are people obsessed with physiques?

BallzofSkill · Jul 18, 2008

it seems like people are blinded by men's physique and think that just because a guy looks ripped that he has 'hidden' potential. the most blatant examples would be safin and monfils. people look at monfil's wiry and ripped frame and think he's gotten mega hidden power tucked in his back pocket or something so he unfairly gets overrated. The same for safin. yeah, he's big and he won 2 slams or whatever, and always saying how he has the potential to be the best on tour even against federer and nadal. but i think people just hype their phyisques too much.

Fumoffu · Jul 18, 2008

Since when have people based Safin's genius on his physique? 2 slams "or whatever"? And Monfils can absolutely crush the ball, hitting over 100mph fh at the French a year or so ago.

r2473 · Jul 18, 2008

.......and Stepanank.

Just because he is SO SEXY doesn't mean he will win EVERY match.

oranges · Jul 18, 2008

Nah, Safin is even more powerful than he's good-looking. People actually tend to underestimate him, thinking he can't live up to his physique, sort of like being surprised Brad Pitt can act well. Sorry, couldn't resist

JRstriker12 · Jul 18, 2008

BallzofSkill said:
it seems like people are blinded by men's physique and think that just because a guy looks ripped that he has 'hidden' potential. the most blatant examples would be safin and monfils. people look at monfil's wiry and ripped frame and think he's gotten mega hidden power tucked in his back pocket or something so he unfairly gets overrated. The same for safin. yeah, he's big and he won 2 slams or whatever, and always saying how he has the potential to be the best on tour even against federer and nadal. but i think people just hype their phyisques too much.

Well being a 2X grandslam winner as well as being one of the cleanest and hardest hitting players in the tour (pre- Fed and Nadal) pretty much adds up to Safin having a ton of unrealized potential. Ask anyone who knows anything about tennis - Safin has/had all the tools, he was/is just a headcase.

As for Monfills, his physical potential is off the charts as demonstrated by his sick gets and crushing strokes. It's just that his strategy, even-headedness, and tennis smarts seem to be lacking. Don't think there's much hidden potential there, I think people realized that if he had more tennis smarts, he'd be a more amazing player.

bolo · Jul 18, 2008

Obsessed is a strong word. But yes wozniacki has a nice physique.

superman1 · Jul 18, 2008

JRstriker12 said:
Well being a 2X grandslam winner as well as being one of the cleanest and hardest hitting players in the tour (pre- Fed and Nadal)

Pre AND Post.

He can still make anyone look like a ragdoll out there. I don't think anyone expects him to become #1, we just expect him to have some great runs here and there and take out top players.

Monfils might be the fastest player on the tour, but I don't see much potential in him.

pound cat · Jul 18, 2008

oranges said:
Nah, Safin is even more powerful than he's good-looking. People actually tend to underestimate him, thinking he can't live up to his physique, sort of like being surprised Brad Pitt can act well. Sorry, couldn't resist

It's not just Safin's natural physique....it's also his face, his witty remarks and quick mind & his personality, and tennis talent and genes. It's the whole package..rare to find...a delight to behold.

And pure blind luck if you have them all.

Leelord337 · Jul 18, 2008

BallzofSkill said:
it seems like people are blinded by men's physique and think that just because a guy looks ripped that he has 'hidden' potential. the most blatant examples would be safin and monfils. people look at monfil's wiry and ripped frame and think he's gotten mega hidden power tucked in his back pocket or something so he unfairly gets overrated. The same for safin. yeah, he's big and he won 2 slams or whatever, and always saying how he has the potential to be the best on tour even against federer and nadal. but i think people just hype their phyisques too much.

yeah ballz of skill, ppl are because they want to have physiques like these ppl. btw, got that ashley harkleroad link? send to bmxluv@aol.com

BallzofSkill · Jul 18, 2008

Leelord337 said:
yeah ballz of skill, ppl are because they want to have physiques like these ppl. btw, got that ashley harkleroad link? send to bmxluv@aol.com

i sent it//

fps · Jul 19, 2008

BallzofSkill said:
The same for safin. yeah, he's big and he won 2 slams or whatever, and always saying how he has the potential to be the best on tour even against federer and nadal.

i haven't heard him say this, that would be very arrogant. i heard him say before his semi against federer that he had no chance, and that to beat him you have to be nadal and run around like a rabbit and hit winners. whether or not you think he believes he is or isn't as good as fed or nadal, you can't say he publicises himself as superior to them.

pound cat · Jul 19, 2008

The same for safin. yeah, he's big and he won 2 slams or whatever, and always saying how he has the potential to be the best on tour even against federer and nadal. but i think people just hype their phyisques too much.[/QUOTE]

I have been following Safin's career for years and I defy you to show me any link where he said such a thing. Safin is always self-effacing and modest..and self-declared lacking in confidence. And that's been a big part of the difficulty he's had in keepiing consistent , no bravado,..as well as being injured.

It's obvious you didn't watch any of his Wimbledon matches this year or ever listen to any of his interviews, or know anything about him.

Safin has always made it clear that Federer plays on a planet of his own and that he had no hope of beating him in the semi.

BallzofSkill · Jul 19, 2008

i meant people are saying that, not that safin said it himself.

carlos djackal · Jul 19, 2008

r2473 said:
.......and Stepanank.

Just because he is SO SEXY doesn't mean he will win EVERY match.

LOL........

fgzhu88 · Jul 19, 2008

BallzofSkill said:
i sent it//

whoa....BallzofSkill, it that Harkleroad links is what I think it is, please send to fgzhu88@gmail.com

thanks.

35ft6 · Jul 19, 2008

There is a correlation between physique and athletic ability. Not saying it's a perfect indicator of potential, but, for example, national sports federations, when they're looking for future stars, they look at a child's physique. During NFL drafts, guys have to get almost naked so that teams can look at their physiques. They look for slight irregularities and signs, I think, that might indicate future likelihood of injury, or a past injury, or blah blah blah.

Anyway, in his early days, Safin could almost have been considered the ideal tennis physique: lean, very strong pound for pound, highly leveraged, and relatively quick for a big man even if he can't move like an NBA or NFL big man.

If you take it to the extreme, and if two guys are equally talented at ball striking and point construction, but one is 5'7" and fat, and the other is 6'2" and lean, who do you think has more potential?

ShooterMcMarco · Jul 19, 2008

Listen, not everyone can be as sexy as Stepanek.

BallzofSkill · Jul 19, 2008

35ft6 said:
There is a correlation between physique and athletic ability. Not saying it's a perfect indicator of potential, but, for example, national sports federations, when they're looking for future stars, they look at a child's physique. During NFL drafts, guys have to get almost naked so that teams can look at their physiques. They look for slight irregularities and signs, I think, that might indicate future likelihood of injury, or a past injury, or blah blah blah.

Anyway, in his early days, Safin could almost have been considered the ideal tennis physique: lean, very strong pound for pound, highly leveraged, and relatively quick for a big man even if he can't move like an NBA or NFL big man.

If you take it to the extreme, and if two guys are equally talented at ball striking and point construction, but one is 5'7" and fat, and the other is 6'2" and lean, who do you think has more potential?

i don't like the way you explained it cause you basically rigged the argument. i see what you're saying but i don't think that vice versa is true.

let me give an example of what i mean, perhaps it will help to explain my view. In MMA, the guys who looked the most ripped always get the most 'oohs' and 'aahs' because everyone assume that they are really athletic. However, there are so many mma fighters that break this stereotype. Fedor, BJ Penn, Machida, sorry if you don't watch MMA, all usually look very soft compared to most of their opponents. None of these guys have six packs and if they were walking down the street you would not think that they could possibly be some of the most dangerous men in the world.

The same can be said of every other athlete in every other sports. In basketball for example, the most athletically looking players are not always the best athletes.

Which brings me back to tennis, i think a lot of players get hyped because of their physique. I wonder if people are blindly attributing to potential that isn't really there. it is very arbitrary. Its become a lot like a beauty pageant.

Kai2008 · Jul 19, 2008

I started looking at these forums months ago but can somebody tell me if the people who always refer to stepaneck as sexy are joking or are serious and genuenly deluded. I know he has dated/married some hot women but the guy looks like he's been hit in the face with a glass bottle and then sombody has taken a dump on it while he's out cold.

r2473 · Jul 19, 2008

Kai2008 said:
I started looking at these forums months ago but can somebody tell me if the people who always refer to stepaneck as sexy are joking or are serious and genuenly deluded. I know he has dated/married some hot women but the guy looks like he's been hit in the face with a glass bottle and then sombody has taken a dump on it while he's out cold.

clearly, you are just jealous (we all are).

35ft6 · Jul 20, 2008

BallzofSkill said:
i don't like the way you explained it cause you basically rigged the argument.

How so? I say there's a correlation between, basically, looking athletic and being athletic.

let me give an example of what i mean, perhaps it will help to explain my view. In MMA, the guys who looked the most ripped always get the most 'oohs' and 'aahs' because everyone assume that they are really athletic. However, there are so many mma fighters that break this stereotype. Fedor, BJ Penn, Machida, sorry if you don't watch MMA, all usually look very soft compared to most of their opponents. None of these guys have six packs and if they were walking down the street you would not think that they could possibly be some of the most dangerous men in the world.

But they're the exceptions that prove the rule, they're remarkable to you because they're NOT ripped. Aside from that, I think fighting and certain positions in team sports, and even doubles in tennis, is slightly different from singles in tennis. Huge foot speed isn't important in some positions/instance, brains and skill can make up for agility in certain areas of sport.

The same can be said of every other athlete in every other sports. In basketball for example, the most athletically looking players are not always the best athletes.

I didn't say it was always the case, I said there is a correlation. Just as in basketball, for example, the best athletes, like Kobe, Garnett, and MJ, often are among the best or THE best.

Which brings me back to tennis, i think a lot of players get hyped because of their physique.

I don't think so. In fact, before you brought this up, I've never even thought this. Frankly, I think you're wrong.

I wonder if people are blindly attributing to potential that isn't really there. it is very arbitrary. Its become a lot like a beauty pageant.

Nah, I don't think so. This pageant is determined by results. Even with Anna K, the greatest physique in women's tennis, people constantly UNDERestimated her abilities. And on the men's tour, just about everybody is in incredible shape. Easier to name the guys who AREN'T yoked. Guys like Nalbandian.

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