Race car driver
Race car driver
Golf and tennis are the worst. You have to win to get paid and have to spend tons of money to be competitive. Being elite is not enough unless you are also very attractive. Unless you are conflating elite with top 2.
The fiftieth best soccer/football/basketball/hockey/baseball player in the world is doing a lot, lot better than the fiftieth best golfer and way way better than the fiftieth best tennis player. If you get down to #200, it's not even close.
Baseball.
Won't wreck your body for post retirement.
Winter vacations in warm weather
Golf all spring training
Hang out with teammates all season long
It's the only correct answer.
Golf wannabe wrote:
Golf. Love playing the game. Travel the world in your private jet playing best courses. Pick and choose which events to play. Lots of money and a smokin wife. And the saying no pain no gain does not apply to golf practice.
Completely agree. This is a no brainer. Plus, you can play until you're really f*ckin' old. Hell, you can win a major well into your 40s.
Hmmm..... wrote:
Baseball.
Won't wreck your body for post retirement.
Winter vacations in warm weather
Golf all spring training
Hang out with teammates all season long
It's the only correct answer.
Calculate how much time you spend away from your family and then you can debate how great it is. Traveling 160+ days/year isn't a great lifestyle.
Seriously mate? wrote:
Road Cycling. Northern Classics, Grand Tours, World Champs, all the dope you could ever want?
I like cycling, but this not what I would choose. Looks like a brutal, dangerous job.
Soccer would be my answer
1. No salary cap, so if you are an elite player, you are making stupid money compared to other sports
2. You will get to live in Europe since that is where the best teams are
3. Lower risk of serious injury compared to other sports, i.e concussions and permanent damage
4. Good for long term health as you are running a lot
5. You start young, so you can retire at 35 and still have some good ears left to do other things while still having a lot of years making big bucks.
Golf wannabe wrote:
Golf. Love playing the game. Travel the world in your private jet playing best courses. Pick and choose which events to play. Lots of money and a smokin wife. And the saying no pain no gain does not apply to golf practice.
^Same. It also happens to be the highest paying.
whattheheck wrote:
Calculate how much time you spend away from your family and then you can debate how great it is. Traveling 160+ days/year isn't a great lifestyle.
Ehh...the travel isn't what it used to be. It's no worse than what a lot of consultants do for a lot less many. A week on the road, a week at home. For a guy in his 20's/early 30's, it's pretty ideal.
had to remind..... wrote:
Golf wannabe wrote:Golf. Love playing the game. Travel the world in your private jet playing best courses. Pick and choose which events to play. Lots of money and a smokin wife. And the saying no pain no gain does not apply to golf practice.
^Same. It also happens to be the highest paying.
In addition. Elite Golfers get paid tens of millions of dollars for wearing a brand shirt, brand hat, shoes and clubs. Oh yeah! The golf ball brand too and the beverage they drink in the course pays them too.
Tough life.
Baseball. Most fun to play, and huge money. Lots of time on the road though.
This thread should have come with a counter with elite runner vs. everything else. Funny that runner is getting its ass kicked !!
Also, I'm no anti-capitalist lefty, but the level of apparent materialism seems a little pathetic. As in, "I would chose THIS sport where I'd be paid FAR, FAR more than most (well-adjusted) people would know what to do with, because it pays EVEN MORE than this other sport where I'd be paid FAR, FAR more than most people would know what to do with" !!!
Baseball, no question.
Powerful union.
Huge, guaranteed contracts.
Long careers.
Physically less taxing than most other major sports.
Hot...hot...women.
Hockey. By far the most enjoyable and thrilling sport I've ever played. Doubtless this is in part a Canadian thing.
Bruh wrote:
Soccer would be my answer
1. No salary cap, so if you are an elite player, you are making stupid money compared to other sports
2. You will get to live in Europe since that is where the best teams are
3. Lower risk of serious injury compared to other sports, i.e concussions and permanent damage
4. Good for long term health as you are running a lot
5. You start young, so you can retire at 35 and still have some good ears left to do other things while still having a lot of years making big bucks.
Soccer is the obvious choice.
Winning the World Cup is the highest achievement in all of sports. You're in the top 11-23 of the 4 Billion people playing the sport. And there is less barrier to entry than any other sport. Legends have come from absolute poverty, even with severe health problems (Messi).
How many people watch or even care about golf, basketball, tennis versus a Champions League final?
As an elite (top 100+) soccer player you're a living legend. Kids in the furthest reaches of the world are playing in jerseys with your name written on the back.
You walk into any city in the world and people will recognize you and ask for autographs/selfies. Not necessarily a great thing, but is the 100th ranked tennis/basketball/baseball player that famous? Not even close. You could be 2nd string on a team outside the top 30 in Europe and the above still hold.
It may be the obvious choice for you, but that doesn't mean we're all responding to the question according to your criteria. I love soccer, but I grew up playing hockey, idolizing hockey players, loving the game. If I could be elite in any sport it would be hockey. I would have a shorter career, less money, remarkably less international fame, but I might get to lift the cup and tour it around my home town for friends and family. Pretty simple.
disgraceful_admin wrote:
Soccer is the obvious choice.
Winning the World Cup is the highest achievement in all of sports. You're in the top 11-23 of the 4 Billion people playing the sport. And there is less barrier to entry than any other sport. Legends have come from absolute poverty, even with severe health problems (Messi).
How many people watch or even care about golf, basketball, tennis versus a Champions League final?
As an elite (top 100+) soccer player you're a living legend. Kids in the furthest reaches of the world are playing in jerseys with your name written on the back.
You walk into any city in the world and people will recognize you and ask for autographs/selfies. Not necessarily a great thing, but is the 100th ranked tennis/basketball/baseball player that famous? Not even close. You could be 2nd string on a team outside the top 30 in Europe and the above still hold.
Differences wrote:
This thread should have come with a counter with elite runner vs. everything else. Funny that runner is getting its ass kicked !!
Also, I'm no anti-capitalist lefty, but the level of apparent materialism seems a little pathetic. As in, "I would chose THIS sport where I'd be paid FAR, FAR more than most (well-adjusted) people would know what to do with, because it pays EVEN MORE than this other sport where I'd be paid FAR, FAR more than most people would know what to do with" !!!
None of these sports pay far more than you know what to do with unless you're in the top 10-20 in the world. The topic specified elite, which could mean a low level MLB or PGA tour player.
Well, running of course but if not as a distance runner..
HOCKEY
Nothing compares in excitement and the arenas just rock especially in overtime.
mr. rager wrote:
correct wrote:NFL Punter. Only away from home 8 weekends a year. Minimum salary is still 400K. No concussions. No pressure like place kicker. Still get chicks for being in NFL.
Hahaha! Great choice!
I would pick basketball. There'd be nothing like hitting a game winning shot at the buzzer in the playoffs! It'd also be nice to break LeBron's ankles with my killer crossover. Lots of money to be made for playing, as well as in endorsements. I assume because I'm elite that I get my own sneaker, right? Shoe deals can go into the 100's of millions.
I love football and playing QB (in flag football), so that would be my choice if it weren't for, ya know, the head injuries and pain in your body for the rest of your life.
Baseball is boring to me now and the season is way too long.
NFL punters are a dime a dozen, contracts not guaranteed. Punters are easily replaceable, rare to have one on the same NFL team for more than 3-4 years. It is the life of a nomad. Your home will constantly change.
I would lean toward the NBA. Guaranteed contracts, an average player is set for life nowadays, if your team sucks, you're on an extended vacation for 6 months. Also agree on baseball, 6 days a week of games, gets old. The season is waaaay long, too much of a grind.
not so fast... wrote:
Differences wrote:This thread should have come with a counter with elite runner vs. everything else. Funny that runner is getting its ass kicked !!
Also, I'm no anti-capitalist lefty, but the level of apparent materialism seems a little pathetic. As in, "I would chose THIS sport where I'd be paid FAR, FAR more than most (well-adjusted) people would know what to do with, because it pays EVEN MORE than this other sport where I'd be paid FAR, FAR more than most people would know what to do with" !!!
None of these sports pay far more than you know what to do with unless you're in the top 10-20 in the world. The topic specified elite, which could mean a low level MLB or PGA tour player.
None? Really? That's simply wrong. How many athletes most of us have never heard of (and far beyond 10-20/sport) are making millions/year (and mid/upper 6-figures) in just the major U.S. leagues (NFL, NBA, etc.)? Lots.
Of course, if you want to argue about whether a mere, say, $4M/year for a 22-year old right out of college constitutes "more money than you know what to do with," well....I'm not interested in having that discussion.