Brian like many things in life you have these odd preconceived notions that are just bizarre.
1. The greatest athletes in the US in terms of measureables that measure speed, strength, agility, vertical leap, etc. are football players. Specifically the positions of running back and defensive back are loaded with freaks of nature. They aren’t fat.
2. Linebackers – really strong guys who can run sub 4.5 40 yard dashes. Not fat.
3. Wide receivers – these days MAJOR freaks of nature. 6’5″ guys with 40 inch vertical leaps and can twist their bodies in the air with the grace of a gymnast. They stop on a dime, change direction and leap over guys in an instant. not fat.
4. Safeties – See WRs. Not quite as tall but guys who are almost as fast as anyone on the field, bench press 450, and blow you up when given the chance. not fat.
Every single athletic endeavor you could possibly undertake would be enhanced dramatically if you could deadlift 3X body weight. Gymnastics, Distance running, triathalons etc.
Nobody cares if you didn’t play football but that doesn’t mean you need to knock football players. Neither of my kids are playing and they are big-ass kids but both are more like D-1 baseball whereas in football maybe D-3 if they are lucky. Actually my oldest might play his Sr. year, we shall see. My point is I am not a football dad, but I would never ever make the mistake of poo-pooing football players to trump up soccer players. I am a baseball dad and do not think baseball players are more athletic for one minute. Soccer is fine in it’s own right, and more often than not a display of aerobic capacity and skill, rather than a great measure of athleticism. There are less freaks of nature in soccer as it pertains to athletic measurables, rather most great soccer players are simply phenoms with their feet, reaction time, stop and start quickness, and depth perception/vision etc.
We have some baseball players who come over after soccer is finished, and their 60 times are not quite as good as my kid with a deadlift/football mentality. Baseball measures 60 yard dash rather than 40 meter because a double in baseball equates to a 60, and unless you are a pitcher, catcher or first baseman you are expected to run a 7.0 second or better 60 by MLB teams.
One other thing possibly anecdotal, or perhaps not, but my kid had the fastest 60 time and fastest 2-mile on the team. Two completely different modalities, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s because he is the ONLY deadlifter on the team and was hoisting 350 for 5 reps. Is the reason is simply because he’s just so much stronger than everyone? On paper the little 145 lb. kid should beat him (he’s 6’2″ 195) in the two-mile but it doesn’t quite work out that way. Maybe they fatigue more quickly, it’s not just a lung capacity measurement.
