What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Hockey for me.

Good pay, travel with a team. 3-4 months off in the summer. 80 games a year. And I like Hockey.

You?

Golf would be prety sweet also as you could do it for a long time and is easier on the body.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

I'll probably go with NFL kicker.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

I immediately thought Golf. Good living, low body risk, can do it forever, snazzy clothes.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

no guarenteed money though for golf

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'll probably go with NFL kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

i wouldn't want that stress

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'll probably go with NFL kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or a european pro soccer player, thatd be the bomb

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Why would you ever pick hockey? Those guys get pretty torn up over the years, lots of arthritis and so forth.

NFL kicker isn't bad, nor is something like DH in baseball.

What would rule the most would be to be a dominating golf pro. Very little strain on the body (compared to other pro sports), awesome opportunities for sponsorships and so forth, and once you're a senior there's even more money to be made. That last point is huge; while another athlete would be completely finished at or before age 45 you can keep going for another 20 years as a golfer.

Swede

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

What sport has the least risk of life-changing injury?

I think that would factor into my decision.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

golf probably in terms of main stream sports.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'll probably go with NFL kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

i wouldn't want that stress

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah you do have a point, you definitely have a chance of being a goat and everyone giving you all of the blame for a crucial loss. But you also have the opportunity to be the hero and you get all the perks of being an NFL player without having your body tore to [censored] by the time you retire.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

I agree 100% on the golf.

I love hockey though, that is the reason I would choose it.

But yes, golf would make the most sense.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

How about baseball DH....think about what David Ortiz does

He bats 4-6 times a game...and the rest of the time he spends watching the pitcher on video to better learn

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
no guarenteed money though for golf

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think you realize how much money these guys make from endorsements and appearance fees.

For example Tiger is getting paid $3 million to just show up at the Dubai tournament this week. The entire purse for the event is $2.5 million. Yeah, that's Tiger, but the rest make plenty of money.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'll probably go with NFL kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

i wouldn't want that stress

[/ QUOTE ]

NFL punter might be better then.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
How about baseball DH....think about what David Ortiz does

He bats 4-6 times a game...and the rest of the time he spends watching the pitcher on video to better learn

[/ QUOTE ]

Gamble has a point here. As far as personal preference, I would love to be a major league pitcher. I love baseball, used to pitch in HS and college, great pay (if your good), and ability to control the pace of the game.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Why would you ever pick hockey? Those guys get pretty torn up over the years, lots of arthritis and so forth.

NFL kicker isn't bad, nor is something like DH in baseball.

What would rule the most would be to be a dominating golf pro. Very little strain on the body (compared to other pro sports), awesome opportunities for sponsorships and so forth, and once you're a senior there's even more money to be made. That last point is huge; while another athlete would be completely finished at or before age 45 you can keep going for another 20 years as a golfer.

Swede

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a good argument for golf. I would definitely have to consider that as well.

Being a superstar racquetball player might not be too bad either. You can become a millionaire by endorsing Head, Wilson, etc., you get to play a very fun, competitive sport, and injuries probably wouldn't be too bad. Also, unlike other sports, pro racquetball is so obscure, you can still remain anonymous and enjoy your life like a regular person. How many of you would actually recognize Cliff Swain or Sudsy Monchik if you saw them on the street? I'm guessing none of you.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

1C5 - If I were one of the dominating athletes in the sport, I think the answer is golf and it's not too close. Career longevity + endorsement $ + low risk of injury = I'll take that life.

If I were a mediocore to average pro athlete, I'd choose baseball, specifically a pitcher and I'd be a lefty.

-Al

Edit- Oh I repeated Swede's post exactly on the golf point - so yeah, I agree with him.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

#1 I thought of was golf. Would also dig tennis and pool (esp. if I was dominant, would love to hustle pool in between tournaments.) For a salary, probably a good baseball DH. Sure, you're guaranteed a salary, but you can always get cut.

ScottieK

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Pro tennis player? anyone? Not too tough on body in terms of getting hit or whatnot, also they always have the hottest girlfriends who the cameramen find in the crowd. Seems pretty good to me.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Baseball hands down.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Beckham9 - you don't have nearly the shelf-life you do in tennis as you do in golf. And have you ever played tennis? Terrible on your knees.

-Al

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

NBA - even the 12th guy on the bench that doesn't play makes retarded money.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Most punters/kickers don't make THAT much money. Most punters make 250-300k, which isn't horrible, but is nothing compared to what a lot of athletes make. The highest paid kicker in the NFL, going into next year, is Neil Rackers at 1.8 million.

I don't see how golf isn't the #1 answer in terms of money/health. I'd say baseball is probably 2nd.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Golf is the easy choice. Travel around to beautiful areas, treated like kings at each stop, minimal strain on the body, lots of money if you're great, very good money if you're average. What's not to like?

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

Billiards

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Pro tennis player? anyone? Not too tough on body in terms of getting hit or whatnot, also they always have the hottest girlfriends who the cameramen find in the crowd. Seems pretty good to me.

[/ QUOTE ]


Nope. Tennis is one of the worst sports on the body. After football I would guess it is the worst. Yes, worse than hockey.

Elbow, shoulder, wrist injuries, most players retire just after 30 which is when they are just getting to their prime in most other sports.

Plus the travelling sucks in tennis unless you like that. Oh and hardly any offseason.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Billiards

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if Jeanette Lee handles my stick

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

I don't see how anyone could answer anything other than golf.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
What sport has the least risk of life-changing injury?

I think that would factor into my decision.

[/ QUOTE ]


I never knew everyone in OOT were such pansies. For me, no doubt, defenseman in hockey or safety in the NFL. I want to be able to hit people and get hit back, maybe its just my love for those games and how much I loved them growing up. I also loved baseball, but I do not think I would rather be a baseball player than a hockey or football player. The intensity and emotion in those sports are so amazing and I would love to be able to be a part of it.

Also, appearance fees for golfers are usually only for the top golfers like Tiger, Ernie and Phil(Also Vijay and yes Daly), guys who will drive up the attendance at the events. Good luck getting an appearance fee if your 100th in the $ list. Endorsement deals are very close to the same thing, but at least the bottom golfers do get some $(albeit very little). Oh ya would about if your 126th??? Q-School??? Golf is so stressful, I love playing it, but at the same time I hate playing it. I think everyone is greatly overestimating being a golfer.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Golf is the easy choice. Travel around to beautiful areas, treated like kings at each stop, minimal strain on the body, lots of money if you're great, very good money if you're average. What's not to like?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong, unless by average you mean top 50. A lot of golfers on the other tours(Nationwide and such) as well as those below 200 may have other jobs to try and supplement their low incomes.

golf...next topic...next!
 

nt

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Golf is the easy choice. Travel around to beautiful areas, treated like kings at each stop, minimal strain on the body, lots of money if you're great, very good money if you're average. What's not to like?

[/ QUOTE ]


Wrong, unless by average you mean top 50. A lot of golfers on the other tours(Nationwide and such) as well as those below 200 may have other jobs to try and supplement their low incomes.

[/ QUOTE ]

By average, I'm saying maybe 75th to 150 on the PGA money list. Those guys are still pulling down close to a million at the top end of that range, and 350k at the bottom end. Yeah, the Nationwide tour probably sucks, but nobody suggesting being a football kicker is talking about minor league arena football.

Re: golf...next topic...next!
 

Kung Fu

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What sport has the least risk of life-changing injury?

I think that would factor into my decision.

[/ QUOTE ]


I never knew everyone in OOT were such pansies. For me, no doubt, defenseman in hockey or safety in the NFL. I want to be able to hit people and get hit back, maybe its just my love for those games and how much I loved them growing up. I also loved baseball, but I do not think I would rather be a baseball player than a hockey or football player. The intensity and emotion in those sports are so amazing and I would love to be able to be a part of it.

Also, appearance fees for golfers are usually only for the top golfers like Tiger, Ernie and Phil(Also Vijay and yes Daly), guys who will drive up the attendance at the events. Good luck getting an appearance fee if your 100th in the $ list. Endorsement deals are very close to the same thing, but at least the bottom golfers do get some $(albeit very little). Oh ya would about if your 126th??? Q-School??? Golf is so stressful, I love playing it, but at the same time I hate playing it. I think everyone is greatly overestimating being a golfer.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is all bogus:


The guy who finished 81st over all last year still made over a million dollars.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Golf is the easy choice. Travel around to beautiful areas, treated like kings at each stop, minimal strain on the body, lots of money if you're great, very good money if you're average. What's not to like?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong, unless by average you mean top 50. A lot of golfers on the other tours(Nationwide and such) as well as those below 200 may have other jobs to try and supplement their low incomes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I assumed by the OP saying Pro, he meant we're good at it.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

If you define athelete as "participates in an activity that airs on ESPN", how about poker? In what other sport can a 70+ year old man who needs a cane win a tourney?

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

POKER although this wears down the body alot. A nice case of carpel tunnel and leather ass

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see how anyone could answer anything other than golf.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto. Great money, easy on the body, long career, groupies galore and you're playing a game millions play recreationally for fun.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Golf is the easy choice. Travel around to beautiful areas, treated like kings at each stop, minimal strain on the body, lots of money if you're great, very good money if you're average. What's not to like?

[/ QUOTE ]


Wrong, unless by average you mean top 50. A lot of golfers on the other tours(Nationwide and such) as well as those below 200 may have other jobs to try and supplement their low incomes.

[/ QUOTE ]

By average, I'm saying maybe 75th to 150 on the PGA money list. Those guys are still pulling down close to a million at the top end of that range, and 350k at the bottom end. Yeah, the Nationwide tour probably sucks, but nobody suggesting being a football kicker is talking about minor league arena football.

[/ QUOTE ]
Okay so you finished 126th and made $600 000, which would be near the league minimum in the NFL and a little above it in the NHL depending on age. Good luck with the next 4 months as you struggle through Q-school trying to keep your card. Lets say you don't get your card because you didn't finish top 25 and missed Q school, now its going to be really hard to get your card again as you have to do either really well(top5ish) on 1 of the other tours or wait for Qschool next year to once again try and make $ on the PGA. 5 Rounds at the beginning of the year could end up deciding whether your income is 5x better or worse than last year.

Re: What would be the best sport to be a pro athlete in?
 

by your logic:

Ok, so you have a nice contract and then you get a stick in the eye and bam, you're [censored] done. Or, you suck at hockey and they cut you. Same difference.