Comments on: Drivers are Not Athletes, and NASCAR is not a Sport http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/ Expert analysis and opinion on Boston sports Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:01:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Really?No,Seriously? http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-906 Really?No,Seriously? Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:01:58 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-906 Kyle, So you are actually saying that the ability to sit in a hot car for 3 hours makes someone an athlete? Really? Come on man, think about that. I am the one that said "they can't run a 100-yard dash to save their lives". In context, I was talking about former drivers who were in their 70's. Most likely at 70+ years of age, one is not going to run a very good 100 yard time, if they can run it at all. But they can certainly drive a car! Driving that car (and sitting in heat, LOL) does not make them an athlete. btw. Most NFL lineman can run pretty good times. Watch an NFL training camp or a combine, or play collegiate level football, and you will find out quickly that most (especially at the professional level) lineman are very athletic. Did you just question if professional swimmers can run? Obviously they might not have Olympic run times, but they will most certainly be able to quite fast. I'm sure driving with 42 of your buddies at 150+ on the highway, door to door, is tough, and something that most people could not do without training. But the ability to do this does not make someone an athlete. No natural running/jumping/lateral quickness/above average muscular ability is required to do this. This would be something that someone, even someone without athletic ability, could be trained to do. That is the difference here. Athletic ability cannot be learned. Driving a car fast, can be learned. Are some NASCAR drivers athletes, sure they are! Do you have to be an athlete to drive a NASCAR? No. No one is saying that driving a NASCAR is "easy and boring". I'm sure it is very tough, but it is something that can be learned. Kyle,

So you are actually saying that the ability to sit in a hot car for 3 hours makes someone an athlete? Really? Come on man, think about that.

I am the one that said “they can’t run a 100-yard dash to save their lives”. In context, I was talking about former drivers who were in their 70′s. Most likely at 70+ years of age, one is not going to run a very good 100 yard time, if they can run it at all. But they can certainly drive a car! Driving that car (and sitting in heat, LOL) does not make them an athlete. btw. Most NFL lineman can run pretty good times. Watch an NFL training camp or a combine, or play collegiate level football, and you will find out quickly that most (especially at the professional level) lineman are very athletic.
Did you just question if professional swimmers can run? Obviously they might not have Olympic run times, but they will most certainly be able to quite fast.

I’m sure driving with 42 of your buddies at 150+ on the highway, door to door, is tough, and something that most people could not do without training. But the ability to do this does not make someone an athlete. No natural running/jumping/lateral quickness/above average muscular ability is required to do this. This would be something that someone, even someone without athletic ability, could be trained to do.
That is the difference here. Athletic ability cannot be learned. Driving a car fast, can be learned.

Are some NASCAR drivers athletes, sure they are! Do you have to be an athlete to drive a NASCAR? No.

No one is saying that driving a NASCAR is “easy and boring”. I’m sure it is very tough, but it is something that can be learned.

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]]> By: Kyle H http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-898 Kyle H Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:36:18 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-898 I think some of you need to take a reality check. None of you have any right to criticize it because you have not even experienced what it's like! You can go down to the park and play football, baseball, or basketball, but you can't get in a car and go 200 mph there. You really have no idea, so take your damn foot out of your mouth. 'Oh well anybody can sit in a hot car for 3 hours.' Well, I guess you're right. Can anybody just sit in one going 150+ for 3 hours? Not many! And don't embarrass yourself by saying you can. It's like riding the Kingda Ka... for 3 hours. I can't even do that more than once, I don't know about any of you. 'They can't run a 100 yard dash to save their lives.' Can defensive or offensive linemen? Can professional swimmers run like professional runners can? Vice versa? Simply, there are different breeds of athletes. It's always been that way. You're right NASCAR drivers aren't like other athletes, but it certainly doesn't exclude them! 'It's like driving on the highway.' Oh, ok, well try and round up 42 of your best buddies and go drive on the highway at 150+, door-to-door. That doesn't even compare because the highway is practically a straight line! 'Well, they have to rely so much on their equipment, it's really not their work.' Well what do you think, the car is just going to drive itself? Is the bat going to swing itself? Is the ball going to magically fly in the air and land in the hoop? This just goes back to the idiocracy of trying to criticize them. If you ever get the chance to go and drive a NASCAR car, then come back and tell me all about how you thought it was easy and boring and takes no athletic ability. Somehow, I don't think that will be your argument anymore. I agree with Aaron, there really should be a reality show for this! I would laugh so hard at you people. I think some of you need to take a reality check. None of you have any right to criticize it because you have not even experienced what it’s like! You can go down to the park and play football, baseball, or basketball, but you can’t get in a car and go 200 mph there. You really have no idea, so take your damn foot out of your mouth.

‘Oh well anybody can sit in a hot car for 3 hours.’
Well, I guess you’re right. Can anybody just sit in one going 150+ for 3 hours? Not many! And don’t embarrass yourself by saying you can. It’s like riding the Kingda Ka… for 3 hours. I can’t even do that more than once, I don’t know about any of you.

‘They can’t run a 100 yard dash to save their lives.’
Can defensive or offensive linemen? Can professional swimmers run like professional runners can? Vice versa? Simply, there are different breeds of athletes. It’s always been that way. You’re right NASCAR drivers aren’t like other athletes, but it certainly doesn’t exclude them!

‘It’s like driving on the highway.’
Oh, ok, well try and round up 42 of your best buddies and go drive on the highway at 150+, door-to-door. That doesn’t even compare because the highway is practically a straight line!

‘Well, they have to rely so much on their equipment, it’s really not their work.’
Well what do you think, the car is just going to drive itself? Is the bat going to swing itself? Is the ball going to magically fly in the air and land in the hoop? This just goes back to the idiocracy of trying to criticize them. If you ever get the chance to go and drive a NASCAR car, then come back and tell me all about how you thought it was easy and boring and takes no athletic ability. Somehow, I don’t think that will be your argument anymore. I agree with Aaron, there really should be a reality show for this! I would laugh so hard at you people.

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]]> By: Rodrigo http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-897 Rodrigo Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:33:15 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-897 So, cycling is not a sport either because if a tire blows out the cyclist has to get it replaced before being able to continue? So, cycling is not a sport either because if a tire blows out the cyclist has to get it replaced before being able to continue?

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]]> By: Chris http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-866 Chris Thu, 01 Sep 2011 06:38:04 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-866 Just an interesting tidbit... NASCAR events all over the country gather more spectators than all of the MLB games in the regular season COMBINED. In no way am I supporting NSCAR, but I just thought it was some food for thought. Just an interesting tidbit…

NASCAR events all over the country gather more spectators than all of the MLB games in the regular season COMBINED. In no way am I supporting NSCAR, but I just thought it was some food for thought.

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]]> By: Chris http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-865 Chris Thu, 01 Sep 2011 06:31:22 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-865 So what if football and lax aren't selected by the Olympics? I think its a matter of how many countries are willing to compete in the event, not whether it is a sport/event. In the case of football and lax, not many countries would participate because they dont play in their home country, and as a result, they dont have a national team. Baseball and basketball are played all around the world. That is why they are olympic events. Football and lax are both sports, but they just are not played around the world. So what if football and lax aren’t selected by the Olympics? I think its a matter of how many countries are willing to compete in the event, not whether it is a sport/event. In the case of football and lax, not many countries would participate because they dont play in their home country, and as a result, they dont have a national team. Baseball and basketball are played all around the world. That is why they are olympic events. Football and lax are both sports, but they just are not played around the world.

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]]> By: The Voice of Rock http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-864 The Voice of Rock Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:17:17 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-864 Actually no they don't possess any more skill than anyone else... ANYONE can drive NASCAR it is NO more difficult than driving your buick on a highway... Its a SCIENTIFIC FACT that speed is relative... Therefore when everything around you is moving at 60 or 160 its still zero and the difficulty is exactly the same... END OF LESSON Actually no they don’t possess any more skill than anyone else… ANYONE can drive NASCAR it is NO more difficult than driving your buick on a highway… Its a SCIENTIFIC FACT that speed is relative… Therefore when everything around you is moving at 60 or 160 its still zero and the difficulty is exactly the same… END OF LESSON

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]]> By: Dave Lewis http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-850 Dave Lewis Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:34:19 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-850 That's a dumb comparison. If anything sailing and NASCAR are competitive "events" not sports. Drivers are not physical specimens like players in the NBA and NFL and in some cases Major League Baseball.I'm not saying they are not talented, because they are. I can't drive a car 500 laps at 200 MPH, but if I could that wouldn't make me an "athlete". These guys are talented drivers and nothing else. That’s a dumb comparison. If anything sailing and NASCAR are competitive “events” not sports. Drivers are not physical specimens like players in the NBA and NFL and in some cases Major League Baseball.I’m not saying they are not talented, because they are. I can’t drive a car 500 laps at 200 MPH, but if I could that wouldn’t make me an “athlete”. These guys are talented drivers and nothing else.

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]]> By: agarwal http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-849 agarwal Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:47:28 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-849 Very true. There is no doubt that these drivers do possess immense skill, but that skill is not necessarily athleticism. Very true. There is no doubt that these drivers do possess immense skill, but that skill is not necessarily athleticism.

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]]> By: Really?No,Seriously? http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-845 Really?No,Seriously? Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:46:25 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-845 Athleticism is not something that can be learned! A true athlete (soccer, basketball, tennis, track, etc...) has naturally occuring, God-given, athletic abilities to run and jump and have lateral quickness and use their bodies to perform feats that a huge majority of average people simply could not do. To play a true sport, like the ones mentioned above, a person must possess this natural athletic ability. Someone could go to "track practice" for years, but if they have no athletic ability, no amount of practice will help them succeed. The same goes for the other sports mentioned. Yes, there is alot of practice involved, but without the athletic ability, no amount of practice would help. Nascar, on the other hand, IS something that can be learned. Just like golf, Nascar can be taken up by someone with zero natural athletic ability (I'm not talking about hand-eye coordination, there are millions of people with good hand-eye coordination, and that does not make them an athlete) and with enough practice, that person could succeed. Don't tell me that because someone can sit in a hot car for 3 hours, so they are now somehow an athlete. That argument is ludicrous. Aaron: I have plenty of friends that posses the qualities you listed: Good physical shape (because they exercise, not because they are an athlete, any non-athlete could get into good physical shape), could survive extreme conditions (really? this makes them an athlete), has strength and endurance (anyone with a gym membership), and mentally strong (extremely physically handicapped people can be mentally strong), but these qualities certainly do not, in any way, make them an athlete. Are some Nascar drivers athletes? Sure, there are many that probably are. Do you have to be an athlete to drive a nascar? Heck no. There have been nascar drivers in the past that were in their 70's!!!!!!!!! They couldn't run a 100-yard dash in a respectable time to save their lives! Athleticism is not something that can be learned! A true athlete (soccer, basketball, tennis, track, etc…) has naturally occuring, God-given, athletic abilities to run and jump and have lateral quickness and use their bodies to perform feats that a huge majority of average people simply could not do.

To play a true sport, like the ones mentioned above, a person must possess this natural athletic ability. Someone could go to “track practice” for years, but if they have no athletic ability, no amount of practice will help them succeed. The same goes for the other sports mentioned. Yes, there is alot of practice involved, but without the athletic ability, no amount of practice would help.

Nascar, on the other hand, IS something that can be learned. Just like golf, Nascar can be taken up by someone with zero natural athletic ability (I’m not talking about hand-eye coordination, there are millions of people with good hand-eye coordination, and that does not make them an athlete) and with enough practice, that person could succeed.

Don’t tell me that because someone can sit in a hot car for 3 hours, so they are now somehow an athlete. That argument is ludicrous.

Aaron: I have plenty of friends that posses the qualities you listed: Good physical shape (because they exercise, not because they are an athlete, any non-athlete could get into good physical shape), could survive extreme conditions (really? this makes them an athlete), has strength and endurance (anyone with a gym membership), and mentally strong (extremely physically handicapped people can be mentally strong), but these qualities certainly do not, in any way, make them an athlete.

Are some Nascar drivers athletes? Sure, there are many that probably are. Do you have to be an athlete to drive a nascar? Heck no. There have been nascar drivers in the past that were in their 70′s!!!!!!!!! They couldn’t run a 100-yard dash in a respectable time to save their lives!

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]]> By: Aaron http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/drivers-are-not-athletes-and-nascar-is-not-a-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-843 Aaron Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:32:37 +0000 http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/?p=437#comment-843 Cap'm it looks like you said the requirements for a NASCAR driver are the same that it would be for someone that had athleticism, but then said it's not athleticism. To me an athlete is in good physical shape, can survive extreme conditions, has strength and endurance, and mentally strong to out think his/her competitors until the end. There should be a reality show where people that think racers aren't athletes get strapped in a car with a concrete block on the gas pedal for 500 miles. They can compete against each other in equal equipment and see what kind of athleticism characteristics there are in being a racecar driver. Not to mention the team work in the pits, the garage area, and back home at the shop, which qualifies it as a sport. By the way the pit crew members are athletes as well. Cap’m it looks like you said the requirements for a NASCAR driver are the same that it would be for someone that had athleticism, but then said it’s not athleticism. To me an athlete is in good physical shape, can survive extreme conditions, has strength and endurance, and mentally strong to out think his/her competitors until the end. There should be a reality show where people that think racers aren’t athletes get strapped in a car with a concrete block on the gas pedal for 500 miles. They can compete against each other in equal equipment and see what kind of athleticism characteristics there are in being a racecar driver. Not to mention the team work in the pits, the garage area, and back home at the shop, which qualifies it as a sport. By the way the pit crew members are athletes as well.

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