Help settle dispute on athleticism...

[Ronin13]

Okay I figure there are a few here who know a thing or two about sports and could settle a friendly dispute I'm having among some friends- Within the context of the discussion, don't bring up outside arguments, please.
Here it is:
Which is a more overall athletically demanding sport: Hockey, or Basketball? Take into account endurance, toughness, athletic ability, stamina and overall skill set to play and excel at the game.

Two of us say Hockey, but one is stubbornly stating that while a tougher sport, hockey doesn't require the "pure athletic ability" required for basketball. -and yes, I laughed in his face, because that was just silly (IMHO).

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Okay I figure there are a few here who know a thing or two about sports and could settle a friendly dispute I'm having among some friends- Within the context of the discussion, don't bring up outside arguments, please.
Here it is:
Which is a more overall athletically demanding sport: Hockey, or Basketball? Take into account endurance, toughness, athletic ability, stamina and overall skill set to play and excel at the game.

Two of us say Hockey, but one is stubbornly stating that while a tougher sport, hockey doesn't require the "pure athletic ability" required for basketball.

Having played hockey for better than half my life.... Hockey is by far more demanding of pure athletic ability.

[TS12000]

Hockey for sure

[BPTactical]

After playing hockey at a high competitive level,hockey hands down.
Nowhere near the physical contact in basketball. Sure you might fall down and go boom or catch an elbow to the grill but you don't have 225# smashing you into the boards at 25mph. Or grinding with a forward in front of the net during a power play.
Physical contact wears you down much more than most realize.
Not to mention blocking a frozen 6 oz pill of vulcanized rubber at 90 mph.
Now let's add the diversity of skills one must have for hockey. As I am sure many here will agree skating forwards on its own can be quite a challenge let alone adding the dimension of skating backwards at full tilt, stickhandling, passing, shooting and reading the game.
Not slighting basketball but if you can walk and chew gum at the same time you can play Bball. Not so on ice.
Roller hockey is for those that can't hack on ice.

[missionxo]

Hockey no question. From a physical stand point while basketball can be physical it is not on the same planet as hockey. From a skill or athletic stand point hockey players skate, stickhandle typically with peripheral vision to avoid getting their head taken off. A typical shift is usually less than a minute but skating is physically more demanding. Lastly swap sports can a hockey player bounce a basketball and shoot baskets ... Yes . Can a basketball player skate and stickhandle and shoot goals .........

[davsel]

[newracer]

Basketball is a lot more physical than most people believe. However hockey is even more.

[Ronin13]

Having played hockey for better than half my life.... Hockey is by far more demanding of pure athletic ability.

Still hate agreeing with me? I've played hockey pretty much my entire life, and yep... played B-ball as a kid and look which sport I stuck with.
And Bert nailed it! I can't remember the guy's name, but one year in the Olympics a player from Finland took a puck to the face- broke his cheek bone, he finished out the rest of the games.

[roberth]

Hockey, for the reasons Bert wrote.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Who is the dillhole that voted Basketball but is too much of a wuss to show himself in the thread?