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566
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Redford, MI
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Sitting here drinking beers with a few friends and watching the Detroit SX, a few of my friends think the NFL takes more strength and stamina to perform at the top level then what they see a guy riding a dirt bike! I do admit the thought of getting hit by 2/3 guys weighing 230-300 plus pounds running and tackling another guy does make me think! What do you guys think I have a round of gentleman jack on the line!!! Never heard of NFL players getting Epstein Barr / mono.
One thing I will say, there is a better chance of making a living playing in the NFL vs. professional MX/SX because of the sheer numbers. There have never been 32 top tier MX/SX teams!
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I have no problem having the same discussions with my buds over a few beers. However, they don't translate to forums well, just because people get so hostile over it. You'd think more than a few of these guys had their high school girl stolen by a football jock or something.
The biggest thing I find with this type of conversation is the difference between competing at at high level, and being an athletic specimen of God. Riding motocross is extremely taxing physically, but I wouldn't exactly call Chad Reed or Ricky Carmichael god given athletes. I've seen them shoot hoops or swing a golf club. NFL players on the other hand have to be skilled, and physically gifted. The ability to run a 4.4 40 or forcibly push as much weight as those guys do has to start as a genetic advantage that can be honed and improved thru hard work.
Stamina? No way. I doubt anyone on any NFL team could do a 30 minute moto at full speed if their life depended on it. MX guys train like they are doing an Ironman. NFL players are sucking wind after 4 plays. AND they even get to rest between plays.
There is only a 1.5% chance of making the transition from NCAA to the NFL, a 9.1% chance NCAA to MLB, 1.1% chance NCAA to NBA, 5.1% chance NCAA to NHL and 1.4% chance NCAA to MLS. I would see that as a top level (top 10) A/B racer at Lorettas going straight to a fully funded ride in AX, SX or Outdoors. Canada, Australia and MX2/MXGP series don't count since they aren't US based series.
Both sports have a high probability for a career ending injury between practice, off the field/track training and games/races. The year round schedules are similar. Football runs from July-February in the NFL between mini camp, preseason, regular season and playoffs. AX/SX/Outdoors goes Jan-August. Both 8 month seasons of 2-3 full contact/race pace practices a week plus one game/race. What it boils down to more in each sport IMO is the politics, can the guy get a contract? How good is your agent? How well are you regarded by team management/in the locker room? I know of a few former teammates and current friends who had their careers cut short simply out of politics. The salary cap fucks guys hard these days. Teams cut the veteran who has a bigger contract in favor of the cheaper rookie and gamble that they will get a similar or better ROI. Its a business these days.
Coming from someone who played at the 1-AA College level and now in my third year racing hare scrambles, I would put my now 31yo self against 19yo me any day conditioning wise. Strength wise, its a tossup. The training is totally different and the muscle groups used are utilized in completely different ways. I don't need to deadlift 400lbs, but doing your body weight 12x in a row then moving on to a similar muscle group and repeating that circuit sure helps. Training completely on sprint cardio doesn't help, but mixing it in to an hour of cardio to simulate a peak in heartrate after a mistake, crash etc helps.
If you put a football player on a bike and take him out trail riding all day I guarantee he will feel sore in places he never knew exisisted.
Different sports require different specializations with body and mind.
Pit Row
Like stated earlier, it's apples to oranges. Both can have injuries that end it in a second.
Motocross is a nitch sport. There are probably guys out there that could have been way more talented then Ricky Carmichael or James Stewart but never got the opportunity because they never stepped near a dirt bike.
It certainly is an apples to oranges comparison, and one that comes up often. Usually it's from some sort of insecurity on the riding side. I haven't seen a whole lot of discussions from football fans worried about how other sports compare in strength or fitness compared to football.......
None of my friends who play traditional sports take MX all that seriously when I talk about it. Somehow, someway, that doesn't diminish the smile on my face after a moto.
Two different sports, two different ways of abusing the body. Personally I dont think moto guys give nfl nearly tje respect they deserve and most other sports don't give mx guys the respect they deserve.
One thing I'll say, my buddy is 50 and I would put him against any moto guy in any type of athletic competition any day.
Post a reply to: NFL or MX/ SX which is harder to have longevity career wise?