do you think the best _____ player, plays that sport?

[cap217]

What I am trying to discuss is do you think the worlds best basketball player or golfer or baseball player plays that sport?

Same with guitarist or musicians in general.

Make sense?

[shawnshack]

I guess it's possible that they don't play it professionally, but I think if they are the best they must play. I don't think you become the bet at anything by just having natural talent, you have to work hard at it too.

[phoenix 7]

It's an interesting question. There are probably people with incredible natural musical ability who never become musicians because they were discouraged from playing either by parents or by circumstances. Perhaps they are so poor that they have no access to a musical instrument or time to master one. Same probably goes for athletes. It's true that you have to work very hard to become the best at something, even with innate genius. But it's conceivable that the most talented (potential) baseball player in the world is spending his life as an accountant.

[jcmark611]

Stick and ball sports? I believe the best of the best are in pro leagues. It costs so little money to participate in them, and any kid that wants to play, gets a chance to play.

Now a sport like auto racing, no doubt there are many not in the Elite (F1, IndyCar, Nascar) that could do better than those who are. It just costs so much money to get to the next level, you have to be part salesperson and part driver to get a ride.

With the guitar (or music in general) its all a matter of timing and money. You have to be playing the right music, at the right time, in front of the right audience, and then you have to market yourself like crazy. It's something that many people aren't willing to do. So, there are probably many armchair guys that are better than the ones on MTV.

[shane88]

i'm sure there's many potential greats who've never considered doing whatever & people in 3rd world countries who'll never have the opportunity

[filtersweep]

I have often wondered whether the fastest runners have ever been timed.

[RainingLogic]

Becoming a great musician is a combination of factors...one of which that I am aware of is 'putting it out there'....

Amazing how many of your local bad asses don't make it to the local blues jam, guitar competition or don't have the stones to put up some music.

Sure there are a few guys that could probably get up with the big boys and give them a run for the money, but it's really rare...possible, sure, doable yep...but rare.

[lp_bruce]

As noted above, I think the best players in the bat/ball type sports are playing because it takes a LOT of practice/experience to be the best. I'm sure there are people who are POTENTIALLY the best who aren't playing though.

Peace,

[Jarrett]

Music isn't a competition, its a collaboration.

But when it comes to actual sports, yes, the best players are in the sport.

[bigdaddy]

No it doesn't make a lick of sense. How can someone be the world's best basketball player if they don't play basketball?

Any other absurdities to ponder?

[QRSS]

if a tree falls in the forest....

[vintage66]

It's been said that the reason there aren't many good boxers now is that the best athletes go into football, so the next Ali might be a running back or linebacker. What if Herschel Walker had become a fighter at an earlier age? My guess is that he would have dominated.

[schmidlin]

if a tree falls in the forest....
Nailed it! End of thread IMHO. All else is moot.

[bigdaddy]

It's been said that the reason there aren't many good boxers now is that the best athletes go into football, so the next Ali might be a running back or linebacker. What if Herschel Walker had become a fighter at an earlier age? My guess is that he would have dominated.

Until he saw a bobsled.

[rob2001]

No it doesn't make a lick of sense. How can someone be the world's best basketball player if they don't play basketball?

Any other absurdities to ponder?


Funny!! Can I use that as a sig?? Ha!

[cram]

What I am trying to discuss is do you think the worlds best basketball player or golfer or baseball player plays that sport?

Same with guitarist or musicians in general.

Make sense?

Isn't this a bit like arguing nature vs nurture? You'll never know or realistically be able to assume whether this happens because an equally plausible point can be made to counter in every example.

Could it be occurring? Absolutely.

[Tahitijack]

Last summer my company had a summer party with a dunk tank. The officers took turns sitting above the water. One of our Japan staff tossed five baseballs in a row and never missed the target. Granted he was about 40 feet from the taget, but the target was very small. I asked if he played baseball in Japan...No. I still wonder if....

[Polynitro]

No it doesn't make a lick of sense. How can someone be the world's best basketball player if they don't play basketball?

Any other absurdities to ponder?

hes saying potentially. Like if Michael Jordan played football he may have been just an OK football player. Makes sense to me.

This happens a lot in sports. Charlie Ward is a good example. College football hall of famer, won the Heisman as a QB. Played basketball in the NBA.

Tony Gonzales is another one. Played basketball in college was one of the best TEs to ever play football.

Its the "what if..." Stefi Graf used to run with the German Olympic sprinters.