Sports Today vs Sports of Yesterday talk

[Mikey]

I'm not really a sports fans but I do watch occasional games.

One thing i've often wondered about was how would today's teams and individual people stand up to yesterday's teams and people ?

As for yesterday's people/teams ... let's say the 70's

Seems to me football players on average used to be a lot bigger back then... I've heard some rules are different today too.

This is just not about football .. It could be any sports ... i'm just using football as an example.

If you took today's best team and they played the best team of the 70's, who would win ? ... would it be a landslide ?

discuss

[kingdom warrior]

Today's sports players are infinitely in way better condition than yesteryears sports stars.
Most Athletes didn't come into camp in top shape back in the day. Where today's athlete does because this is what he does for a living. Most Athletes held other jobs when not playing sports because the pay was not very good so they needed another job.

In football in the old days they would find just big old guys to play line no real weight training......Todays line men are beast who lift weights.......

Todays athlete is far superior than the athletes from the past.....and I'm not talking about steroid users either.

[Mikey]

I dunno

Seems like some of them big bruisers of the past would easily run over a modern muscleman of today.

It would be like a Mack Truck vs Bigfoot ... Bigfoot looks pretty but would crumple right up into nothing.

[kingdom warrior]

LOL!!!!!!!!! Yeah there are a few from the past that were beast, but were smaller in scale. Linemen in the old days were not 300 pound monsters like today.

[saildog]

Todays athlete is far superior than the athletes from the past.....and I'm not talking about steroid users either.

I think that is a fair statement and I am glad you made the distinction as to why in your post.

This is one of those arguments that becomes circular because people will account for it one way, but not the other. "Today's athlete would mop the floor with the old timers." You simply can't know that for sure because there is too much to account for. All things would have to be equal for it to be a fair assessment and that could never happen. In other words...there has been no evolutionary leap that makes today's athlete genetically predisposed to be a superior athlete. Yes, modern training methods and developments in game technique will, but that is only helping them get the most out of what they were born with (which is the same stuff the old-timers were born with). There is no new species of human called Superior Athleticus, as some would believe.

[Brown Bear]

I grew up watching Larry Holmes on wide world of sports.

Just imagine ONE heavyweight champion, fighting the #1 contender, free on TV.

Now THAT was cool.

[toys2cool]

sports teams from today would crush the teams from the 70's, not only are they bigger,faster and stronger now but their skills are crazy!!

[toys2cool]

I will give you that they played much tougher back then, QB's use to get slaughtered, now you touch them and it's a 15 yard penalty

[fallensaviour]

Athletes of yesterday were real human beings,athletes of today are chemically altered hybrids.No comparison.I'll take the heroes of old thanks.

Nowadays every sport is tainted by drug use for a bigger better "athlete".

[theantiquetiger]

Athletes of yesterday were real human beings,athletes of today are chemically altered hybrids.No comparison.I'll take the heroes of old thanks.

Nowadays every sport is tainted by drug use for a bigger better "athlete".

I think it is just the opposite. I think from the mid-60's to the mid-80', steroids were more widely used by more players.

[jwyblejr]

Please. Today's players are nothing but a bunch of pansies. They have too many rules to protect players. Someone like Tom Brady wouldn't stand a chance against the D of old teams. Baseball players too especially pitchers. Look at how very few can go a full game. And don't get me started on basketball. You think LeBron would be able to hang with the likes of Wilt?

[theantiquetiger]

Please. Today's players are nothing but a bunch of pansies. They have too many rules to protect players. Someone like Tom Brady wouldn't stand a chance against the D of old teams. Baseball players too especially pitchers. Look at how very few can go a full game. And don't get me started on basketball. You think LeBron would be able to hang with the likes of Wilt?

You are comparing apples to oranges. Is Brady, Manning, etc, better than the QB's of old, I think so, because of better year round training & conditioning.

[Hector]

sports teams from today would crush the teams from the 70's, not only are they bigger,faster and stronger now but their skills are crazy!!

In one game yes...but not over an entire season...and I'll tell you why.

Take away their pain killers, their steroids, their fancy lockers, their Gatorade drinks, their fancy air-cooled fans they get in the Summer, their fancy heaters they get in the Winter, their modern and improved surgical procedures they get now after an injury, the constant pampering they receive, and last but not least...take away their big paychecks...the new modern players would be crying for mommy by the end of the season.

Back then...they were true warriors...yes...smaller and slower...but much, much tougher...ask Jim Otto.

[Hector]

You are comparing apples to oranges. Is Brady, Manning, etc, better than the QB's of old, I think so, because of better year round training & conditioning.

QB is probably one of the few positions where an old timer could compete in today's game...because QB's is not about physicality...it's about mind set....well...a good arm helps...but old timers like Johnny Unitas could throw the ball just as good as anybody else today.

[Captain_Mego]

Don't get me started on that....lol

Not to cut on anyones team. But do you really think Brady could handel the preassure of the old time blitz and destroy.
I remeber games where Qb'a got all out mugged.Or how about when you start off with ball and lose ball that's a fumble cut and dry. Or The bump and run when it really was bump!! and run. Oh brother what a watered down version we have.
I would like to also add this money issue. Guy's getting millions and have'nt even steped on the feild yet. Rookies I mean.
Oh brother! lol Dont get me started..lol I also hate indoor football it's just weird. lol