my wife was a swimmer. i just told her that while Phelps is awesome, he cant be considered as great an athlete as say a football player, or hockey player. too me, besides being able to show off your skills, there has to be some type of physical danger involved. in hockey, besides having to skate and score, you have some guy who is looking to break your head. in football, besides throwing a pass, you have to keep an eye out for the defense. in baseball, you gotta make sure that you dont get your head cracked by the pitched ball. thats why i cant put a swimmer or a golfer in the same category of greatness as say a Wayne Gretsky or Peyton Manning. Maybe if they throw some sharks in the pool, i might then consider Phelps to be one of the worlds best athletes. at least then there would be a littel physical danger and duress. what do you think? my wife told me that i was an ignorant asshole.
is a swimmer an athlete
- Thread starter RonC
- Start date
Biased info, as i am/was a swimmer, so fair warning. there is danger in swimming. if you start wrong, you can break your neck. miss a flip turn and get a confussion, or break an ankle. we may not be as constantly subjected to it, but we are athletes.
LOL, I am sure my wife would say that too...
I see what you are saying, but because of the training and dedication it takes, I consider them first class athletes. I wont be going to swim meats or anything, but they work hard at what they do.
the title of my post was just to grab some attention. i do consider a great swimmer like phelps to be a great athlete. its just that when i talk about great athletes, i always think football, baseball, hockey, boxing. to me, there has to be some level of bodies banging, violence, some type of physical stress besides the stress of the skill itself.
to me a swimmer has to be the fastest guy in the pool. brett favre has to hit the receiver downfield while some 300lb lineman is about to demolish him.
to me a swimmer has to be the fastest guy in the pool. brett favre has to hit the receiver downfield while some 300lb lineman is about to demolish him.
Phelps takes Gold!:1st::usaflag:
I would have say yes, because of the conditioning involved.
I would have say yes, because of the conditioning involved.
I think you should listen to your wife:smokingco No but seriously these guys train just as hard as a football player and we know damn well they train harder than a frickn' baseball player. No offense to baseball I love the sport but either you can hit a 96mph fastball and a slider/curveball or you suck! Anyway I find swimming pretty exciting and the fact that these guys are competing against the world makes it even better. If you're gonna knock swimming you gotta knock track and field but I love it and find it super exciting. What about kayaking or canoeing? I mean, I don't care for them but these guys are athletes and would woooop my ass in that sport and therefore it bring a level of excitement if not just for the fact that they are competing on a world wide level.
I agree with your wife on this one!
These people train even harder and longer than any of the professional athletes than we watch in professional sports like football, basketball, and baseball.
Did you see the thing on 60 minutes a few weeks ago about the training the gymnasts have to go through? They start training at age 4 and do it every day! It is one of the most dangerous sports in terms of injuries.
Just because there isn't other people trying to hurt you doesn't mean there isnt danger! Look at SPORTS like Rock climbing, diving, horseback riding, spelunking, base jumping, motocross, BMX, Snowboarding, Skiing, Skateboarding............ I could go on for hours. All of those sports require lots of athletic talent, and major cajones!
Also are you saying athletes like Tony Hawk, Dave Mirra, Travis Pastrana, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Rodger Federa ........... arnt really athletes because there is no physical contact between players?
These people train even harder and longer than any of the professional athletes than we watch in professional sports like football, basketball, and baseball.
Did you see the thing on 60 minutes a few weeks ago about the training the gymnasts have to go through? They start training at age 4 and do it every day! It is one of the most dangerous sports in terms of injuries.
Just because there isn't other people trying to hurt you doesn't mean there isnt danger! Look at SPORTS like Rock climbing, diving, horseback riding, spelunking, base jumping, motocross, BMX, Snowboarding, Skiing, Skateboarding............ I could go on for hours. All of those sports require lots of athletic talent, and major cajones!
Also are you saying athletes like Tony Hawk, Dave Mirra, Travis Pastrana, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Rodger Federa ........... arnt really athletes because there is no physical contact between players?
Well there is always the drowning thing.:eyepoke: OK. so let's compare this. is a long distance runner an athlete? sprinter? tri-athlete? decathelete? cyclist? high jumper? cross country skier? I don't really see a ton of eminent danger in any of these events either, but i would think many would argue that it takes a true athlete to compete in any of these Olympic events. And another thing...have you ever seen what a swimmer looks like? Holy shit... could you be in better shape?
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You use nearly every muscle in your body to swim. It takes strength, endurance, technique and tremendous skill. I do not think danger is an essential trait of sport.
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
LMAO yeah, that's right! Drowning prolly kills a lot more people per year than football, baseball, basketball, and hockey combined! :headroll:
It's just because they shave their body hair off. That makes them look more attractive.
And bigger. :eyepoke:
Its hard to judge the amount of work required to swim. The mental capability of having to stare at the bottom of a pool (which is a black line and not very exciting) for 5+ hours a day, and the fact that for the 5 hours its non-stop, unlike baseball/football which is a whole lot of standing around.
Until you get in and try to swim laps, i don't think that there is much way of judging.
But Water Polo...Now there is a brutal sport.
Until you get in and try to swim laps, i don't think that there is much way of judging.
But Water Polo...Now there is a brutal sport.
I love swimming. The two sports I grew up participating in were wrestling and swimming. Wrestling was cake compared to swimming IMO. Not to mention like someone said if you're a swimmer you almost can't be in better physical shape. I propose all you nasayers jump in a pool and try to swim at least 100yds/m with out stopping. Make sure there's a life guard around though or you have something to grab onto lol.
I competed for years in swim. Hands down swimmers are athletes.
Not only athletes, but by FAR the most well-conditioned athletes in the world. Risks? Jesus, where to start. It's quite a dangerous sport, I'll leave it at that.
Not only athletes, but by FAR the most well-conditioned athletes in the world. Risks? Jesus, where to start. It's quite a dangerous sport, I'll leave it at that.
Swimmers are more athletic than NASCAR drivers. More chance to die on a track, but those guys are nowhere near as athletic as an olympic class swimmer or runner.
smokingIsh
BoM July '09
I was never a great swimmer and I came from too small of a school to have a swim team. However, I played football in high school on a state championship team and played football in junior college and I can tell you the hardest thing I ever did back in those days was pass my lifeguard training course. I would have to say that hands down, no question swimming is harder than football. I would rather line up against a three hundred pound deffensive lineman anyday than to swim 400 yards. Just my 2 cents!!!
If you went out on a Saturday afternoon to play touch football with your buddy's you could dodge them or out run them on a 10 second play. Then rest for 20 seconds or more till the next play. Swimming, try swimming 50 yards in less than 30 seconds or 100 yards in less than 49 seconds. I've seen a lot of "flabby" looking football players. "The Fridge". Never have seen a "flabby" swimmer that could compete. Especially in four different strokes. A Swimmer could make a good wide receiver. Don't think many wide receivers would make a good swimmer. Probably sink like a rock.
athlete Definition
ath·lete (at̸h′lēt′
noun
a person trained in exercises, games, or contests requiring physical strength, skill, stamina, speed, etc.
Etymology: L athleta < Gr athlētēs, contestant in the games < athlein, to contest for a prize < athlos, a contest, athlon, a prize
athlete
n.
player, acrobat, gymnast, ballplayer, contestant, competitor, champion, sportsman, sportswoman, amateur, professional, semi-professional, contender, challenger, jock*, varsity man*, letterman*.
Athletes include: baseball player, football player, basketball player, soccer player, volleyball player, boxer, pugilist, wrestler, swimmer, diver, golfer, tennis player, badminton player, jockey, trackman, marathoner, javelin thrower, high-jumper, discus thrower, shot putter, weight lifter, skier, ski jumper, slalom racer, runner, jogger, long-jumper, pole vaulter, hurdler, bowler, polo player, hockey player, skater, bicyclist, fencer, swordsman.
ath·lete (at̸h′lēt′
noun
a person trained in exercises, games, or contests requiring physical strength, skill, stamina, speed, etc.
Etymology: L athleta < Gr athlētēs, contestant in the games < athlein, to contest for a prize < athlos, a contest, athlon, a prize
athlete
n.
player, acrobat, gymnast, ballplayer, contestant, competitor, champion, sportsman, sportswoman, amateur, professional, semi-professional, contender, challenger, jock*, varsity man*, letterman*.
Athletes include: baseball player, football player, basketball player, soccer player, volleyball player, boxer, pugilist, wrestler, swimmer, diver, golfer, tennis player, badminton player, jockey, trackman, marathoner, javelin thrower, high-jumper, discus thrower, shot putter, weight lifter, skier, ski jumper, slalom racer, runner, jogger, long-jumper, pole vaulter, hurdler, bowler, polo player, hockey player, skater, bicyclist, fencer, swordsman.
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Definitely athletes. I roomed with a swimmer my freshman year in college. Man was that guy in shape. The whole shaving thing was strange though. Now...the girl ex-gymnast in my doorm freshman year...man, wow. The stuff dreams are made of. They must have kicked her out of the sport because she had a chest. Just. Wow.