In your opinion , The toughest position in all of sports

[whomper]

IMO. Baseball-Catcher

 

Crouched in a squat for hours every night

Calling the game

Keeping an eye out and responsible for throwing out speed demons trying to swipe bags

Protecting the plate on plays at the plate

I could be wrong but I think they back up first base on plays to the left side of the infield

 

Just a brutal physical and mental position

 

What says you ?

[tazinib1]

Along the lines of a MLB catcher, I'm gonna go with a NHL goalie.

[JoJoTheWebToedBoy]

The Fans

[Zooty]

catcher (cause wouldn't everyone rather be the pitcher? ) and goalie were my first thoughts. But I'd rather do either of them than be the guy who has to run out on the basketball court and wipe up some dude's sweat after he rolls around on the floor

[skylive5]

Back-up QB for a stud QB that plays all the time. You know you are never going to get in the game your whole career but you have to be ready at a moments notice. If not the toughest at least has to considered as the most thankless.

[buddahj]

Whoever's at the bottom of a rugby scrum.

[Brentastic]

Many of you are right. The positions where 1 guy has a major affect on the outcome of the game:

 

Goalie

Pitcher

Catcher

QB

Thrower

[Ditkaless Wonders]

The ball.

[SheikYerbuti]

I say corner back. Seriously, if someone told you to chase Calvin Johnson around all game and make sure he doesn't make any catches, what would you say?

[buddahj]

I say corner back. Seriously, if someone told you to chase Calvin Johnson around all game and make sure he doesn't make any catches, what would you say?

 

titties

[matt770]

I agree catcher is up there for physically demanding positions.

 

The toughest sport IMO to play consistently well is golf. You've got all the mechanics of a golf swing that can go wrong, and the grueling mental aspect of playing in a major tournament -- so many guys fold under the pressure. Even the top players go through extended slumps that can last years, and there have been very few dominant superstars who have racked up a lot of major wins. Going back 100 years, you've got 7 or 8 guys who dominated in their time, and scores of guys who got hot once or twice and were never heard from again.

[Scooby's Hubby]

I think the Center position in football is right up there with Catcher. The Center also directs schemes for the O-Line, he is always in a bad position as far as being hit right off the snap, he initiates the start of the play by having to snap the ball either directly or in shotgun formation, and the QB has his hands on the Center's genetials all game. There is usually very little credit given to the center for his performance. In most schemes, the Center must be quick and move from bent over to being hit by a bigger lineman to hitting/blocking a bigger lineman.

[MrTed46]

Without a good catcher, can a baseball team win a championship? Yes

Without a good goalie, can a soccer/hockey team win a championship? No

[delusions of grandeur]

As for toughest position to make it, I'm going to go with shortstop, who usually has to be both a good hitter and good fielder to make it. A catcher is much more physically/mentally demanding and prone to constant abuse, but there aren't even many good-hitting catchers nowadays, so from a "tough to make it" standpoint...

 

I agree golf is possibly the best one (unless we're talking just physically demanding). Tiny changes in your swing can lead to drastically different results, and even Tiger can no longer continue the unprecedented dominance you rarely ever see. Also, I used to take lessons with a golf teacher who didn't make it long in the pros because of how expensive it is to make it until you have big sponsors, not because he wasn't necessarily good enough.

Edited June 19, 2012 by delusions of grandeur

[Clubfoothead]

It has to be quarterbacks that call their own plays? More than 5-7 plays and the hits are more common. That being said, a baseball season is soooo long and the games aren't governed by a clock. And the heat.

[SayItAintSoJoe]

I would say playing the o-line in Football. Catcher is a tough position but at least there is some variety to it. Although most the time you're crouched down catching pitches, you do get to occasionally throw out a base runner, have a play at the plate, catch pop-ups, etc. And lets not forget that you get to bat.

 

I've never played the o-line but it just seems like a tedious, thankless job where the only time we really here about you is when you fail to do your job and someone gets by you to the qb.

[DMD]

I would almost want to say running if you have ever seen Earl Campbell lately but that was as much his style of running as anything. I am not a baseball fan much but always wondered if catchers would have knee problems when they got old.

[I Like Soup]

Considering the number of debilitating injuries we hear of after a player's career in the NFL (i.e. dementia, chronic headaches, suicides, etc.), I'd have to say most positions in the NFL are pretty brutal. I think hockey players get a fair amount of abuse as well.

[MikesVikes]

Catchers also have to wear lots of gear when it's hot enough to melt butter. Locally Joe Mauer is getting lots of complaints for not playing through injuries and pain. The dude is 6'5" and it's a long ways down to a crouching position.