Oxygen + Vomit = Professional Athlete?
September 3rd, 2010
Joe loves football, obviously.
And Joe has huge appreciation and passion for many other sports, as well.
But Joe can’t ignore one of his biggest pro football pet peeves, which was front and center on TV last night when Corey Lynch twice went for the oxygen mask after his two interceptions, which went for 91- and 28-yard returns.
How the heck does a fit, 200-pound guy like Lynch need oxygen to recover from a run?
After the 91-yard pick, for good measure, Lynch vomited during his first oxygen session. The on-camera barfing turned out to just be a short break before sucking more oxygen.
After the second pick, it was right for the O mask.
Was it the altitude in Houston?
Last Joe checked, scoring from first base in baseball on, say, a double to the outfield, is a 90-yard sprint for the baserunner. Yet Joe never sees said baserunner doing anything other than laughing and high-fiving in the dugout.
There are so many sports analogies, where guys run hard and don’t need to hit the oxygen and would look ridiculous doing so.
It would be one thing if it was Roy Miller running back a long interception, but a 25-year-old safety should be able to take that in stride without the aid of enhanced air.
What does Lynch do after covering kicks?
Joe knows it’s possible that Lynch might have been playing sick last night. Or maybe he was just so jacked up he started hyperventilating. Actually, Joe’s just going to make himself believe that.
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:53 am
Far be of for me to question you Joe, but on this one I might have to.
Let me first say that I am no longer a baseball fan; however, I do know a little something about the game. The conditioning of football players versus baseball players is not even close. Football players are constantly moving all out on every play, baseball players…..not so much.
With the exception of perhaps the offensive line and some D line, football players are all in great shape…..come on, you watch any baseball game and youve got to wonder how this fat guys are allowed to play in that condition….never mind the fact that some of those (players) still dip while they are playing.
Anyway…..love the site man…..plus, its not healthy to always agree with you;)
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:01 pm
lol. I think you’re making Joe’s point that some fat-looking guy can haul ass from first base and not keel over. Oxygen on the NFL sideline bugs me too. I coach 12 year olds and have been ASKED for oxygen by these kids and parents. WTF? I always tell them to look at the soccer field alongside us and see if anyone there is sucking oxygen.lol
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:02 pm
He can puke and suck oxygen all he wants if he keeps gettin int’s this season
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:16 pm
The fact that he hurled just goes to show how much effort he put into that run. Me thinks the oxygen is a quick way to get re-energized to get back on the field ready to go again. It would be interesting to know if the trainers have told them to use it. It’s likely the upchuck was a result of overheating due in part of all the equipment the wear that baseball players don’t. And if I’m not mistaken there’s oxygen available in baseball dugouts as well.
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Not to sound like Bear Bryant here, but O2 is a crutch and probably minimizes the body’s effectiveness to adapt to moments of extreme physical exertion. I would contend, based upon zero medical training, that the out of breath feeling experienced by Lynch last night will exacerbate if he continues to hit the mask.
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I thought first base was 90 feet, or 30 yards.
Still, the point is VERY valid. I didn’t see Landon Donovan sucking O2 during the World Cup, and he covers more than 28 yards.
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Ish….soccer players are another kind of athlete all to themselves…
September 3rd, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Ish, Joe wrote a runner on first, already. It’s 90 yards from first to home.
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Ish, in the World Cup Landon Donovan sprinted about 90-100 yards to score a huge goal AFTER RUNNING 90+ minutes straight. He made that sprint after probbaly running the equivalent of 5-6 miles during the game.
Steve is right, soccer players are different kind of athlete. Much different from football players, not better, just different.
As for Lynch,two things. One, football players are hitting regularly, which takes a lot out of you. I don’t recall what Lynch was doing before this play. Two, Lynch’s reaction (vomitting) probably had more to do with adrenaline that fitness.
I don’t see oxygen as that big of a deal. I assume football players all use it because it is there, not because they have to have it. It’s not like someone is administering it to them to revive them. It is there, so they use it. If it was not there, no big deal (see all football players from the mid-80s going back in time). Trainers offer it becasue it speeds recovery. Again, no big deal.
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Oxygen cures many woes. Headaches, lightheadedness, even hangovers. If he was a bit sick, this would help him get back on the field quicker. I get Joe’s point, but this will not hinder his future performance like someone above said.
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I re-read the article and stand corrected — gotta pay closer attention!
I agree, soccer takes a different kind of athlete, but they still run and breathe, so why don’t they use O2? (Besides the fact that they never have any breaks in the game).
I think JimBuc makes the best point though– O2 isn’t a need so much as it is a tool. Still, why don’t other sports use it? Does make you wonder.
September 3rd, 2010 at 3:13 pm
“Still, why don’t other sports use it?” Only real sports use it, LOL!
September 3rd, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Wow, soccer love on a football site?
Ten years ago (and even today on most sports media outlets), American sports fans almost NEVER give soccer athletes their due.
Beginning to think the average ‘Joe’ reader/poster is smart. Props to you enlightened souls. Especially Frank…Coaching kids AND pointing up the youth players to soccer athletes. PROPS.
Now watch…Some hairy knuckled hater will come in here and pee in my cornflakes.
September 3rd, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Ish:
“This Joe” is not a fan of soccer or the non-basketball association in any way shape or form.
But athletes of those two sports may be the most well-conditioned in all of sports (NHL should be thrown in there too). Certainly two of the top three best athletes in all of sports.
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:02 pm
I couldn’t believe when I saw Lynch vomiting between oxygen gasps, probably a symptom of 3 packs a day. Scientists actually did a study on which athlete was the best conditioned, among MMA fighters, boxers, sprinters, marathon runners etc and found baseball, bowlers and football players the least conditioned. The best conditioned athletes of all……………wait for it…………jockeys. Try being a world class athlete while maintaining a rock hard 85Lb body.
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:27 pm
How does sitting on a horse make you a world class athlete??? All you have to be is naturally small to be a jockey. Not saying they aren’t in good shape , but they are NOT athletes, they just sit on athletes.
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Joe here,
Radio – Joe was a horse racing beat writer for many years. No doubt pound-for-pound the full-time thoroughbred jockeys are among the strongest, if not the strongest athletes pound for pound. …The strength to handle a 1,200 pound horse around a turn and in traffic is quite extraordinary. And by trade, these guys are very focused on staying fit, since they usually have to stay under 115.
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Nothing to do with this post other than the fact that it involves Corey Lynch. So I watched the game today on NFL network because I live in Cleveland and can’t see the games live. They showed the game with the Texans announcers, I didn’t know one of the guys but the other was Spencer Tillman.
Let me just say these guys know absolutely nothing about the Buccaneers organization. First, they were saying how Huggins is competing with Derrick Ward for RB, even though Ward had been cut days earlier and isn’t even on team anymore. Then they believed Preston Parker actually was the player who caught the TD in the 4th (Benn’s 2nd). Never even corrected their mistake.
But the one that takes the cake is when Corey Lynch picked up a fumble on a kickoff in the 4th (ruled down by contact) and returned to endzone. These announcers then go on saying “there’s that Lynch again. Kinda reminds you of another a Lynch who played for the Bucs. John Lynch also wore number 41.” Spencer Tillman then agrees with him. There were many mistakes by these guys but I just couldn’t let this one go.
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:42 pm
The horse is the athlete though ….being in great shape doesn’t make you an athlete , athletic ability does.
You can train any little 5’1 turd to be a jockey if he has the drive to work-out and stay in tip-top shape.
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Joe here,
Radio – You know better. Elite jockeys make millions, competition is fierce. Any time there’s that much money at stake, it’s never a situation where anyone can do it. There’s so much that goes into a race, far more than you’d probably imagine.
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:41 pm
@Radio “they are NOT athletes, they just sit on athletes.” My stomach hurts I laughed so hard.
September 3rd, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Radio, thanks for not letting me down. If nothing else, you are consistent.
September 3rd, 2010 at 7:29 pm
The question about who is the best athlete is unanswerable because there is no set definition for athletic. A boxer or an MMA fighter is an incredible athlete because of their recovery rate. A football player for strength and quickness for size. Soccer is the place where you will find the most athletes that run 5 minute miles AND sub 5 second 40 times. Basketball players are incredibly quick with both hands and feet.
None of them are “the best,” they are all good — including the jockey who maintains his balance (incredible core strength) on an incredible animal.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Tell you what: go to a racially mixed neighborhood project and choose a b’ball game. Run on to the court, steal their ball and run 90 yards with 10 guys chasing you, ready to take your head off. I bet you’d puke too.
September 4th, 2010 at 8:26 am
I’m pretty sure it’s 90 FT between bases, so that makes a double 60 yards.
Just sayin.
September 4th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Radio is just bitter…When he was a kid, he wanted to be a horse jockey, till he found out they didn’t wear ’em.
September 4th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Hey Mike, Joe was talking about scoring from 1st base, which would make it 90 yards total (1st->2nd, 2nd ->3rd, 3rd -> Home) 3 bases x 30 yds between bases = 90 yards.