[OnionsParticipant]

I was watching a Nash youtube video and he briefly spoke on how soccer’s team game gave him a creativity outlet. Obviously it translated to basketball. I believe Kidd was a soccer player in high school and his approach is similar. I always see Marc Gasol trying to head the ball, and he grew up in Spain, so I’m just going to assume he has some soccer background. I know JP Tokoto (UNC) grew up playing soccer and he loves to pass.

Then you think football. Iverson, LBJ, Nate Robinson, Big Ben, Ward, David Noel, Hondo, Armstrong… All aggressive players.

Not sure what the connection with baseball is, and tbh I don’t know a ton about baseball, but it seems like baseball is everyone’s second (or first) sport in basketball and football. I’m sure there’s some qualities that translate and define their basketball games. Ainge, MJ, TMac, DeBusschere, Pat Connaughton (Notre Dame) to name several who played baseball. You can find the common denominator.

Thoughts? Am I just seeing what I want to see?

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Well you can’t compare the USA to the world, but you are correct in looking at this from a sociological point of view. Soccer is the #1 sport in the world, so it’s not uncharectorist for guys like Gasol, Rubio, and any other international player to play soccer. Likewise, soccer isn’t that sport in the USA. Football is by far the biggest sport in the States, and as the superbowl proves every year, it’s not even close. 

People don’t like bringing up race, but I think it’s okay to do it in this case. I’m not going to get into statistics or generalizations, but in this world there are two ways to make it in life. Academics or athletics, and many people every year get scholarships based on those two things. It’s just how it is. 

Baseball has a ton of latinos/spanish players, more so than any sport in the States. Why? Soccer is the biggest sport in that demographic, but how many cuban players will get paid $36 mil guaranteed playing in the MLS like Rusny Castillo did with the Red Sox…before he ever played a single MLB game. I would bet that more Latino atheletes see baseball as a way to make it big than they do playing soccer, thus we see more latino baseball players perfecting that craft than any other. 

For years espn has asked the question, Why does the number of blacks in baseball decreas every year? I have literally seen this question asked on Sportscenter since I was 11, and it always baffles me that they don’t have an answer because it’s so obvious to me. Why are their less african americans in baseball? Because the number of blacks in the NFL and NBA are increasing. African american males see more opportunity in basketball and football than they do in baseball. It’s why we see guys like Russle Wilson play for the Seahawks even though he was drafted in baseball.

I also think it comes down to you social class as well. How many black/latinos players are in the NHL? Not many, you could probably count them on your hands. Why? It’s well documented that many minorities in this country live at a lower standard of living, so playing a game like hockey which requires hundreds of dollars in gear, an ice ring, and hundred of dollars in team fees makes it a "country club" type of atmosphere. It just doesn’t seem applicable for lower income people to play hockey, thus we mainly see middle/high class white players in sports like hockey, skiing, and nascar. 

Sports like soccer, football, and basketball are typically sports that people of lower income can play because all you need is a ball that one person could bring, a open space to play/court and you’re all set. For athletes trying to go pro in the USA it’s better to focus on the sports just mentioned, because there is a higher success rate than if they played soccer or a speacialized sport like swimming/skiing. That’s why the best athletes in the USA play these sports, and why the best athletes in Europe typically play soccer. Because it’s where the money is. 

When asking questions of this caliber, you have to look at it from a social, cultural, and ecomomical outlook. People don’t just play a sport because they like them, but because of the culture that comes with it. We are all molded by out culture, and sports is one of the best ways study this, and I’m glad you started a forum for this. 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Well you can’t compare the USA to the world, but you are correct in looking at this from a sociological point of view. Soccer is the #1 sport in the world, so it’s not uncharectorist for guys like Gasol, Rubio, and any other international player to play soccer. Likewise, soccer isn’t that sport in the USA. Football is by far the biggest sport in the States, and as the superbowl proves every year, it’s not even close. 

People don’t like bringing up race, but I think it’s okay to do it in this case. I’m not going to get into statistics or generalizations, but in this world there are two ways to make it in life. Academics or athletics, and many people every year get scholarships based on those two things. It’s just how it is. 

Baseball has a ton of latinos/spanish players, more so than any sport in the States. Why? Soccer is the biggest sport in that demographic, but how many cuban players will get paid $36 mil guaranteed playing in the MLS like Rusny Castillo did with the Red Sox…before he ever played a single MLB game. I would bet that more Latino atheletes see baseball as a way to make it big than they do playing soccer, thus we see more latino baseball players perfecting that craft than any other. 

For years espn has asked the question, Why does the number of blacks in baseball decreas every year? I have literally seen this question asked on Sportscenter since I was 11, and it always baffles me that they don’t have an answer because it’s so obvious to me. Why are their less african americans in baseball? Because the number of blacks in the NFL and NBA are increasing. African american males see more opportunity in basketball and football than they do in baseball. It’s why we see guys like Russle Wilson play for the Seahawks even though he was drafted in baseball.

I also think it comes down to you social class as well. How many black/latinos players are in the NHL? Not many, you could probably count them on your hands. Why? It’s well documented that many minorities in this country live at a lower standard of living, so playing a game like hockey which requires hundreds of dollars in gear, an ice ring, and hundred of dollars in team fees makes it a "country club" type of atmosphere. It just doesn’t seem applicable for lower income people to play hockey, thus we mainly see middle/high class white players in sports like hockey, skiing, and nascar. 

Sports like soccer, football, and basketball are typically sports that people of lower income can play because all you need is a ball that one person could bring, a open space to play/court and you’re all set. For athletes trying to go pro in the USA it’s better to focus on the sports just mentioned, because there is a higher success rate than if they played soccer or a speacialized sport like swimming/skiing. That’s why the best athletes in the USA play these sports, and why the best athletes in Europe typically play soccer. Because it’s where the money is. 

When asking questions of this caliber, you have to look at it from a social, cultural, and ecomomical outlook. People don’t just play a sport because they like them, but because of the culture that comes with it. We are all molded by out culture, and sports is one of the best ways study this, and I’m glad you started a forum for this. 

[Magic JordanParticipant]

Some things you say are accurate, but why don’t you see many blacks in baseball because they are going to the NFL or NBA is skipping like the whole reason why they are doing that.  Its a lot harder to pack a baseball diamond into an inner city then it is a basketball hoop.  Football by kids is rarely played on a 100 yard field, and when you tell a kid you get to put pads on and tackle people they are all for it so football is exempt from the lack of turf for inner city kids to play on.

I think Football will start to see a decrease in fans and quality of athletes.  With all the information about head trauma, and the fact that almost everything in life is part of a bell curve we will almost surely see a decline.

Basketball will be positioned perfectly to fill that gap and hopefully we will all get what we want.  Basketball being covered like Football is now.

About the whole soccer thing.  Soccer is a game that you have to pass in,  it doesn’t matter if you are the best soccer player in the world there is no just taking it by yourself in soccer.  Passing is in its blood,  I think that’s why you see the direct translation of soccer players being willing to pass in the league.  With Kobe being the exception.

 

 

 

 

[Magic JordanParticipant]

Some things you say are accurate, but why don’t you see many blacks in baseball because they are going to the NFL or NBA is skipping like the whole reason why they are doing that.  Its a lot harder to pack a baseball diamond into an inner city then it is a basketball hoop.  Football by kids is rarely played on a 100 yard field, and when you tell a kid you get to put pads on and tackle people they are all for it so football is exempt from the lack of turf for inner city kids to play on.

I think Football will start to see a decrease in fans and quality of athletes.  With all the information about head trauma, and the fact that almost everything in life is part of a bell curve we will almost surely see a decline.

Basketball will be positioned perfectly to fill that gap and hopefully we will all get what we want.  Basketball being covered like Football is now.

About the whole soccer thing.  Soccer is a game that you have to pass in,  it doesn’t matter if you are the best soccer player in the world there is no just taking it by yourself in soccer.  Passing is in its blood,  I think that’s why you see the direct translation of soccer players being willing to pass in the league.  With Kobe being the exception.

 

 

 

 

[King CaluchaParticipant]

About sports, there are some people in latinamerica (in the caribbean) who really prefer baseball, which is why there are so many players from that region. You won’t really find many baseball players from Southamerica. I want to make some points about soccer:

1. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world because it’s easy to implement wherever you are. You don’t need eleven players, or a goal, or even a proper ball. You just need two people willing to play ball.

2. What you say about passing is completely true. In regulated competition, the field is so big that just driving with the ball would be useless. Also, since you have to move the ball with your feet, it’s a bit harder to have control when you’re being defended closely, which is why passing it became so important. Also, there are so many players on the field than passing with precision and strategic vision is what makes a difference between a technically-gifted player and a star.

3. There are so many possible gameplay variations, that coaches don’t plan set plays except for a few specific situations like freekicks or corner kicks. Therefore, players have to be creative on their own in order to get the ball to the other side of the field.

The point I wanted to make is that a soccer base could be benefitial for young guys who want to develop offensive vision. Actually, I guess anything that helps you think outside the box is benefitial.

PS: Kobe could be a great PG if he wanted to. He’s had several +10-assist games.

[King CaluchaParticipant]

About sports, there are some people in latinamerica (in the caribbean) who really prefer baseball, which is why there are so many players from that region. You won’t really find many baseball players from Southamerica. I want to make some points about soccer:

1. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world because it’s easy to implement wherever you are. You don’t need eleven players, or a goal, or even a proper ball. You just need two people willing to play ball.

2. What you say about passing is completely true. In regulated competition, the field is so big that just driving with the ball would be useless. Also, since you have to move the ball with your feet, it’s a bit harder to have control when you’re being defended closely, which is why passing it became so important. Also, there are so many players on the field than passing with precision and strategic vision is what makes a difference between a technically-gifted player and a star.

3. There are so many possible gameplay variations, that coaches don’t plan set plays except for a few specific situations like freekicks or corner kicks. Therefore, players have to be creative on their own in order to get the ball to the other side of the field.

The point I wanted to make is that a soccer base could be benefitial for young guys who want to develop offensive vision. Actually, I guess anything that helps you think outside the box is benefitial.

PS: Kobe could be a great PG if he wanted to. He’s had several +10-assist games.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

 Dorell Wright is a notable off the top of my head for baseball.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

 Dorell Wright is a notable off the top of my head for baseball.

[Shaquille OatmealParticipant]

It’s hard to come up with any type of baseball trait that would directly translate to basketball since they’re such different sports, but I could see a baseball player having the mentality of a great one on one scorer. Hitters and pitchers both have to be totally locked in to breaking down their individual opponent, so it would make sense that they might approach a defender the same way. Baseball players might also be inclined to become great shooters since it requires the same type of precision and focus. 

[Shaquille OatmealParticipant]

It’s hard to come up with any type of baseball trait that would directly translate to basketball since they’re such different sports, but I could see a baseball player having the mentality of a great one on one scorer. Hitters and pitchers both have to be totally locked in to breaking down their individual opponent, so it would make sense that they might approach a defender the same way. Baseball players might also be inclined to become great shooters since it requires the same type of precision and focus. 

[Author]

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