Basketball More Like Hockey Than You Think

I have always respected the toughness of hockey players. They go out to hockey games knowing that they will get hit pretty hard, and if they are passionate enough, they get in a fight. Hockey players often have blood on their face and still play.

It's sort of the same in basketball, but to a lesser extent. There are so many fouls and no-foul calls in a game that it takes a toll on a player's body.

Shaq is a perfect example of the effect this has day in and day out. He still gets fouled a lot. Yet, as he gets older, he takes contact more easily because his body can't take the amount of pressure that it is used to.

This is the one advantage hockey has that basketball doesn't, but now I have more respect for basketball players.

There are many more similarities between the two action-packed sports, but that would be too long of an article.

I know that teamwork is big, not just in hockey and basketball, but in baseball and football. I guess I notice teamwork more quickly in other sports than I do for basketball. It probably has to do with the fact that I haven't attended or watched nearly enough games of basketball to fully appreciate the intangibles.

I will still watch the Bruins game when there is a Celtics and Bruins game at the same time, but now I will also check the Celtics game.

By the way, I still think Kobe is an arrogant prick, but less than I used to.

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