NationStates Jolt Archive

Do obscure sports champions know that they are only champions because the really good athletes are involved in more mainstream sports? Or do they actually think they're something special?

For instance, does the Olympic Curling Champion know that the only reason he is the champion is because Tiger Woods is too busy playing golf?

I watch events like Lumberjacking contests and racewalking and I say to myself; Do they realize that they're competing agaist all the other people who couldn't excel something more interesting? Or are we spectators the only ones privy to this?

Of course, it's possible that I could be way off base here. Perhaps there is some trick to Ice Dancing that I'm not in on and they really are unique. Maybe there IS a Michael Jordan of team handball. :p

Do obscure sports champions know that they are only champions because the really good athletes are involved in more mainstream sports? Or do they actually think they're something special?

Yes. The world Spaghetti Eating record holder cries himself to sleep at night.

they know how stupid is, they all did it on a dare.

Last time I checked, Curling is a TEAM sport and loved by Canadians. Heck, America is up and coming in the sport too and for the record, I love the sport and can't wait to see it played in Torin Italy for the 2006 Winter Games.

Last time I checked, Curling is a TEAM sport and loved by Canadians. Heck, America is up and coming in the sport too and for the record, I love the sport and can't wait to see it played in Torin Italy for the 2006 Winter Games.

And here I present to you Exhibit A, the self deluded. A curling champion does not Wayne Gretzky, Michael Schumacher or Michael Jordan make..

And here I present to you Exhibit A, the self deluded. A curling champion does not Wayne Gretzky, Michael Schumacher or Michael Jordan make..

Tell that to the Canadians and those that love Curling. It is an up and coming sport here in the states. Heck, there's a curling club near my house I believe.

I support Curling because its a cool sport. Shuffleboard on ice! LOL

Tell that to the Canadians and those that love Curling. It is an up and coming sport here in the states. Heck, there's a curling club near my house I believe.

I support Curling because its a cool sport. Shuffleboard on ice! LOL

Curling is Ice Hockey for people who can't fight. :D

Curling is Ice Hockey for people who can't fight. :D

Ok, I'll buy that arguement :D

Its a good line too!

Ok, I'll buy that arguement :D

Its a good line too!

It's not necessarily an insult, either. Ice Hockey is not exactly a pacifist's game.

It's not necessarily an insult, either. Ice Hockey is not exactly a pacifist's game.

Then why do the French have an Ice Hockey Team? :D

Tell that to the Canadians and those that love Curling. It is an up and coming sport here in the states. Heck, there's a curling club near my house I believe.

I support Curling because its a cool sport. Shuffleboard on ice! LOL
Curling is actually a scottish sport. Canada dominates it thoroughly though so it kinda gets associated with Canada more than Scotland.

At any rate, different people like and are good at different sports... a hockey player of a golfer would probably suck at curling, there is a certain amount of strategy to it.

Like billiards (it kinda counts as a sport) there are some amazing pool players out there and they are amazing, simply amazing. Being a champion in a less popular or well known sport does not make one less of an athelete.

It's not necessarily an insult, either. Ice Hockey is not exactly a pacifist's game.
The really good players aren't the goons picking the fights either. Tie Domi is such a goon... and he's not particularly good. He also cries an awful lot for such a tough guy.

Sorry, I'm dating a sens fan, I have to badmouth the leafs.

Curling is actually a scottish sport. Canada dominates it thoroughly though so it kinda gets associated with Canada more than Scotland.

This I actually knew but it is good that you posted this because not to many people do.

At any rate, different people like and are good at different sports... a hockey player of a golfer would probably suck at curling, there is a certain amount of strategy to it.

Curling has alot of strategy involved. Its almost as bad as football when it comes to strategy.

Like billiards (it kinda counts as a sport) there are some amazing pool players out there and they are amazing, simply amazing. Being a champion in a less popular or well known sport does not make one less of an athelete.

Amen.

I think that many of these obscure sports just need a helpful push in the right direction. They lack a certain oomph so to speak. In my opinion curling stones should contain live grenades. Not to be detonated by players but by onlookers in the stands. I think dodgeball would be televised if it was played with cueballs. I also have some ideas for nascar even though it is a popular sport. I think half the cars should travel one direction and the other half the opposite. Now that would be exciting wouldn't it? Or perhaps a penalty system wherein racers at fault would be made to do their next lap on a ten-speed bike with a flat tire.

I think that many of these obscure sports just need a helpful push in the right direction. They lack a certain oomph so to speak. In my opinion curling stones should contain live grenades. Not to detonated by players but by onlookers in the stands. I think dodgeball would be televised if it was played with cueballs. I also have some ideas for nascar even though it is a popular sport. I think half the cars should travel one direction and the other half the opposite. Now that would be exciting wouldn't it? Or perhaps a penalty system wherein racers at fault would be made to do their next lap on a ten-speed bike with a flat tire.
Hell, Texas hold'em has gained a lot of popularity up here because there wasn't any NHL. It's insane how much it caught on. TSN was showing poker and pool and darts 'cause there wasn't any hockey.

So maybe if football goes on strike in the states, some other sport will make huge gains in popularity.

Hell, Texas hold'em has gained a lot of popularity up here because there wasn't any NHL. It's insane how much it caught on. TSN was showing poker and pool and darts 'cause there wasn't any hockey.

So maybe if football goes on strike in the states, some other sport will make huge gains in popularity.

I really doubt Football will go on strike. Basketball is a possibility though.

I don't buy that without basketball Jordan would be a curler. Remember, Jordan played baseball and was lackluster. Just because they are good at one sport doesn't mean that they'd dominate in another, no matter what the public esteem.

I don't buy, either, that curlers are really just frustrated hockey players (I know the comment made was a joke, I'm talking about the greater implication in the question). They are playing the sport they like and are good at it. I think that the archery champion knows they are 'just' an archery champion but I'm going to bet they are proud of it-and I doubt that without F1 Schumaker would be challenging thier position.

That being said, I have often thought about finding some sport that america isn't represented in and getting good enough to qualify so I could say I was an olympian. The fantasy falls apart when the qualifying standard is more than likely not something you can just 'do.' It's a fun idea, though.

I don't buy that without basketball Jordan would be a curler. Remember, Jordan played baseball and was lackluster. Just because they are good at one sport doesn't mean that they'd dominate in another, no matter what the public esteem.

I don't buy, either, that curlers are really just frustrated hockey players (I know the comment made was a joke, I'm talking about the greater implication in the question). They are playing the sport they like and are good at it. I think that the archery champion knows they are 'just' an archery champion but I'm going to bet they are proud of it-and I doubt that without F1 Schumaker would be challenging thier position.

That being said, I have often thought about finding some sport that america isn't represented in and getting good enough to qualify so I could say I was an olympian. The fantasy falls apart when the qualifying standard is more than likely not something you can just 'do.' It's a fun idea, though.

The day that mud surfing becomes an Olympic event, is the day that I go for the gold. :D

The day that mud surfing becomes an Olympic event, is the day that I go for the gold. :D
Only fools would attempt to challenge ;)

Only fools would attempt to challenge ;)

I'm the Michael Jordan of mud surfing. :cool:

Do obscure sports champions know that they are only champions because the really good athletes are involved in more mainstream sports? Or do they actually think they're something special?

For instance, does the Olympic Curling Champion know that the only reason he is the champion is because Tiger Woods is too busy playing golf?

I watch events like Lumberjacking contests and racewalking and I say to myself; Do they realize that they're competing agaist all the other people who couldn't excel something more interesting? Or are we spectators the only ones privy to this?

Of course, it's possible that I could be way off base here. Perhaps there is some trick to Ice Dancing that I'm not in on and they really are unique. Maybe there IS a Michael Jordan of team handball. :p


yes, you are way off base here. like every game (be it board, card, gym, or field), sports like lumberjacking and ice-dancing require a lot of practice to compete at the highest levels. while i would much prefer to watch -- and play -- basketball or football, this does not mean that anyone who participates in the less mainstream arenas is less of an athlete.

The 'highest' levels of whatever sport, like say lumberjacking, is far lower than the highest levels of Baseball, Basketball, Football, The other kind of Football, Automotive racing, Track and Field etc...

The amount of practice and dedication to succeed in X pales in comparison to the effort, practice, dedication and just plain luck of the genes, needed to succeed in mainstream sports.

To pretend that an Olympic curler is on the same level as a professional basketball player or F1 racer is ludicrous.

To pretend that an Olympic curler is on the same level as a professional basketball player or F1 racer is ludicrous.

I don't think it is. They still have to train. Learn about different types of ice surfaces. How to throw the stone the correct way and with the proper strength to do what you want it to do. That takes practice and patiences to learn.

Man, I love watching Curling.

The 'highest' levels of whatever sport, like say lumberjacking, is far lower than the highest levels of Baseball, Basketball, Football, The other kind of Football, Automotive racing, Track and Field etc...

The amount of practice and dedication to succeed in X pales in comparison to the effort, practice, dedication and just plain luck of the genes, needed to succeed in mainstream sports.

To pretend that an Olympic curler is on the same level as a professional basketball player or F1 racer is ludicrous.

nicely said, but it isnt the curler's fault that there isn't enough competition to propel him higher. do you think jordan would have been as good as he was if he didnt lose a lot growing up? or if he didnt have all of the other marquee (sp?) players in the league pushing him to be better.

there werent any great basketball players until 50 years after the sport was created, and it still took some rather brilliant advertising by the leagues to get the game off the ground. only then did we see mikan (r.i.p.) and russell and dr. j and bird and magic and jordan. i just dont think that it's necessary to belittle the champions of the "lesser" sports. it isnt like they're full of themselves.

there are plenty of other groups that need belittling. perhaps we should focus on them.

I don't think it is. They still have to train. Learn about different types of ice surfaces. How to throw the stone the correct way and with the proper strength to do what you want it to do. That takes practice and patiences to learn.

To a lesser overall ability, with less competition and ultimately to a lower level.

Here is the point that you refuse to grasp. Simplified via the world of academics. A Student at UC Santa Barbara now needs to be well in the top 10% state-wide. Have a good essay and high SAT score to get in. A Student at UC Berkeley needs the same.

The Student at Berkeley 'needs the same', only he needs more of the same. He needs to be even higher within the top 10%, to have an even better essay and an even higher SAT score.

He needs it for a simple reason, higher quality of competition.

A curler needs to "blah blah blah."
A F1 racer needs to "blah blah blah"^10 due to increased levels of competition.

Man, I love watching Curling.

Cheers.

Do they know?

Scotty doesn't know.

Do obscure sports champions know that they are only champions because the really good athletes are involved in more mainstream sports? Or do they actually think they're something special?

For instance, does the Olympic Curling Champion know that the only reason he is the champion is because Tiger Woods is too busy playing golf?

I watch events like Lumberjacking contests and racewalking and I say to myself; Do they realize that they're competing agaist all the other people who couldn't excel something more interesting? Or are we spectators the only ones privy to this?

Of course, it's possible that I could be way off base here. Perhaps there is some trick to Ice Dancing that I'm not in on and they really are unique. Maybe there IS a Michael Jordan of team handball. :p

It appears that your opinion is that all of the best all around athletes are associated with major sports and those that participate in less popular sports could be unseated by them at any time. At first glance I can see how one could draw this conclusion, however, you would assume much to be able to do it. While money is the most compelling attractant for a sport it does not mean that the best athletes are actually being recruited. Coaching and recruiting staffs cannot possibly cover all areas where the best can be found, so they stick to large schools in highly populated areas.While this covers a huge amount of potiential prospects, it still leaves out a tremendous untapped reserve that remains unknown forever.
You also need to keep in mind that the quality of professional athletes is not as important today as it has been in years past. Pro Sports are now mostly advertising billboards for corporations now. The corporations interest is best served by showmanship and salesmanship rather than all around athletic ability. Today in the NFL a losing team can literally gut its entire starting line up and replace the entire thing and in one year have a contending championship team. This is a result of solid salery caps and collusion on the part of the owners. The NFL is not the only example of this, others are picking up on it quickly, as in baseball.
Another thing you have to take into consideration is the fact that when an athlete specializes in a sport they literally become physically tuned to the skills necessary for that sport. While the guy/gal may have been a jack of all trades in highschool and college, many have found that switching to an old favorite is a very negative career move. Bo Jackson found this out the hard way. While he was a potientially great pro football player, he found out he was mostly dog balls in baseball, and that revelation ended up costing him both careers.
Your choosing of Ice Dancers is quite interesting and a good example because it uses an entirely different set of skills and abilities as would a hockey player. Even a Wayne Gretsky would find himself in over his head against the best the world has to offer in that sport, which by the way may be one of the most difficult and demanding of all by many accounts.
On the flipside of your argument, I believe it would be interesting to find out how many pro athletes could suddenly be unseated from their domain by say an above average decathlete. It might also be interesting to find out how many fewer golfers there would be if racketball and handball players were to cross over. You will find they have exceptional abilities to judge angles, and it is much more physically demanding than golf naturally extending their endurance.

To a lesser overall ability, with less competition and ultimately to a lower level.

Apparently you haven't tried Curling. Its not as easy as it looks.

Here is the point that you refuse to grasp. Simplified via the world of academics. A Student at UC Santa Barbara now needs to be well in the top 10% state-wide. Have a good essay and high SAT score to get in. A Student at UC Berkeley needs the same.

Ok? This has nothing to do with what we are talking about.

The Student at Berkeley 'needs the same', only he needs more of the same. He needs to be even higher within the top 10%, to have an even better essay and an even higher SAT score.

Most prestigous schools do require it dude. Sorry but this still has nothing to do with this.

He needs it for a simple reason, higher quality of competition.

A curler needs to "blah blah blah."
A F1 racer needs to "blah blah blah"^10 due to increased levels of competition.

He has to learn the course and when to make pit stops and when to pass other drivers. A curler has to learn different ice surfaces, how to throw the stone and with what force. He/she also needs to learn how to curl it so that the stone goes where the thrower (forgot the name of the person :()wants the stone to go. Its more complex than driving around a race course.

heers.

Thanks :)

Apparently you haven't tried Curling. Its not as easy as it looks.
Ok? This has nothing to do with what we are talking about.
Most prestigous schools do require it dude. Sorry but this still has nothing to do with this.

Are you really that dumb that you can not see the parallel drawn? I’ll go through this for you again.

It takes skill to perform reasonably in curling, we’ll call it skill level 5
It takes skill to perform in F1 racing, we’ll call it skill level 5.

Due to the increased levels of competition created by hundreds and hundreds of qualified people, dozens of feeder series and massive monetary rewards the necessary skill to become a champion in F1 racing is skill level 500.

Due to lesser levels of competition, due to the lack of applicants, lack of feeder series and lack of monetary rewards the necessary skill to become a champion in curling sits around 15.

And here is a hint for you and your obsession with ‘but blah blah is more complex.’ Complexity doesn’t matter for shit. Curling could be the most complex sport in the world, and that does not make the champion of such anywhere near as accomplished an athlete as a star NBA player or Gymnast.

Now go read the example about the schools again. Apply what little brainpower you have and see if you can figure it out.

He has to learn the course and when to make pit stops and when to pass other drivers. A curler has to learn different ice surfaces, how to throw the stone and with what force. He/she also needs to learn how to curl it so that the stone goes where the thrower (forgot the name of the person :( ) wants the stone to go. Its more complex than driving around a race course.

Go look into what it takes to 'drive around a race course.' You are also apparently ignorant in addition to stupid.

Are you really that dumb that you can not see the parallel drawn? I’ll go through this for you again.

Insult number 1!

Now go read the example about the schools again. Apply what little brainpower you have and see if you can figure it out.

Insult number 2!

Go look into what it takes to 'drive around a race course.' You are also apparently ignorant in addition to stupid.

Insult number 3!

Impressive. You have found a way to insult me 3 times. Go take a flying leap off a cliff and hope you can fly. Insult me again, and the next post will have an insult in it.

If necessary, I will superglue you two together until you learn to play nice. I'll do it. I've done it for far more frivolous reasons. :D

If necessary, I will superglue you two together until you learn to play nice. I'll do it. I've done it for far more frivolous reasons. :D

Don't even joke Lunatic Goofballs. I'm in no mood.

Don't even joke Lunatic Goofballs. I'm in no mood.

You're asking a LOT of me. :(

I'm sure they know. I've had similar experiences where I realize how crappy my competition is.

You're asking a LOT of me. :(
That's so wrong of you Corneliu....

Do obscure sports champions know that they are only champions because the really good athletes are involved in more mainstream sports? Or do they actually think they're something special?

For instance, does the Olympic Curling Champion know that the only reason he is the champion is because Tiger Woods is too busy playing golf?

I watch events like Lumberjacking contests and racewalking and I say to myself; Do they realize that they're competing agaist all the other people who couldn't excel something more interesting? Or are we spectators the only ones privy to this?

Of course, it's possible that I could be way off base here. Perhaps there is some trick to Ice Dancing that I'm not in on and they really are unique. Maybe there IS a Michael Jordan of team handball. :p

Are you implying that success at sports is genetic? I would say that success at sport is the result of practice.

You're asking a LOT of me. :(
That's so wrong of you Corneliu....

I'm sorry Lunatic Goofballs. I'm not having a good day. Please forgive me.

Are you implying that success at sports is genetic? I would say that success at sport is the result of practice.

Actually, it could be a little bit of both.

Actually, it could be a little bit of both.

It could if the genetic differences are very pronounced, but primarily I'd say it's through practice.

I don't think it is. They still have to train. Learn about different types of ice surfaces. How to throw the stone the correct way and with the proper strength to do what you want it to do. That takes practice and patiences to learn.

Man, I love watching Curling.


Let's see Michael Jordan excell at Curling or lumberjack competition, or bull riding. Just because a sport isnt a contact or alway a team sport doesn't lessen the difficulty. I bet my life Michael Jordan couldn't ice dance if his life depended on it. Each sport has it's own unique training and their own outstanding athletes. Just because the sport isn't popular doesn't mean that it is any less of a sport.

Personally, I think La Crosse is the funniest damn sport I've ever seen! It looks like Granny running after Sylvester with a broom and whacking him with it. The first time we saw it, we were laughing so hard we couldn't even talk. However, I am sure it takes a lot of practice to get the ball where it's supposed to go. (I don't know the proper name of the stick, so I'll leave it at that.) But smacking each other with the sticks is just the funniest damned thing!

So, people like different sports... some more popular than others, not necessarily less difficult, but difficult in a different way.

I'm sorry Lunatic Goofballs. I'm not having a good day. Please forgive me.

I'll just pretend it was one of the voices. :)

Don't even joke Lunatic Goofballs. I'm in no mood.
Either Corneliu has been hit on the head recently or he's under the impression that LG has gotten a personality transplant.

The thing I hate is when ESPN gets so hard up for sports coverage they cover that obscure and/or really boring crap. It'd be cheaper just to watch paint dry.

--snip--
Now go read the example about the schools again. Apply what little brainpower you have and see if you can figure it out.



Go look into what it takes to 'drive around a race course.' You are also apparently ignorant in addition to stupid.

That's flaming. Please stop it.

I'm getting a laugh from the mental image of ham-handed offensive linemen trying to do the lumberjack thing where they stand on the log and hack through it with an axe. I'd love to see the flying toes and arcing jets of blood -- now THERE's something I'll tune to ESPN2 for.

I understand the initial point, it's just so inherently flawed that it makes no sense to rebut it because the person proposing it (and his rude defender) are already convinved they're right.

Yes, there are a lot of F1 racers out there, but the money has nothing to do with it. You know how many NCAA Division 1 lacrosse teams there are? I'd bet more than there are F1 racing teams. And that's just the men. Johns-friggin'-Hopkins University has a lacrosse team, fer cryin' out loud (they just won the NCAA national championship, too). So the argument that there's not a lot of competition is poppycock.

Curling is fanatically popular in Canada, and there's never any shortage of teams in the World Championships. And even if there were, so the hell what? The initial post is one giant comparison of apples and oranges to begin with in addition to making no sense.

Jordan tried another sport, he sucked.
Charlie Ward tried another sport, he sucked.
Deion Sanders tried two sports, he sucked at one and is grossly overrated in the other.

The point is, I don't care how physically gifted you are, excellence at sports has more to do with training, brains and desire than raw physicality. How else could you explain Spudd Webb, Muggsy Bogues, "Pistol" Pete Maravich, Steve Largent, Doug Flutie, Dave Krieg or any number of athletes who had respectable or even Hall-of-Fame careers without being even close to ideal physical specimens?

The world champion racquetball player will kick the living shit out of anyone else at racquetball, period. That sport is easy to learn but ridiculously hard to master. The assumption that prize money, advertising and promotion somehow equal superiority is just plain asinine.

Let's see some muscle-bound linebacker or twitchy point guard even qualify in the 20m air rifle or even finish a biathlon course in under a day, let alone in a qualifying time. You won't, because they haven't spent their life developing those skills, muscle memory and knowledge.

By the same token the biathlete will probably get mashed to paste in the NFL. But that's not the point -- each sport has its own peculiarities. You ever watch Olympic-level badminton? Silly as hell and ten times as fast: there's no way that Roger Federer or Maria Sharapova are gonna make the cut.

So get off your athletic high horse and be a fan without being a jackass...I know it's possible. I am a rabid (US) football fan (GO SEAHAWKS!) and still manage to watch my share of English Premier League Football, NHL (when they're not striking, GO FLAMES!), NBA (GO SONICS!), playoff baseball (GO MARINERS!...yeah, right), NCAA sports (GO HUSKIES! GO SPARTANS! GO ZAGS!), and I am a complete Olympics junkie. I've called in sick to watch favorite events live. Hell, yes I like to watch team handball! It's water polo without the water! Gymnastics, diving, kayaking, hell -- the only sport I got sick of was beach volleyball, because they programmed far too much of it because of the barely-clad women and men playing. Okay, so, good for ratings, but the Olympics is once every four years -- mix it up, NBC!

Ah...I seem to have strayed a bit from my original brief, but in summation: sex is more fun than logic. One cannot prove this, but it is, much in the same way that Mount Everest is and that Al Macogan isn't. Good night.

Apologies to John Cleese

For instance, does the Olympic Curling Champion know that the only reason he is the champion is because Tiger Woods is too busy playing golf?

Oh please Tiger Woods is the Worst Asian Golfer out there!

A good example of people that think they are good would be the NFL!

Play a real Sport
"Rugby's a game pass it on!"

Let's see Michael Jordan excell at Curling or lumberjack competition, or bull riding. Just because a sport isnt a contact or alway a team sport doesn't lessen the difficulty. I bet my life Michael Jordan couldn't ice dance if his life depended on it. Each sport has it's own unique training and their own outstanding athletes. Just because the sport isn't popular doesn't mean that it is any less of a sport.

I wouldnt exactly call billards a sport. Competitive, yes. I truly enjoy a good game of billiards whether I'm at the bar or watching it on ESPN, but it's not a sport. Sport implies some kind of intense physical output. (Billards is just an example for many other 'sports' out there)

Moving on to the real point of this post:

Michael Jordan hasnt practiced curling or lumberjacking or bull riding as much as the ladies and gents that excell in those respective sports. However, lets turn your statement around. Lane Frost (one of the greatest bull-riders ever) would not hold a candle to Michael Jordan on the basketball court.

The question, therefore, is how hard Jordan would have to work at bull riding to reach the same competitive level as Frost vs how hard Frost would have to work at basketball to reach the same competitive level as Jordan.

Curling in no way compares to the complexity of driving an F1 car. Period.




As for the original question...I bet they dont...I mean, if so many fans of those sports are deluded, most-likely so are the 'star athletes' of those respective sports...

Of course, it's possible that I could be way off base here. Perhaps there is some trick to Ice Dancing that I'm not in on and they really are unique. Maybe there IS a Michael Jordan of team handball. :p
OI! What do you have against Handball? It's quite big here across the Atlantic.

Anyway: A girl I know does underwater hockey. And yeah she's going to the world championship because no one else is. :p

Neutered Sputniks id have to disagree F1 is nothing anymore its all computers now...
Go Bruce Mclaren,Go Chris Amon,Go Denny Hulme

Curling is an art!

I'm sure most of these 'obscure' champions play their sport because they find it fun, not because they're uber-competative narcissists.

I'll just pretend it was one of the voices. :)

Thanks LG. :)

As far as innate genetic skill goes, i think it's undeniable that skill in a sport is partly due to genetics. A perfect example of this is the NBA where the vast majority of players are very tall - if you're short, you're never going to be the very best basketball player.

Of course I think that practice and learned skill is more important than genetics mostly, but genetics are clearly a factor.

Just from a statistical point of view, sports which have more people playing them should turn up the strongest players. Add to that the fact that the most popular sports have hugely more people playing them from a much younger age, and I think it's unlikely that the best Curling players are as good at Curling as the best basketball players are at basketball. I know it seems a bit odd to compare those two things, but that's what this thread is all about, and I don't think it's entirely unreasonable.

On the other hand, the best Curlers might be better than the best F1 racers just because F1 is so expensive that relatively few people do it, and no one does it casually so there's a smaller pool of people gaining skill in F1.

More people playing a sport leads to greater competition and a greater range of skills. Of course I don't think that Micheal Jordan would be very good at Curling, since he's probably never played it in his life, but there does seem to be something that could be described as innate athletic ability and if he decided to take up Curling I wouldn't be surprised if he quickly reached a competitive skill level. But I doubt he'd ever be the best.

The really good players aren't the goons picking the fights either. Tie Domi is such a goon......

Tie Domi has no life.