Colin Cowherd: "Soccer is a Big Four sport."

[Ivan13]

Being a catcher is more difficult than any single position in soccer, and this is coming from someone who vastly prefers soccer to baseball.

Ever played FB?

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Ever played FB?

If I were ever to play at a high level (in relative Canadian terms, so like playing university etc) I would've played full back. Luckily, I have never played on a high level team and I thus contentedly play as a kick and run striker. Having played plenty of left-back, I can safely say that it is the most exhausting and difficult position I have played in any sport. I've never played baseball, so I cannot comment on catcher, but the physical exhaustion of playing FB is crazy, especially if you wanna contribute offensively.

 

[theaub]

True, can't get americans to hop on a bandwagon without winning something first, and the US will never win anything that matters in Football.



Fair enough, I think we can all agree that baseball is a difficult leisure-activity, certainly trickier than lawn darts or beer-pong.

Is that really any different than soccer?

Everyone goes for a nice leisure jog, sometimes you score, sometimes you don't, either way the fans punch each other in the streets.

 

[Ivan13]

If I were ever to play at a high level (in relative Canadian terms, so like playing university etc) I would've played full back. Luckily, I have never played on a high level team and I thus contentedly play as a kick and run striker. Having played plenty of left-back, I can safely say that it is the most exhausting and difficult position I have played in any sport. I've never played baseball, so I cannot comment on catcher, but the physical exhaustion of playing FB is crazy, especially if you wanna contribute offensively.

I played DM as a kid before I shifted to handball fulltime, but I had to fill in for a game at FB. It was horrible, but still not as bad as playing a complete game of handball.

 

[theaub]

I played DM as a kid before I shifted to handball fulltime, but I had to fill in for a game at FB. It was horrible, but still not as bad as playing a complete game of handball.

I always found playing midfield far more tiring than FB, but that's because in Canada if you try any overlap play you get flogged in public.

 

[Eco]

MLS will likely overtake the NHL in terms of rating, but who honestly cares? Hockey is healthy and going strong and isn't that all that matters?

 

[Ivan13]

I always found playing midfield far more tiring than FB, but that's because in Canada if you try any overlap play you get flogged in public.

DM is taxing, especially if you like to be involved in the build up, but again nothing I played is close to handball, where you get beaten up, have to sprint every half a minute and work like crazy when playing D, especially if you play as the middle guy in 5-1 or 3-2-1 D like I used to.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I always found playing midfield far more tiring than FB, but that's because in Canada if you try any overlap play you get flogged in public.

That's very true, there's that sort of mentality that "defenders play defense" and that's it, despite the fact that all top level countries not only have good overlapping fullbacks (Germany the exception, although Germany play far better with them, this tournament being proof of that), but also good ball-playing CBs. Coaches here seem to vilify defenders who contribute on offense.

 

[YNWA14]

Being a catcher is more difficult than any single position in soccer, and this is coming from someone who vastly prefers soccer to baseball.

So is being a pitcher, or a shortstop, and likely a centrefielder as well.

 

[cgf]

Is that really any different than soccer?

Everyone goes for a nice leisure jog, sometimes you score, sometimes you don't, either way the fans punch each other in the streets.

True sprinting for 7 miles each match is a very leisurely jog...one that would cause half of the MLB to have a heart attack.

 

[YNWA14]

True sprinting for 7 miles each match is a very leisurely jog...one that would cause half of the MLB to have a heart attack.

Have you ever even watched baseball? Since when is being able to jog 7 miles a measure of athletic ability anyway? "Sprinting 7 miles"...

 

[Ivan13]

So is being a pitcher, or a shortstop, and likely a centrefielder as well.

Hilarious.

 

[cgf]

Have you ever even watched baseball?

Of course not, even my masochism has limits.

 

[YNWA14]

Hilarious.

...because you've tried?

I mean, even a 50 year old can jog 7 miles in 90 minutes.

 

[Ivan13]

...because you've tried?

I mean, even a 50 year old can jog 7 miles in 90 minutes.

Yes football is just jogging for 90 minutes, no mental stress, no skill, just jogging. And yes, I've tried baseball, I like it as well.

 

[YNWA14]

Right, and baseball is just standing around for 4 hours doing nothing and full of nonathletic, overweight bums.

But yeah I like them both as well just playing devil's advocate in that sense. They're both athletically and mentally taxing in different ways.

 

[Ivan13]

Right, and baseball is just standing around for 4 hours doing nothing and full of nonathletic, overweight bums.

But yeah I like them both as well just playing devil's advocate in that sense. They're both athletically and mentally taxing in different ways.

Yes, that's clearly what I'm implying

 

[Burner Account]

I've never really understood why people try to put down other sports just because they enjoy a different one. Like is it hard to just enjoy soccer without putting down some kind of oversimplified, ignorant blanket statement over a different sport?

Man, soccer is so boring...90+ minutes of guys jogging back and forth on a field only for the score to be 0 - 0, on a giant net no less!

I'm not putting baseball down because of any other sport. That's missing the mark. Nowhere in my post did I compare it to any other sport.

I'm pointing out that baseball is an incredibly inefficient sport when it comes to time.

 

[Eisen]

DM is taxing, especially if you like to be involved in the build up, but again nothing I played is close to handball, where you get beaten up, have to sprint every half a minute and work like crazy when playing D, especially if you play as the middle guy in 5-1 or 3-2-1 D like I used to.

Agreed. But only when you play both, offense and defense.

 

[maclean]

I think ultimately this just comes down to what you mention above. Typically you're gonna like what you grew up with, particularly if you played it. You're going to understand it better, you're gonna relate to it, and you're gonna have a greater appreciation for what you're watching because of that.

Another part of this is the local aspect. Major league sports in North America is focused only in the largest cities, whereas in Europe there are soccer teams in much smaller markets, with even second and third tier leagues seeing heavy attendance and support tied to local identity. Another part of this is the fact that youth enter sports directly through clubs, as opposed to the North American trend to play sports for a school or church or other improvised league system.

Without any deeper understanding of it I would say in the US this is similar to the college system and its heavy influence on the popularity of american football and basektball.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

GK in football (soccer) is *BY FAR* the most difficult position to play in any sport.

I am speaking from 25+ years of experience

 

[KJS14]

GK in football (soccer) is *BY FAR* the most difficult position to play in any sport.

I am speaking from 25+ years of experience

Catcher is definitely more difficult. Catcher's are involved every pitch, and there is much more physical/mental stress on the body/mind.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Catcher is definitely more difficult. Catcher's are involved every pitch, and there is much more physical/mental stress on the body/mind.

Catchers do have to call a solid game, know the pitcher and his tendencies, etc, but as a keeper, I have to cover an 8' x 24' net, while barking out instructions to my back four, and not only that, rely on them to clear their lines, because often times, even if i make a save, i am often out os position to do anything on the rebound if there is one.

 

[Hackett]

Doesn't the EPL get better ratings than the NHL in america?

Not sure how the premiership does ratings wise in America, but that would really be saying something given the time of day that EPL matches are on.

 

[KJS14]

Catchers do have to call a solid game, know the pitcher and his tendencies, etc, but as a keeper, I have to cover an 8' x 24' net, while barking out instructions to my back four, and not only that, rely on them to clear their lines, because often times, even if i make a save, i am often out os position to do anything on the rebound if there is one.

I think we can agree that they are two of the most difficult positions, but I still think catching is more difficult, probably from experience. Respect to keepers though.

Catchers have to know their pitching staff and know scouting reports for the opposing batters to call the game. They have to frame 80-100MPH pitches to make balls look like strikes, block pitches in the dirt, and throw out base stealers. Then on top of all that, they have to get up there and hit at least ~0.250, which is in fact the hardest thing to do in sports.