If Wayne Gretzky were a defenceman...

[arrbez]

It's a ridiculous notion to assume that a guy who was great at one position/sport would automatically be great at all others if he put his mind to it. It just has no basis in logic.

Would Wayne Gretzky or Babe Ruth win the 100m dash at the Olympics if they trained really really hard their whole lives? Common sense says that no, they obviously would not. Neither was exceptionally fast, and they're both white.

Charles Barkley is a golf fanatic, he golfs like 8 days a week. So why isn't he on the PGA tour?

Jerry Rice and Lawrence Taylor are both all-time greats at football. Could they switch positions and be equally effective? Obviously not. Taylor would be too bulky and slow, and Rice would be too small and light.

I can say with complete certainty that Paul Kariya would NOT have been one of the best defencemen of his era. Similarly, Derian Hatcher would not have been a stud right-winger. Both players maximized their abilities by chosing a position that suited their skill set.

Ignoring the role that body type (among other things) plays in athletics is just silly.

 

[Wooty]

How do I know this? Did you ever see him play?

Ya I saw him play center.
You have no clue what he would or would not do playing defense. You are just putting your opinion there without any facts.

I am willing to bet money if he was a defenseman, he would fight along the boards (he did that as a forward) and he would clear the crease.

 

[Wooty]

Would Wayne Gretzky or Babe Ruth win the 100m dash at the Olympics if they trained really really hard their whole lives? Common sense says that no, they obviously would not. Neither was exceptionally fast, and they're both white.

Sometimes it boggles my mind that people don't realize they are racist.

 

[Sens Rule]

It's a ridiculous notion to assume that a guy who was great at one position/sport would automatically be great at all others if he put his mind to it. It just has no basis in logic.

Would Wayne Gretzky or Babe Ruth win the 100m dash at the Olympics if they trained really really hard their whole lives? Common sense says that no, they obviously would not. Neither was exceptionally fast, and they're both white.

Charles Barkley is a golf fanatic, he golfs like 8 days a week. So why isn't he on the PGA tour?

Jerry Rice and Lawrence Taylor are both all-time greats at football. Could they switch positions and be equally effective? Obviously not. Taylor would be too bulky and slow, and Rice would be too small and light.

I can say with complete certainty that Paul Kariya would NOT have been one of the best defencemen of his era. Similarly, Derian Hatcher would not have been a stud right-winger. Both players maximized their abilities by chosing a position that suited their skill set.

Ignoring the role that body type (among other things) plays in athletics is just silly.

Somewhat ironic you would use Ruth since we are talking about Gretzky playing a different position and being successful. Ruth actually was a top PITCHER as well as the best hitter. Defence and forward are very similar. It is like playing shortstop or catcher vs the outfield. A difference - Especially catcher but still similar. But Pitching and hitting is similar like being a goalie and centre. They aren't very similar.

 

[arrbez]

Somewhat ironic you would use Ruth since we are talking about Gretzky playing a different position and being successful. Ruth actually was a top PITCHER as well as the best hitter. Defence and forward are very similar. It is like playing shortstop or catcher vs the outfield. A difference - Especially catcher but still similar. But Pitching and hitting is similar like being a goalie and centre. They aren't very similar.

I was more responding to the suggestion that Gretzky would have been the world's best tennis player if he put his mind to it. That's taking it way too far.

Baseball is a great sport, if only for the fact that fat guys can excell at most positions.

 

[arrbez]

Sometimes it boggles my mind that people don't realize they are racist.

Really? Is it coincidence that speed events are almost 100% dominated by people of African descent?

Look closely, were any judgements made? It's not racism to point out a simple fact. It's no different that saying Gretzky probably wouldn't have been a good NBA power-forward because he's only 5'11. Does that make me a height-ist?

The real mind-boggler is that people mistake any mention of race for racism.

 

[Sens Rule]

Really? Is it coincidence that speed events are almost 100% dominated by people of African descent?

Look closely, were any judgements made? It's not racism to point out a simple fact. It's no different that saying Gretzky probably wouldn't have been a good NBA power-forward because he's only 5'11. Does that make me a height-ist?

The real mind-boggler is that people mistake any mention of race for racism.

It is a stereotype though. There is no reason an Asian or a white guy could not be a champion at track and field. Look at Yao Ming. The stereotype of short Chinese (or asian) people is kinda thrown out the window there.

 

[arrbez]

It is a stereotype though. There is no reason an Asian or a white guy could not be a champion at track and field. Look at Yao Ming. The stereotype of short Chinese (or asian) people is kinda thrown out the window there.

Depending what part of Asia you're in, you'll find some genetically tall people. That's not the point though.

There's no reason an Asian or White person couldn't win track, just like there's no reason a guy who's 5'11 couldn't be a great NBA centre, and no reason a woman couldn't win the Masters in the PGA.

But there's an obvious and definite physical disadvantage from the get-go in all these cases, which leads me to believe it's not going to happen. Especially for Gretzky, who wasn't renowned for his blazing speed to begin with.

 

[Sens Rule]

There's no reason an Asian or White person couldn't win track, just like there's no reason a guy who's 5'11 couldn't be a great NBA centre, and no reason a woman couldn't win the Masters in the PGA.

That is frankly a Pejorative Slured statement.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

That is frankly a Pejorative Slured statement.

Why?

If you told somebody in the times Gordie Howe that a 5'7 F (Fleury) would be a top point getter, you would probably get laughed at.

Although I dont agree on the 5'11 center part cause if he was good, he would be a point guard and not a center.

 

[Frightened Inmate #2]

Why?

If you told somebody in the times Gordie Howe that a 5'7 F (Fleury) would be a top point getter, you would probably get laughed at.

I doubt it, look at who played on Howe's line... a 5'8 forward (Lindsay)... who was actually the top point getter in 1949-50 and had a number of high finishes after that (not sure of the exact number)

 

[Sens Rule]

Why?

If you told somebody in the times Gordie Howe that a 5'7 F (Fleury) would be a top point getter, you would probably get laughed at.

Although I dont agree on the 5'11 center part cause if he was good, he would be a point guard and not a center.

Gordie Howe's linemate Lindsay was one of the toughest players in the NHL and he was 5'8" and 160 pounds. And he did lead the NHL in scoring. If you asked Howe what year a small guy like that would lead the NHL in scoring Howe might say "the year I pass to Lindsay a lot."

Henri Richard was 5'7 and 160 lbs. There are many more players that excelled at a similar size in Howe's era.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

Gordie Howe's linemate Lindsay was one of the toughest players in the NHL and he was 5'8" and 160 pounds. And he did lead the NHL in scoring. If you asked Howe what year a small guy like that would lead the NHL in scoring Howe might say "the year I pass to Lindsay a lot."

Henri Richard was 5'7 and 160 lbs. There are many more players that excelled at a similar size in Howe's era.

Ok, I made a bad example but I wanted to say, that anything is possible. Even that a small guy can be a NBA center.

 

[Sens Rule]

Ok, I made a bad example but I wanted to say, that anything is possible. Even that a small guy can be a NBA center.

Anything is in fact possible. Look at Earl Boykins in the NBA.

But a world class white or asian sprinter is not the kind of rarity as a 5'3" NBA star or a Women winning the male PGA Masters. It isn't even close to that.

And Theo Fleury was not a "small" player. He was a short player. St. Louis or Dionne are also examples of short players who in reality are far from "small" players. They aren't near the biggest but they are very strong and their lower bodies are huge. Doug Gilmour is a far better example of a "small" player than Fleury ever was. And he was 5'10 or 5'11" and played like he was far from "small" as well.

 

[BNHL]

It is a stereotype though. There is no reason an Asian or a white guy could not be a champion at track and field. Look at Yao Ming. The stereotype of short Chinese (or asian) people is kinda thrown out the window there.

Then when will they. Name the best basketball,football and baseball players in the world.

 

[Sens Rule]

Then when will they. Name the best basketball,football and baseball players in the world.

Steve Nash is the best B-ball player according to the NBA (2 MVP's in a row and a 2nd place finish this year). Though some would say Kobe, Duncan or Lebron. The best football player is probably Peyton Manning or Tom Brady since they are the best 2 players at the most important position. For Baseball Pujols and A-Rod.

So I don't get your point. White players, Latino players, Black Players are all represented. What racial argument are you attempting (and completely failing) to make?

 

[Frightened Inmate #2]

To say that greatness in any sports automatically translates into greatness in another is a ridiculous concept... I have a relative who is one of the best cross-country skiers in his age group in Canada, so it is fair to say that he performs at an elite level and if he continues the way that he is going he will have a solid shot at an olympic team in 2014. That doesn't mean he would be a great hockey player, the skillset just isn't there and that is something that hard work and attitude won't change, it is his physical skillset that is the difference.