Current Events > Which of the four major sports takes the least amount of skill to play?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Baseball by far, despite the fact that hitting one is one of the hardest things to do in sports. Hitting career 30% basically makes a player a hall of famer. But physically it doesn't take near the skill as the other 3.
---

On one hand having played them all I feel like baseball is the "least skilled".

On the other hand I've read that hitting a baseball in the pros is the most difficult thing in sports. The best players in the game fail at it 60-70% of the time.
---

Baseball is difficult as shit, batting, fielding, and base running. Basketball does not require nearly as much skill, other than having plenty of stamina.
---

Football, if its the kind played in US.
---

Football. Most of the players just stand gets until the red throws a flag over something that nobody knows about. Football is so boring and I never understood why people were entertained by it.
---

Tupacrulez posted...

Hockey: here, skate, don't run.
Oh yeah, its played in winter, not summer.
And you don't use your hands, you use a stick.
And you can physically beat upon each other.

Normal people: that sounds difficult.
Canadians: PERFECT!

You didn't really think this one through, did you?

How is skating easier than running? You essentially need to have the ability of an olympic speed skater to be a successful NHL hockey player.

How are the months a sport is played relevant when it's played in fucking arenas? Also, I bet you forgot the Stanley Cup is played in June.
---

You guys don't realize the agility training football and basketball players go through to be able to do what they do.

Basketball, hockey, and football most definitely require much more training than players for baseball. I will say that the hand eye coordination of a baseball player is next to none and they have unbelievable strength in their arms, but they don't have to train as much/hard as other sports.
---

At a beginner level- basketball

At a pro level- still basketball
---

forgot that football requires a crap ton of stamina too. That helmet is HEAVY, it isnt light plastic, so are those shoulderpads. It can be pretty nasty too, Ive had my hands stepped on by 300lb players, fingers dislocated, bruises out of the wazoo.
---

BigTee66 posted...

forgot that football requires a crap ton of stamina too. That helmet is HEAVY, it isnt light plastic, so are those shoulderpads. It can be pretty nasty too, Ive had my hands stepped on by 300lb players, fingers dislocated, bruises out of the wazoo.

But is that really skill? That's just being in really great shape and strong as hell
---

Basketball historically if just for the center position - even now there are a few huge centers (like Deandre Jordan) who basically cant shoot. The game has changed a lot in the last decade though because of rules changes. Now its probably some positions in football which mostly just require superb athleticism, but still plenty of smarts on the pro level. Baseball and hockey both require a ton of skill. Stop it.

And an early response said offensive lineman was easy - no, they have to digest entire playbooks. Theyre big uglies but theyre some of the smartest guys on the football field.
---

Perascamin posted...

You guys don't realize the agility training football and basketball players go through to be able to do what they do.

Basketball, hockey, and football most definitely require much more training than players for baseball. I will say that the hand eye coordination of a baseball player is next to none and they have unbelievable strength in their arms, but they don't have to train as much/hard as other sports.

That isnt skill. Being strong or fast isnt skilled its being in great condition. Baseball is less athletic than the other ones but requires a ton of skill.
---

ThePrinceFish posted...

Ilishe posted...

The Admiral posted...

If we're including soccer as a choice, that's easily the answer. There is a reason this is the most common sport among young children.

Yes. Soccer is easy to play until you hit pro level.

It's very difficult at pro level.

As opposed to other sports that drop in difficulty at the pro level?

No

But every sport is easy at kid level. What's your point? My point is that football (soccer) is a difficult sport to play at pro level and should not be considered a default choice in polls like this one.
---

Ilishe posted...

ThePrinceFish posted...

Ilishe posted...

The Admiral posted...

If we're including soccer as a choice, that's easily the answer. There is a reason this is the most common sport among young children.

Yes. Soccer is easy to play until you hit pro level.

It's very difficult at pro level.

As opposed to other sports that drop in difficulty at the pro level?

No

But every sport is easy at kid level. What's your point? My point is that football (soccer) is a difficult sport to play at pro level and should not be considered a default choice in polls like this one.

I mean, it should be the default choice because even though it's tough to play at the pro level... so is every other pro sport and moreso than soccer.
---

I wasnt thinking of soccer when i made the topic. But interesting points.
---

skill and athleticism aren't the same thing

running marathons requires great athleticism but little skill

that said, I'd say football, besides the QB

I voted football because I don't like it.
---

Least amount of skill: Football. Remember a few techniques for your position and the playbook, but aside from linebackers and quarterbacks, it's the coaches thinking up the plays and checks.

Least amount of athleticism: Baseball (best example of athleticism here would be diving catches)

Most amount of skill: Baseball (non-elite hand-eye coordination = you whiffing in the batter's box, taking a line drive to the face as a fielder, or under/overthrowing balls). Or hockey goalies.

Most amount of athleticism: Tie between football and basketball for me. Football because you need to have a shitton of endurance and even 300lb+ NFL lineman could run circles around the average guy, basketball because you need a ton of endurance and also a lot of finesse otherwise you're just gonna be the guy who gets the ball, stays in one spot, and then passes).
---

The dictionary definition of skill is the ability to do something well. You have to train to acquire skills. Since baseball requires the least amount of training, it is the least skilled sport
---

If you are taking an average, basketball.

If you are going by the lowest required skill required to make a professional team it is hockey because they still have goons. Basically all you need to do to be a goon is be able to skate long enough to hit someone illegally and or fight.

Football definitely requires a lot of skill because of the speeds at which things go. Lineman have to have really really good hands feet and concept of leverage on top of the mental aspects. Football is basically a bunch of differently specialized skills

Baseball has more of a natural instinct aspect to hitting. You can only practice so much before you have to be able to guess correctly what and where a pitcher is going to pitch along with having the bat speed to get the bat on ball.

Really need a consensus on what definition of skill we are going with really
---

They're all really fucking hard to be good at. Baseball looks easy on TV, but actually being on a field trying to play it (or even softball) is really hard.
---

sopfed posted...

They're all really fucking hard to be good at. Baseball looks easy on TV, but actually being on a field trying to play it (or even softball) is really hard.

Agreed
---

I feel like people are defining skill in different ways. Some are using amount of practice, difficulty at the highest level, difficulty at the lowest level, average difficulty, athleticism, and technical skill. Makes it hard to get any type of agreement since that wasn't defined from the outset.

Anyway, baseball definitely has the most difficult single skill, batting which is amazingly difficult when you think about it and even more so when you try to do it. Next would be being a hockey goalie and a passing quarterback imo.

Basketball and football clearly require the most athletic ability such as body control and endurance.

Baseball and football are probably the easiest to pick up and play. Baseball has the biggest jump in difficulty as competition increases though.

Ultimately, I think football takes the least skill by most of these definitions.
---

RoboLaserGandhi posted...

Hockey is definitely the hardest. Not only do you have to learn how to ice skate, you have to learn how to do it athletically while keeping track of a tiny puck.

This. I've attempted all four sports at some point in my life, and hockey is far and away the one out of the pack that you can't just pick up and play. The one time I tried to play in a game of hockey was one of the most publicly embarrassing moments of my life.
---