Apples and oranges when it comes to athletic superiority. That isn't the point of any of that.

Thigh cramps.

Dude was heralded for bravery for playing through fucking CRAMPS.

Considering the injuries and pain hockey players endure every game, they have every right to be laughing at that shit. Like Gaborik, lots of other hockey players play through some horrendous injuries that make thigh cramps a total joke. Kovalchuk has been dealing with a herniated disc since the first round of the playoffs in his lower back and still played through to finals. I've seen guys get cracked in the mouth by a high stick, lose teeth and return to play the next period. Faces getting stitched back together, heads getting smashed into boards, sticks to the throat, etc.. and these guys often finish their games. But James was brave for playing through cramps in his thigh, huh?

Originally posted by: -Jeremy-

Originally posted by: -Jeremy-

how is basketball "athletically superior"? Because they're on shoes instead of skates?

Originally posted by: swerve

athleticism in it's sheer form is the ability to jump, sprint and move and an incredibly mobile clip.

yeah, but the thing is hockey players aren't near the size of NFL or NBA players. usually, as standard definition in athletics, a taller/larger athlete is preferable because it opens more opportunities to his athletic limit.

each hockey player in the NHL possess skill that rivals and mainly surpasses all skill sports, but skating is a skill. i mean, yes, there are naturally gifted skaters. that is more balance and an acquired skill however. a guy who can run a 4.0-4.3 40 yard dash or have a 48" + vertical leap is someone who generally is born with that capability athletically.

if you're going to tell me NHL players, man for man, would match NBA or NFL players in athletic combine work outs (i.e. bench press, squats, 40 yard dash, wind sprints, vertical leaping) I'd have to question if you're speaking out of loyalty to hockey.

i'm not dissing the sport, like i said: if you took Chris Bosh or Wade or Rondo at age 10 and put them on skates, they wouldn't be as capable I believe.. but i'm not arguing that. i'm saying, if you put most of the NHL players on a level athletic playing field against NBA or NFL athletes, the differential is monstrous.

like i said, skill wise... precision, timing, balance, probably even stamina, hockey players are incredibly high level. but i'm talking raw athletics: jumping, running, agility. i don't doubt hockey players can match man for man the agility because of the great balanced needed to skate at such a high level; but can you honestly say the NHL medium of players could put up the same "combine" type numbers as basketball or football players?

i'm arguing sheer, raw athletic ability. not skill, which is more acquired than natural (but not necessarily always the case, as i said before)

oh, I'm not questioning hockeys toughness and i think lebron is a showboat.

i just think hockey players shouldn't compare toughness or their sport against another to begin with.

I'm not a hockey player but I was already saying the same type of things about how laughable it was to see the guy get so much praise for playing with cramps. These hockey players are people, too, with their own opinions and have a right to say what they think about it. I don't think they were saying hockey players are tougher than basketball players, they were referring directly to Lebron's "heroics" specifically.

I guess in that aspect it's understandable... but I think you're also a professional for a reason.

Yeah but nobody said anything offensive, really. Certainly nothing that would be on the level of needing to apologize over. They weren't saying anything that TONS of other people weren't already saying. Now, if someone said "basketball players are pussies", then I'd say they need to grow up and act like a professional.

my original point with the athletic level is sometimes when you're that big and banging into guys (guys much bigger than the largest nhl player currently) sometimes those small injuries might feel a lot tighter, considering you just ran into a 6'11 290 lb man at a maximum sprint and then falling onto hardwood, which sucks about as much as ice... i've done both fast.

either way, james is a pampered bitch for someone who grew up in akron.