Natural ability vs Hard work

[GreyPower]

This bloke is probably worthy too:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thorpe

 

[raman]

This bloke is probably worthy too:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thorpe

Do you know what King Gustav V of Sweden said to Jim Thorpe? He said: "You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world"

 

[Concussion]

I was thinking the same thing, the thing is Big Bo worked as hard as any, early in his life. The trick is to find the kids with the ability that have started the hard work by them selves! Brad Ebert will be the prefect example of this, born with many gifts, Size, Ability and Skill, has the intangibles like Courage and Team orientated play and is undoubtedly one of our hardest and best trainers. Where as someone like Tommy Logan is a work horse, with all the intangibles you could rattle off but lacks Size, Skill and Poise. Someone like Daniel Motlop, Nathan Krakour and Mario Balotelli are then the complete opposite with every god talent, ability and the speed to set them apart from the rest of the field but for one reason or another wont reach their full potential! However these guys have all played the highest leagues in their respective codes because of their natural tallent

We had Craig Bradley for a while. What an amazing footballer (nearly 100 games with the Maggies and 375 games with Carlton) he was and a quality cricket player, playing Sheffield Shield with SA and Vic.

 

[Power Raid]

We had Craig Bradley for a while. What an amazing footballer (nearly 100 games with the Maggies and 375 games with Carlton) he was and a quality cricket player, playing Sheffield Shield with SA and Vic.

I wasn't aware of his cricketing ability. wow.

what a professional

 

[Powerage]

We had Craig Bradley for a while. What an amazing footballer (nearly 100 games with the Maggies and 375 games with Carlton) he was and a quality cricket player, playing Sheffield Shield with SA and Vic.

I did a show as a mobile DJ at the Pooraka football and cricket clubhouse in the late nineties and the awards photo wall looked like a Craig Bradley tribute collage. Every age group for cricket and football. Best player - Craig Bradley, Best team man - Craig Bradley from about ages 10 to 17. From memory he did play one Sheffield Shield game for SA too. Which would probably put him in some fairly elite company for sportman who have represented the state in Aussie rules and cricket.

 

[proman_x]

Haven't written it in this nature v nurture thread but **** Ollie reminds be a bit of Bo Jackson. This huge man child with so much natural power and strength that hit professional sports running from day 1. Bo had 4 years at college before he hit the big time. Ollie whilst had a taste is still 2 years away from a similar comparison.

Lets hope Ollie doesn't have a freak injury like Jackson had. Ironic really, Bo was generally an exceptional athlete. Power, Speed, Smarts, etc. As has been noted, had he been in a later era he probably would have been accused of juicing, but on the flip side, had he been later they probably would have picked up his injury much faster and perhaps he would have had far less issues.

 

[HaroldOliver]

I wasn't aware of his cricketing ability. wow.

what a professional

Braddles' cricket ability cost him a Magarey Medal. In 1985, he finished runner up. Craig missed a heap of SANFL games that year (I think) because he toured England with an Australian youth side.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

He missed 6 gamesIIRC. Pretty sure he was Vice captain of the U/19 team.

Pretty sure the first couple of years at Carlton he came back and played district cricket in Adelaide, to try and crack the SA team. He played a few games then realised its all too hard, got a proper job, wife, family etc played cricket in Victoria and played more games for Vic than SA.

 

[Concussion]

He missed 6 gamesIIRC. Pretty sure he was Vice captain of the U/19 team.

Pretty sure the first couple of years at Carlton he came back and played district cricket in Adelaide, to try and crack the SA team. He played a few games then realised its all too hard, got a proper job, wife, family etc played cricket in Victoria and played more games for Vic than SA.

I remember seeing him play for SA in 1983 or 1984 and recall him wicket keeping for some reason (he took a catch or 2, iirc).

 

[Jason K]

It kind of broke my heart that Craig Bradley didn't come back for our inaugural AFL team. I can surely understand after 375 games with another club, but I was always proud that he was one of ours. Has he had anything at all to do with the Magpies since he retired?

 

[Jim Dixon]

Carlton always were pretty good at player retention.

From my observation, the more physical a sporting activity the more important natural ability is. If a sport is a 'bat and ball' sport, though, I think hard work can make a bigger difference. Tiger Woods is the extreme example, but in cricket, older forummers will remember the English opening batsman Geoff Boycott, a maniac for practice but someone whose natural talent was not immediately obvious.

Sid Crosby, one of the elite stars of NHL hockey, was hitting pucks in the basement from age two. Hockey is a 'bat and ball' sport but with the physical elements of football as well.

The odd outlier is Don Bradman, who worked very hard as a kid with his golf ball against the water tank, but who has always been so far ahead of his contemporaries that it's inexplicable. Though I always thought that if Brian Lara had more of a work ethic he could have been like that.

 

[Garibaldi Red]

On the subject of footballers playing other sports, at a decent level, Barrie Robran played State cricket IIRC. Then we have Eric Freeman who played for Australia and I believe Trevor Sorrell played district cricket.

Did Ian Chappell represent SA in baseball?

 

[GreyPower]

Lindsay Head also played Sheffield Shield.

Did Russell Ebert play cricket at a lower level?

James Pyke is a good example in recent times, whilst Mitchell Marsh was very highly regarded as a junior football player.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Re: Power freak's Power training thread

Thanks for the clues Natman. The player was Todd Marinovich and his father was Marv Marinovich.

Todd Marinovich played for USC and the Raiders, but his career fell short as he ran wild after escaping his father's control.

link

link

There's plenty of links in the Wikipedia entry, including the Sports Illustrated Bred to be a Superstar article.

link

It's an extraordinary story.

Finally found the ESPN Films Presents / 30 for 30 series doco about Todd and his old man Marv, called The Marinovich Project

 

[Killer Power]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-...dge-fitness-regime/6560204?WT.ac=statenews_sa

Article toplining Burgess training regime. Not really anything new here. Strange timing.