Debate: Pitching or Quarterbacking

[z1ggy]

I don't think if it was ever specified if it was a game situation or just a practice type scenario.

I think game situation, it's QB that has the harder task, but only because there are people after him. In 50% or so of plays though all he has to do is run back and hand the ball off, where the pitcher needs to be spot on almost 100% of the time.

Idk if anybody said this, but what about NHL goalie? You are in that thick ass equipment, on 1/8 inch wide blades while dudes rip slap shots at u 90-100mph. It's like being an MLB catcher except you have people infront of you and crashing into you and you need crazy flexibility and reflexes.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I think a pitcher requires greater precision personally, though that's not to say a QB doesn't but they have a lot more leeway in a lot of situations and can rely on their receivers to compensate as well. A catcher can't turn a ball into a strike though.

I think QBs need a broader skillset but pitchers need to be more highly skilled at their specialty.

 

[smitbret]

Pitching at the major league level is a incredibly specialized art only a select few ever succeed at, but, with the speed of the game and the complexity of both offenses and defenses, nothing is more challenging than being an NFL QB.

Well, there are 32 NFL teams and of those, there are maybe 15 really good QBs. There are 30 MLB teams and each one has 4 starting pitchers and a bullpen full of setup and relief pitchers. Most teams have at least one stud starter and many have 2. Most have at least one good relief pitcher and a couple of pretty good setup men.

Based on numbers of quality pitchers vs quality QBs, I would have to say that QB is the more difficult.

 

[Ns1]

Idk if anybody said this, but what about NHL goalie? You are in that thick ass equipment, on 1/8 inch wide blades while dudes rip slap shots at u 90-100mph. It's like being an MLB catcher except you have people infront of you and crashing into you and you need crazy flexibility and reflexes.

NHL goalie is ridiculous for sure.

 

[dank69]

Golfing.

That's right. I went there.

 

[purbeast0]

I don't think if it was ever specified if it was a game situation or just a practice type scenario.

I think game situation, it's QB that has the harder task, but only because there are people after him. In 50% or so of plays though all he has to do is run back and hand the ball off, where the pitcher needs to be spot on almost 100% of the time.

Idk if anybody said this, but what about NHL goalie? You are in that thick ass equipment, on 1/8 inch wide blades while dudes rip slap shots at u 90-100mph. It's like being an MLB catcher except you have people infront of you and crashing into you and you need crazy flexibility and reflexes.

i have always thought that an NHL goalie is probably the hardest position in professional sports.

 

[Ns1]

Golfing.

That's right. I went there.

golfing is probably harder than pitching.


yeah I went there.

 

[Perknose]

Golfing.

Bowling takes the biggest balls of all!

 

[smitbret]

I'd say the catchers, wide receivers, and tight ends have the tougher jobs.

WHAT?!

Are you serious? WR is the easiest position on the field outside of special teams. Half the plays they can just jog and not evenmake contact.

 

[Perknose]

Track and field. No sport has a competition in which you have to overcome so many hurdles.

 

[AstroManLuca]

ESPN did a piece on the most difficult sports a while back, weighing all different factors such as physical skills, mental focus, and toughness required:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

They rank boxing as the #1 most difficult, followed by ice hockey, football, basketball, wrestling, martial arts, tennis, gymnastics, baseball, and soccer.

 

[KevinCU]

Track and field. No sport has a competition in which you have to overcome so many hurdles.

Bad.

 

[Red Storm]

ESPN did a piece on the most difficult sports a while back, weighing all different factors such as physical skills, mental focus, and toughness required:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

They rank boxing as the #1 most difficult, followed by ice hockey, football, basketball, wrestling, martial arts, tennis, gymnastics, baseball, and soccer.

ESPN does a lot of pieces, many of which don't quite fit in with sense and logic.

 

[Uppsala9496]

For the record, I do think being a QB is more difficult than pitching, Brandon Weedon aside.
I was just pointing out that pitching is a lot more difficult than people believe. It's not as simple as getting on the mound and throwing as hard as you can, or doing exactly what the catcher (coaches) want.

 

[Ns1]

For the record, I do think being a QB is more difficult than pitching, Brandon Weedon aside.
I was just pointing out that pitching is a lot more difficult than people believe. It's not as simple as getting on the mound and throwing as hard as you can, or doing exactly what the catcher (coaches) want.

I don't think anybody is arguing that.

Pitching a baseball is hard as shit. Harder than throwing a football.

Is being a pitcher harder than being a QB? No.

 

[AstroManLuca]

ESPN does a lot of pieces, many of which don't quite fit in with sense and logic.

I don't think there's any sport more difficult than boxing though.

 

[Red Storm]

I don't think there's any sport more difficult than boxing though.

If football and baseball are Apples and Oranges, boxing would be french fries. Something else entirely.

For the record I think pitching is more difficult than boxing.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Brandon Weeden.

Drafted as a pitcher. Played in the minors and never made it to the majors.
Now a starting NFL quarterback.

Bad argument. How many current major league pitchers were drafted into the NFL as QBs, became starters, and then decided to go back to MLB?

 

[darkewaffle]

I think that makes basketball and soccer steak and eggs respectively though.

I don't know how those fuckers run so much, I'm in half decent shape and I can't even begin to approach their level of endurance.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

i have always thought that an NHL goalie is probably the hardest position in professional sports.

I'm not sure I agree. Seems to me that an enormous fat guys would be the best type of goalie. And by enormous, I mean spectacularly large. As in large enough to block 80-90% of the net without pads. Find me a guy like that who won't mind getting shot at, and I will construct the next Stanley cup championship team.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Also, quarterbacks don't get pulled at the start of the 4th quarter to put in a reliever or a closer. How many times does a pitcher make it through a full game in today's MLB?

 

[GobBluth]

I think being in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and 2 outs is much more strenuous than a 2 minute drill where you turn it over to the kicker to win or lose it.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I'm not sure I agree. Seems to me that an enormous fat guys would be the best type of goalie. And by enormous, I mean spectacularly large. As in large enough to block 80-90% of the net without pads. Find me a guy like that who won't mind getting shot at, and I will construct the next Stanley cup championship team.

Someone actually tried that (with a fat suit) and it didn't work. Even a 2,000 lb person wouldn't be large enough to cover the upper corners.

 

[Ns1]

I think being in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and 2 outs is much more strenuous than a 2 minute drill where you turn it over to the kicker to win or lose it.

And if you got 1 minute left and you're down by 4-6 points...

 

[Chapbass]

Heres how I view it:

Is it more difficult to be an elite QB or an elite pitcher? I would say QB. More things to process, more variables, faster speed, etc.

Is it more difficult to throw a perfect football pass or a perfect pitch? Pitch without a doubt.

The problem is that you're comparing a single variable (skill in pitching), vs a set of variables (ability to process information, speed, durability, pocket presence, arm [both strength and accuracy together], etc).

Sure, theres different pitches to throw, and all of that. But I think theres a lot more to being an excellent QB than an excellent pitcher. One of those things is the mental game. If a pitcher has excellent physical characteristics (ability to spot the ball wherever he wants... a good, reliable arm...etc), then the mental aspect more or less doesn't matter, when compared to the mental aspect of a QB.