RE: Jimmie Johnson Winning the Male Athlete of the Year Award...

I'd sooner give the award to any winning male horse of the Kentucky Derby than ANY race car driver.

 

Hehe, I was thinking of raising this debate but didn't have the onions to make a thread.

And I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment.

 

Jimmie Johnson would only deserve this award if he could manage to drive 170+ mph in L.A. traffic (preferably on the 405 in the Westside), without an accident.

2008-2009 L.A. Lakers: World Champions!

 

DT: NASCAR Driver or Professional Poker Player?

 

What's the difference? They both sit on their asses for hours at a time.

Seriously though... he drives. I'm not saying racing doesn't involve skill, but it's hardly athletic.

And let me further this by saying that he drives.

In summary, he drives.

 

Come on, tell us how you really feel.

I don't really agree with Jimmie being named the male athlete of the year. What he's done in NASCAR is certainly impressive, but I think that there are much more worthy candidates for male athlete of the year. I'm sure that NASCAR takes a lot of concentration and quick reflexes, but for it to produce the "best athlete of the year" is a tad silly.

 

from what i've seen... it wasn't athlete of the year, it was in the top twenty. tiger was ranked number one from what i saw everywhere.

 

Tiger won male athlete of the decade. Johnson won it for this year - ARTICLE

 

Racing actually requires significant aerobic capacity and endurance, especially for long races in hot conditions.

I seem to recall a big thread at the start of the Arena's life of what exactly constitutes a 'sport' and an 'athlete'.

 

To me, sport requires significant exertion of your legs. Racing involves more 'athleticism' than golf in that regard, because you at least have to be quick on your feet. That and there are more fat golfers than drivers.

 

Sport is difficult to define. There are fat golphers and fat offensive linemen in American football. The linemen are more athletic, I would argue, but both are athletes.

 

So a New York cab driver is qualified for this award too?

 

No, because they're not participating in organised competition. Plus, from my experience in NY cabs, they're stopped a lot more than they're moving.

 

The battle for customers can qualify as chaotic competition.

 

That's why I put organised.