Is QB the most mentally taxing position in sports?

[PromoTheRobot]

Is QB the most taxing position in sports? It's close enough to make no difference. Focus on Tom Brady. 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/12/tom-brady-tampa-bay-buccaneers-playbooks-nfl-quarterback?

Edited August 13, 2020 by PromoTheRobot

[Don Otreply]

Not so much, say, being a driver of a formula one car and knowing if you F up you can kill yourself and or others would  be considered more taxing....When does a QB find his actions life threatening for himself or others?  So , no not the most taxing, difficult? Yes it can be, more so for some than others. 

[Kirby Jackson]

Just now, Don Otreply said:

Not so much, say, being a driver of a formula one car and knowing if you F up you can kill yourself and or others would  be considered more taxing....When does a QB find his actions life threatening for himself or others?  So , no not the most taxing, difficult? Yes it can be, more so for some than others. 

This is a good call. 
 

I think that there are other roles that are more individualized roles in team sports that are tougher. Kicker is worse for example. Yes, I know that you can talk about the snap or hold for a kicker but it is still dependent on the kicker 95% of the time. He’s less reliant on the other 10 players than the QB. A pitcher in baseball is too. A goalie would fit as well for me. QB is tough but there are a lot of other people that can either elevate a QB or let him down. That’s not the case with some of these others. 

[BigPappy]

I have to agree with Don Otreply. Overall, being a NASCAR or Formula One driver takes way more brain power and mental agility than any other sport out there and I am saying that as someone that doesn't really watch the sport let alone has ever even thought of ever trying to be a driver.

 Now, all that being said; the article is about a man that has the mental acuity of a slug or earthworm so I wouldn't put to much stock in the writers acknowledgment of the complexities in the Tampa play book.  

Edited August 13, 2020 by BigPappy

[machine gun kelly]

I do think the QB position is exceedingly difficult how much information they have to process so quickly, but the other examples are valid.  Another athlete that requires a great deal of pressure, has to strive to be perfect are Olympic Gymnasts.  They have to be flawless to win a good medal.  It requires an entire life completely focused on their craft and is rigorous.

[whatdrought]

Well, I had a friend who tried to convince me that Pitchers are overall the best athletes in sports... I don’t know the answer to this question, but I know that guy was an idiot. 

[SoCal Deek]

Driving a race car takes focus for sure but that’s not the same thing. I’ve driven a race car on a test track and it’s certainly draining but the decision making isn’t that much different than when you drive on the freeway with a bunch of idiots around you on all sides. 

[iinii]

As Bruce Lee said, “Boards don’t fight back.” Race tracks are rigid; they rarely change. Le Mans, Indy, Bristol are relatively the same year in and year out. Granted drivers approach it somewhat differently but have the same goal, to get around it as safely as possible. Results aren’t necessarily guaranteed but there is a pretty standard outcome.

Football on the other hand is rather similar to the old war adage that a plan is great until the enemy shows up. A QB has to know hundreds of plays and thousands of assignments and then in seconds be able to decide if the right call has been made before the ball is snapped. Once that happens, mayhem breaks loose. Execution is required in two to three seconds after that. The right execution. Reads, progressions, checkdowns: all of this while a large angry man or men bear down on you with intent to harm. 
You can’t hear much, your adrenaline is through the roof and everyone is counting on you to make the play. That sounds rather taxing to me ....but so does going 200 miles an hour a couple of feet from another car or cars.??‍♀️

[TigerJ]

2 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

Not so much, say, being a driver of a formula one car and knowing if you F up you can kill yourself and or others would  be considered more taxing....When does a QB find his actions life threatening for himself or others?  So , no not the most taxing, difficult? Yes it can be, more so for some than others. 

If you're defining "taxing" as stressful, then yes, I can't imagine anything more stressful.  You have to be 100% focused all the time.  I think an NFL QB probably has to process more information from the huddle through the snap and the completion of a play.  He has to know what he's supposed to do on a particular play, how that can be affected by what the defense does, and what his receivers are supposed to do, and where his protection is.  If receivers aren't doing what they're supposed to, he has to be able to spot that and make adjustments, as he does for the defense.

[MJS]

It depends on what you mean. QB's do have to process a lot of information presnap and postsnap. They have to deal with a ton of chaos including giant men fighting and scratching and clawing to get to them and destroy them.

 

They also have to do a ton of preparation work so that they can recognize what is happening on the field. A lot of QB's aren't mentally prepared for that at the NFL level.

 

If we are talking mental stress, yeah you can point to other sports I suppose. But as far as processing and retaining information, QB has to be up there.

[stinky finger]

2 hours ago, whatdrought said:

Well, I had a friend who tried to convince me that Pitchers are overall the best athletes in sports... I don’t know the answer to this question, but I know that guy was an idiot. 

 

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

 

discuss

[HOUSE]

Quarterbacks are the highest paid position in football, of course Mario Cuomo will tax him more.....

[NoHuddleKelly12]

From the sheer volume of diagrammed play information, blocking assignments, options, etc that an NFL qb is expected to master in order to be effective in his role, I’d say that takes the cake for taxing; however, for stress in the moment, I can’t think of anything worse than the pressure of a match deciding penalty/free kick in World Cup soccer, or being the goalie in that moment, as the eyes of basically the entire world watch and a whole nation will figuratively live or die on that outcome...with no redemption possible for at least 4 years ?

[Sherlock Holmes]

3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Is QB the most taxing position in sports? It's close enough to make no difference. Focus on Tom Brady. 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/12/tom-brady-tampa-bay-buccaneers-playbooks-nfl-quarterback?

No, being a fan is the most taxing...

 

Thankfully we have paid our dues and it's our time for a dynasty!

[BullBuchanan]

2 hours ago, whatdrought said:

Well, I had a friend who tried to convince me that Pitchers are overall the best athletes in sports... I don’t know the answer to this question, but I know that guy was an idiot. 

ah yes.

[MJS]

7 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

From the sheer volume of diagrammed play information, blocking assignments, options, etc that an NFL qb is expected to master in order to be effective in his role, I’d say that takes the cake for taxing; however, for stress in the moment, I can’t think of anything worse than the pressure of a match deciding penalty/free kick in World Cup soccer, or being the goalie in that moment, as the eyes of basically the entire world watch and a whole nation will figuratively live or die on that outcome...with no redemption possible for at least 4 years ?

I don't think there is as much pressure for the goalie. It's more like if you actually manage a stop then everyone will be amazed. If you can't I think people realize that it is tough. But as the one making the kick it is expected that you make it.

[Don Otreply]

16 minutes ago, inaugural balls said:

 

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

 

discuss

We should contact the Earl of Sandwich ? One might consider this to be in his realm of influence, ??but then again a hot dog  ? is a sausage, so a Germanic culinary base of knowledge would be helpful in deciding such a question of high importance. Me, if you put food between bread ? it’s a sandwich ???, beer, now beer is important when sandwiches are being considered... 

 

discuss

 

Go Bills!!!

[Nextmanup]

No, it's not even close to being the most "mentally taxing".

Not even in team sports.

 

 

 

 

[MJS]

9 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

No, it's not even close to being the most "mentally taxing".

Not even in team sports.

Have some examples?

[thenorthremembers]

39 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

ah yes.

My first thought was David Wells.

[Mickey]

9 minutes ago, MJS said:

Have some examples?

 

Captain of a sailboat in a world cup race.

Coxswain of an 8 man racing shell in the Head of the Charles

Mother of an NFL QB with a tissue paper offensive line

 

[Bulldog]

58 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

From the sheer volume of diagrammed play information, blocking assignments, options, etc that an NFL qb is expected to master in order to be effective in his role, I’d say that takes the cake for taxing; however, for stress in the moment, I can’t think of anything worse than the pressure of a match deciding penalty/free kick in World Cup soccer, or being the goalie in that moment, as the eyes of basically the entire world watch and a whole nation will figuratively live or die on that outcome...with no redemption possible for at least 4 years ?

The QB position is certainly a mentally & physically demanding position - but clearly it must take more than "intelligence" to master the position. If a high intellect was actually required to excel at the NFL QB position - then how is it possible that such mental giants such as Lamar Jackson or Dan Marino have been able to perform at high levels in the position after squeezing out wonderlic scores in the vicinity of 13? Perhaps IQ is overrated as an indicator of QB success - or perhaps the Wonderlic test is so flawed that it is worthless.   

[Mr. WEO]

Gotta be NFL QB.

 

GTF outta here with this race car BS.  

[JustWinPlease]

Try being Joonas Korpisalo, playing 4 overtimes in a Stanley Cup playoff game and making 85 saves.

You need to be a special kind of crazy to play goalie...I'd put it up there at the top of the list.

Edited August 13, 2020 by JustWinPlease

[NoHuddleKelly12]

30 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

The QB position is certainly a mentally & physically demanding position - but clearly it must take more than "intelligence" to master the position. If a high intellect was actually required to excel at the NFL QB position - then how is it possible that such mental giants such as Lamar Jackson or Dan Marino have been able to perform at high levels in the position after squeezing out wonderlic scores in the vicinity of 13? Perhaps IQ is overrated as an indicator of QB success - or perhaps the Wonderlic test is so flawed that it is worthless.   

Good points all. I tend to agree with both actually, otherwise you’re right, Fitzy would be HOF bound as a starter, not off the bench, for instance. You’ve got to have enough skill plus mental acumen as a balance regardless. 

[K-9]

Use whatever single word to describe it, but it’s the most difficult position to play at a consistently high level in all of professional sports. 

[MJS]

53 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

The QB position is certainly a mentally & physically demanding position - but clearly it must take more than "intelligence" to master the position. If a high intellect was actually required to excel at the NFL QB position - then how is it possible that such mental giants such as Lamar Jackson or Dan Marino have been able to perform at high levels in the position after squeezing out wonderlic scores in the vicinity of 13? Perhaps IQ is overrated as an indicator of QB success - or perhaps the Wonderlic test is so flawed that it is worthless.   

I think the wonderlic wasn't taken as seriously back then when Marino played. And I think some players still don't take it that seriously. And the questions don't have much to do with football. You might not be able to do word problems or math in your head quickly, but you might be able to process the chaos on the football field quickly.

 

I think Lamar is helped out a lot by the offense he is in. He is an athletic freak, though.

18 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Use whatever single word to describe it, but it’s the most difficult position to play at a consistently high level in all of professional sports. 

I would put hockey goalie up there too as far as an incredibly difficult position to play at a high level. They have to process things incredibly fast and have near superhuman reactions and body control. Plus they have to be flexible and be willing to take hits from hard pucks flying 105 mph.

[RussellDopeland]

I would agree that some race car drivers are more mentally-taxed throughout the duration of a race than any athlete anywhere. But I also think a majority of them are so fearless that you could conclude they're actually sociopaths, and aren't inclined to be stressed about much of anything. I would argue that a "closer" in MLB could be the most stressful role in sports. These guys have to sit there all game long waiting for their chance. And then some of these guys go off the deep-end or flame out when they fail-  see Donnie Moore, Calvin Shiraldi, Mitch Williams, etc. That's why I think Mariano Rivera may be the greatest athlete over the last 25 years.

[Jauronimo]

I would think MMA would be rather taxing.  TRying to put someone to sleep who is trying to kill you has got to be up there in stress.

 

The old hockey fighters talk about high stress.  You sit there on the bench most of the night knowing any second you might get tapped on the shoulder and have to go out and drop the gloves.

[mjd1001]

I'd say the example of a Formula 1 driver is very good. Life or death (or severe injury) if you concentration is off just a little bit.  Most people who deny that are just people who are not that familiar with F1 or most other high end forms of racing and don't want to do the research on it.

 

Taxing in a different way? I'd say a goalie on a big-time Soccer team...European league...for your country in the World cup.  Why a Soccer goalie?  Letting in one single goal can be the difference between being a national hero and getting legit death threats from crazy soccer fans.

 

This is a tough question because 'taxing' could mean so many things...pressure?  Difficulty? Danger?  

Edited August 13, 2020 by mjd1001

[zonabb]

Golfers. It's the most mentally challenging game, by far, requiring the mental toughness necessary to repeatedly make consistent swings and putts. And for pros, they're alone, no teammates, and are not guaranteed a paycheck. So take a job where you have to compete for a paycheck every week by being able to hit a little round ball into a little round hole by making the same, consistent swings week in and week out and you have an athlete that is mentally taxed in terms of mastering the physical requirements and psychologically challenged by the grind of having to earn a paycheck week in and week out, year in and year out.  No contest.

[Doc Brown]

6 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

Not so much, say, being a driver of a formula one car and knowing if you F up you can kill yourself and or others would  be considered more taxing....When does a QB find his actions life threatening for himself or others?  So , no not the most taxing, difficult? Yes it can be, more so for some than others. 

The op's question was about sports.

[DrW]

1 hour ago, Mickey said:

 

Captain of a sailboat in a world cup race.

 

 

I also thought of a skipper in an America's Cup race. These things "fly" at speeds up to 50 mph, and you have to coordinate 11 guys to keep it on course.

[Don Otreply]

52 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

The op's question was about sports.

I see, you crazy football nerd you, ?

 

Go Bills!!!

[MJS]

1 hour ago, zonabb said:

Golfers. It's the most mentally challenging game, by far, requiring the mental toughness necessary to repeatedly make consistent swings and putts. And for pros, they're alone, no teammates, and are not guaranteed a paycheck. So take a job where you have to compete for a paycheck every week by being able to hit a little round ball into a little round hole by making the same, consistent swings week in and week out and you have an athlete that is mentally taxed in terms of mastering the physical requirements and psychologically challenged by the grind of having to earn a paycheck week in and week out, year in and year out.  No contest

Golf? Like the game where not even the fans are aloud to make noise? I'd put that sport in the bottom tier of mental stress. You have old men able to play at a high level. It's about muscle memory and concentration.

[Gugny]

7 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

Not so much, say, being a driver of a formula one car and knowing if you F up you can kill yourself and or others would  be considered more taxing....When does a QB find his actions life threatening for himself or others?  So , no not the most taxing, difficult? Yes it can be, more so for some than others. 

 

Is driving a car really a sport?

[Don Otreply]

6 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

Is driving a car really a sport?

At 150 mph, sure is, there ain’t no weak fat boys in formula one...just think about the 24 hours of Le Mann’s average speed of 140 mph and peaks of 240 mph... no weaklings doing that for a living. ??

 

Go Bills!!!

[Buffalo716]

3 hours ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Good points all. I tend to agree with both actually, otherwise you’re right, Fitzy would be HOF bound as a starter, not off the bench, for instance. You’ve got to have enough skill plus mental acumen as a balance regardless. 

Fitz's smarts have landed him over 30,000 passing yards and 200 passing touchdowns

 

It wasn't his football gifts that got him all that. It was his work ethic and IQ for the game

 

if he had physical gifts of Josh Allen or Aaron Rodgers or jameis Winston he would be a Hall of famer

[Gugny]

38 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

At 150 mph, sure is, there ain’t no weak fat boys in formula one...just think about the 24 hours of Le Mann’s average speed of 140 mph and peaks of 240 mph... no weaklings doing that for a living. ??

 

Go Bills!!!

 

It's not like they're running 150 mph.  They're driving a car.

[Don Otreply]

18 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

It's not like they're running 150 mph.  They're driving a car.

Let’s discuss golf not being a sport, ? cause having someone else carrying your gear while walking in a park like setting certainly cannot be confused with an athletic endeavor... right... ??