Consistency - the hallmark of the very best athletes in professional sports

[JohnS]

While one could cite examples of athletes who were simply better in their skills than their peers throughout their careers, in general, the very best stay at the top because they maintain consistency. I can refer to an athlete like Cameron Smith (not the golfer) who has played the most games of Rugby League in Australia because he was consistent in not committing errors. Similarly, Bjorn Borg in tennis maintained his rise to the top (until he retired early due to the mental demands of the game) by making less errors than his opponents.

On the other hand, we have examples of athletes who play professional sport but are the exact opposite. By that I mean they are either 'hot' or 'cold'; you know...we call them 'matchwinners' because they do spectacular plays to win games or they are simply ordinary. One example we have in Australian sports of this is a cricket player named Mitchell Marsh. For years he was chided by the Australian public for continuing to get selected in the Australian cricket team (and in my opinion, fairly so) despite other players meriting selection due to better consistency.

However, in his early thirties, Marsh has finally cemented a place in the team and is making a better contribution in general, but he still will have his share of dropped catches or wickets off no-balls (i.e. if you aren't familiar with cricket, these are fundamental errors).

I suppose in baseball when I think of players that do spectacular plays but otherwise are ordinary I think of Baseball players like Adam Dunn who would hit either home runs or strikeout four times out of four in a game. Or what about the example of Phillies lead-off hitter, Kyle Schwarber? I would say that he is the antithesis of what a traditional lead-off hitter is like in Baseball but hey, it worked for the Phillies. He has a batting average consistently below the Mendoza line (i.e. an average below .215 which is considered untenable in Major League Baseball) but he hits for power, extra bases and walks more than other players to have a good on-base average. I wouldn't call him the best defensive fielder either.

Can you think of examples of athletes in the professional sports you follow who 'buck the trend' and are matchwinners or otherwise ordinary?

[KCCubano]

I think of Nikola Jokic for the Denver Nuggets. He certainly is one of the best all around basketball players in the world today. In an age of high flying rim wrecking dunkers there is Jokic who can barely jump over a street curb! 

[jazzboypro]

Alex Kovalev NHL right winger (Nicknamed "the artist") when he was hot it was pure beauty to see him play.

[MoeFOH]

3 hours ago, JohnS said:

Can you think of examples of athletes in the professional sports you follow who 'buck the trend' and are matchwinners or otherwise ordinary?

I think this is really a question of the unsung hero, right? I mean Cameron Smith was very clever, almost always intuitively correct, and had tackling and passing skills straight off the top shelf. But he was no Inglis, Lewis, Johns... in terms of outrageous talent. However, yes, his durability, consistency and resultant success is probably unmatched in the sport. 

So, yes, he was a match-winner by being ordinary, in one sense. But I find it difficult to label him "ordinary". At any time. 

The question immediately makes me think of defensive midfielders in football (soccer). Claude Makelele is a prime example. If you did a poll on footballers laden with outrageous skill, he'd barely rate a mention. Do one on consistency and match-winning contributions, and he'd be near top of my list. A key component of the Real Madrid and Chelsea teams at their most successful, in his time. 

In Rugby League, in the old first grade benchmark, before it went professional, I used to greatly admire Michael Andrews, lock forward for the Rabbitohs. If Souths were doing anything good (they usually weren't), then you could always point to an outstanding yet, at the same time, somehow unremarkable performance from Andrews. An ever-present in the top grade for a long time. Probably could have played Origin. 

[Ford2112]

When I think of Baseball players Cal Ripken Jr.,Tony Gwynn and Lou Gherig spring to mind as solid consistent players. Work horses.

Jerry Rice was consistently the best football player I ever saw. Dude worked his tail off while also being the best receiver arguably ever.

Bo Jackson was the athlete of my generation. Explosive . Talented.  And a career cut too quick. Tragic. 

MJ is the Goat.

Arnold Palmer had a drink named after him.

And who can forget the pinnacle ,the man...