Top 11 Myths Every Sports Fan Must Know
March 12, 2014We hear a lot of stories and myths when it comes to athletes, games and the world of sports in general, but what is true and what is false and fiction?
Introducing the top 11 myths every sports fan must know:
#11: Most MLB players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs were big-name sluggers
The fact is: Of the 26 MLB players which were caught and banned thus far, 13 of them were pitchers but only 7 of them were All-Stars, with the most recognized position players to get suspended were probably Mike Cameron and Matt Lawton.
#10: LeBron James started the trend of NBA stars congregating on a few "Superteams" and it's very bad for the NBA league
The fact is: In the '70s, eight different teams won the NBA championship and the league struggled to attract public's interest. The '80s were considered to be the golden years of the NBA but only 5 teams during these years were relevant in the league to fight for the championship (Celtics, Sixers, Rockets, Pistons, Lakers) and then came the '90s with the Chicago Bulls winning 6 championships and the interest of the league was now international. It seems that "Superteams" is not a new creation by LeBron James and partners, as history shows they teams like that did rule the NBA over the years and it's not that bad for the league after all, especially from a business standpoint.
#9: Gatorade and other sports drinks are the ultimate during-workout and post-workout beverages
The fact is: The best beverage to drink during or post workout when your body is losing water is actually…water. All the different sports drinks are packed with sugar and calories that can be beneficial after an extremely strenuous workout when the body loses a lot of electrolytes. The best thing to drink during a workout is water as stated and the best thing to consume after a workout is a fruit. Another interesting fact about Gatorade is that many doctors claim that this beverage only made Michael Jordan's stomach bug even worse during the 1997 NBA Finals, but if you like it, enjoy.
#8: Scholarships given to athletes cover the full cost of college attendance
The face is: Many college scholarships which are given to athletes for basketball, football and other sports do not cover the full cost of college attendance and most of them fall short by a few thousands of dollars for full coverage. A study that was conducted back in 2010 by the National College Players Association and Ithaca College found that Division 1 student-athletes on "full" scholarships had to pay on average an additional $2,951 per year in order to get the full scholarship amount and that's a total of $14,755 over 4 years of college studies. So a "full" scholarship is never truly full but it does help and it's way better than nothing.
#7: Babe Ruth was fat, drank beer in between hitting home runs and gobbled hot dogs
The fact is: Babe Ruth was not a fitness example and he used to party like one of the Hilton sisters, but for most of his career he was actually in remarkable shape, relative to other baseball players at that time. Because ballplayers were not rich back then like they are today, most spent their winter working full-time jobs instead of training and during the season they rubbed mercury on wounds and applied heat to aching knees. These practices were proven later on to do even more damage and harm than good. Yet, people mostly remember Ruth late in his career when he wasn't always in his best shape.
#6: Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team
The fact is: High school coaches love to tell the story that with the right and hard work ethic, any scrub can become a great basketball player. This myth is technically true but false in spirit. How's that possible? Michael Jordan was indeed cut from his varsity team but as a sophomore. He played junior varsity and was an absolute stud then. Michael grew 4 inches in the summer between 10th and 11th grade and also averaged 20+ points per game playing junior before he was being named a MacDonald's All-American as a senior.
#5: The home teams enjoy a "home field advantage"
The fact is: There is a home field advantage in sports for the home team, but it's not how you think of it. The assumption that because the home team is playing at a field and ground they know and are familiar with gives them better chances to win the game is wrong. The reason there is a home field advantage is simply the officials. You see, officials make more calls in favor of the home team and it all comes down to psychology and that is, because we're all human and human beings seek approval, giving more calls in favor of the home team gives the officials the approval of 20,000 or more home team fans.
#4: Defense wins football championships
The fact is: A good defense is needed to win championships, especially in the NFL, but the statistics show a different picture. If you take a look at the previous Super Bowls and the game of football in general, you'll notice that defense is not the main reason teams won championships. Instead, the formula for success includes special teams and field goal units.
#3: Athletes are overpaid
The fact is: They make more or less what they are supposed to. You may ask how getting paid millions of dollars during their career is not too much or not considered an over pay. So, let's test a few things comparing their jobs and careers to yours: Are you in the best 0.01% in the world at your own job in a way that stats can prove it? Do people of their own free will choose to spend hundreds of dollars to watch you at your job doing it? Will you still most probably be employed in your profession past your early 30s? Is it likely you'll suffer any crippling injury or paralysis from doing your job? What percentage of your time do you sleep at home in your own bed? Now you understand athletes' salaries over the course of their careers.
#2: Fans want new stadiums
The fact is: Fans more care about wins then new stadiums. Players, fans, tourists, corporate tools and media all want new yards and new stadiums but fans more care about their teams winning championships then sit comfortably and enjoy a brand new facility. These are the true die-hard fans to me.
#1: Ex-athletes and coaches are more qualified to analyze the games than civilians
The fact is: It ain't necessarily so. Any civilian who does his homework, follows statistics and comes prepared to the game, has a good voice that viewers or listeners want to hear can analyze the games and sometimes even better than coaches or ex-athletes.
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