Quote: Original post by zedz

Quote: That's why it's twice as scary when they can run faster than you.

I wouldnt be to sure about that, its possible though. If we lined up these guys and me in a 200meter(*) Im pretty sure I wont be last. Doubly certain over a 3000m
(true Im no doubt an exception) I currently run ~5x a week
heres me, I think my body resembles the top sprinters more than the above guys


Whilst these guys are no doubt much stronger than me, I doubt any can clean and jerk 1.8x their bodyweight, esp without chemicals ( which I have done )

Part of the reason cited for participating in sport is fitness, I believe a few of these gridiron fatties have dropped dead due to heart problems?
Of course everyone know golf is the sport where the fit rise above to claim the glory


(*)or possibly 100m Im not sure what distance is required to get optimal speed, its certainly not 40yards

edit - (in case ppl are interested) it looks like with bolt his fastest speed was 44.72km/hr at 80meters
also it appears the the 40 yard dash is often timed from when the player begins unlike in a sprint where theres a delay (they have to wait until the gun goes)

There's a girl in my gym that can squat 3 times her body weight, is she stronger than you? These guys are running 4.6 40's and squatting 800 pounds, you're not stronger or faster than them. Maybe you can outlast them in a race but you'd certainly get manhandled in contact.

They're also extremely gifted athletes and I'm sure 90% of them if they switched gears would be the world's best soccer/basketball/baseball players. Almost everyone in the NFL was a star athlete in other sports and just so happened to end up playing football. That includes linemen.

Quote: you're not stronger or faster than them

I specifically said I wasnt stronger than them, though Im of above average strength though, I weigh in the region 85-100kg i.e. I'm not a small guy, though not big or huge

Quote: I'm sure a lot of people could beat a defensive lineman in a reasonably long race. The point is that the defensive lineman could probably catch and tackle them before they got far enough for him to tire out.

but you were saying that these guys can run faster than 'me', i.e. making an assumption thinking I was a person of average speed, FWIW I've never played gridiron but I used to play rugby 'a wing' scored 5 tries in one game once, yes I was/am a prick :)

Quote: I'm sure 90% of them if they switched gears would be the world's best soccer players

patently false

Quote: And what chemicals are you referring to? HGH/Steroids? The NFL has strict testing rules for drugs like this.

as rigorous as the olympics?
, yesterday I was hearing the US woman sprint team 2004 might have to give back their gold medal due to one of them being busted for performance enhancing drug use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid_use_in_American_football
next you'll be saying that professional wrestling is drugfree :)

Quote: Oh and do that with a five pound weight on your head, a five pound weight on each shoulder and ill fitting knickers with shin guards covering your thighs

sure those guys can choose to wear that gear in the race when we line up for the 100m if it gives them a physiological boost, personally I'm going naked

<disclaimer>
Ive gotta have an operation on my left knee (as u can see)

still I ran 5km yesterday + monday also, apparently that isnt damaging it further.
But wouldnt that be an idea for a TV show, internet guy gets to prove himself right/wrong, eg Mr X "I can drive the car around the circuit faster than schumaker", "I can thump klitscho" etc
Me against the above 8 guys in a 100m, a new idea for a reality show?

[Edited by - zedz on February 9, 2010 3:53:33 PM]

Quote: Original post by zedz

Quote: you're not stronger or faster than them

I specifically said I wasnt stronger than them, though Im of above average strength though, I weigh in the region 85-100kg i.e. I'm not a small guy, though not big or huge

Quote: I'm sure a lot of people could beat a defensive lineman in a reasonably long race. The point is that the defensive lineman could probably catch and tackle them before they got far enough for him to tire out.

but you were saying that these guys can run faster than 'me', i.e. making an assumption thinking I was a person of average speed, FWIW I've never played gridiron but I used to play rugby 'a wing' scored 5 tries in one game once, yes I was/am a prick :)

Your making the assumption that an above averagely fast person would beat a linemen in a race. Post your 200m time and we'll see.

Quote:

Quote: I'm sure 90% of them if they switched gears would be the world's best soccer players

patently false

Patently false because? Soccer is some holy eschelon of skill that can't be taught or acquired unless you've played it exclusively all your life? What makes a good soccer player: speed, agility, coordination. What skills make a good basketball/baseball/football player?

Quote: Original post by zedz

Quote: I'm sure 90% of them if they switched gears would be the world's best soccer players

patently false

I agree. I would say that had they focused on soccer since childhood (and the nation had the requisite soccer training structure) they would rank among the world's best, but switching gears in adulthood? Nope. Speed, agility, coordination do make a good soccer player, but not a great one, not a world class soccer player. The great players have a feel for the game that only comes from playing it for a very long time - thousands of hours worth - just like with any expertise.

Quote: Original post by zedz
sure those guys can choose to wear that gear in the race when we line up for the 100m if it gives them a physiological boost, personally I'm going naked

I was talking about wearing all that gear during training, not during a foot race.

Quote: Original post by zedzas rigorous as the olympics?
, yesterday I was hearing the US woman sprint team 2004 might have to give back their gold medal due to one of them being busted for performance enhancing drug use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid_use_in_American_football
next you'll be saying that professional wrestling is drugfree :)

I'm not sure what it's like for the olympics, but they are cracking down on it way more than they used to. Yes, it used to be a big problem 10+ years ago, but not as bad now (and yes there are nfl players who still get away with it). A quick Google search turned up this article (from 2007) that mentions there will now be 10 players tested from each team each week for the season. The NFL regular season is 16 weeks long, and there are 53 players on the roster. That means theoretically each player gets tested 3 times during a season.

Quote: Original post by zedz
But wouldnt that be an idea for a TV show, internet guy gets to prove himself right/wrong, eg Mr X "I can drive the car around the circuit faster than schumaker", "I can thump klitscho" etc
Me against the above 8 guys in a 100m, a new idea for a reality show?

That show already exists, it's called Pros vs Joes that airs on the Spike network. Its directed exactly at things like this, your random Joe Schmoe on the street who wants to test his physical ability against professional athletes (most of them in the show are retired i think?) Write them a letter and say you'd like to perform against some NFL Lineman of old and new. I would tune in :)

As for football players being good soccer plays, I would say a good portion (although mostly running backs/recievers/defensive backs because of their better speed/agility) of NFL players could be good soccer players. They probably wouldn't make the cut for any professional team, but I'm sure many could do really well.

EDIT:
Just a fun random fact: I forgot all about this, but Warren Sapp, a defensive lineman in the NFL, the first guy in zedz series of pictures, was on the TV show Dancing With The Stars. His dancing partner (Kym Johnson, a professional ballroom dancer) talks about how nimble and agile he is for his size. Youtube it, it is actually pretty interesting.

I bet some of them would be good enough to play in the MLS.

Here's a dated (2007) casting call for Pros Vs. Joes. Clips of the show can be found on YouTube.

"... some of the PROS from our first two seasons; Jerry Rice, Roy Jones Jr., Randy Couture, Darryl Strawberry, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, Herschel Walker, Dennis Rodman, Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Bo Jackson, Jose Canseco, Wade Boggs, Kordell Stewart, Claude Lemieux."

Jerry Rice was just inducted into the NFL hall of fame. Herschel Walker is now a professional mixed-martial artist (Herschel Walker Wins MMA Debut). At age 47 he's older than me. Dennis Rodman has become a caricature. Bo Jackson played football and baseball. ...

Yes I know that want guys into NFL that havent played the game before based on their speed/strength. But football :)

I dont think football players have to be particulary quick or agile (sure youve gotta be reasonably fit) but having the foot skills is what its all about. The european guys I've had friendly football games with run rings around me even though Im quicker more agile.

speaking of fitness, the best team sport for that would most likely be rugby sevens (they only play 2x7minute halves) which is long enuf if you ever get the chance to play :)

exercise? stairrunning perhaps, the annual empirestate building run has just been done, ~1500 stairs, theres some stairs near here ~370 which takes me ~3 minutes to get up, heartrate must be >200. I dont want to think about 1500

Quote: Original post by zedz
Yes I know that want guys into NFL that havent played the game before based on their speed/strength. But football :)

I dont think football players have to be particulary quick or agile (sure youve gotta be reasonably fit) but having the foot skills is what its all about. The european guys I've had friendly football games with run rings around me even though Im quicker more agile.

have you ever seen an american football game? like actually being played...

I think he's talking soccer, e.g. "foot skills"