Toughest Sport

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by E. Writer

Here are some pretty decent Rugby hits

Best Rugby Hits Video - Metacafe

Ive seen better, but those are pretty decent.

The best hit in that video was the first one. Not bad, but still not on a level with hockey.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

its funny because you seem to know rugby so well, too.

Did I say that? No. Unlike you, I didn't claim to know about rugby, that's the difference. You came into this thread, acting as if you knew everything about hockey, when you clearly do not. I never claimed to know anything about rugby.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

the one thing i will not argue with is that Hockey moves at a faster pace due to skating on ice. that being said, its pure physics that a hockey hit will be harder than a hit between 2 objects moving at a slower pace.. so with that, i hope you understand that a rugby hit will never be 'harder' than hockey hit since we are not capable of reaching your speeds and therefor I will not be able to produce such evidence that you request.

That's EXACTLY why it's a tougher sport. That, along with other elements, such as fighting. The hits in hockey are much more brutal than any other sport. People get hit in hockey and land or fly into rock solid objects, such as the boards, glass, or ice. In rugby, you have soft grass to land on. Far from the stone structure of ice or boards.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

take away those skates and lowering your speed, however, and your hits become less brutal. for the record, fights do break out in rugby games, but are immediatly broken up. the way you fight in rugby, is behind the ref's back, and therefor, without the audience seeing as well. Let me give you an example from my game i played today:

They become less brutal, yes, but not less than rugby. They will be similar. You cannot classify fighting in rugby just that. Hockey is the only real sport that has (and allows) fighting.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

the ball was poorly passed as my team mate was hit, and i dove to the ground to cut it off from the defense so my team could ruck me. While on the ground, the defender had me in a head lock, blocking off my air supply (HIGHLY ILLEGAL) his fist or wrist slammed into my nose during it, so my nose started bleeding. consider him tagged. After witnessing what happened, myself and the 14 other members of my team were OUTRAGED, and that guy had a ****** day. He was the other hooker, so during scrums, my team's hooker kneed him in the stomach on every engage. In a ruck, i moved my hand to his face and gouged him in the eyes. I even watched my team mate take his cleats and step on his face later in the game. None of which would happned if this guy didnt blatently put me in a head lock before. From t here, it only gets worse (not from the original play i mentioned) A guy on their side broke a rib or 2, and my hand was stomped and after hours of icing it, is still swolen and puffy and i cant even see my ring or pinky finger knuckles.

This has nothing to do with the argument at hand. If this was pro rugby and happened all the time, that would be a different story. The fact is, hockey ALLOWS fighting. Cheapshots in hockey are much more than a moment of choking. Cheapshots in hockey end careers.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

I dont see how you can say the toughest sport is the one with the 'HARDEST' hit. i have never played organized hockey, much like you have never played organized rugby. but, unlike you and your rugby watching, i have watched PLENTY of hockey, and allthough i dont understand all the rules, i do know what i see. As stated in my origional, i take nothing away from hockey in the least.

Why can't you see that? Hockey hits destroy people. Most hits in rugby involve one person moving, while the other is moving perpendicular to get in the other player's path. Both players are not moving at full speed. Most hits in hockey involve both players moving at top speed, making the impact even more powerful.

You claim to watch plenty of hockey, yet you don't have the slightest clues about the rules, or for even how long a game is played. I find that hard to believe.

You state you "do know what i see," yet what are you referring to? What do you see?

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

Also, i read this whole thread, and i remember you saying something about a guy getting a cut, going to the locker room, getting stitched up and going back out in the next period or something.. Let me fill you in on how it happens in rugby

In hockey, if you get cut (and it's not very serious, such as getting your throat slit by a skate, which does happen), you take a seat on the bench (not locker room), have a trainer stitch you back up in time for your next shift. Blood is spilled all the time in hockey.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

First off, in rugby, there are no open subs. You cant leave and come back, UNLESS there is blood involved. A guy on my team, we called aussie mike, got a gash on his head. he ran off the pitch with a blood soaked jersey, they dumped water on his head to clean the wound, through some gause and tape around it, handed him a new jersey, and he ran right back onto the pitch. after the game, he went to the hospital and got 8 stitches... AFTER the game.

Hockey is constantly moving. Rugby is more like soccer, in that only a few players immediately near the ball are moving at high speed, while everyone else is moving slowly along. Hockey players have shifts because players are constantly moving.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

you get hit in hockey, and thats it, moving on to the next play. you get hit in rugby, and then you curl up into the fetal position, cover your head, and just HOPE your team gets to you first because that will cause the least possible pain. if the other team gets there.. the one rule in rugby that is usually over looked is now in place.. and that is.. if you're on the ground, you ARE the ground. that means they can step on you, trample over you..and trust me, they do.. and they take advantage of it. They dig their cleats into your back and scrape down, kick you in the head, you name it. Heres a picture i took about a week after i got cleated in a game:

You're acting as if a hockey hit doesn't hurt at all. You stated you read this thread. Did you skip by my post which contained three heavy hits, two of which the player was knocked out or unable to move? The rugby video posted earlier did not display any of the pile ups you described. Football has something just like that. Most tackles end with several players on top of each other. I'd much rather be in one of those piles than get hit in hockey.

Have you ever wondered why so many hockey players have no teeth? It's from getting pucks or sticks smashed into your mouth and face. I'd much rather have a small scrape from a cleat on my back than take a puck or stick to the face.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

after you're tackled, there will be about 6 other players dog piled on top of you, all mangled. this is when your arms get pulled in directions they arnt meant, cheap shots are taken, and wind gets knocked out of you.

This happens in football after nearly every play (every rugby hits video has nothing of this) and no one gets seriously injured. Wind getting knocked out of you? That's nothing compared to cheapshots players give in hockey.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

Last thing i want to bring up right now is what happens to you in a scrum. its 8 players vs 8 players. Im not sure how much most scrums weigh up to, but im pretty sure mine is around average, and ill estimate it at about 1300-1400 lbs of human flesh.bone.muscle. and the like. they line up in a formation of 3 rows. the front row all bind together with the 2 guys behind them binding together and then to the front row, all to form one unit. the other 3 all bind in fairly loosely. on ENGAGE, our 1400 lb mass COLLIDES with the other teams 1400 lb mass like ---><--- that. if the front row slips up and their head doesnt get down, their neck can snap. so you have your side pushing and struggleing to try and gain some yardage while the other team's pack is going against you doing the same thing. the concept is very simple.. the strongest team will most likely win. heres what it looks like:

First off, you make it seem like these hundreds of pounds of mass are moving and impacting at high speeds. They are hardly moving. Linesmen in football esentially do the same thing and it is not regarded as tough, nor is rugby's version.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

just imaging what it does to your back, let alone the amount of force from the 1400 lb pack slamming into the shoulders of the people in the front row...talk about a stiff neck after the game... and these happen more often than face offs... and think of all the energy you use to try and move a 1400 lb mass

What it does to your back? Take a look at this hit that happened barely a week ago.



You exaggerate the pushing beyond reality.

Originally Posted by firestorm3986

I can go on and on, but much like im sure its true with hockey, if you dont step foot on a rugby pitch, you will NEVER know for sure what we go through. But unlike you, i know plenty of people who play hockey, and i know on a second hand basis what they go through and what happens during games. Do me a favor, find a local rugby game (saturdays, and every area has a union in this country) and go watch it first hand. you wont CRINGE for the most part because compared to hits in hockey, they arnt as HARD... but get on the pitch and take a hit, get rucked, pack down in a scrum, lift a jumper for a line out, and try mauling.. then come back and tell me hockey is more difficult. please.

You know people who play hockey?! Great! It's a shame you don't know anything about the game. I'm not trying to offend you, but for you to claim you know hockey, yet you get every aspect you stated as fact wrong only proves my point that you do not know hockey.

In rugby, people get hit. In hockey, people get destroyed.

Originally Posted by _NIGHTBRINGER_

RuBeing hit and having your head lash back and hit the ice, with a helmet, doesn't hurt as much as having your bear head whiplashing onto the ground.

Whiplashing? You're joking, right? Do you think helemts, in any sport, make you invincible or pain free? The ice is as hard as concrete, as are the boards. If your head hits the ice or boards, you're most likely going to be knocked out. I'd much rather land on grass at twice the impact than ice with a helmet on.

[_NIGHTBRINGER_]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve

Whiplashing? You're joking, right? Do you think helemts, in any sport, make you invincible or pain free? The ice is as hard as concrete, as are the boards. If your head hits the ice or boards, you're most likely going to be knocked out. I'd much rather land on grass at twice the impact than ice with a helmet on.

No, but helmets greatly reduce the amount of pain.

I've had my had whiplash onto concrete while wearing a helmet, I felt fine after a few minutes.


But my bare head on grass/ dirt, hurts much more.

Oh, and to your little statement about the DL and OL clashing in football, or the lines in rugby, not being tough, I hope your kidding.

American football is underrated in toughness.

Having 1 or more 330lb man bullrushing you, or trying to bullrush another 330lb man, isn't tough at all, nope, not at all.

Hard football hits

Punter gets leveled

NFL Hits

R.Bush Gets laid out

NCAA Hit

Trent Green Concussion

Your making football sound as if its not tough at all.
the pads in football is also over exaggerated, the norm, is shoulder pads, thigh pads, shin bads, and a helmet. Your stomach, and some ribs, are exposed.

[oxfordfreestyl]

Scuba, have you ever played soccer?

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by _NIGHTBRINGER_

No, but helmets greatly reduce the amount of pain.

Not when you're traveling at the speed of hockey.

Originally Posted by _NIGHTBRINGER_

Having 1 or more 330lb man bullrushing you, or trying to bullrush another 330lb man, isn't tough at all, nope, not at all.

Compared to getting hit in hockey? It definitely isn't. Football would be a lot tougher if they played more than 16 games a season. Hockey players play 82 games a season, with seven game playoff series. The amount of punishment they can take is astounding.

Originally Posted by _NIGHTBRINGER_

Your making football sound as if its not tough at all.
the pads in football is also over exaggerated, the norm, is shoulder pads, thigh pads, shin bads, and a helmet. Your stomach, and some ribs, are exposed.

Compared to hockey, it isn't that tough. Your stomach and lower abdomin are exposed in hockey, too.

The players in hockey are also moving at MUCH higher speeds than football and especially rugby.

Originally Posted by oxfordfreestyl

Scuba, have you ever played soccer?

I did for many years. Why this is relevant, I don't know. I never said soccer didn't require you to be fit, exceptionally fit at that. But to classify it as the toughest sport is absurd.

[Magnum Force]

Actually, Scuba, helmets do reduce the amount of pain to your head in hockey. I've gotten whiplashed into the boards (which have absolutely no give) and into the ground many times and I barely feel a thing.

Although my helmet does give me a headache by my tempels if I move my jaw a lot.

[Scuba Steve]

I never said they didn't, but when you're getting hit and smashed on the NHL level, I'd much rather land on grass with no helmet.

It'd be murder if hockey players didn't wear helmets these days.

[-paT_BiZzL3-]

Fact is guys, There is no toughest sport. Everyone will think one sport is tougher than the other. Like I said before, it's all opinions.

[_NIGHTBRINGER_]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve

Not when you're traveling at the speed of hockey.



Compared to getting hit in hockey? It definitely isn't. Football would be a lot tougher if they played more than 16 games a season. Hockey players play 82 games a season, with seven game playoff series. The amount of punishment they can take is astounding.



Compared to hockey, it isn't that tough. Your stomach and lower abdomin are exposed in hockey, too.

The players in hockey are also moving at MUCH higher speeds than football and especially rugby.



I did for many years. Why this is relevant, I don't know. I never said soccer didn't require you to be fit, exceptionally fit at that. But to classify it as the toughest sport is absurd.

Yes, it does reduce the pain.

In hockey, the goal is to score.

In football, the goal is to score, and drive your opponents into the ground, every down and every play there are people getting hit and driven into the dirt. In hockey, the players might be moving faster, but the players in football by no means are moving slow. Players in football are MADE to hit you, run you over, its what they came to the game to do. You have 200-300lbs of mass falling on you when you get tackled.

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by _NIGHTBRINGER_

Yes, it does reduce the pain.

In hockey, the goal is to score.

In football, the goal is to score, and drive your opponents into the ground, every down and every play there are people getting hit and driven into the dirt. In hockey, the players might be moving faster, but the players in football by no means are moving slow. Players in football are MADE to hit you, run you over, its what they came to the game to do. You have 200-300lbs of mass falling on you when you get tackled.

I never said it doesn't reduce the pain. I simply said it's still a harder hit than landing on grass.

The goal in football is not to "drive your opponent into the ground." You exaggerate the hitting in football.

Football players play 16 games a season. That's a few weeks of a hockey season.

Only short running plays have linebackers tackling you, which, in most cases, does not end in one of them landing you. When that happens, it certainely doesn't hurt the player. They have pads for that.

Football and rugby hits are far less brutal than hockey hits.

[_NIGHTBRINGER_]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve

I never said it doesn't reduce the pain. I simply said it's still a harder hit than landing on grass.

The goal in football is not to "drive your opponent into the ground." You exaggerate the hitting in football.

Football players play 16 games a season. That's a few weeks of a hockey season.

Only short running plays have linebackers tackling you, which, in most cases, does not end in one of them landing you. When that happens, it certainely doesn't hurt the player. They have pads for that.

Football and rugby hits are far less brutal than hockey hits.

The lenght of the season should not matter, whoever has to deal with the most pain in one game is important.

If it isn't a short running play, its a long running play, or passing, in which the safetys or DB will get them. Somone is still getting tackled.

And you do go in the game to drive your oppnents into the ground.