260 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

A classic debate.

[SammyBirdland]

I think most NASCAR drivers are athletic, but driving a race car doesn't make you an athlete.

[SBTarheel]

Absolutely yes.

[mweb08]

I think most NASCAR drivers are athletic, but driving a race car doesn't make you an athlete.

Very well put and I agree.

[mweb08]

Absolutely yes.

Why?

[SBTarheel]

Why?

These guys for the most part are in terrific shape...They lose 7-10 lbs. each race, they have to train constantly, and it's not like they're just cruisin around out there..They're going 200 MPH at some tracks with 42 other guys around them.

It's funny, this came up at the ESPY'S or something a few years ago, and a Seahawks receiver made fun of Jimmie Johnson winning male athlete of the year, so Jimmie invited him to try it...He apologized soon after.

[mweb08]

These guys for the most part are in terrific shape...They lose 7-10 lbs. each race, they have to train constantly, and it's not like they're just cruisin around out there..They're going 200 MPH at some tracks with 42 other guys around them.

It's funny, this came up at the ESPY'S or something a few years ago, and a Seahawks receiver made fun of Jimmie Johnson winning male athlete of the year, so Jimmie invited him to try it...He apologized soon after.

I've never heard about them losing that much weight. I assume much of the reason they lose the weight is because they're hot and the race takes a long time?

I'm not saying it's easy at all or that I can do it, but for me, it's hard to call a guy an athlete for driving a car, regardless of the speed.

[SBTarheel]

I've never heard about them losing that much weight. Much of the reason they lose the weight is because they're hot right?

I'm not saying it's easy at all or that I can do it, but for me, it's hard to call a guy an athlete for driving a car, regardless of the speed.

Yes, the heat..They have to be in terrific shape in order to do it, athletic shape, that is.

Some big fat offensive lineman couldn't do it, that's for sure.

[mweb08]

Yes, the heat..They have to be in terrific shape in order to do it, athletic shape, that is.

Some big fat offensive lineman couldn't do it, that's for sure.

Most O-Lineman aren't really all that fat. I would guess they'd have trouble fitting in the car as well.

But of course NASCAR drivers can't do what they do.

Are drag racers athletes?

[SBTarheel]

Most O-Lineman aren't really all that fat. I would guess they'd have trouble fitting in the car as well.

But of course NASCAR drivers can't do what they do.

Are drag racers athletes?

Ha, yea, that's true..

I think they're all probably good athletes to be honest, but I know NASCAR, I know what kind of shape these guys are in. I can't say I honestly know much about drag racers.

[mweb08]

Ha, yea, that's true..

I think they're all probably good athletes to be honest, but I know NASCAR, I know what kind of shape these guys are in. I can't say I honestly know much about drag racers.

But does being in good shape make one an athlete?

You mentioned fat lineman in football, some of those guys aren't in good shape, especially in the older days. Some baseball players aren't in that good of shape.

[Chris B]

Absolutely not.

Sure, you need to be more talented at driving a vehicle than the average person. But just because you are in peak physical condition (as SBTarheel alluded to) does not mean you are a professional athlete. A lot of people work out, train, and exercise but are not athletes.

Skilled and talented? Absolutely. Athletes? No.

Same for horse jockeys.

[SBTarheel]

But does being in good shape make one an athlete?

You mentioned fat lineman in football, some of those guys aren't in good shape, especially in the older days. Some baseball players aren't in that good of shape.

I think the combo of being in good shape, and the competition aspect makes it an athletic event.

[RShack]

I definitely consider F1 drivers athletes. I know way less about NASCAR drivers, but I have a hard time figuring out how I could give credit to F1 drivers and not give it to NASCAR drivers... so "yes".

My answer is based on what I know about F1 drivers. They have to be in better shape than baseball players. Their reflexes have to just as sharp and in some ways sharper. The physical demands of the job are more taxing, e.g., on some tracks they face multiple instances of 4G and 5G force loads in various directions during each and every lap.

Leaving the performance requirements out if (which is not reasonable to do) just the stamina part of it is quite literally breathtaking. For most mere mortals, if they had a 2-seat F1 car and you could just ride around in it without having to do anything, after just a few laps you'd be completely exhausted just by the G forces.

I like the quote about hitting a baseball being the hardest thing to do in sports. At the same time, I'm not convinced it's any harder, or even as hard, as what F1 drivers have to do just to make a pass on a car that is virtually the same as their own, performance wise, when they've got a fraction of a fraction of a second to do everything right... while depending on the guy they're passing to also do everything right.

Much like baseball, it's not something you can fully appreciate right away, you gotta follow it for a while to appreciate it. But saying they're not athletes just because their competition involves driving a car is just wrong.

ps: I think it's more iffy to use the word athlete to describe one-trick ponies like fat pitchers and NFL kickers and punters.

pps: F1 cars make excellent sounds. Here's a guitar version...

tEiWPLpDJsM

And here's a vocal version:

aRMpi1esjoQ

[SBTarheel]

Absolutely not.

Sure, you need to be more talented at driving a vehicle than the average person. But just because you are in peak physical condition (as SBTarheel alluded to) does not mean you are a professional athlete. A lot of people work out, train, and exercise but are not athletes.

Skilled and talented? Absolutely. Athletes? No.

Same for horse jockeys.

WEbster's definition of the word:

A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

[mweb08]

I think the combo of being in good shape, and the competition aspect makes it an athletic event.

Eh. First off, they don't need to be in all that good of shape as certain racers have shown, plus rather old guys have shown they can compete with the young guys, which is against the norm of what I consider to be actual athletes.

Plus, they're sitting down, so for me, it's hard to call a guy an athlete who sits down and isn't doing anything that I consider to be particularly athletic.

[KRL224]

I think most NASCAR drivers are athletic, but driving a race car doesn't make you an athlete.

That is a very trivialized view. Correct that driving a race car doesn't make you an athlete. I could drive up to Dover this weekend and hop in a car for a few laps. But, neither does shooting a free throw, or playing catch in the backyard. Are bowlers athletes? All they do is roll a ball.

[SBTarheel]

In case you missed it:


A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

I think a NASCAR driver qualifies..

[DJ MC]

Plus, they're sitting down, so for me, it's hard to call a guy an athlete who sits down and isn't doing anything that I consider to be particularly athletic.

Like rshack said, it's a pretty good argument that what they do is as or more difficult than hitting a baseball. Plus, from what I understand there is no "power" anything in those cars, so they need the strength and, especially, endurance to control those cars for several hours with very minimal breaks at the pits, at high speeds and within inches of multiple other cars.

[RShack]

Like rshack said, it's a pretty good argument that what they do is as or more difficult than hitting a baseball. Plus, from what I understand there is no "power" anything in those cars, so they need the strength and, especially, endurance to control those cars for several hours with very minimal breaks at the pits, at high speeds and within inches of multiple other cars.

A pit stop longer than 4.5 seconds is considered slow. And they only get between 1 and 3 of those during most races.