What's the most pressured position in sports?
- Thread starter KingOfBBN
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Boxer. Once he is in the ring, it is only him and the other guy is trying to knock his block off. No one else can go throw a punch or dodge a punch for him.
That is pretty tough. Of those listed I might go with pitcher. The mound is a very lonely place and it's basically just you and your thoughts up there. The entire team relies on you and you have to constantly be thinking or trying to push that pressure aside. I think it is similar for a goalie, but I feel like hockey and soccer move pretty fast so you have less time to really feel that pressure when you're trying to make a save.
One of the hardest would have to be a golfer. Especially being in the lead and trying to preserve that lead. Has to take a ton of mental fortitude to put everything else aside and make that putt. However, I think this only applies as much to the top 1-2 golfers at the end of the tournament.
One of the hardest would have to be a golfer. Especially being in the lead and trying to preserve that lead. Has to take a ton of mental fortitude to put everything else aside and make that putt. However, I think this only applies as much to the top 1-2 golfers at the end of the tournament.
Actually the most difficult position in sports is a dad being current with child support.
I played most of the positions discussed at the HS level. Here's how I'd describe each from a pressure standpoint.
Football - Nothing was really high pressure because you're typically just out there reacting. Everything goes so fast you don't have time to get nervous. I played QB, RB, LB and even kicked some - didn't really matter - no time to worry about screwing up.
Baseball - I thought playing infield - specifically 3rd base which was my main position - sucked from a pressure standpoint. You were EXPECTED to field a ball cleanly and throw the guy out at first. And you only get a few chances a game. Half the time I was out there I was praying they'd hit it somewhere else - and I was considered a very good defensive 3rd base man. I was never nervous pitching or batting - and I wasn't that good at either one - because again, no real time to worry about it when you were out there.
Basketball - I played PG and I always got nervous in the first quarter taking the ball up the court against a good defender. You're out there alone, the game's just getting going, and if that dude picks your pocket you're going to look like a chump.
Soccer - Who cares. It's not like anyone went to those games anyway.
Football - Nothing was really high pressure because you're typically just out there reacting. Everything goes so fast you don't have time to get nervous. I played QB, RB, LB and even kicked some - didn't really matter - no time to worry about screwing up.
Baseball - I thought playing infield - specifically 3rd base which was my main position - sucked from a pressure standpoint. You were EXPECTED to field a ball cleanly and throw the guy out at first. And you only get a few chances a game. Half the time I was out there I was praying they'd hit it somewhere else - and I was considered a very good defensive 3rd base man. I was never nervous pitching or batting - and I wasn't that good at either one - because again, no real time to worry about it when you were out there.
Basketball - I played PG and I always got nervous in the first quarter taking the ball up the court against a good defender. You're out there alone, the game's just getting going, and if that dude picks your pocket you're going to look like a chump.
Soccer - Who cares. It's not like anyone went to those games anyway.
By a mile. I can't imagine trying to look down the field with an NFL DE bearing down.
Pitcher is the answer.
He determines 1/2 of the game. And he has to think about every pitch. Pressure comes from thinking too much about your play. Goalie and goalkeeper are Reaction positions where you usually don't have time to think about the play, you just react. Boxer is instinctive (self defense). QB and kicker are decent answers. But with a good running game the QB doesn't have to do much. Toughest thing for the kicker is he sits and waits coming in often cold.
I believe that the catcher might be under more pressure than even the pitcher. You have to be on top of your game every single pitch, even if they are terrible, or you cost your team games.
Soccer goalie in a South American country. You screw up and they'll literally kill you.
gymnast or figure skater. Physically demanding. Requires perfection to an obscene detail. Sequence of uninterrupted movements for a minute or more. Sole focus on you. Daily practice leads up to one event every four years. And it all comes down to a score from some jackhole whose butt you better have kissed to a satisfactory level at the dinner reception the night before.
Blue, you beat me to this, its life and death for some of those people. Also Iraq's team had their feet burned for loosing a match as well, many yrs ago.
Pitcher trumps goalie, Hockey or Soccer. Pitcher always has the biggest impact in every game. If a pitcher has a flu? Game over.. The other team is going yard all afternoon. If a goalie isn't right? There's still hope that his teammates can keep the other team from getting into scoring position. Pitcher puts his fingerprints on the game over 80 times an outing. Goalie doesn't really come close to that number.
I think in this country it's the quarterback. The sport is the most popular, you're the guy who touches it on every play and who is generally the face of the team. A pitcher is out there once a week, so the grand scheme of the program or franchise isn't on your shoulders alone.
At QB, you adjust the offense, try to adjust their defense after having read it, manipulate the cadence and snap count, and that's all while everyone is standing still. A flawless drive can result in a pick six with one mistake, and your volume of attempts is much lower than that of a pitcher.
I also think it being the sport where you can suffer physical pain because of poor play adds to the pressure.
At QB, you adjust the offense, try to adjust their defense after having read it, manipulate the cadence and snap count, and that's all while everyone is standing still. A flawless drive can result in a pick six with one mistake, and your volume of attempts is much lower than that of a pitcher.
I also think it being the sport where you can suffer physical pain because of poor play adds to the pressure.
Good points.. But again.. A pitcher might do all the work in an inning.. Literally *all* the work. A QB still has an O-line to rely on for protection and a runnung game if he's feeling pressured by the defense. A qb can simply be a game manager if he wants or if he sucks (Mark Sanchez). There's no game managing as a pitcher. You either bring your A game or you're gonna get exposed.
Pitcher is a unique position. It's the only position that, at times, has no one else to fall back on.. No help. You have no one else to help throw that slider for a strike-out. Your teammates basically stand there and watch until a batter gets a hit. A pitcher needs no teammate to exist.. Literally no one. But a qb needs, at the very least, an o-line.
I do think it comes down to QB and pitcher, don't think you can go wrong with either. I don't think goalie touches either one, though.
Pitcher is a unique position. It's the only position that, at times, has no one else to fall back on.. No help. You have no one else to help throw that slider for a strike-out. Your teammates basically stand there and watch until a batter gets a hit. A pitcher needs no teammate to exist.. Literally no one. But a qb needs, at the very least, an o-line.
I do think it comes down to QB and pitcher, don't think you can go wrong with either. I don't think goalie touches either one, though.
This is why I don't put much stock in these sports. Any "sport" where winners and losers are decided by the opinion of a judge is screwed up. There's also a system in place where you can never win before it's "your turn".
Even if the scoring is objective, how do you score the first competitor of the night? If she does well do you give her a great score, or do you have to "leave room" in case someone does better?
I think it is a toss up between pitcher and quarterback. In a one game scenario, it is the pitcher. Over the course of a season, it is the quarterback.
If you just watched the last three minutes of the hockey game tonight, I'm not sure how you could say anything but Hockey Goalie.
Surprised no one brought up football cornerback. Run your *** off all game and the second you miss a step and they burn you, you're a bum. Perhaps not the most pressure, but the most unfair.
Can't be CB, imo. It can't be any position that is in some way out of your control. If your team can't put pressure on the QB, even the best CB's will have a hard time sticking with a good WR after a certain point.
I'm not saying that Corner back doesn't have pressure, but to me, it can't trump a position like Pitcher.
I'm not saying that Corner back doesn't have pressure, but to me, it can't trump a position like Pitcher.