But no athlete spends more time in the classroom studying tape and going over assignments than football players. Also, football requires certain physical attributes. If you're not very fast or very large, the game isn't for you, and these days you'd better be fast AND large if you want to excel. Sure, being tall helps in basketball, but there is a place for average-size people. Six-footer Allen Iverson was recently named MVP of the National Basketball Association this season.
Baseball players come in all sizes.
So do hockey players, tennis players, golfers, and even Australian Rules Football players. Finally, the age of specialization eventually will hurt football more than other sports. At the highest level of college football and in the pros, there are more specialists than every-down players. There are run-stuffing linebackers and defensive tackles. There are pass-rushing defensive ends.