Which is the hardest championship to win. A World Series title, an NBA title, Superbowl title, or the Stanley Cup?
Hardest championship to win in pro sports?
- Thread starter Straight Shooter
- Start date
I'd have to say Stanley Cup. Stanley Cup because you have to play a series which makes it more of a grind plus hockey is such a physical game. The easiest one would have to be the Super Bowl just because in the NFL they don't play series in the playoffs.
Sorry, I am going to be "THAT" guy. The only sports acutally mentioned there are all North American. Fair enough they are the sports you know, but there are plenty of other pro sports. I apologise again.
On the sports that have been offered, I would go the Stanley Cup.
Not only are the play off series a grind. Think about if every time went to seven games. But the regular season is also long and hard as well. Surprised some of the guys don't drop dead at the end of the season from exhaustion. Plus I hockey is my game.
On the sports that have been offered, I would go the Stanley Cup.
Not only are the play off series a grind. Think about if every time went to seven games. But the regular season is also long and hard as well. Surprised some of the guys don't drop dead at the end of the season from exhaustion. Plus I hockey is my game.
As much of a football fan as I am, I'm gonna say that the Super Bowl is the easiest to win because when it counts, in December and in the playoffs, it's not the best team that wins, but the hottest team that wins. Any team can have a good day, and any team can have a bad game. Deciding a championship based solely on one good game, or one bad game, is not an accurate way to gauge the caliber of a championship team.
Stanley Cup. This is the easiest poll in the world. It's just as physical, (if not more so) than NFL and the season is 66 games longer. Not to mention 16-28 extra games that physically and mentally drain you as opposed to 4 games max in the NFL. Travelling is also a bigger factor in hockey than any other sport when you couple it with the physicallity of the game.
Basketball and baseball are both easy to win. Spend money and you'll win eventually.
Why is it NBA title and not Larry o'brien trophy in the poll?
Basketball and baseball are both easy to win. Spend money and you'll win eventually.
Why is it NBA title and not Larry o'brien trophy in the poll?
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The Hardest to Easiest championships:
1st Hardest: Stanley Cup
2nd Hardest: NBA Title
2nd Easiest: World Series Champ
1st Easiest: Super Bowl
But in my book the 2nd hardest/easiest could be equal...as they are grueling rounds of playoffs...and those playoffs are spaced w/ short rest periods between games...
1st Hardest: Stanley Cup
2nd Hardest: NBA Title
2nd Easiest: World Series Champ
1st Easiest: Super Bowl
But in my book the 2nd hardest/easiest could be equal...as they are grueling rounds of playoffs...and those playoffs are spaced w/ short rest periods between games...
The NBA is infamous for waaaayyy too much time off between rounds. Some teams even got 2 days of rest instead of the usual 1. The NBA is also infamous for being a top heavy league where the top seeds (usually) lose two games tops before the conference finals. This speaks true especially in the East. Miami, Chicago and Boston lost a combined 1 game in round 1. I wouldn't call that grueling by any means. In comparison, the top seed in the NHL went 7 games against the 8th seed.
IMO, The Super Bowl is the 2nd toughest based on the physicality and parity of the league. Injuries play a bigger role in football than baseball too. Look at the Bengals two seasons ago. Swept Pitt, Baltimore and Cleveland on their way to a division title and playoff berth. The next season they're garbage. It's too easy to be up then down in the NFL. Playoff turnover is higher than any other sport. That's what makes it hard IMO. P
Stanley Cup, no question. Salary Cap,Grueling, long and physical!
Stanley Cup gets my vote, because you have to go through four-to-seven stages of hell.
I agree somewhat with you here. The only problem about the Super Bowl, is that it's one-and-done. not like the others where there are 'series games'...the. If the Superbowl would be a play 3 to win 2...then I would put the SB where you have it.
wottle
I'm so horny, even the crack of dawn isn't safe
The Stanley Cup for all of the reasons posted above. Baseball is a joke. 162 games for 2 days of effort. Basketball Season is a grind + same # of games as hockey,but, you are not getting hit every game and if you are a "star" you don't get hit at all.
Football is a brutal game and you have to admire the athletes that can play it, but, hockey offers the same "level of impact" in a much longer season. Hockey's problem is that it can't overcome the culture bias the USA has for the other 3 sports. It was not "invented" in the USA and Until the 1970's Canada dominated the sport. I'm not saying there were not Teams based in the USA that did not win the Cup. Their rosters were overwhelmingly Canadian though.
If you did not live in an "Original Six" city Hockey was just not followed. That is changing, slowly, but is is changing.
One final thought for those who claim that football is more "tough" Find a person with a strong arm. Put on your football uniform including pads. Have the strong armed person throw a 3 inch diamiter rock at the padded area of your body from about 4 ft away as hard as he can. That's what blocking a hockey puck feels like.
I dare you to try it an unprotected area. You can't pad the whole body and expect to be able to move and play the game,as in football and hockey, so there will be unprotected parts of you that can, and will get hit hit by pucks. I've played the game folks. It feels like I discribed above. Like being hit with a rock forcefully thrown.
Try that shit on for 82 games + postseason.
That is all,
wottle
Football is a brutal game and you have to admire the athletes that can play it, but, hockey offers the same "level of impact" in a much longer season. Hockey's problem is that it can't overcome the culture bias the USA has for the other 3 sports. It was not "invented" in the USA and Until the 1970's Canada dominated the sport. I'm not saying there were not Teams based in the USA that did not win the Cup. Their rosters were overwhelmingly Canadian though.
If you did not live in an "Original Six" city Hockey was just not followed. That is changing, slowly, but is is changing.
One final thought for those who claim that football is more "tough" Find a person with a strong arm. Put on your football uniform including pads. Have the strong armed person throw a 3 inch diamiter rock at the padded area of your body from about 4 ft away as hard as he can. That's what blocking a hockey puck feels like.
I dare you to try it an unprotected area. You can't pad the whole body and expect to be able to move and play the game,as in football and hockey, so there will be unprotected parts of you that can, and will get hit hit by pucks. I've played the game folks. It feels like I discribed above. Like being hit with a rock forcefully thrown.
Try that shit on for 82 games + postseason.
That is all,
wottle
For all of the reasons already mentioned...it's the Stanley Cup...Hands down!!! There simply isn't another sport where you have to play at such a level, is as physically grueling, and everything literally needs to come together to win the Title as it is in hockey/the NHL. If you aren't scoring, playing great defense, AND have a hot net minder....you're simply not going to win it all. The other major sports are not as tough. I agree about the Super Bowl too being the easiest. Basically 3 wins in a row and you are the champions! Not that rough!:2 cents:
I'm kinda playing devils advocate here, but being one and done could be understood to be more difficult. You don't have that leeway to lose, or the opportunity to bounce back. If everyone from special teams, defense and offense aren't clicking, you'll lose. Just sayin.
Also, basketball pre 1996 was tough. You could rock someone to send a message and stay in the game. Now it's too much of a boys sport to be considered tough.
You all may be thinking about this too much in the way of the actual game. Instead, I am looking it like...how hard is it for a team/city to win a championship.
I said the World Series, but I will qualify my answer....
if you own the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, or some other big-market team, it's easy. Any other team, it's the hardest title to win because those big-market teams can buy up all the good talent. Look at Boston this year. They go out and buy Carl Crawford, etc, and they're loaded. Last season, Tampa Bay owned that division. Now....Boston drops them down a notch and they're an easy front runner.
For the Bostons of the world, it's easy. For the Tampa Bays, it's damned tough.
I said the World Series, but I will qualify my answer....
if you own the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, or some other big-market team, it's easy. Any other team, it's the hardest title to win because those big-market teams can buy up all the good talent. Look at Boston this year. They go out and buy Carl Crawford, etc, and they're loaded. Last season, Tampa Bay owned that division. Now....Boston drops them down a notch and they're an easy front runner.
For the Bostons of the world, it's easy. For the Tampa Bays, it's damned tough.
Violator79
Take a Hit, Spunker!
Stanley Cup gets my vote. It's been said that in hockey, they play 2 seasons, the regular season and then the playoffs. Not only is the regular season hard enough, but the really brutal, physically punishing hockey comes during the playoffs. The team that wins 16 games in the playoffs has gone through the most demanding sport and came out on top. The other teams that made the playoffs also get credit, but only 1 team can win and it's that team that's the toughest.
American football is my second choice.
For my honorary mentions: lacrosse, rugby and Australian rules football.
American football is my second choice.
For my honorary mentions: lacrosse, rugby and Australian rules football.
I could make the argument that the NBA is, cuz the same teams always win the damn thing, except for the occasional surprise (like this year). Plus the playoffs last about 6 months. The NFL is the easiest, short season, short playoffs, and plenty of parity. Stanley Cup is hard cuz there are always surprises, the top teams don't always make it. Baseball's postseason is short (to a fault), but the season is way long and grueling.
So I'm actually gonna say NBA.
So I'm actually gonna say NBA.
