Biggest Gap in Sports?

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Commander of Awesome

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Jun 14, 2012 10:00 AM
Had a conversation with a friend last night and we were discussing the gap between pro athletes and an average guy that plays the sport.

He thought Golf had the biggest gap between a guy who regularly golfs and a PGA pro.

I thought NBA had the biggest gap between a guy who plays regularly at the rec/park and an NBA player.

What sport do you think has the biggest gap?
Jun 14, 2012 10:00am
Raw Dawgin' it's avatar

Raw Dawgin' it

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Jun 14, 2012 10:02 AM
Hockey because it involves the added skill of skating.
Jun 14, 2012 10:02am
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Raw Dawgin' it

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Jun 14, 2012 10:02 AM
Also - gtfo with golf
Jun 14, 2012 10:02am
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like_that

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Jun 14, 2012 10:04 AM
Raw Dawgin' it;1199500 wrote:Also - gtfo with golf
This. There have been average joes who have taught themselves the game, gone through Q school, and qualify for the PGA.
Jun 14, 2012 10:04am
G

gport_tennis

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Jun 14, 2012 10:15 AM
I would probably say football our tennis
Jun 14, 2012 10:15am
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wildcats20

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Jun 14, 2012 10:19 AM
Raw Dawgin' it;1199499 wrote:Hockey because it involves the added skill of skating.

The average guy who plays hockey doesn't skate?
Jun 14, 2012 10:19am
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KR1245

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Jun 14, 2012 10:22 AM
tough call

basketball or maybe baseball
Jun 14, 2012 10:22am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:22 AM
wildcats20;1199512 wrote:The average guy who plays hockey doesn't skate?
Where did i say this or did you make a dumb assumption? Do you think skating is just as easy as running up and down a court? Way to add nothing to the conversation with this post.
Jun 14, 2012 10:22am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:24 AM
Hockey.
Jun 14, 2012 10:24am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:26 AM
Raw Dawgin' it;1199514 wrote:Where did i say this or did you make a dumb assumption? Do you think skating is just as easy as running up and down a court? Way to add nothing to the conversation with this post.
I think his point was that the average guy who plays hockey would know how to skate, at least somewhat, being that it's a prerequisite for the game (unless you're playing boot hockey or something like that).

That said, I'll agree with hockey. The ability to skate well​ is something the average joe just doesn't have.
Jun 14, 2012 10:26am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:28 AM
gorocks99;1199516 wrote:I think his point was that the average guy who plays hockey would know how to skate, at least somewhat, being that it's a prerequisite for the game (unless you're playing boot hockey or something like that).

That said, I'll agree with hockey. The ability to skate well​ is something the average joe just doesn't have.
It was stated in the OP the average joe who plays the sport. Does he get a warning for implying i can't read?
Jun 14, 2012 10:28am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:29 AM
I'm not talking a fat avg joe on the street. Hockey for example would assume the person has played hockey in the past, and perhaps in a hockey rec league.
Jun 14, 2012 10:29am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:30 AM
Raw Dawgin' it;1199520 wrote:It was stated in the OP the average joe who plays the sport. Does he get a warning for implying i can't read?
No?
Jun 14, 2012 10:30am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:34 AM
We could even count college players if that helps the skating aspect of it. I'm talking the talent gap between someone who plays the game and a Pro. I still say basketball. Hockey has way more players, and even goon type players. So the talent level between a guy cut/ in the minors isn't as big as a gap as a player in the NBA. There are so few players in the NBA compared to other sports.

Basketball, even the lowest guy on the bench is incredible compared to even a good college player. If you want to make the argument about 3 pt shooters in the league like Korver, I'd say look at how many people play basketball, and he's the best among millions. Pretty incredible.
Jun 14, 2012 10:34am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:37 AM
Commander of Awesome;1199528 wrote:We could even count college players if that helps the skating aspect of it. I'm talking the talent gap between someone who plays the game and a Pro. I still say basketball. Hockey has way more players, and even goon type players. So the talent level between a guy cut/ in the minors isn't as big as a gap as a player in the NBA. There are so few players in the NBA compared to other sports.

Basketball, even the lowest guy on the bench is incredible compared to even a good college player. If you want to make the argument about 3 pt shooters in the league like Korver, I'd say look at how many people play basketball, and he's the best among millions. Pretty incredible.
this would bring golf back into the argument then.
Jun 14, 2012 10:37am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:38 AM
Commander of Awesome;1199528 wrote:Basketball, even the lowest guy on the bench is incredible compared to even a good college player.
Rebuttal:



Kidding, of course. He'd school 95% of college players. But still. It's Scal.
Jun 14, 2012 10:38am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:39 AM
Raw Dawgin' it;1199533 wrote:this would bring golf back into the argument then.
There are at least 300 pro golfers. NBA has what, 360 players?
Jun 14, 2012 10:39am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:39 AM
Baseball might be up there with hockey.
Jun 14, 2012 10:39am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:40 AM
According to golf ranking website, there are at least 1000 pro golfers. No idea how accurate that is/how many of these are actually competing.
Jun 14, 2012 10:40am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:42 AM
Hockey, AINEC.
Jun 14, 2012 10:42am
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OneBuckeye

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Jun 14, 2012 10:44 AM
I think you have to differentiate between the elite pros or your average pros.

Mickelson, Nadal and Lebron are not the same as Daly, Roddick or Scalibrini.
Jun 14, 2012 10:44am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:45 AM
Commander of Awesome;1199536 wrote:There are at least 300 pro golfers. NBA has what, 360 players?
I think the PGA tour only has 125 players with tour cards. I know it's a lot less than 300 though.
Jun 14, 2012 10:45am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:46 AM
OneBuckeye;1199543 wrote:I think you have to differentiate between the elite pros or your average pros.

Mickelson, Nadal and Lebron are not the same as Daly, Roddick or Scalibrini.
Just take them all into account. We're talking pros as a whole vs a non pro who plays the game.

You guys are making this way too fucking hard.
Jun 14, 2012 10:46am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:47 AM
Commander of Awesome;1199546 wrote:Just take them all into account. We're talking pros as a whole vs a non pro who plays the game.

You guys are making this way too fucking hard.
It's serious business
Jun 14, 2012 10:47am
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Jun 14, 2012 10:49 AM
I think it's NBA, because you have to athletically or vertically gifted and it's not a game you can come off the couch and play. Ala Kurt Warner or some dude going to Q school etc etc.
Jun 14, 2012 10:49am