. Sweden live at 4:00pm EST.

Anyway, for those who followed this year's draft you should recognize a few of the names.

As a note they just talked about Aho likely playing for the Canes next year (Aho is not playing in these showcase games obviously).

As another note, I had to laugh because Gord Miller and Craig Button were pretty much having a size discussion, or as Button puts it "judging a player by using a tape measure."

.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Kyrule

[coastal_caniac]

We got 19 frogs, it was slow, in case anyone is interested.  Still enough to check out Finland vs Sweden at 4 pm EST when the fry daddy gets done doing its thing on those legs.

 

Welcome back Kyrule.

[remkin]

As another note, I had to laugh because Gord Miller and Craig Button were pretty much having a size discussion, or as Button puts it "judging a player by using a tape measure."

.

 

Yeah if you're on the size is overrated side of the fence, Button is your man. I heard him pre draft going on and on about it. His bottom line, the majority of draft mistakes are made by overestimating the value of size.

Edited August 6, 2016 by remkin

[LakeLivin]

I just watched a motocross event where they said something to the effect that it has been proven to be the most demanding sport.

As someone that used to ride/race motocross I can tell you it is the most physically demanding thing I've ever done, and nothing else is really close. If you are 28 in that sport you are considered old. Most riders never reach that age because they can't keep up physically anymore and their bodies have taken too much of a beating to be competitive.

If I tried to ride now I would probably get arm-pump after about 5 minutes.

If you're talking about pure cardio, strength, etc. then maybe something else would be more correct, but if you're talking about the overall physical demands on the human body, I honestly believe motocross might be the toughest sport.

 

Thanks Kyrule, I had no idea how demanding motocross is. 

 

By athleticism, I was thinking a combination of cardio, strength, and endurance.  But now that you mention it, I'd add in wear and tear (although to a lesser degree than the others) .

 

I think one might also have to consider some of the combat sports that have longer competition times.   

Edited August 6, 2016 by LakeLivin

[top-shelf-1]

 What kind of schizo are you?

The only kind that matters. Mwahahahaha!!

[bluedevil58]

As a former competitive swimmer I am going to go with swimming as being the most physically demanding.  My wife was a gymnast at NC state so gymnastics goes right up there too.  I don't really consider NASCAR a sport and nor do I consider motorcross a sport.  I guess it can be mentality draining but physically compared to swimming or gymnastics?  Not so much....

[remkin]

Finally caught the XM Canes Preview. We do get a lot of benefit of the doubt for building it the right way, and our up and coming yutes and strong D. We get props for a smart coach and a team that usually outplays the opposition.

 

The problem is the actual act of scoring goals and the actual act of stopping goals, and this extends into OT and SO, where we continue to fail.

 

To me this speaks of a well coached team playing a system well, that is just shy on elite talent up front and in goal, and that's pretty much what they said too.

 

There is little doubt that we will play fast and hard and look good all over the ice, but will we get the saves and do we have enough snipers? We don't know.

 

I've been consistenly saying that the elite teams have elite forwards, and Boomer said the same thing. I still think you don't really play for the cup until you have that. Do we? I don't see it to the cup level yet, and that will be the challenge moving forward. Who is that guy with a legit shot at 40 goals or 80 points? Do we have that guy? You really need at least two.

 

Lindholm? He was drafted to be that guy. Skinner? Maybe. Aho? maybe. TT, maybe.  Guathier? Maybe but not this year.

 

I have to admit that while I'm optimistic that we find those 25-30 goals (from the combination of those guys) we need and stop those 15 goals less than last year, I am not interested in outshooting teams 40-32 and losing in OT or the shootout night after night either.

 

We need at least one guy to emerge as at least a 60-65 point guy from Aho, TT, Lindholm and Rask.

 

Anyways, get off to a decent start and this team should be able to get more goals from the guys we've talked about and if we stay in it we have the cap space to make a move along the way, so in the end it comes down to goaltending in terms of making the playoffs this year. Since we could make a move there too, it really comes down to this group staying in it long enough for a buyer type move to make sense to fill whatever need arises.

 

I have to think that if this team stays in it, but needs a piece, this time Francis will make the move. That was kind of an implicit promise to Jordan this offseason. We will not be sellers anymore.

Edited August 6, 2016 by remkin

[slapshot02]

 

. Who is that guy with a legit shot at 40 goals or 80 points? Do we have that guy? You really need at least two.

 

 

 

We need at least one guy to emerge as at least a 60-65 point guy from Aho, TT, Lindholm and Rask.

 

 

No and No.

[remkin]

I agree no one has really put that kind of dominance together for a whole season, and the TT, Aho, Lindholm, Rask set, could containt that guy, we haven't seen it yet. I have really high hopes that Gauthier might become an elite scorer, but only time will tell.

 

I will say that two guys on the team have shown prolonged stretches of that kind of potential.

 

1. Skinner. This guy could put up 40 goals. He is only 24, still short of typical prime. He is now two offseasons and a full healthy season past his last concussion. He is getting to the spots and looking special again. It would all have to break right, and is a long shot, but he could.

 

2. Jordan. Lost in his slow start and ok finish was around 3 months of a point per game playing with good, but not great linemates. He may not quite have the hands for 80 points, but if he keeps on it, he can put up 65-70.

Edited August 6, 2016 by remkin

[Kyrule]

Thanks Kyrule, I had no idea how demanding motocross is. 

 

By athleticism, I was thinking a combination of cardio, strength, and endurance.  But now that you mention it, I'd add in wear and tear (although to a lesser degree than the others) .

 

I think one might also have to consider some of the combat sports that have longer competition times.

In motocross you ride one 30 minute moto +2 additional laps. Then you ride a second moto of the same length a little later.

A 12 round boxing match is 36 minutes with a one minute break every 3 minutes.

A 5 round MMA match is 25 minutes with a break every 5 minutes.

In Motocross there are no breaks, you're going full tilt for about 34 minutes straight, plus you have to do it again later. It's funny because when people think about motocross they think about the jumps, but ask any rider and they'll tell you it's the only time to rest (when you are in the air).

[Kyrule]

As a former competitive swimmer I am going to go with swimming as being the most physically demanding.  My wife was a gymnast at NC state so gymnastics goes right up there too.  I don't really consider NASCAR a sport and nor do I consider motorcross a sport.  I guess it can be mentality draining but physically compared to swimming or gymnastics?  Not so much....

You've obviously never ridden/raced in a motocross event, and there is no comparison between motocross and NASCAR.

I don't mean any offense but swimming is mostly pure cardio and I would agree with that being one of the most demanding sports in that aspect. But as was mentioned above, how long is a swimming event? Gymnastics requires spurts of athleticism/skill/balance/etc., but only for a very short period of time.

I used to race, and in my mind there is no comparison between motocross and swimming. You used to swim and feel the opposite, which is cool. But to say that motocross isn't a sport or that it's mostly mentally draining...that I can't agree with.

[Kyrule]

Wow, the USA vs.Canada game featured a lot of high end prospects.

Marner, Strome, Crouse, Bellows, Keller, Jost, Brown, and so on.

It was cool to see Nicholas Roy and Jake Bean on the same team in a game. Nicholas Roy scored Canada's only goal.

Team USA looked like a machine, absolutely awesome. Total domination.

Crouse got absolutely railroaded by McAlvoy, it was an incredible hit that laid out a big man.

Had a few beers and really enjoyed this one.

[remkin]

Really does seem like more people liking the Canes chances this year than in the past.

 

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/nhl-east/carolina-hurricanes/nhl-playoffs-within-reach-for-hurricanes/

 

The only thing that keeps coming up aside from needing the collective youths to replace and exceed the Eric/Versteeg goals, is goaltending. If goaltending sputters early, that will be the move that could be the first questionable move for Francis. We need Ward to bring it from day one.

[JonKerfoot]

In motocross you ride one 30 minute moto +2 additional laps. Then you ride a second moto of the same length a little later.

A 12 round boxing match is 36 minutes with a one minute break every 3 minutes.

A 5 round MMA match is 25 minutes with a break every 5 minutes.

In Motocross there are no breaks, you're going full tilt for about 34 minutes straight, plus you have to do it again later. It's funny because when people think about motocross they think about the jumps, but ask any rider and they'll tell you it's the only time to rest (when you are in the air).

 

All good points, but my personal opinion is that this is comparing apples to Lego blocks (oranges aren't different enough).

 

Okay, in motocross you're spending 68 minutes in a day wrestling a multi-hundred-pound powered machine, with the mental focus to manage not to fall off the thing over bumps, jumps, etc. Sounds pretty tough to me. I get tired just wrestling a commercial lawn mower around my half-acre lawn.

 

How about bicycle road racing? The Olympic men's road race was yesterday - 6+ hours, 150 miles, lots of climbing and technical descents on which many crashed because they're flying down narrow roads at 50+ mph trying to catch the guy in front of them. Sure, the machine they're on weighs less than 20 pounds instead of hundreds, but the rider is propelling that machine up and down the hills with muscle power. Sounds plenty tough to me, as well.

 

Cross-country mountain biking? Ultramarathon running? Triathlons, especially Ironman length and beyond? All ditto.

 

As much as I think some of the "Spartan races" are designed to single out the least-intelligent amongst the human race (like, what intelligent person is gonna say "oh, yeah, I'm gonna compete in a race where I jump over fire and crawl under razor wire"?), they do require strength, speed, agility and balance.

[wxray1]

Been delaying my NHL account PW change.  Kind of cranky over it.

 

I can understand the hate of water polo.  It is slow compared to ice hockey.  But it is faster than soccer.  And has more hockey-isms too, like a penalty box.

 

You have to have played it to understand just how grueling it is.  It is an extreme contact sport too.  Besides getting drilled with a ball, there is constant action, both legal and nonlegal under water.  It takes the full body to make a shot.   But anyway... Whatever.  Haters gonna hate.

Edited August 7, 2016 by wxray1

[coastal_caniac]

Yeah, we really threw down the hate on water polo.

 

Sorry, I don't find it entertaining in the least bit and it's not like you can just go somewhere and a water polo match breaks out to get an appreciation for the sport, which I'm sure is as grueling as you describe.

 

Cranky you say?

Edited August 7, 2016 by coastal_caniac

[remkin]

Water polo, like many Olympic events, is interesting because it is a novelty. You just never see it. I can watch it too, for maybe 10-15 minutes, then it's not new anymore and I remember why it's never on TV even in the age of some cable channel covering just about every sport on Earth. It is is terrible to watch. I'm sure it is fun to play and requires phenomenal fitness, but to watch? Get me back to the 25 mile bike race where nothing happens (until the crashes).

Edited August 7, 2016 by remkin

[super_dave_1]

I don't care how much training, strength, and endurance a sport takes. That alone doesn't make me appreciate it. This period of summer blahs is getting the best of us when soccer and water polo have sprung up in the discussion. Curling, now there's a sport.