ken725

May 1st, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^

It would be more interesting to see who only played football. I would guess that some OL/DL are too big for other sports.

 

bluewings

May 1st, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^

So a stud football player played number 4 doubles in tennis his senior year because he thought it would be fun or a defensive lineman wrestled because the two go hand in hand like a running back running track. Very rarely is the best football player the best hockey player or golfer. I know Ross was a hockey player too but sports are fun is the reason to be in more than one.

sharks

May 1st, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^

are receivers, tailbacks, and secondary guys running track, or massive linemen throwing hammers or discus. I think guys playing football/baseball or football/basketball is much rarer.

Wolfman

May 1st, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^

and why I loved what was then a very small Class "C", which would translate to Division 6 today.

I am certain there are those you describe as huge linemen doubling in the power events in track, but although Terrance Taylor was a state champ, i believe, in wrestling, he also ran a leg on one of the relay teams for the Big Red track team.  And there are quite a few, I'm thinking from our secondary, with the emphasis we've been placing on height, who I am certain are great basketball players. Same I think, especially with this year's wr haul. TEs likewise. 

Now back when I was in school, in MI we only had 4 classifications. Due to state aid, they always turned their enrollment in just after school started so in our case we'd be locked into Class C, with about 220 in the entire school, although in a good year we'd still have over 200 in all four grades come summer time. From the football team, where we might field 20-25, about 9 of us would show up for basketball, including about 4-5 linemem who might have each logged about 20 mins total their entire four years but for some reason they liked setting on that bench. Only about 4 of us, who had been gym rats since we started school would play 3 yrs bb, but we certainly weren't great shooters. Usually just very fast, good ball handlers so they could constantly rotate guards

Am I the only one that came from a school like that where you might have one bb player over 6', and he loved to shoot from the outside? Really didn't matter though. Because we just qualified as Class C, even if we had a decent team we'd get rolled by a legit Class C team, with double our population or Muskegon Christian would get us first when they were usually winning it all.   You nailed it though. Even though many of us lettered 3 years in bb and fb, there were either 3 or 4 of us who did it 4 times, one in wrestling, the others in track. 

JHendo

May 1st, 2017 at 4:39 PM ^

I played football, basketball and baseball (including summer leagues for the latter), and not only was I the only lineman doing that, but was the only person in my graduating class of 400 to 500 who did that.

Most serious football players were on the track team in the spring and in the weight room all winter.

Honey Badger

May 1st, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^

Just good athletes that like playing sports so it makes sense they would also play other sports.  Anyways, you can now just make up statisics in America. #Washington

Pompano Jack

May 1st, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^

Early Sports Specialization is a hot topic in the youth sports blogs.  There is almost universal support for multi-sports athletes.  The difficulty I have found is that while most agree, youth programs take most of your time and resources so that you are unable to have your child participate in other sports, or have your kids take a break and do nothing. 

 

M-Dog

May 1st, 2017 at 10:25 PM ^

Indeed.  Every sport wants to own your kid's soul, all year long.  There is no ability to sample things like we could as kids.  

And it's self-important adults that are doing it.  They are all trying to live out their failed childhood sports fantasies through your kids.  

 

bronxblue

May 1st, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^

Hell, I thought it would have been higher.  If you are a good enough athlete to make it to the NFL, chances are you could also hit the hell out of a ball, jump over hurdles, throw a discus or shot put, or any other type of athletic endeavor.

Coldwater

May 1st, 2017 at 2:04 PM ^

The myth that you need to specialize at an early age to become great is debunked for football. Don't waste your time only doing football related activities in the off-season. Such as combine after combine, 7 on 7 camps and tournaments. Yes they have their place, but it shouldn't take the place of developing different athletic movements that other sports will give you.



Zoltanrules

May 2nd, 2017 at 10:45 AM ^

So if your kid is "talented" enough  to help the team win guess where his real motivations lie. Let alone the coach's egos. Until parents are REALLY interested in their kid's development and learning the game right way and perhaps even fun, this multi-sport stuff is generally lip service.

But my kid could get a scholarship ...

Alumnus93

May 1st, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^

Makes total sense... using different muscles ends up helping in each sport, not to mention being in better shape.

Basketball players make great TEs.

I think baseball pitchers have known to be good QBs.

etc

UMfan21

May 1st, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^

when I was in HS (late 90s, I'm getting old), our football coach basically required we play other sports to stay conditioned all year. I wrestled and ran track. I wasn't any good at them, but it kept me on the FB team.

Zoltanrules

May 1st, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^

Try making an elite travel team and telling your coach you want to be a well rounded old fashioned four-season athlete. If the coach doesn't go against it, the parent who is afraid their kid will lose their spot will discourage it. I see this in many youth sports, crazy.

How about that Ron Kramer and DOn Dufek?!

1 percent

May 1st, 2017 at 4:21 PM ^

Yeah but I feel like basketball and baseball have become more year round than football is. Football will take up some weekends sure but is still relatively seasonal. basketball is a year round venture for most and baseball can be like that too.

Eleven Year Wo…

May 1st, 2017 at 11:19 PM ^

It's the other sports with off season tournaments and U-12 traveling teams that have encroached on the football season more than the other way around.



When I went to Boys State in Michigan, Terry Crews was there from tiny class D Flint Academy. He had twelve varsity letters as a rising Senior. I think that would be harder now.

 

 

NoonKickoffz

May 1st, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^

I'm a multi sport athlete.

Competitive eater.

A ride my bike to Eastern Michigan University.

Wrestler.  The REAL kind.

Fastest twitter thumbs in the midwest.