Unpopular sports opinions

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Besides, in another 10 or 20 years, that talent gap between the US and other countries will be non existent. (As far as Basketball at least.)

Ummm...it's pretty much non existent now.

 

[Anubis]

Maybe. Had Manu and Parker played in the world championships, I don't think the USA woulda won, or maybe they would have. It's not that big a gap, but it's still a gap. Ever shrinking it may be.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Maybe. Had Manu and Parker played in the world championships, I don't think the USA woulda won, or maybe they would have. It's not that big a gap, but it's still a gap. Ever shrinking it may be.

I mean a gap yes, but so very small and infinitesimal.

 

[Anubis]

Like the difference between the two sides of the Grand Canyon and the distance between the walls of Pairs Hilton's vag.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Lol

 

[Hound55]

The talent gap is still huge. The gap in the quality of players is not.

The results which have shown the U.S to be vulnerable in recent years haven't been because Spain, Argentina and the like have similar talent levels, it's been because most of the U.S. players have been dumb as hell. Much of which is attributable to the selfish, individualistic nature of today's NBA.

 

[WalkingDeadMike]

Marvelous Marvin Hagler was robbed by the judges when he "lost" to Sugar Ray Leonard.

 

[Hound55]

State your unpopular sports opinions here.

Anyway, I basically made this post in the 90s thread, but I'd like to hear what you think...

There's no denying that Michael Jordan was one of the best, if not THE best basketball player to ever take his talents to the NBA. But I'm also under the impression that Jordan unintentionally ruined the NBA. Before him, you could be a skinny white guy and make NBA teams as long as you shot the ball well and played well defensively. Now, all the NBA wants are athletes and it doesn't matter if you can shoot or play defense. It's not his fault, but it happened because of him. That's why I hope that Kevin Durant wins 6 championships during his career. Sure it'll be boring to have one team win all the time again, but maybe it'll change the culture back to the way it was. Because KD is a throwback, a modern day Larry Bird.

Wait... are you claiming Larry Bird played well defensively..?

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

The talent gap is still huge. The gap in the quality of players is not.

The results which have shown the U.S to be vulnerable in recent years haven't been because Spain, Argentina and the like have similar talent levels, it's been because most of the U.S. players have been dumb as hell. Much of which is attributable to the selfish, individualistic nature of today's NBA.

But see I think that only helps prove my point that the rest of the world has caught up in terms of being able to play and win games. Take a look at the players and teams from the 80's.

Bird, Stockton, Mullin, Olajuwon, Skiles, Harper, Petrovic and more weren't nearly as 'talented', at least in the way that I think you mean or what I often refer to back to when debating the topic of today's players versus past eras. Hell look at the Detroit Piston Bad Boys, were they very 'talented'? Maybe Thomas and Rodman.

Tracy McGrady may be one of the most talented players to ever play the game, but will anyone consider him in the top 50 players of all time, hell 100? Highly doubtful, because as you mentioned he didn't really play the game very well.

Just because you have a 48" vertical, can run a 4.4 40 and can sink 100 three pointers in a row...when no one is guarding you, doesn't mean that you are any good in a real game or when it comes to what is most important, winning.

So what if the USA has the most talent, if they don't play the game the right way, guess what happens, the rest of the world who may not be as physically gifted, but knows how to actually play team basketball, not sports center highlight reel one on one basketball, catches up and beats you.

Why do you think the US went to coach K? Because he knows good talent? No because he knows how to coach and play the game with the talent he has available to him. Players don't make him great, he makes them great.

I see the point you're making, but take a look at Mike Tyson, he could have been, and still is, talked about amongst the greats. But due to not having it all upstairs, he fell to a second rank all time great, not a first.

You have to have it all a the world has shown us, not just talent and natural gifts, but the smarts and will to win as well.

 

[Hound55]

What point do you think I was making?

And Olajuwon doesn't belong on that list either. An in-his-prime Hakeem would be taking out MVP awards every year in today's NBA and with his footwork, hands and speed would still be considered the most talented centre today along with Dwight Howard. ...although Hakeem would easily be considered the best centre today.

 

[bbf2]

Here's an unpopular opinion.

I love the NBA, its my favorite sport by far. However, I think that Fantasy Basketball is really lame and not nearly as enjoyable as Fantasy Football or Baseball.

Fantasy basketball just doesn't make any sense. The fact that steals, turnovers and free throw percentage are given the same importance as total points is really weak.

In Fantasy Football, it makes sense because its points-based on yards and touchdowns.

Fantasy Baseball makes sense because there's no real way to determine what the most important stat is. RBIs, Homers, Runs, BA....you can't really say which of these is the most important. (same with ERA, strikeouts, WHIP, wins, etc.) Who deserves credit for a run scored, the guy who hit the RBI or the guy who passes home plate? You can't really say. So it makes sense that they are given equal importance.

But in basketball, scoring points is the most important thing. And rebounds and assists are clearly next on the list. This leads to stupid crap where guys like Shawn Marion and Andrei Kirilenko (in their primes) were the most valuable guys in fantasy because they accumulated a lot of stats in the crappy categories. It also means that Dwight Howard, who is an absolutely dominant player in real life, is pretty much undraftable in roto leagues because of the stupid free throw percentage stat.

Personally I play in a league where the scoring is points based and averaged. You add up how many points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks the guy had (and subtract a point for turnovers) and average it by the amount of games the guy played each week. I find it is much more indicative of people putting up good stats.

 

[Anubis]

I think Fantasy sports in general is ******ed.

 

[WalkingDeadMike]

Wait... are you claiming Larry Bird played well defensively..?

Yes.

 

[Hound55]

Then that's an unpopular opinion in and of itself.

Yes he made the odd big play in key moments on the defensive end here and there, but generally he was a piss poor individual defender who got lit up on the regular.

That's why those 'Nique/Celtics games were so legendary. Because 'Nique didn't give a **** about defence and Bird was physically incapable of covering him so it just wound up being the two gunning against each other every game.

It's also why Charles Barkley quipped "As long as Larry Bird is still playing I will never be the worst defensive player..."

 

[ComicChick]

barkley is one of my favorite announcers lol

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

What point do you think I was making?

And Olajuwon doesn't belong on that list either. An in-his-prime Hakeem would be taking out MVP awards every year in today's NBA and with his footwork, hands and speed would still be considered the most talented centre today along with Dwight Howard. ...although Hakeem would easily be considered the best centre today.

I think we're mostly on the same page here, but as far as physically gifted and talented, I'm not saying that those guys aren't. But compared to many other athletes/basketball players of their era and especially of today's.

They are outgunned, Lebron, Chris Paul, Curry, Howard, Amare, Rashard Lewis, Rondo, Kobe, Rose, Gordon, Westbrook and so on.

I'm not disagreeing with Olajuwon being athletic at all or having amazing footwork, but I don't see him being as athletic, but definitely a superior basketball player.

That's my whole point, players today are often much more physically gifted and naturally talented, but have basketball I.Q.s that are **** and aren't very good basketball players compared to those of past generations.

 

[Norman Osborn]

Hockey, and especially soccer(football) should get rid of the offsides rule.

Hockey : Carrying the puck into the offensive zone offsides I'd look at revamping but you take the 2 line pass offside away and 90% of strategy goes out the window as well......it'd be like tennis on ice...blech!.....

 

[ih8nyy]

Hockey : Carrying the puck into the offensive zone offsides I'd look at revamping but you take the 2 line pass offside away and 90% of strategy goes out the window as well......it'd be like tennis on ice...blech!.....

They did take the 2 line offside pass away a few years ago in an attempt to open up the game.

 

[Alex The Great]

Give him a break eh, he's a Maritimer

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

The majority of NFL players, a lot of baseball players, some basketball players, some hockey players and a lot of olympic athletes use PEDs. imho.

 

[jessica001]

I think hockey is the most unpopular sports amongst all and i think government of every country should take some steps ahead to lift up this sport.