OT: Sports Hypothetical

by red shoe ranger on Feb 20, 2009 9:20 PM CST Comment 28 comments

I had an encounter the other day that got me thinking...

Background: I am a 32 yr old(male) 4.0 tennis payer(above average). I grew up playing the game and played on my high school team. I'm just taking the game back up after a 10 year layoff. I've been playing in a league and had a few lessons over the last two months. I think my game is back to the level it was at when I graduated high school.

The encounter: After a lesson the other day my instructor said his next lesson was with a 12 yr old girl and that she is ranked 17th in the state of Texas. He wanted to know if I would mind playing a set with her? He said she beats many of the grown men up there. I said sure, what the hell. She held her own early, it was 2-2 after 4 games. I went on to win the set 6-2(mainly due to a superior serve).

This got me to wondering if I could beat the #1 12 yr old girl in Texas, in the US? Based on her skill level I doubt that I could actually beat the #1 ranked 12 yr old girl. What about guys? Would I have to go to the 10 yr olds to be able to beat #1?

The hypothetical: Pick your chosen sport. What age would you have to go down to in order to be able to be considered the #1 player in the sport? I've decided I could be the #1 ranked 9 year old male tennis player in the state of Texas. Damn that is humbling.

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Seriously?

So you think you’re as nimble at 32 as you were at 16-17? Good for you, I can’t even see my shoes anymore.

However, I would dominate 9 yr olds, if some kid turned on one and watched it go foul I’d put one in his ear…then I’d go in the dugout and smoke a cigarette.

My cool sig.

by Ryin A on Feb 20, 2009 9:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i think

i can out noodle the #1 12 year old boy

Omar Vizquel: your starting shortstop for the 2009 AL all-star team.

by gossamer on Feb 20, 2009 9:39 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

That might

get you arrested.

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by t ball on Feb 20, 2009 10:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep...

for cryin’ out loud Gossamer, leave the 12 year old boys noodle alone.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Feb 21, 2009 9:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

In reference to how good the Steelers have been in their history: "No one is even close to them."- Steal Home

by hinduplaya on Feb 21, 2009 11:59 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can beat the number 1

6 year old basketbll player
8 year old boxer
104 year old football player

Yeah, I rock

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Feb 20, 2009 10:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I played collegiate soccer...

it’s easily the game that I’m “best” at in comparison to the average sports joe. I’m 31 and I still play in adult leagues and often am the best player on the field… though not always. I think if I went back to my HS, Arlington Martin (a very good soccer HS) or any HS in Texas (a very good HS Soccer state) I would be a contributing player and perhaps a star player on my team, however, I know that there are many players at the HS level that could make me look flat out silly. So I’m thinking if I went down to 8th grade (13-14?)… I’d be among the best players in the nation. I guess the number I’d be comfortable with is 12. I am fairly certain that I am a better all around soccer player than any 12 year old in America (man, that sounds pathetic). At the same time, I know there are 12 year olds that have better ball skills, 12 year olds that are possibly faster than me, 12 year olds that have a stronger leg perhaps… but I don’t think there’s a single one that has a better all around game than I have currently.

A side note… very good, very tall basketball players are going to have an edge on the rest of us in this crazy hypothetical, in my opinion. Even at 40, if you’re 6’7’’ and have a nice game, you’re going to dominate the best 14-15 yr olds.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."
-Rogers Hornsby

by Haeger Champ on Feb 20, 2009 10:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I miss playing soccer

I played youth league soccer all the time growing up, and was pretty good…not quite “Select” good, but pretty good nonetheless.

Then I played in high school (except my junior year, when the coach kicked me off the team because I had an attitude problem, supposedly).

I was slow, but cagey. I was a master of being able to arm-bar faster players without the ref seeing me, or otherwise physically impede them to keep them from getting by me. And I usually had the strongest leg on the team, which was a nice little plus.

Just talking about this makes me want to go find a league to join.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 20, 2009 10:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting commentary Haeger...

I also played soccer at the Collegiate level, and came from HS team from Arlington. In fact, there have been some pretty good players in Texas throughout the sports’ short history. Our team, our senior year, was ranked #1 from before the season began until our untimely exit in the playoffs (on one of the freakiest conditions I have ever been a part of….but that’s a whole other story). Not even ranked our Junior year because all of us played club that year.

What made me respond was your comments about going back now and how good I would be, etc.. Well, while in college, I blew out both knees on the same play, so my “career” was over, since my rehab/pt took over 3 years to complete (something went wrong during the 7 hour surgery), so I really couldn’t tell you or even try.

Here’s the funny part. After our senior season, several of us were actually recruited pretty heavily by several colleges (Not much fanfare, but enough to make an impression). They scheduled some banquet in which HS soccer players were honored for some awards (Not team awards, but by some organization who decided and was sponsored by a branch of the military?). Anyway, there were 4 players from my team in attendance, so that was special. None of us received any of the awards, which was a shame, because the best player I had EVER played with/against/seen…at ANY level…. was a teammate of mine. I thought it was an injustice that he was not recognized.

THEN, they announced they had national award for MVP, and then I felt better, because he was THAT good. They went through some words of praise for the player and then announced he was from our school, and then they announced my name. Obviously, I was in shock and not prepared at all. I just looked over at the guy in disbelief, and I remember having to go up there and accept the award and take pictures with some professional players in attendance (I remember Tatu being one of them).

In my dorkiness, I thanked them for the award and then started to say that I felt guilty for even thinking of trying to accept it, “when I know that the best player I’ve ever seen is sitting right over there (pointing to the guy), and his name is ??? ???. He’s the one who deserves this, if I even get a vote.” The host said, “You don’t”.

At that time, the guy stands up and asks if he can say something about what I just said. He says, “I might be the best player you’ve ever seen, but I could never be as valuable to our team, or any other team, as you have been throughout the years. No question you are deserving of the MVP award.”

Great, yet embarrassing, moment. So, it is hard for me to evaluate how I could be against 12 years olds and be the #1 player, when during my peak, I wasn’t even the best player on my own team…..no matter how good I was/he was. YES, we did go on to play college soccer at the same school, so no relief there…..but we were #4 in the Nation at the time of my injury.

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Feb 21, 2009 3:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

wow both on the same play

freaky accident

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Feb 22, 2009 11:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, a very humbling and life changing experience.

But it is on video. I’ve only watched it once. That was enough.

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Feb 23, 2009 2:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I used to be pretty good

at Don’t Break the Ice and Ants in the Pants.

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by t ball on Feb 20, 2009 10:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Don't Break the Ice

is my bitch.

by Brett Perryman on Feb 20, 2009 10:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This is sad

I’m having regrets that I didn’t think of turning one or both of those into some awesome college drinking game.

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by t ball on Feb 20, 2009 11:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I went to high school with Erin Grant of the WNBA's Chicago Sky.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 2:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I played JV basketball with OL #26 at the NFL combine

"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract

by tyd3311 on Feb 21, 2009 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yo Tambien

Go Tigers

by brandallini on Feb 23, 2009 7:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I played college golf

and have been teaching it and playing it as a profession for more than 30 years. I never was Tour calibur, but a pretty good club professional. I don’t carry a handicap, but if I did, it would be a +3 or +4. So, at 54, I still think I could play with the #1 18-20 year old golfer . They would be good matches and I would probably lose as many as I won, but I would be competitive. Plus, it would be fun to try…

"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don't move." Satchel Paige

by pro82 on Feb 20, 2009 11:30 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

You are damn good then

My son was a professional (the whole rentinue, assistant -teaching – club – then GM for MGM’s Gulf Coast course operations. Also did the Australian tour, did not do well. He played #1 at Tulsa before turning pro. I’m so old people should use me as a whipping model, but just for grits and shins will take redshoe’s question.

Basketball, I could probably still handle the #1 12 and under. Maybe.
Golf, I’d have to go down to the same age group. Humbling! But then I’m used to losing to HS and college golfers, whom I’ve played more rounds with than any other group. Never know. Lowest 18 ever was a 64 (repeated 4 times), but I can guarantee I’m also capable of a 90.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Feb 24, 2009 8:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

64

so your the guy who dominated Mesquite Municipal……

I kid, I kid. That’s some solid shoot’n…..

"If you have a problem with me, you're probably a doucher."

by red shoe ranger on Feb 24, 2009 10:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oddly

Those came several years apart. Indianola CC in Iowa, Indian Springs CC in Broken Arrow, Quail Hollow in Mississippi, Lost Key Club in Florida, and Riverside in Grand Prairie. All about six years apart. Nothing even close, over the past 8-9 years. One bucket list item – want to shoot my age, and am getting close LOL !!

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Feb 24, 2009 11:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I feel extremely confident that I could beat

any 3 year old at any sport. Video games don’t count as sports, do they?

"Evolution happened, now get over it." Michael Shermer

by rodcarew on Feb 21, 2009 10:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

high school

im going to cheat and say that after about a month of getting back into shape, i could out pitch every 1A high school pitcher in the state. MAYBE 2A, but im not sure. any higher than that and theres plenty that would be better than me. maybe i could pitch better than all freshman? not sure.

if its strictly by age, id dominate 14 year old ball, because they pitch from 54ft instead of 60.5ft

by Fireal20 on Feb 21, 2009 11:48 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

my warning track power...

would play a lot better on those short fences as well ;)

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."
-Rogers Hornsby

by Haeger Champ on Feb 21, 2009 6:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

1/2 court basketball

We had a park where I grew up that had a court of 9 foot rims set on a court that was less than 1/2 court length and proportionately narrower. Never a super great basketball player but after 3 years of college and lifting every other day, I got quite a bit stronger. I also played hoops every other day with some former college ballers. Although I’m only a tad over 5-10 I got to the point where I could post up HS kids at home that were 4 inches taller than me and far better players (again, a small court so no running).

So I’d say I can take most 12 year olds on a small court.

As an aside, my favorite sports story. Me and 3 other friends from Wyoming went to SD for Spring Break to see our other friend that lived there (he’s 6-5). Us from Wyoming lived at 7,000 feet and went down to sea level. So we all went to the beach courts of La Joya to play some ball and we absolutely ran everyone else off the courts. Won 7 straight games against all the locals before we decided to call it quits.

by WyoRanger on Feb 21, 2009 12:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

hmm

im not very good at any sports but i guess i could probably be #1 among ten year olds in the octagon

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Feb 21, 2009 2:36 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

My tolerance ain't what it used to be

but I could probably still whip any elementary school kid at quarters.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Feb 21, 2009 2:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think

This is a pretty interesting and thought-provoking concept.

I’ve spent a huge amount of my life playing, coaching, and working on sport at all levels. I played two high school sports at the top level (2A in my state) and have played in youth international soccer tournaments when I was young.

Here is the funny thing, I helped coach a 12U football team a couple years back. I’ve never played organized football in my life. I KNOW I could have destroyed any of those kids on the field. I think I could beat the best football players in the country up at least until high school. Like Smoakin in the Boys Room, he could probably win at the octagon. Boys just don’t grow until around high school.

However, skill sports like baseball and soccer require so much practice, speed, and quickness that I think it would be hard to compete against a well coached team even at a young level. I might have a tough time hitting a fastball from a LLWS pitcher at 48 feet. However if they back up to the regular distance, I’d smoke them every time. It’s all relative.

Anyways, interesting thought. Things differ so greatly in sport.

Maude Lebowski: Lord. You can imagine where it goes from here.
The Dude: He fixes the cable?

by Heebs on Feb 23, 2009 11:19 AM CST reply actions 0 recs