Random Thoughts

[SandraC]

19. Lots of soccer on today and tomorrow, DirecTV is allocating special channels for the UEFA Champions League. They're treating it like they treat the golf and tennis majors...extra HD coverage, mix channels, everything. If soccer is not your thing, don't watch. If it is, this is something brand new for the sport in the US.
Over/Under: 10 combined goals?

Last Wednesday there were five European Champions League games. The final scores were 3-1, 3-2, 2-1, 5-1 and 2-1.

Just sayin...


Sandra

 

[hancox]

If goals were the only problem, Sandra...

Care to peg an over/under on sissy fake knee grabs?

 

[salsadancer7]

If goals were the only problem, Sandra...

Care to peg an over/under on sissy fake knee grabs?

but is that any difference from 250 lbs center faking they are getting bulldozed over by a 160 point guard?

 

[hancox]

Very much so. The knee grab is done in a fashion that the player doing it has a career-threatening injury, when it's just a sissy knee grab. It also should have NOTHING to do with the fundamental play, unlike a foul in bball.

 

[SandraC]

Very much so. The knee grab is done in a fashion that the player doing it has a career-threatening injury, when it's just a sissy knee grab. It also should have NOTHING to do with the fundamental play, unlike a foul in bball.

Well I'm not disagreeing with what you said about soccer players grabbing their knees and ankles all the time, I think there is too much of it. My response was about the number of goals scored, which was the first criticism.

It does, however, have something do to with the play. Similar to basketball, the soccer player is trying to draw a foul. Actually, it happens in all sports. There is too much diving in my favorite sport, hockey...sometimes you expect to hear the diving board sound effects. Defensive linemen are always trying to sell that they are being held, and wide receivers try to make it look like they're being interfered with.

The only place you don't see it much is in baseball...because you don't see much contact in baseball in the first place! Except for those 95 mph fastballs aimed at your head, of course.


Sandra

 

[Ramy]

Very much so. The knee grab is done in a fashion that the player doing it has a career-threatening injury, when it's just a sissy knee grab. It also should have NOTHING to do with the fundamental play, unlike a foul in bball.

Remember the 1988 playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals? That is why everytime now in the last 2 minutes if there is an injury you must use a timeout. Both of the Seahawks nose guards kept faking knee injuries to try and slow down the Bengals offense. Still didn't work though.

 

[mccoyrj]

Remember the 1988 playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals? That is why everytime now in the last 2 minutes if there is an injury you must use a timeout. Both of the Seahawks nose guards kept faking knee injuries to try and slow down the Bengals offense. Still didn't work though.

1988? You had to dig pretty far back there for that little piece of trivia. Way back in the days when the Pirates had winning seasons.

 

[DodgerKing]

but is that any difference from 250 lbs center faking they are getting bulldozed over by a 160 point guard?

250? Don't you mean 350?

 

[DodgerKing]

Last Wednesday there were five European Champions League games. The final scores were 3-1, 3-2, 2-1, 5-1 and 2-1.

Just sayin...


Sandra

It is not just the lack of scoring; it is the monotonous back and forth with little going on; it is the persistent white noise of the crowd; it is the lack of fast breaks; ex, ex, ex...

 

[Ramy]

1988? You had to dig pretty far back there for that little piece of trivia. Way back in the days when the Pirates had winning seasons.

Yep. When the Reds and Bengals were decent too.

 

[mccoyrj]

It is not just the lack of scoring; it is the monotonous back and forth with little going on; it is the persistent white noise of the crowd; it is the lack of fast breaks; ex, ex, ex...

And the corndogs suck.

 

[DodgerKing]

The only place you don't see it much is in baseball...because you don't see much contact in baseball in the first place! Except for those 95 mph fastballs aimed at your head, of course.


Sandra

No...The reason why you don't see it in baseball is because baseball is different than any other sport. Fouls are not part of the game, period, so there is no reason to create or fake a foul. Baseball does not have a clock, so there is no reason to fake an injury to stop the clock or to add more time.

It has nothing to do with contact, and 95mph fastball is the part of the game where the least amount of contact occurs. Most of the contact involves taking out a middle infielder to stop a double play, taking out a catcher blocking the plate, or running into a wall to catch a ball. All of which players try to minimize their expression of the pain, unlike other sports where they try to make it look worse than it really is.

 

[SandraC]

No...The reason why you don't see it in baseball is because baseball is different than any other sport. Fouls are not part of the game, period, so there is no reason to create or fake a foul. Baseball does not have a clock, so there is no reason to fake an injury to stop the clock or to add more time.

It has nothing to do with contact, and 95mph fastball is the part of the game where the least amount of contact occurs. Most of the contact involves taking out a middle infielder to stop a double play, taking out a catcher blocking the plate, or running into a wall to catch a ball. All of which players try to minimize their expression of the pain, unlike other sports where they try to make it look worse than it really is.

Compared to other sports, (including soccer ) baseball players very rarely come into contact with players on the other team. I love baseball, but they just don't. And as much as I love baseball, let's be honest, they're not the most resilient athletes in the world.

Baseball players can miss a week for something a hockey or football player would laugh off.


Sandra

 

[DodgerKing]

Compared to other sports, (including soccer ) baseball players very rarely come into contact with players on the other team. I love baseball, but they just don't. And as much as I love baseball, let's be honest, they're not the most resilient athletes in the world.

I am not denying that. I am challenging your faking injury point and your reasoning why they don't fake injuries. The reason why is because they do not need to fake an injury since it is not part of the strategy of the game (regardless f how much contact they have with each other)

Baseball players can miss a week for something a hockey or football player would laugh off.


Sandra

It has nothing to do with resilience; it has to do with how the injury affects their play. Since baseball is more dependent upon precision of mm to be effective more so than any other sport, any injury that affects that precision is cause for rest. It is not that they are physically incapable of performing due to pain, it is that these minor injuries affect how well they can perform, so much so that a less talented player at 100% can often perform better than the best player at 90%.

For example, a blister on a pitcher's finger can be cause for a missed start or two, but this same blister on his non pitching finger or on the finger of another position player will not be cause for a missed start. It is not because the pitcher is not resilient or weak, it is because this blister may have a big enough effect on his ability to accurately throw a ball exactly where he wants it (no other sport requires such accuracy).

 

[SandraC]

I am not denying that. I am challenging your faking injury point and your reasoning why they don't fake injuries. The reason why is because they do not need to fake an injury since it is not part of the strategy of the game (regardless f how much contact they have with each other)

It has nothing to do with resilience; it has to do with how the injury affects their play. Since baseball is more dependent upon precision of mm to be effective more so than any other sport, any injury that affects that precision is cause for rest. It is not that they are physically incapable of performing due to pain, it is that these minor injuries affect how well they can perform, so much so that a less talented player at 100% can often perform better than the best player at 90%.

For example, a blister on a pitcher's finger can be cause for a missed start or two, but this same blister on his non pitching finger or on the finger of another position player will not be cause for a missed start. It is not because the pitcher is not resilient or weak, it is because this blister may have a big enough effect on his ability to accurately throw a ball exactly where he wants it (no other sport requires such accuracy).

Blister on a pitcher's finger is one example, I can give you a whole bunch of examples where a knock on the arm or a shin forces a position player out of the game. Doesn't happen in other sports quite so much, not even basketball. There is a ton of precision in football, hockey, basketball...

Ah, listen, I'm not going to put down baseball, a sport I love.

Whatever works for ya.


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

It has nothing to do with resilience; it has to do with how the injury affects their play. Since baseball is more dependent upon precision of mm to be effective more so than any other sport, any injury that affects that precision is cause for rest. It is not that they are physically incapable of performing due to pain, it is that these minor injuries affect how well they can perform, so much so that a less talented player at 100% can often perform better than the best player at 90%.

For example, a blister on a pitcher's finger can be cause for a missed start or two, but this same blister on his non pitching finger or on the finger of another position player will not be cause for a missed start. It is not because the pitcher is not resilient or weak, it is because this blister may have a big enough effect on his ability to accurately throw a ball exactly where he wants it (no other sport requires such accuracy).

I agree 100%! Baseball is a sport that requires more skill than most other sports. An injury ANYWHERE can effect either the way they hit, field, run or throw. NO OTHER sports requires to do that....none.

 

[SandraC]

I agree 100%! Baseball is a sport that requires more skill than most other sports. An injury ANYWHERE can effect either the way they hit, field, run or throw. NO OTHER sports requires to do that....none.

In my OPINION the other sports also require a lot of skill. Injuries affect how they play the game as well. Tell a QB his position doesn't require skill.


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

In my OPINION the other sports also require a lot of skill. Injuries affect how they play the game as well. Tell a QB his position doesn't require skill.


Sandra

Jesus Christ...!! WHERE in my post does it say that other sports do not require skills? I SAID that baseball require a more skills THAN MOST sports.

If a QB has a bad hamstring....he can still be effective because all he has to do is NOT run or run as little as humanly possible. A baseball could not do that AT ALL. Same applies with a hockey and basketball.

 

[DodgerKing]

And it also depends on the position. A Wide Receiver, Running Back, or Defensive Back may not be able to play with a bad hamstring either, but a lineman or QB maybe able to get away with it.

In baseball since fine coordination and finesse is just as important as athleticism, and since every player plays both defense and offense (they have to run), then a hamstring injury means they must sit.

The same with hockey and basketball. Although you will see more basketball players try to play through a minor hamstring pull because they can get away with running at 80% since the court is so small (basketball is more of a marathon than a sprint).

Basically it comes down to, can this injured player at less than 100% perform better than this backup at 100%? Or will this injury lead to a bigger injury if he plays? Also, since baseball has so many games and they play everyday, it is also more advised that they sit, since they do not get days off to rest.

 

[SandraC]

And it also depends on the position. A Wide Receiver, Running Back, or Defensive Back may not be able to play with a bad hamstring either, but a lineman or QB maybe able to get away with it.

In baseball since fine coordination and finesse is just as important as athleticism, and since every player plays both defense and offense (they have to run), then a hamstring injury means they must sit.

The same with hockey and basketball. Although you will see more basketball players try to play through a minor hamstring pull because they can get away with running at 80% since the court is so small (basketball is more of a marathon than a sprint).

Basically it comes down to, can this injured player at less than 100% perform better than this backup at 100%? Or will this injury lead to a bigger injury if he plays? Also, since baseball has so many games and they play everyday, it is also more advised that they sit, since they do not get days off to rest.

I don't even want to disagree with you because you are making some valid points, and I also don't want to disparage baseball players in any way, since I love baseball.

And you somehow manage to make your points WITHOUT CAPS, rolling your eyes to show how much smarter you are , and lots of explanation points so we know you mean business!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I do disagree with what you said about basketball and hockey players. Sure a basketball court is smaller than a baseball field, as is a hockey rink, but the amount of actual running (or skating) that is done by baseball players pales in comparison. And it's not just running, it's stops and starts, constantly changing direction, etc.


Sandra