Friday, July 15, 2011

Has Nate Robinson Lost His Mind?

With the NBA lockout in full effect and no end in sight players clearly have too much time on their hands. It has been reported that Oklahoma City point guard Nate Robinson will attempt to make an NFL roster (once THAT lockout is over) as a corner back. Is this a wise decision?

Absolutely not. Nate Robinson hasn't played competitive football in almost 9 years and the chances of him making an NFL roster is slim to none. This is not an indictment on his ability or his determination. Anyone who has followed Nate Robinson's career knows he's a freakish athlete who can jump out of the gym and flip over a Volkswagen, but this is the NFL we're talking about. You don't just walk in off the street, grab a playbook, and go to work. The schemes are complex and the talent level is unbelievable.

The bigger question is why risk an injury? Football is 10,496 times more physical than basketball and at 5'9 180 pounds there's a good chance Nate could get hurt. Trying to tackle Brandon Jacobs in the open field running full speed is a lot different than help defense on Jason Terry. The players are too big and the sport is too violent not to expect something to go wrong.

I've always said if you have a choice between playing football and another sport professionally play the other sport. The careers are longer, there's less wear and tear on your body, and unless you're an NFL superstar the money is better. Nate Robinson would be better off playing basketball overseas than putting himself through the rigors of a training camp. His body and his pocket book would thank him in the long run.

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