Ping Pong (Table Tennis) Is the Best Sport of All: Take Two

Thank you. It is decided: Ping Pong versus soccer.1. Ping Pong requires instantaneous strategical planningWikipedia's page states " Play is fast and demands quick reactions". [1] This is true. Here is a sample game presented in a video: Of course, normal competitors don't jump around and do gymnastics, but the play is nevertheless very very fast.Some more examples of extremely fast competitions featured in this video: In contrast soccer has no shown of this fast game play, neither quick strategic planning. I mean, it's so darn slow! (Third video) Thus, since soccer is so slow, it ain't exciting, and because such ping pong is superior. 2. Ping Pong burns more caloriesPing Pong burns many calories. Source [2] tells us that "[ping pong]...anywhere from 400-600 calories per hour. At beginning level it's probably more like a easy walk - say 200-250 calories an hour." Still, combined together that's 200-600 calories, which is a lot. While this may not seem as consistent as the soccer games, keep in mind that the goalkeeper burns far less calories than the fielders due to constraints on his position. Even if soccer can burn more calories for those runners, those goalies don't get the excercise they need.3. Ping Pong tricksPing pong is in fact very very complex. To start out with, there are two grip holds that each have their own advantages and disadvantages. The penhold allows more "over the table play", while the handhold is easier to learn and allows a wider range of playing styles. [3] There are also many different kinds of "strokes", both offensive and defensive, which apply to different kinds of situations within a game of Ping Pong and complicate the game, making it more unpredictable. [4] While in soccer, you have pretty much no tricks, in Ping Pong you utilize these "strokes" and try to defend yourself, as well as attacking the opponent when he or she is tired out or when unsuspecting. In addition, some of the "strokes" of Ping Pong can be used cleverly to defeat the opponent, if used correctly. Some strokes can cause different "spins", that make it difficult to predict where the ball is going to go. Wikipedia sums two of the most used spins quite well by using pictures, presented below. (source from [5])THE BACKSPIN THE TOPSPIN These spin look very complicated, and they are because careful timing and precision is required for these spins to occur. Because of the skill neede for these spins, it can be concluded that Ping Pong is a very difficult sport to master, and there is always something to improve on, whether offensively or defensively.4. Soccer's hazardsYou can always get skinned on the ground and tumble over in soccer. In fact, there's an entire article talking about all the harms the game of soccer can bring within source [6]. There's also many, many fouls that can be commited. [7] On the other hand, Ping Pong could not possibly harm anyone. There is nothing in the game of Ping Pong to harm you. There are no such things as "fouls" within ping pong. 5. Ping pong's availibilityThere are pretty much no soccer tournaments for old people. Surprisingly, old people can safely play ping pong. The video below shows old people being able to play ping pong.And finally...6. Soccer's need for peopleSoccer is a team sport! You need 22 people...no, 23 people (including the referee) to play a former game of soccer! This is a lot! Even playing casually, you need to find the appropraite field for play and the goals. This is very annoying. On the other hand ping Pong needs a minimal small space for play. In fact, you could technically use any table not made of glass, and the net could simply be a long strand of paper taped to the table!! And finally, I'm not sure how "rich countries beat poor countries" helps your arguments...it in fact rebuts them since then soccer is just a test of richness, not a test of skill and endurance. As for "Extreme popularity", well, I just gotta say that Ping Pong is so darn popular it has its own national group [8]. Thus it is at the very least as popular as soccer.In conclusion, ping pong is superior in many, many ways to soccer.[1] http://en.wikipedia.org...[2] http://tabletennis.about.com...[3] Hodges, Larry (1993). Table Tennis: Steps to Success. Human Kinetics.[4] http://en.wikipedia.org...[5] http://en.wikipedia.org...[6] http://www.active.com...[7] http://en.wikipedia.org...[8] http://www.ittf.com...