Hansen pulling a "Gary Hall, Jr."

World class female triathletes usually have a DIV. I swim background and are usually excellent runners. Laura Bennett is a good example. She was an All-America in swimming in high school and college. She also was the Florida State High School Track Champion in the 1 mile and 2 mile. Laura Bennett Athletic Background: Was an eight-time All-American and member of the 1997 NCAA Champion 400 Medley Relay while swimming at SMU... Was the co-captain of the team her senior season (1996-97)... While swimming for the Mustangs, was on the team with six 1996 Olympians from six countries, including 1997 NCAA Swimmer of the Year Martina Moravcova (Slovakia)... While at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Fla., earned All-America honors in 1993 in swimming... Was also the 1991 (So.) and 1992 (Jr.) Florida High School Track Champion in the mile and 2-mile... Team won the 1990 (So.) and 1992 (Jr.) High School Cross Country Championships... Began swimming competitively in sixth grade (age 12)... While growing up, enjoyed playing football with older brother. www.usatriathlon.org/.../979

Just about any MLB pitcher can throw a football just as good as an NFL quarterback. Now, can they avoid getting tackled and run while throwing a football, that's a whole different skill set. And throwing it accurately to a moving target at some variable distance downfield. Totally different than throwing a baseball the same distance and pretty much to the same spot every time.

True. Sports are specific. There is a generality to many sports, yet at elite levels, there aren't many who can excell at more than one. Nolan Ryan may be able to throw a baseball 90 miles an hour but I'll bet a dozen donuts he couldn't throw a football anywhere near NFL caliber. First of all Nolan Ryan threw for 100 miles and hour. Secondly, Nolan Ryan used to throw footballs all the time during the off-season to keep his arm strength. I'm pretty sure he can "throw" a football just as good as any NFL quarterback during his prime if not even better. Just about any MLB pitcher can throw a football just as good as an NFL quarterback. Now, can they avoid getting tackled and run while throwing a football, that's a whole different skill set.

I don't think even Nolan Ryan could throw a baseball 100 miles. While your pretty sure he could match (or better) throwing a football with the best of the NFL, I'm pretty darn sure he couldn't. Argument solved. Ryan has recorded the fastest offical pitch at a little over 100 mph. I think it was in a game. As for football - he did throw footballs as an arm strengthening exercise, and if you saw the video, he was very acurate and the sprial was tight. Could he throw as well as Brady, P. Manning, Rivers or Brees? I doubt it, but then again their skill really lies in accuracy, touch and ability to make decisions. Lots of QBs can throw long passes, but can't hit open receivers. Could he have competed effectively in those bogus made for TV competitions? Sure, maybe even been in the top 5. Then again most QBs couldnt break 80 mph with a baseball I bet, so each has a special skill to be exceptional. If it was just throwing a football vs playing the game, Ryan would/could excel because he worked hard and was a terrific athlete.

Ryan has recorded the fastest offical pitch at a little over 100 mph. Stillwater is correct, though. He said Ryan couldn't throw a baseball 100 miles. 100 miles, not 100 mph!

I agree and am trying to figure out why. I was going to start a post called "cross training doesn’t help" I have swam 15-18K pretty consistently this whole year. I added running to my routine 2.5 months ago and since then my swimming has deteriorated. It might be because I am physically tired but I think the real reason is reduced flexibility. I love to run, but essentially gave it up except for a few post meet runs the last 10-11 months. My swimming improved. The running caused a lot of leg fatigue for me. And running in the heat caused too much general fatigue. Now some of this is no doubt because I already pound my legs in the pool and weight room, but still ... On the other hand, Vlad P runs 5 miles a day ... Spinning is less fatiguing than running for me. But running is hands down the best exercise for weight control. Caroline Krattli was a superb beach volleyball player before she became a swimmer. But doing 2 sports at a high level simultaneously? Unlikely.

But doing 2 sports at a high level simultaneously? Unlikely. Absolutely. But I think the whole sports culture has changed significantly over the years. In the 60's it wasn't that unusual for a Div I football player to play basketball and/or baseball, or even wrestling (until many schools dropped it). I can remember a defensive tackle for a major Div I school in 1964-5 who was an All-American for three years and also lettered in Basketball and Baseball his Sophomore year. But he broke his leg sliding into a base and was thereafter only allowed to play football, which eventually got him into the NFL. Now, you see that rarely, and normally not to the delight of the respective coaches. There just isn't any off-season now. And the training has gotten to be so specific, that being prepared in one can often negate the preparation for another, as several have pointed out here from their own experiences. But I have found that athletes good in one sport usually have a bit of talent in another; there just isn't time to develop that.

I don't think even Nolan Ryan could throw a baseball 100 miles. While your pretty sure he could match (or better) throwing a football with the best of the NFL, I'm pretty darn sure he couldn't. Argument solved.

While your pretty sure he could match (or better) throwing a football with the best of the NFL, I'm pretty darn sure he couldn't. There is anecdotal evidense that he could. I think on the back of a baseball card that depicts him throwing a football (again reading defenses etc is a different matter. I am just talking about the mechanics of throwing a football).