Swimmers get no respect

The last thing I will say is that when you are fatigued and dying at the end of your swimming race the worst that can happen is that your form falls apart and you slow down. If you become fatigued and your form falls apart during a NASCAR race, you could very well kill yourself and others. Hey, I just got back from a swim meet this morning. I don't think my form fell apart too badly (I don't swim things over a 100), but I was a touch worried I might be "killing" my shoulder. :yawn: You and Geek have kids, so you're probably reading Splash magazine. I read this little tidbit last night: "There's no arguing that swimming is one of the most physically demanding sports there is. Besides strength, speed and tons of endurance, swimmers need to possess the coordination necessary to synchronize the movements of their limbs as they propel themselves through the water...."

Dear Lewis: I know you love NASCAR, you ole forum baiter. You're probably watching it on that golf cart you're zooming around in practicing that truly impossible "sport" or on that built in TV/DVD player in your SUV. :rofl: Let's just put NASCAR in the non sport category and proceed to argue about other important sports topics. I'm sure all NASCAR drivers can run sub 5 40s and do sub 4:00 miles. I bet they can even break 50 in the 100 free if pressed. They are truly amazing non athletes. Now, as you know, I do agree with you about soccer, the scourge of youth sports. Fortress Although I may agree that NASCAR (or my personal favorite, F1) may not be a "sport" in the tradition of swimming, track & field, or even "ball" sports, from what I have been able to learn, being a driver takes tremendous physical conditioning. F1 in particular puts about the same stresses on the body that you get in an F-16, only in shorter and far more frequent doses. Not to mention the quick reaction and mental concentration skills they must possess. There is also a great deal of teamwork involved (take a close look at a pit stop sometime), which is at least on the same level as, say, football. I think you would find that drivers at that level are clearly more "athletic" than you may imagine. Ken

football players ever run the mile or a 10K for time? Yes, pretty much every team in America has 1 mile time rules, football and basketball. My point about the 40 is that for all those who say footballers are fat, unathletic, etc, it is pretty impressive to see the speed of a 6'5" 275 dude run crazy fast. I just like to give tris a good ribbing, they are generally very good athletes and teammates.

I am not much of a Nascar fan these days but discounting the stamina needed to endure one of their races would not be wise. They are not out for a Sunday drive, let me tell you. Imagine driving a car at 160+ MPH while tailgating another car, totally ignoring the safe following distance rule taught in drivers education! Now there is a car rubbing it's tire up against your front fender that is causing your 160 MPH vehicle to become unstable and you fear that a spin is imminent as may be a trip to the concrete wall. High stress, high speed, high heat, lots and lots of steering correction, muscles tensed up for hours at a time. It's no picnic. Some time ago Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya switched cars, JG got into the F1 car and JPM got into the Winston/Nextel Cup Car. JPM said the F1 car was much more difficult to drive and the F1 car is a handful itself. The last thing I will say is that when you are fatigued and dying at the end of your swimming race the worst that can happen is that your form falls apart and you slow down. If you become fatigued and your form falls apart during a NASCAR race, you could very well kill yourself and others. The stakes are higher without question.

Although I may agree that NASCAR (or my personal favorite, F1) may not be a "sport" in the tradition of swimming, track & field, or even "ball" sports, from what I have been able to learn, being a driver takes tremendous physical conditioning. F1 in particular puts about the same stresses on the body that you get in an F-16, only in shorter and far more frequent doses. Not to mention the quick reaction and mental concentration skills they must possess. There is also a great deal of teamwork involved (take a close look at a pit stop sometime), which is at least on the same level as, say, football. I was really just joshing with Geek cuz he was baiting everyone with his post. I do believe their job is hard. I myself wouldn't want to drive that fast in the traffic where I live. I'm sure driving at that speed does require super-human reflexes and some conditioning. My very limited point, besides teasing Geek, was that they are sitting down and driving. And I believe that "mental concentration" is required for many things in life including my own driving in dense traffic, my own "job," reading, helping my kids with their math homework, etc. Dorianblade's dictionary definition of sport required physical exertion and "execise." They make get some of that, to be sure, but it still seems more like a job than a sport to me. Of course, pro football players are doing a job too....

Yes, pretty much every team in America has 1 mile time rules, football and basketball. I just like to give tris a good ribbing, they are generally very good athletes and teammates. I agree that football players have speed and strength. No question. At least the ones that don't fit Peter's prior description. I'm just not sure their cardiovascular systems can compete with swimmers generally. But football is definitley a sport. But if they're running timed miles, then I definitely know many swimmers who can keep up or blow by them. :applaud:

Imagine driving a car at 160+ MPH while tailgating another car, totally ignoring the safe following distance rule taught in drivers education! Now there is a car rubbing it's tire up against your front fender that is causing your 160 MPH vehicle to become unstable and you fear that a spin is imminent as may be a trip to the concrete wall. QUOTE] Am I the only one who thinks this is dumber than boxing?

I wouldn't say it's is dumber than boxing, but it's just as pointless.

To most people, anything that ESPN televises is a sport. And my favorite ESPN sport.............Poker

What???? There is no Diamond Lane in Nascar? That is unsafe!!! Donna :rofl: