# What would you rather be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2011, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714 "2011-08-06T09:27:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eddiec3434](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@eddiec3434](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eddiec3434)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/1 "2011-08-06T09:27:01Z")
A)a boxer B)a baseball pitcher C)a quarterback D)a hockey goalie E)a jockey F)a matadore G)a race car driver ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/2 "2011-08-06T11:20:18Z")
This is really easy. A)a boxer --Brain damage. Enough said. B)a baseball pitcher – You work every fourth day or for just a few minutes every day. I think we have a winner. C)a quarterback – High risk of concussions and their appurtenant health problems. Pass. D)a hockey goalie – Violent men violently slapping a small hard object at you for three periods a night. Hell no. E)a jockey – To be any good you have to be 5’1" and 75 pounds. Next. F)a matador – Stupid outfit, stupid “sport”. High risk of getting and deserving a horn to the groin. G)a race car driver – Loud, hot, smelly, dangerous profession. It’s a quadruple loser. Baseball pitcher is the least dangerous of these professions. Sure, you’ll ruin your arm, but you’ll still be alive and coherent. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/3 "2011-08-06T11:26:44Z")
1. Boxer - only legit way to release those feel good chemicals naturally 2. Race car driver - the next competitive thing on the list Competition is fun ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/4 "2011-08-06T13:20:14Z")
If I were naturally a tiny little person (which I am _ **NOT** _) a jockey. What can I say… I love horses! When I was a little girl, that’s what I wanted to be. I used to watch the horses races on TV while on my rocking horse, pretending to race with them. So… yeah. A jockey. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/5 "2011-08-06T13:28:26Z")
I wouldn’t mind being 5’1" and 75 pounds. And there’s still a bit of 12 year old girl in me that squeals, “horsies!” every time we ride through the country. So, yeah, I’ll take jockey as the best of the worst - none of the options are actually appealing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/6 "2011-08-06T15:35:48Z")
Assuming we’re talking NFL/Major League level, my first choice would be QB, followed by pitcher. I like football better than baseball, but either gig would leave me set for life after just a few seasons. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/7 "2011-08-06T15:43:11Z")
\*\*Erdosain \*\*nailed it. Money for nuthin’ and the chicks are free. Rcae car driver would be my #2. Fun and not really all that dangerous nowadays. Unlike boxer, QB, or goalie, you’re not crippled by age 40 from the wear and tear. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/8 "2011-08-06T15:44:21Z")
Race car driver, followed by pitcher. No interest in any of the others. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/9 "2011-08-06T15:49:47Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Assuming we’re talking NFL/Major League level, my first choice would be QB, followed by pitcher. I like football better than baseball, but either gig would leave me set for life after just a few seasons. What he said, for the reasons he gave.😛 ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/10 "2011-08-06T16:40:21Z")
Race car driver (not Nascar or Indy car though). Just watching F1 races on TV I get my adrenalin shot up and my hand sweats… I definitely missed that window however. I like good football games but not as a participant except for touch football… why bother if you don’t have it to reach the top level. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/11 "2011-08-06T17:53:32Z")
I was going to post a clever and erudite discussion of the options, but **Erdosain** beat me to it. Og rot his his/her hide! So…I’m going with “baseball pitcher”, for the reasons he/she gave. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/12 "2011-08-06T20:07:00Z")
Boxer. Used to take Taikwando & loved to spar. (It would kill me now, tho.) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-rather-be/591714/13 "2011-08-06T20:40:14Z")
A rational appraisal makes me say that pitcher is the best job. But I’m a fan of football not baseball so quarterback would be my emotional choice. None of the others would interest me.