re: Post your Unpopular Sports Opinions

quote:

---

I never understand how this comment can be made. Take Elgin Baylor for example. Do you just assume he would be the exact same player he was in the 60's-70's? You do not have a clue how good he could be if he had the chance to play basketball year round as high school kids do now. He goes to college and gets world class training and nutrition, then continues that in the pros.
Baylor was a 6'5" guard that averaged 27 ppg in the 60's and he would do it in this era as well. So would Russell, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson etc

---

I think people look at this wrong for a different reason. The problem isn't that Baylor wouldn't survive with his 60s nutrition/coaching in the modern era, nor would receiving modern amenities necessarily help him.

The reason is that back then when an athletic unicorn showed up, there were maybe a few others maybe. Now, the level of play is higher across the board.
I think it compares favorably to women's basketball today, where there isn't enough talent to go around (think UCONN).

So I think the old guy's may have made it, but they aren't putting up those absurd stat lines. And since match ups/styles matter, some would completely disappear.