Greater Athlete: LeBron James or Bo Jackson?

[LosBulls]

http://static.technorati.com/10/04/05/11381/lebron-james.jpg

Many people have claimed LeBron James to be the greatest athlete of our generation. LeBron James probably could of played in the NFL if he wanted to.



Then there is Bo Jackson

http://cdn2.gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Bo-Jackson.jpg

Bo Jackson was considered the greatest athlete by many of HIS time... even above Michael Jordan.

He is the first and only athlete in history to be an All Star in both the MLB and NFL.

Known for breaking bats like toothpicks, running up walls, hitting homeruns at will, being the most unstoppable runningback in NFL history ect.


Who you got?

[SilkkTheShocker]

Bo Jackson played MLB baseball with an artificial hip at one point. Bo is the greatest athlete of all time.

[LosBulls]

Bo Jackson played MLB baseball with an artificial hip at one point. Bo is the greatest athlete of all time.
Not to mention the very first ball he hit after coming back with an artificial hip was a home run dedicated to his dead mother.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Not to mention the very first ball he hit after coming back with an artificial hip was a home run dedicated to his dead mother.

:bowdown:

LeBron is a freak. But Bo Jackson is definitely the greatest athlete of all time.

[Kingwillball]

As much as I love Lebron it is BO as to be great at 2 Pro sports is nothing to take lightly. Also Bo was was 235 lbs and ran a 4.28 40..A shame Injuries Ended his career prematurely. Both Guys freaks from physical standpoint but Lebron still only excels at one sport although many believed he could of been a beast in Football as well.

[LJJ]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.

[TMac&Luther]

LeBron James is a freak athlete, he's a bigger athlete, but Bo Jackson was a greater athlete. Bo had it all.. he was built like a brick house and could run like the wind, what sets him apart from James though was his super human strength. The guy had natural strength (not just weight room strength) that was unhuman. That throw they showed on 30 for 30 where he caught a ball off the wall and threw a line drive all the way to home plate to get a player rounding third was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. It's a damn shame he didn't run out of bounds.. sports fans were robbed of a once in a lifetime athlete.

[LosBulls]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.
:biggums:

You are a complete retard.

We are judging the players not the sport they play in you imbecile. Take a minute to google the name "Bo Jackson" before you open your stupid ass mouth.

[tpols]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.
What does the popularity of the sport have to do with its athletic talent? There is no logical connection at all.

NFL strength/speed/agility/power >>>> NBA

Basketball is a finesse/skill sport in comparison to football.

Golf and cricket are much more popular around the world than football is so I guess they must be more athletic.:bowdown: :bowdown:

[The Choken One]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.
The biggest basketball homer I've ever seen.

Football is far more popular and has an extremely high talent/competition level. Lemme get some of the chit you're smoking man.

And just think how HARD it is to a major league fastball. Most people could barely get the bat around in time, for this guy to allstar in 2 VERY different sports is nothing short of amazing.

[KyrieTheFuture]

Baseball is more popular than basketball by a hilarious margin like 70% of the world has never even heard of the sport.

[LJJ]

http://i.imgur.com/bT1ToyT.gif

[nathanjizzle]

The biggest basketball homer I've ever seen.

Football is far more popular and has an extremely high talent/competition level. Lemme get some of the chit you're smoking man.

And just think how HARD it is to a major league fastball. Most people could barely get the bat around in time, for this guy to allstar in 2 VERY different sports is nothing short of amazing.

the nba is a harder to get into than the NFL. it takes more talent to make the nba.

[LosBulls]

http://i.imgur.com/bT1ToyT.gif
There is no need to be retarded.

[plowking]

The biggest basketball homer I've ever seen.

Football is far more popular and has an extremely high talent/competition level. Lemme get some of the chit you're smoking man.

And just think how HARD it is to a major league fastball. Most people could barely get the bat around in time, for this guy to allstar in 2 VERY different sports is nothing short of amazing.

NFL football is no where near as popular as basketball as a whole around the world. Shit, I don't think it is as popular as the NBA, or close for that matter.

Anyway, back to the question. I think its close. Probably Bo though. Bron probably only has vertical on Bo in terms of explosive movements, and even that would be close considering how powerful he was. Durability and Endurance are the only two other things I can think of in favor of Lebron.
Bo had strength, speed, agility, power, etc all in his favor.

To continue the discussion further, how does Adrian Peterson stack up against these two? From reading about Bo's strength feats, it seems as if he was stronger, quicker, and even more powerful than Adrian Peterson.

[LBJFTW]

Watch Bo Jackson 30 for 30 on YouTube. Answer is obvious.

[tpols]

NFL football is no where near as popular as basketball as a whole around the world. Shit, I don't think it is as popular as the NBA, or close for that matter.
on.
Yea but all the best basketball athletes come from the US.. not Euroleague or China or any other outside league. The U.S. has the best athletes in the world pretty much. And the NFL is bigger than the NBA in the US.

[tontoz]

Bo. Such a shame that his career was cut short. Seemed like a good guy too.

[plowking]

Yea but all the best basketball athletes come from the US.. not Euroleague or China or any other outside league. The U.S. has the best athletes in the world pretty much. And the NFL is bigger than the NBA in the US.

I don't think he was arguing that point.

Its interesting as well that all the power athletes seem to get more praise when it comes to looking at overall greatness as an athlete. Where as you have tennis players with extreme conditioning that get no love. Or soccer players with the same thing, and blazing speed as well, with little or no love in these discussions.

[TheMan]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.
This is one of the most retarded posts I seen here, that's quite impressive:applause:

By your logic, Messi>>>LBJ

Bo Jackson was the greater athlete you moron.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Bo Jackson is probably GOAT american team sport athlete.

[tpols]

I don't think he was arguing that point.

Its interesting as well that all the power athletes seem to get more praise when it comes to looking at overall greatness as an athlete. Where as you have tennis players with extreme conditioning that get no love. Or soccer players with the same thing, and blazing speed as well, with little or no love in these discussions.
Well.. Endurance isnt really athleticism.. Its almost a skill because its built up only through conditioning and experieince. Where teen Lebron could jump 30+ inches with no jumping training or lifting.. or Mike Tyson could bench 400+ as a teenager with no weightlifting experience. Athleticism that comes from pure talent is ussually a lot more impressive.

[Djsonny]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.

:facepalm smh hahahahahaha what are you smoking? Baseball is such a big world wide sport, asia and south america is all about soccer and baseball. Basketball will never be a main sport. People like stern who hold this sport down.

[jongib369]

http://www.okhistory.org/images/sites/thorpe1.jpg

[pauk]

Have to google/youtube Bo Jackson or something, NFL/MLB is as popular as womens cricket outside US... :P

[TheMan]

Have to google/youtube Bo Jackson or something, NFL/MLB is as popular as womens cricket outside US... :P
I guess Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Austrailia etc are part of the US. Those countries play baseball. The NFL is more regional but's it's popular in Mexico and Canada and most importantly, it's the biggest sport in the US hands down.

Keep in mind that soccer is huge worldwide but most Americans couldn't care less.

[pauk]

I guess Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Austrailia etc are part of the US. Those countries play baseball. The NFL is more regional but's it's popular in Mexico and Canada and most importantly, it's the biggest sport in the US hands down.

Keep in mind that soccer is huge worldwide but most Americans couldn't care less.

Am just sarcastic, but i mean that lets just say Basketball is by a ridicilously huge gap bigger than baseball and ESPECIALLY american "foot"ball around the globe....

..and yes i know soccer is not so cool/popular in USA and i applaud you Americans for that, because i think soccer is the most overrated sport in human history (and is so damn boring to watch)... on this one you Americans have great taste... :)

[kshutts1]

Basketball is a huge global sport.
Baseball is a much more marginalized sport.
Football is so fringe it's hardly worth mentioning as a legitimate competitive sport.


So impressive as it may be that Bo Jackson displayed some athletic feats in baseball and football, we still have to consider that the competitive level of these sports is obviously at a much lower standard, because the sports are so much smaller compared to basketball. Bo Jackson was the biggest fish in a smaller pond than LeBron.

I see the parallel he is making... a HS with a graduating class of 1500 kids is likely going to have better athletes than one graduating 200 kids, and thus it's is (semi)logical to assume that the best athlete is the 1500 school is better than the one in the 200 school... so I see his point, but I just disagree with it. I don't think it makes him a retard, though, as it's a semi-valid point.

Edit: I disagree with this when discussing generational talents. I think it's an acceptable rule of thumb, but you can't use it as a rule, as the small HS can always have a phenomenal athlete on par with the greater schools... just less of a chance.

[Remix]

Bo knows.

[kennethgriffin]

the real question is bo jackson vs deion sanders

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SandDe00.htm

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sandede02.shtml

[plowking]

Well.. Endurance isnt really athleticism.. Its almost a skill because its built up only through conditioning and experieince. Where teen Lebron could jump 30+ inches with no jumping training or lifting.. or Mike Tyson could bench 400+ as a teenager with no weightlifting experience. Athleticism that comes from pure talent is ussually a lot more impressive.

Jumping, strength and power is all built up through experience and conditioning too. Endurance is very much an athletic trait.

And people forget about sprinters who are even better explosive athletes than NFL players. Maurice Green was a 9.79 100m sprinter, had a 345lbs bench press, 500+lbs squat and had a 36 inch vertical I believe. Those are running back numbers with more speed.