you're wrong and don't come from a lacrosse background or lacrosse hot bed.
This is such fail.
How is it a rich white kids?... Hockey has that stigma WAY more than hockey. Much more expensive to play hockey than lacrosse.
Anyways for the thread Grant Fuhr was drafted by the Pirates as well as playing for the Oilers.
It isn't really a rich white kid sport (that's golf, squash, sailing, etc.) but it's definitely one of the most "bro" sports. Hockey is a pretty "bro" sport as well, but tbh I think Lacrosse takes the crown there. In high school and college they dress like absolute fools with popped collar bright pink/green shirts and lax pinnys all the time, not to mention the lax "flow" (although that is admittedly present in hockey too).
Not a fan of lacrosse but it's definitely a competitive sport at the college level. ESPN even airs the college finals nationally. That said nobody gives a crap about MLL, so it doesn't go beyond college at all.
Anyways Bo Jackson was a freak, too bad about the injuries...
Seems like a lot of kids these days like to rave about Lebron's 'athleticism' at every chance they get.
Name a comparable athlete.
He's a combination that I've never before seen in sports. Guys have been as skilled, but they didn't have his physical gifts. And the guys who come close physically speaking haven't been as skilled. He handles the ball like a skilled point guard, but he's 6'8, 250 and can jump out of the gym and run the court with anyone.
Bo Jackson had a pure speed and strength combo that we've never seen. He was the fastest guy on the field, yet at the same time one of the strongest. That's the definition of amazing physical talent. But even he didn't have LeBron's height/length and skill level IMO.
I'm impartial. James has never played for my favorite team or even against them in any significance. I don't love him and I don't hate him. But I do marvel at his God given ability.
Pittsburgh Pirates Shortstop Dick Groat — who was named National League MVP in 1960 after winning the batting title and was an eight-time all-star — was drafted third overall by the NBA. He was player of the year twice in college hoops and set the NCAA scoring record at the time. Played very little in the NBA because of military service then stuck with only baseball afterward.
I think he's the only guy to be enshrined in both the collegiate baseball and basketball halls of fame.
Deion Sanders was also a two star athlete on the pro level
Nah, Deion was a HOF cornerback but he wasn't much of a ballplayer. He just ran fast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crosbyfan
Beliveau probably could have played pro baseball if not for hockey. He was offered but turned down a minor pro baseball contract when just 15.
Besides Harvey and Beliveau, Jacques Plante was also a terrific baseball player and got offered a contract. Maurice Richard was no mug at baseball either.
Gene Conley, baseball and basketball. Pitcher for 1957 World Series champion Milwaukee Braves. Winning pitcher 1955 All Star game. Played on 3 Boston Celtic NBA championship teams, 1959-1961.
I didn't read the entire thread, but Joe Nieuwendyk should be mentioned, if he hasn't been already. From his wiki page...
Quote:
He played both hockey and lacrosse growing up and the latter considered his better sport. At one point, Nieuwendyk was considered the top junior lacrosse player in Canada. He earned a spot with the Whitby Warriors junior A team at the age of 15, and was named the most valuable player of the Minto Cup tournament in 1984 when he led the Warriors to the national championship. The Ontario Lacrosse Association later named its junior A rookie of the year award after Nieuwendyk.
Not sure why Jim Brown is not getting the love in this thread. I don't think Bo can compete with Brown nevermind anyone else competing with Bo.
Jim Brown lettered in football 3 times but lettered 4 time in lacrosse. By all reports, he was a better lacrosse player than football, but it doesn't stop there. He was on Syracuse's basketball team and track team. He is also in the Pro Football, Lacrosse and the Collegiate HoF.
He's a combination that I've never before seen in sports. Guys have been as skilled, but they didn't have his physical gifts. And the guys who come close physically speaking haven't been as skilled. He handles the ball like a skilled point guard, but he's 6'8, 250 and can jump out of the gym and run the court with anyone.
Bo Jackson had a pure speed and strength combo that we've never seen. He was the fastest guy on the field, yet at the same time one of the strongest. That's the definition of amazing physical talent. But even he didn't have LeBron's height/length and skill level IMO.
I'm impartial. James has never played for my favorite team or even against them in any significance. I don't love him and I don't hate him. But I do marvel at his God given ability.
I guess it depends on your definition of athlete, size matters not! I will agree that LeBron is a freak on the basketball court; but I'll agree to disagree about his athletic prowess.
To me, Bo Jackson might have been the pinnacle example of an athlete (at least in my lifetime). I'm far too young to have watched Jim Brown.
Reading the thread title before the first post, I brainstormed for a hockey player who was an off the charts physical freak and dominant, but had a career cut short by injury. I thought of Eric Lindros.
Obviously he doesn't fit the actual criteria of two-sport superstar though.
Some physicians say that Bo was so incredibly strong, and there was so much force and energy behind his strides, that a normal NFL running back or full back would have gotten up without issue from the tackle that effectively pulled his leg out of his hip socket.
Nah, Deion was a HOF cornerback but he wasn't much of a ballplayer. He just ran fast.
Besides Harvey and Beliveau, Jacques Plante was also a terrific baseball player and got offered a contract. Maurice Richard was no mug at baseball either.
I think Harvey was quite a football player as well.
Sometimes when Glenn Hall would make a great glove save, Lloyd Pettit would tell us that he'd have been a great first baseman. I don't think it was a serious argument.
Not to mention the scheduling! Football and baseball never overlap... unless his baseball team makes the playoffs.
Huh? The MLB regular season overlaps with the NFL preseason and the first month of the NFL season. The MLB playoffs would overlap another three weeks or so.
I'm sure you could find tons of guy's who played in the NHL that are better golfers than Deion was at baseball or Jordan with baseball. Same with lacrosse. The guy who was mentioned earlier in this thread has a pretty insane resume that honestly could probably stack up against anybody's.
In terms of being a physical specimen? Not even close tho. You don't need elite athletic ability to play in the NHL. Wayne.G is the best hockey player of all time in most people's eyes and look at him .. you're average joe could probably beat him in a race or jump higher
NBA/NFL just have those crazy athlete's. Guy's who are simply on another planet. Has the NHL even had a player that you could compare to a Vince Carter or Kobe Bryant? Randy Moss? I don't think so. Chara is an extremely strong guy but has nowhere near the mobility of a McGee or Dwight Howard who are bigger. In terms of speed, quickness, vertical, strength, size etc. NHL player don't stack up. Probably because they use sticks and skates ... really that's the great thing about hockey. Don't need to be 6+ feet and have crazy genetic gifts.
He's a combination that I've never before seen in sports. Guys have been as skilled, but they didn't have his physical gifts. And the guys who come close physically speaking haven't been as skilled. He handles the ball like a skilled point guard, but he's 6'8, 250 and can jump out of the gym and run the court with anyone.
Bo Jackson had a pure speed and strength combo that we've never seen. He was the fastest guy on the field, yet at the same time one of the strongest. That's the definition of amazing physical talent. But even he didn't have LeBron's height/length and skill level IMO.
I'm impartial. James has never played for my favorite team or even against them in any significance. I don't love him and I don't hate him. But I do marvel at his God given ability.
I don't know, Usain Bolt? Michael Phelps? Going pound for pound maybe Bruce Lee?
That's not really the point though. Keep in mind that hockey is the only professional sport I really follow, one where athleticism doesn't get brought up that often. While the more a player has the better, this really isn't the deciding factor in what makes a professional hockey player. 'Athleticism' is basically measured at every draft combine, and while the top athlete always gets a star by his name guys like Patrick Kane still go first overall.
But anyways, there's basically three things I know about Lebron James. 1, the SNAFU in him leaving Cleveland, 2, he finally won his first championship last year, and 3, he has this amazing legendary god-like athleticism. I mean the other two you couldn't help but overhear in sporting news, but in any online forum all I ever seem to hear is people raving about his athleticism athleticism athleticism!!!
I know he's the top basketball player right now but as an outside observer it always makes me think of Martin Skoula's amazing puck poise.
... really that's the great thing about hockey. Don't need to be 6+ feet and have crazy genetic gifts.
