OT: which is harder to play, hockey or football?

[erod]

Minus the skates, I'd say football.

But there's those damn skates.

 

[Typhus]

Football obviously is most popular spot and so it’s touted as the tough mans sport, but I think football looks like no contact basketball compared to hockey. Every player moving at break neck speeds with 6-7 guys trying to shove you into glass and wood.

I watched the end of the Stanley cup interviews and none of the guys have a full set of teeth.

I wish ESPN still aired hockey. It’s a much more enjoyable product than some of the midweek baseball/basketball/poker games and even some Browns-Titans MNF.

You chose the two sports that are very parallel in your comparison, that's about where its at in the states as far as physicality is concerned,,but on the other end of the spectrum I would love to make 29 million a year standing out in middle field like Yoenis Cespedis.
I would say Rugby should be included in this discussion as far as physicality... I haven't seen a lot of rule changes to "soften" the contact or reduce the violent impacts as some like to campaign now days in the NFL.
I understand to a degree why changes have been made regarding the rules in the NFL, to reduce injuries etc.. but I truly feel the changes were made to protect the product, which generates billions for the NFL.

 

[aria]

Hockey is a superior sport all around.

 

[Techsass]

Hockey is harder. With football you still get to rest a bit in between plays.

The average NFL game actually contains only 11 minutes of actual football (from snap to whistle) and since players usually play only offense or defense, they only play 5-7 minutes apiece.

Skills wise it is not even close. Hockey is by far the tougher sport. After golf it is probably the toughest. As for the physical play - the actual play time of an NFL game is about 12 minutes. 12 minutes. What happens in the trenches is rough, rough stuff. That said Hockey is a grind. I would call that a push.

I laughed at this at first. Popped up the calculator: 140 plays @ 5 seconds each = 11.67 minutes.

 

[CapnCook]

Hockey is tougher to watch. When my team is playing a game seven in the post season, I hold my breath with only small breaks between periods. When it's over, I'm exhausted.

 

[INCowboysFan]

I've been to one NHL game and many minor league games. I just can't get into it. It was extremely hard for me to follow/see the puck. No doubt hockey players are tough as heck.

For my money, some of the toughest, best conditioned athletes are wrestlers (not WWE). Try going against someone for 7 minutes (NCAA) or 6 minutes (international) without being in incredible shape. It ends badly if you aren't in shape.

 

[Whyjerry]

I laughed at this at first. Popped up the calculator: 140 plays @ 5 seconds each = 11.67 minutes.

You learned a valuable lesson today...Don’t ever, ever doubt me.

Class dismissed.

 

[Whyjerry]

Hockey is a superior sport all around.

True but I used to feel football and number 1.

I am a big Rangers fan. Assuming this rebuild is almost done I am hog wild crazy about them again.

 

[aria]

True but I used to feel football and number 1.

I am a big Rangers fan. Assuming this rebuild is almost done I am hog wild crazy about them again.

I played football growing up and then rugby for a short stint. I always used to argue how much better football is with my friends who played hockey. After watching hockey for over two decades now, it’s not even close that hockey is better IMO, especially with all the new rule changes in football.

 

[jazzcat22]

Hockey is harder. With football you still get to rest a bit in between plays.

The average NFL game actually contains only 11 minutes of actual football (from snap to whistle) and since players usually play only offense or defense, they only play 5-7 minutes apiece.

Well in hockey they do switch out the players every few minutes in the line change. But I understand what you are saying.
It is more physical even with the line changes, as it is basically non stop action.

Now soccer, they are out there fro 45 minutes running around. then another 45 minutes. But they may go 70 total minutes then make a few substitutions.
But some are out there running for 90 minutes, though not a lot of physical contact. And yes I am mostly joking as to a comparison.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Football obviously is most popular spot and so it’s touted as the tough mans sport, but I think football looks like no contact basketball compared to hockey. Every player moving at break neck speeds with 6-7 guys trying to shove you into glass and wood.

I watched the end of the Stanley cup interviews and none of the guys have a full set of teeth.

I wish ESPN still aired hockey. It’s a much more enjoyable product than some of the midweek baseball/basketball/poker games and even some Browns-Titans MNF.

Hockey takes a very specific skill that football does not, skating. If you cannot skate, you cannot play, simple as that.

Football and hockey are not really comparable.

 

[Ranching]

Football obviously is most popular spot and so it’s touted as the tough mans sport, but I think football looks like no contact basketball compared to hockey. Every player moving at break neck speeds with 6-7 guys trying to shove you into glass and wood.

I watched the end of the Stanley cup interviews and none of the guys have a full set of teeth.

I wish ESPN still aired hockey. It’s a much more enjoyable product than some of the midweek baseball/basketball/poker games and even some Browns-Titans MNF.

Football is only hard if you're a wuss!

 

[Red Dragon]

Now soccer, they are out there fro 45 minutes running around. then another 45 minutes. But they may go 70 total minutes then make a few substitutions.
But some are out there running for 90 minutes, though not a lot of physical contact.

For sure, though. Soccer is quite possibly the world's most demanding ball sport in terms of running stamina. There are some midfielders who will run 8-9 miles over the course of a single game, just running up and down the field.

 

[JayFord]

Hockey by far

Football might be the easiest sport to pick up and play and honestly the only sport you don’t have to have talent at to be successful

Hockey is a different story you gotta know how to skate first and formost and then your moving for 20 minutes at a time without stopping so you need to be in shape

 

[Plumfool]

Having played both I’ll say football. Hockey is less cerebral. Both physically taxing. But while playing football I always felt like it took me two days to fully recuperate. With hockey it took maybe a half day.

 

[OmerV]

Minus the skates, I'd say football.

But there's those damn skates.

Ditto

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Soccer on Ice or Football on Synthetic Turf... humm...........

I'm going to say Hockey and it breaks my heart because I love Football but I gotta be honest here. I would probably break my neck on skates.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

Football players are better athletes, period. Get 20 hockey guys of your choice and 20 NFL players and have them play each other in 5 other sports. Who would win in soccer, baseball, basketball, track and field, etc. We could throw in figure skating for the hockey guys.

 

[Walker]

Hockey is much harder all the way around. Both sports are a lot of fun to watch and play (if only I could skate).

 

[JoeKing]

The thing about hockey is they are skating around on ice rather than running around on a grassy field and rather than using their hands they have to use a stick to control the puck to the goal. IMO, it's frustrating to watch and there is rarely a goal made. It is the harder sport to play but so what, it's like threading a needle in the dark while watching paint dry.