Greatest athlete of all time?

[72-10]

Get yer votes in

hon. mentions: Bill Russell, Diego Maradona, Paavo Nurmi, Michael Johnson, Sugar Ray Robinson, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt

[ArbitraryWater]

What a horrible, murrican poll

No Federer, Messi, Ronaldo, Nadal, not even in HM's..

I have it as a 3-way tie between LeBron, Ronaldo, Nadal.

[NumberSix]

Dylan

[Akrazotile]

What a horrible, murrican poll

No Federer, Messi, Ronaldo, Nadal, not even in HM's..

I have it as a 3-way tie between LeBron, Ronaldo, Nadal.



And he didnt even include the GOAT American, LeHung :facepalm

[kennethgriffen]

no danny ainge on the list?


isn't ainge the only 3 major pro sport level athlete




but my list would be


#1 Babe Ruth
#2 Wayne Gretzky
#3 Tom Brady
#4 Roger Federer
#5 Jack Nicklaus
#6 Muhammad Ali
#7 Michael Jordan
#8 Lionel Messi
#9 Fedor Emelianenko
#10 Michael Schumacher



no straight athletic competitors can make it for me. it has to be about more than just athleticism/cardio... and i can't list 2 guys from one sport either. if you're not the best ever at what you do then how can you be ranked ahead of a real GOAT

[AlternativeAcc.]

no danny ainge on the list?


isn't ainge the only 3 major pro sport level athlete




but my list would be


#1 Babe Ruth
#2 Wayne Gretzky
#3 Tom Brady
#4 Roger Federer
#5 Jack Nicklaus
#6 Muhammad Ali
#7 Michael Jordan
#8 Lionel Messi
#9 Fedor Emelianenko
#10 Michael Schumacher



no straight athletic competitors can make it for me. it has to be about more than just athleticism/cardio... and i can't list 2 guys from one sport either. if you're not the best ever at what you do then how can you be ranked ahead of a real GOAT
There should be a different list for best 'sportsmen' and best 'athlete' (olympic guys)


The olympic guys are technically the best athletes.. Ashton Eaton is currently the worlds best athlete, overall.

BTW Mike Trout is on pace to be the GOAT baseball player even though he never gets talked about. Babe playing for stacked Yankees teams helps his case.

[kennethgriffen]

There should be a different list for best 'sportsmen' and best 'athlete' (olympic guys)


The olympic guys are technically the best athletes.. Ashton Eaton is currently the worlds best athlete, overall.

BTW Mike Trout is on pace to be the GOAT baseball player even though he never gets talked about. Babe playing for stacked Yankees teams helps his case.


if theres no professional league and all you do is wait 4 years for that one moment people care about you again ( and only because you're wearing their flag ) then you're not on the level of those other guys


when i think of an athlete i think of skill/popularity/competition/impact/achievements


when all you do is train in obscurity for 3 and a half years at a time you can't be put on the same level as a wayne gretzky/babe ruth/tom brady/michael jordan type

[AlternativeAcc.]

if theres no professional league and all you do is wait 4 years for that one moment people care about you again ( and only because you're wearing their flag ) then you're not on the level of those other guys


when i think of an athlete i think of skill/popularity/competition/impact/achievements


when all you do is train in obscurity for 3 and a half years at a time you can't be put on the same level as a wayne gretzky/babe ruth/tom brady/michael jordan type
Popularity/attention has nothing to do with athletic ability. Winning a gold medal at the olympics is the pinnacle of athletic achievement. Impact? Competition? The olympics has more of that than any other sporting event by far.

That's why you need a separate list for sportsmen (guys who compete in a professional league) and guys that literally are the worlds best athletes. Because olympic athletes are just far more impressive and you're literally competing against the best in the world, instead of competing against guys in your own country on teams sometimes with dozens of guys. Two totally different worlds. And guys that dominate individual sports will always stand out on the sportsmen list because they actually are on their own and competing on a world scale.

[kennethgriffen]

Popularity/attention has nothing to do with athletic ability. Winning a gold medal at the olympics is the pinnacle of athletic achievement. Impact? Competition? The olympics has more of that than any other sporting event by far.

That's why you need a separate list for sportsmen (guys who compete in a professional league) and guys that literally are the worlds best athletes. Because olympic athletes are just far more impressive and you're literally competing against the best in the world, instead of competing against guys in your own country on teams sometimes with dozens of guys. Two totally different worlds. And guys that dominate individual sports will always stand out on the sportsmen list because they actually are on their own and competing on a world scale.


i'm friends with olympic speed skater Ivanie Blondin. she won a 2015 silver medal at the world championships


we play golf together sometimes when shes visits friends/family in ottawa


you probably never heard of her because they're nobodies. i didn't even list her in my famous people met/talked to thread


they're good at basic things... the best skater means nothing.. its pointless unless you're skating to do something... like play hockey


would be like someone being named an all time great athlete for winning a fastest player in the nhl award during allstar weekend


its a joke competition. we only take it seriously when national pride is on the line

[AlternativeAcc.]

i'm friends with olympic speed skater Ivanie Blondin. she won a 2015 silver medal at the world championships


we play golf together sometimes when shes visits friends/family in ottawa


you probably never heard of her because they're nobodies. i didn't even list her in my famous people met/talked to thread


they're good at basic things... the best skater means nothing.. its pointless unless you're skating to do something... like play hockey


would be like someone being named an all time great athlete for winning a fastest player in the nhl award during allstar weekend


its a joke competition. we only take it seriously when national pride is on the line
how is olympic speed skating any more specialized than say... hitting a ball with a bat?

you're literally just picking and choosing athletes based on what sports YOU care about. And happened to include a guy that races vehicles.

Skating takes extreme body control, balance, leg dexterity, and focus. That chick is insanely impressive from an athletic perspective.


It's really not a black and white issue at all and there are way too many variables at play. The only real way you can judge this stuff is based on who dominated the most in their field, which even that comes with a lot of subjectivity...

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer really, but excluding guys like Phelps, Thorpe, Bolt, and Eaton is rather silly imo

[kennethgriffen]

how is olympic speed skating any more specialized than say... hitting a ball with a bat?

you're literally just picking and choosing athletes based on what sports YOU care about. And happened to include a guy that races vehicles.

Skating takes extreme body control, balance, leg dexterity, and focus. That chick is insanely impressive from an athletic perspective.


It's really not a black and white issue at all and there are way too many variables at play. The only real way you can judge this stuff is based on who dominated the most in their field, which even that comes with a lot of subjectivity...

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer really, but excluding guys like Phelps, Thorpe, Bolt, and Eaton is rather silly imo


lol@ summing up baseball as "hitting a ball with a bat"



btw i just now found out a white canadian won olympic gold in the high jump


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW87tVnDKIU



didn't even bother watching that shit when it happened because its pointless


an athlete that needs to be elite at many skills to dominate a sport is infinitely greater an athlete


baseball and other major pro sports are scientific games built on strategy/calculation/multifaceted skills


when your sport is based on tunnel vision and 1 skill based 99% on athleticism then its a joke


and you're a joke for thinking otherwise



the fastest runner is 1/100th an athlete/competitor as the worlds top golfer. the brain power needed to win a PGA championship is infinitely higher


its worlds apart

[kennethgriffen]

simply put. the worlds "greatest athlete" is different than the worlds "most athleticism"

[AlternativeAcc.]

lol@ summing up baseball as "hitting a ball with a bat"



btw i just now found out a white canadian won olympic gold in the high jump


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW87tVnDKIU



didn't even bother watching that shit when it happened because its pointless


an athlete that needs to be elite at many skills to dominate a sport is infinitely greater an athlete


baseball and other major pro sports are scientific games built on strategy/calculation/multifaceted skills


when your sport is based on tunnel vision and 1 skill based 99% on athleticism then its a joke


and you're a joke for thinking otherwise



the fastest runner is 1/100th an athlete/competitor as the worlds top golfer. the brain power needed to win a PGA championship is infinitely higher


its worlds apart
Except you included a racecar driver on your list which goes against your entire argument. Fail. Racing on skates > racing in a vehicle

Again it's not black and white and I'm not gonna go back and forth with your dumbass.

[AlternativeAcc.]

And Bradman is the greatest sportsman ever which makes Kenny's list that much more laughable

[kennethgriffen]

Except you included a racecar driver on your list which goes against your entire argument. Fail. Racing on skates > racing in a vehicle

Again it's not black and white and I'm not gonna go back and forth with your dumbass.


car racing is one of the most mentally and physically taxing things to do on the planet


do you know what kind of physical endurance/arm strength/brain capacity/hand eye coordination/focus/memory/training goes into becoming the greatest F1 driver???


:roll:


this f*cking moron



its not like playing playstation you stupid f*ck




if you f*ck up running you might trip and scrape a knee



now imagine f*cking up going 233 MPH ...sometimes you DIE


now imagine having to concentrate with the thought of imminent death being in the back of your mind at all times


such ignorance

:facepalm

the kind of g-forces weighing against your every move



give michael schumacher the body of usain bolt and give usain bolt an F1 car.... see who takes longer to mimic the other guys sport faster


give bolt 100 years and he'd never come close...

[kennethgriffen]

And Bradman is the greatest sportsman ever which makes Kenny's list that much more laughable


i don't know what bradman means


if you mean brady then no i can't put him ahead of the great one or the colossus of clout/sultan of swat just yet



babe ruth would have been a hall of famer even if he never got a single hit and just stuck with pitching


gretzky would have been a hall of famer even if he never scored a single goal... infact he has more assists than anyone else has assists+goals


and he's the all time goals leader ontop of that

[AlternativeAcc.]

I love how he assumes I'm not aware of the physical demands of being a racecar driver. I'm well aware. It's just that it's too reliant on the vehicle itself and your team whereas racing on skates (or feet) is all on YOU and YOUR mind only. Another epic failure of a response lol...


Usain bolt with enough training could be a professional racecar driver. Schumaker could NEVER be an Olympic sprinter. Epic epic fail.

[tontoz]

Bo Jackson. He was the AS MVP in baseball and was an Pro Bowl runner in football. 230 pound guy running a 4.2 40.

Bummer that his career was cut short by injury.

[AlternativeAcc.]

Google don bradman idiot.

Again proving your lost is only based on sports you care about. The shumaker addition was probably just a lazy throw in to seem like you have a wide knowledge of different sports

[kennethgriffen]

I love how he assumes I'm not aware of the physical demands of being a racecar driver. I'm well aware. It's just that it's too reliant on the vehicle itself


except all the vehicles are practically the same yet the same guys win all the time

[kennethgriffen]

Bo Jackson. He was the AS MVP in baseball and was an Pro Bowl runner in football. 230 pound guy running a 4.2 40.

Bummer that his career was cut short by injury.


the 2 sport athlete thing is kinda played out and totally racist IMO


danny ainge was an all american football player. a professional baseball player for the toronto blue jays and was a big contributor to the 80s celtics titles


wheres the love for him? oh i get it. he's a geeky white dude

[Stephonit]

Michael Phelps anyone?

[AlternativeAcc.]

except all the vehicles are practically the same yet the same guys win all the time
Key word.. practically

Small differences in vehicles and teams can make a huge difference.

And shumaker isnt even the undisputed goat in the sport. Bradman is widely recognized as the goat in his, to the point where most who are aware of him consider him the goat of all goats

You're just lazy and unaware

[kennethgriffen]

Key word.. practically

Small differences in vehicles and teams can make a huge difference.

And shumaker isnt even the undisputed goat in the sport. Bradman is widely recognized as the goat in his, to the point where most who are aware of him consider him the goat of all goats

You're just lazy and unaware


major differences in top drivers skill makes more of a difference


theres rules/regulations in place to make the cars all have the same capabilities... theres races where everyone uses ferrari's for example


quit being a f*cking idiot


and i looked up your 1940's cricket player ... i'm sure he was great in his own right for his time but hes a relatively unknown so he had no major impact worldwide


you can go anywhere in the world and people know the names i listed

[AlternativeAcc.]

major differences in top drivers skill makes more of a difference


theres rules/regulations in place to make the cars all have the same capabilities... theres races where everyone uses ferrari's for example


quit being a f*cking idiot


and i looked up your 1940's cricket player ... i'm sure he was great in his own right for his time but hes a relatively unknown so he had no major impact worldwide


you can go anywhere in the world and people know the names i listed
Except shoemaker isnt the GOAT and people worldwide give less of a **** about f1 than they do cricket... and that's a fact. Cricket is like the 2nd or 3rd most popular sport in the world... another epic fail from you. bradman is WAY more well known worldwide than any racecar driver

I love how you try to undermine bradman by saying 1940s cricket player when you have a 1920s baseball player in your top 5 who didnt dominate his sport nearly as much as bradman did. You literally couldn't be more of a ****ing idiot.

[kennethgriffen]

Except shoemaker isnt the GOAT and people worldwide give less of a **** about f1 than they do cricket... and that's a fact. Cricket is like the 2nd or 3rd most popular sport in the world... another epic fail from you. bradman is WAY more well known worldwide than any racecar driver

I love how you try to undermine bradman by saying 1940s cricket player when you have a 1920s baseball player in your top 5 who didnt dominate his sport nearly as much as bradman did. You literally couldn't be more of a ****ing idiot.



you know the "the world" isn't just 3rd world projects and europe right?


formula 1 grand prix locations

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Formula_1_all_over_the_world-2019.svg/1200px-Formula_1_all_over_the_world-2019.svg.png



cricket world cup countries

https://www.mapsofworld.com/sports/cricket/map/cricket-world-cup-2015-teams-map.jpg

[kennethgriffen]

i used to think this alternativeacc guy was simon


but now i'm picturing him more along the lines of someone like this


http://www.noiseinmyhead.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/gyrocaptain.jpg

[Prometheus]

its like griff wakes up in the morning with a big hard on for making himself look like an idiot online

i swear all you do is fight in arguments where you know nothing and have lost before you start

[kennethgriffen]

its like griff wakes up in the morning with a big hard on for making himself look like an idiot online

i swear all you do is fight in arguments where you know nothing and have lost before you start

https://thenewswheel.com/4-reasons-auto-racing-is-a-real-sport-and-racing-drivers-are-athletes/


[SIZE="7"]4 Reasons Auto Racing Is a

[kennethgriffen]

continued....




- G Force

The g-forces They Withstand Would Knock You Out



So let’s get to the meat of this: why do F1 drivers sweat so much and have such elevated heart rates during a race if all they do is sit in a car and turn a steering wheel? The answer is g-forces. Just because drivers don’t actively move in the traditional way that we expect athletes to move doesn’t mean they aren’t exercising. Perhaps what people like McNabb don’t understand is that unlike in most sports, F1 drivers don’t transfer their energy into something else, such as a ball, but rather resist the energy and stress that g-forces put on their bodies.

This is mostly due to the sheer acceleration, braking, and cornering performance of Formula 1 cars, but it’s hard to truly grasp this, or even the performance of less capable racing cars, without having experienced it oneself. However, comparing them to regular road cars can offer some perspective.

Most road cars can only generate about 0.8 g of force at the most. Even some supercars struggle to achieve 1 g in corners, and achieving this would require taking corners at speeds that would almost surely make your passenger accuse you of being a maniac. On the other hand, a Formula 1 car regularly produces 4 or 5 g in Grand Prix corners, which essentially makes everything feel 4-5 times heavier to the driver.

For example, the combined weight of a driver’s head and his helmet is around 16 lb / 7.25 kg—but at 5 g, that’s a whopping 80 lb / 36.3 kg of force being applied to the driver’s neck alone, which he must endure corner after corner, lap after lap, while keeping a clear head. Thanks to banked turns, even NASCARs are capable of taking corners at tremendous speeds, such as over 220 mph / 334 kph at Turn 1 of the Indy 500. When going through a corner like that, a driver who weighs 200 lb / 91 kg will feel like 1,000 lb / 454 kg. Not exactly a pleasant sensation.

Furthermore, it’s not uncommon to generate up to or even more than 5 g while braking in a Formula 1 car. In fact, while a regular car needs about 4 seconds to come to a complete stop from only 30 mph / 48 kph, an F1 car can go from 124 mph / 200 kph to a stop in just 2.9 seconds. Think about that next time you slam your brakes in the car and feel your whole body uncomfortably lurching forward.

Take a look at the onboard video below of Michael Schumacher‘s lap around the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. These kinds of forces can make it difficult to think and even breathe for untrained individuals (and they are one of the reasons drivers get so snappy at their engineers when they are radioed during corners). They are also why a driver’s heart rate rises as high as it does, and why F1 drivers have such absurdly strong necks.


- RISK

A Single Lapse in Focus Can Be Life-Ending


Let’s talk about that Hemingway quote for a moment. In a way, I shouldn’t be using it at all because the mentality behind it is exactly what leads people to say silly things like “X isn’t a real sport.” But it does highlight that for many years, auto racing was one of the riskiest sports in the world. Most Formula 1 drivers used to get in their car believing there was a 1-in-3 chance they wouldn’t survive to the finish line, and in fact 37 died between the 50s and 90s. Though auto racing is much safer today, accidents still happen, and death remains a very real possibility.

In most sports, a lapse in judgement, a brief loss of mental focus, or a simple mistake rarely carries a great deal of weight. At the worst, an athlete will miss out on scoring a goal, or perhaps in rare circumstances even cause themselves or their team to lose a tournament. In auto racing, a lapse in focus spanning just a fraction of a second can lead to a potentially career-ending crash. At 186 mph / 300 kph, the room for error is extraordinarily narrow and the penalty for making a mistake can be extreme. It is vital for F1 drivers to be in peak physical condition so that they can focus on the driving rather than on merely withstanding the g-forces and heat.


Conclusion
Driving a Formula 1 car exerts enormous stress on the driver, who must not only withstand the forces applied to his body but also maintain a clear head to actually race. It’s not enough to be able to merely survive the ordeal; drivers also need the reflexes to avoid crashing at speeds most would consider suicidal, all the while thinking about racing lines, overtaking strategies, and more.

Next time a friend suggests racing drivers aren’t athletes or that auto racing isn’t a “real” sport, invite them to go karting with you. When they complain about being sore the next day, point out to them that the workout was insignificant compared to auto racing. Who knows, they might change their mind.



--------------------





and then theres this


https://thumbs.gfycat.com/InexperiencedTestyGodwit-max-1mb.gif



i guarantee its 100 times more physically exerting racing cars than it is playing cricket

[kennethgriffen]

racing cars is all fun and games

https://youtu.be/HwPUo_BpHwc?t=219


its easier than cricket


:roll:

[tontoz]

the 2 sport athlete thing is kinda played out and totally racist IMO


danny ainge was an all american football player. a professional baseball player for the toronto blue jays and was a big contributor to the 80s celtics titles


wheres the love for him? oh i get it. he's a geeky white dude


Ainge batted .220 in majors with 2 home runs in 3 seasons. :bowdown:

Didn't play college football. He was All-American in high school football. When you are talking about the best athletes ever high school doesn't count.

Not comparable to Bo at all. I am a white guy and liked Ainge but get real.

[kennethgriffen]

Ainge batted .220 in majors with 2 home runs in 3 seasons. :bowdown:

Didn't play college football. He was All-American in high school football. When you are talking about the best athletes ever high school doesn't count.

Not comparable to Bo at all. I am a white guy and liked Ainge but get real.


an all american football player means you're one the best 17-18 year olds in the world at what you do


and batting .220 over 3 seasons in his early 20's isn't on bo's level sure.... but did bo jackson play 3 sports at a high level?


thats the entire point


people elevate bo and deion because they played a 2nd sport either for a short time at a high level or at a good level for a long time


either way theres a big drop off and when comparing them to other baseball players their careers were utter SHIT


so trying to discount ainge's baseball talent because it doesn't compare to great baseball players is hypocritical


for a 3 sport athlete you can spread that peanut butter even thinner and get away with even more ineptitude because the accomplishment is playing 3 sports at a high level compared to most people on earth.

[Jasper]

football players R THE modern day gladiators of our time...

Walter could stuff the football over the goal posts ...

[tontoz]

an all american football player means you're one the best 17-18 year olds in the world at what you do


and batting .220 over 3 seasons in his early 20's isn't on bo's level sure.... but did bo jackson play 3 sports at a high level?


thats the entire point


people elevate bo and deion because they played a 2nd sport either for a short time at a high level or at a good level for a long time


either way theres a big drop off and when comparing them to other baseball players their careers were utter SHIT


so trying to discount ainge's baseball talent because it doesn't compare to great baseball players is hypocritical


for a 3 sport athlete you can spread that peanut butter even thinner and get away with even more ineptitude because the accomplishment is playing 3 sports at a high level compared to most people on earth.


Bo made the AS game in baseball. His career was cut short by injury but he made highlight plays on the field and at the plate.

Ainge was a scrub at the major league level. He only played one sport well at the professional level, making one AS game in the NBA. He isn't in the conversation at all. If he was black you would never mention him.

[kennethgriffen]

Bo made the AS game in baseball. His career was cut short by injury but he made highlight plays on the field and at the plate.

Ainge was a scrub at the major league level. He only played one sport well at the professional level, making one AS game in the NBA. He isn't in the conversation at all. If he was black you would never mention him.


who knows how ainge improves.. the celtics bought out his baseball contract.

and you cant compare them as baseball players ...like i said before he cancels out bo and is in a completely new category because hes a 3 sport athlete


for the same reasons you give bo a pass and vault him over much better baseball players or football players simply based on his 2 sport skills you must do the same for ainge


3 beats 2 regardless is the 2 were better than ainges 3. same as 2 beats 1 regardless if neither of bos 2 are above the best football or baseball players individually


its hypocritical to compare individual sports. then why not compare bo individually

see the discrepancies?

[tontoz]

who knows how ainge improves.. the celtics bought out his baseball contract.

and you cant compare them as baseball players ...like i said before he cancels out bo and is in a completely new category because hes a 3 sport athlete


for the same reasons you give bo a pass and vault him over much better baseball players or football players simply based on his 2 sport skills you must do the same for ainge


3 beats 2 regardless is the 2 were better than ainges 3. same as 2 beats 1 regardless if neither of bos 2 are above the best football or baseball players individually


its hypocritical to compare individual sports. then why not compare bo individually

see the discrepancies?


In Ainge's 3rd MLB season he played 86 games, had 246 at bats and batted .187 with no homers. He sucked.

Making one AS game in the NBA, sucking in the major leagues and playing HS football doesn't make him worthy of consideration in this thread.

[kennethgriffen]

In Ainge's 3rd MLB season he played 86 games, had 246 at bats and batted .187 with no homers. He sucked.

Making one AS game in the NBA, sucking in the major leagues and playing HS football doesn't make him worthy of consideration in this thread.


i think my point flew over your head again

if theres another 3 sport athlete with better baseball statistics let me know


ainge is in a class by himsef

[tontoz]

i think my point flew over your head again

if theres another 3 sport athlete with better baseball statistics let me know


ainge is in a class by himsef

You think other guys on that list didn't play other sports in high school? LOL

Lebron was a great football player in high school. It is taken as a given that he could have played in the NFL but I don't see anyone talking about it in this thread. He is certainly top 3 all time in basketball but he isn't on the list.

Jackie Robinson played 4 sports, in college, and was an all time great in baseball. People who knew him back then say basketball was his best sport. He didn't make the list.

Jackie Robinson >> Ainge

[kennethgriffen]

You think other guys on that list didn't play other sports in high school? LOL

Lebron was a great football player in high school. It is taken as a given that he could have played in the NFL but I don't see anyone talking about it in this thread. He is certainly top 3 all time in basketball but he isn't on the list.

Jackie Robinson played 4 sports, in college, and was an all time great in baseball. People who knew him back then say basketball was his best sport. He didn't make the list.

Jackie Robinson >> Ainge


playing and being a top prospect in the entire world are 2 entirely different things


ainge was arguably the best 17/18 year old football player in the world at the time


ainge is the ONLY 3 sport all american in history

[tontoz]

playing and being a top prospect in the entire world are 2 entirely different things


ainge was arguably the best 17/18 year old football player in the world at the time


ainge is the ONLY 3 sport all american in history

And a lot of high school all americans fall flat in college or the pros. Ainge certainly fell flat in the major leagues.

This thread isn't about the greatest high school athlete all time. Maybe you should start another thread because Ainge doesn't belong in this one.

[kennethgriffen]

And a lot of high school all americans fall flat in college or the pros. Ainge certainly fell flat in the major leagues.

This thread isn't about the greatest high school athlete all time. Maybe you should start another thread because Ainge doesn't belong in this one.


so you're saying you don't give bo jackson a pass for having a very short baseball career based on his 2 sport exception being the focal point?



if we're actually dissecting individual careers then bo jackson is nowhere close to being top 10


being an allstar mvp is nice. but he "fell flat" after injuries



based on your criteria the GOAT athlete would be a peak performer of an individual sport


then wilt is the obvious choice

[warriorfan]

Kenneth have you been drinking today?

[kennethgriffen]

Kenneth have you been drinking today?


i'm just wondering why a 2 sport athlete can have a lesser career and get away with it because "hes a 2 sport athlete" .... but a 3 sport athlete can't


:lol


then suddenly we're dissecting the baseball average with ainge



btw bo jackson batted .250 for his career ( lower than the league average )


he aint shit either ... his on base percentage was trash ( .309 ) thats also lower than the league average



f*ck bo jackson and his fluky allstar mvp

[warriorfan]

For sure. Didnt get to read all of the thread. I

[72-10]

Ainge batted .220 in majors with 2 home runs in 3 seasons. :bowdown:

Didn't play college football. He was All-American in high school football. When you are talking about the best athletes ever high school doesn't count.

Not comparable to Bo at all. I am a white guy and liked Ainge but get real.

What do you think about Deion Sanders and maybe Jackie Robinson?

[kennethgriffen]

What do you think about Deion Sanders and maybe Jackie Robinson?


deion was a better 2 sport athlete than bo jackson


he routinely played only half a season which diminished his totals


his 162 game average from 1992 to 1997 was:

.280 average
86 runs
55 stolen bases
14 triples

[tontoz]

so you're saying you don't give bo jackson a pass for having a very short baseball career based on his 2 sport exception being the focal point?



if we're actually dissecting individual careers then bo jackson is nowhere close to being top 10


being an allstar mvp is nice. but he "fell flat" after injuries



based on your criteria the GOAT athlete would be a peak performer of an individual sport


then wilt is the obvious choice


Bo's career was cut short due to injury, not because he sucked like Ainge.

[tontoz]

What do you think about Deion Sanders and maybe Jackie Robinson?

Deion certainly deserves a mention. He was an elite corner, one of the best ever, and had a respectable MLB career.

As it happens i knew the brother of one of Deions teamates Jamie Dukes. I heard that he was a great basketball player too.

I already mentioned Jackie Robinson. He lettered in 4 sports in college and was a great baseball player.

But Bo did things in both professional sports that i hadn't seen before. He was a freak of nature.

[kennethgriffen]

Bo's career was cut short due to injury, not because he sucked like Ainge.


but he DID suck

bo jackson couldnt hit either. he was just a power guy with a low average and low OBP

[tontoz]

but he DID suck

bo jackson couldnt hit either. he was just a power guy with a low average and low OBP


Sure he sucked.

-He was the MVP of the AS game
-Led the league in assists from left field not once but twice
-Hit 32 homers and 105 RBIs (4th in AL in both categories) '89
-10th in stolen bases in '88
-10th in AL MVP ranking in '89
-6th in slugging percentage in '89

His best numbers were actually after his AS season, batting .272 with fewer strikeouts. He was improving, then got hurt.

But let's put him in the same category as a guy who had 2 home runs and 37 RBIs in 3 years.

:facepalm

[kennethgriffen]

Sure he sucked.

-He was the MVP of the AS game
-Led the league in assists from left field not once but twice
-Hit 32 homers and 105 RBIs (4th in AL in both categories) '89
-10th in stolen bases in '88
-10th in AL MVP ranking in '89
-6th in slugging percentage in '89

His best numbers were actually after his AS season, batting .272 with fewer strikeouts. He was improving, then got hurt.

But let's put him in the same category as a guy who had 2 home runs and 37 RBIs in 3 years.

:facepalm


a bunch of irrelevant shit. the guy was below league average in batting/OBP for his career

[tontoz]

a bunch of irrelevant shit. the guy was below league average in batting/OBP for his career

Shit would describe Ainge's MLB production, or lack thereof.

2 home runs and 37 RBIs in 665 at bats. :roll:

[egokiller]

Deion certainly deserves a mention. He was an elite corner, one of the best ever, and had a respectable MLB career.

As it happens i knew the brother of one of Deions teamates Jamie Dukes. I heard that he was a great basketball player too.

I already mentioned Jackie Robinson. He lettered in 4 sports in college and was a great baseball player.

But Bo did things in both professional sports that i hadn't seen before. He was a freak of nature.

The answer of those on that list is Bo Jackson and it's not close. You either saw him do things no either athlete could do, or you didn't.

[kennethgriffen]

Shit would describe Ainge's MLB production, or lack thereof.

2 home runs and 37 RBIs in 665 at bats. :roll:


both sucked.. ainge was a 3 sport athlete though so he automatically overtakes bo jackson as far as all time greatest athletes is concerned


3 beats 2



btw i can't believe you still haven't realized i'm mocking the whole multi sport athlete thing and already posted my list with danny ainge nowhere to be found

[egokiller]

Has nothing to do with how many sports the man dominated in. It's what he did while playing those sports from an athletic perspective that cements him on a level all by himself.

[kennethgriffen]

Has nothing to do with how many sports the man dominated in. It's what he did while playing those sports from an athletic perspective that cements him on a level all by himself.

this post seems like somewhat of a contradiction



its like you're telling the truth about bo jackson... then you revert back to lies

[tontoz]

both sucked.. ainge was a 3 sport athlete though so he automatically overtakes bo jackson as far as all time greatest athletes is concerned


3 beats 2



btw i can't believe you still haven't realized i'm mocking the whole multi sport athlete thing and already posted my list with danny ainge nowhere to be found


:lol


So major league production doesn't count but high school football does? OK

Many, if not most, guys aren't fully matured in high school. Scottie Pippen was 6'1" in high school. MJ got cut from his HS team. Others mature faster.

In college guys are more mature. In the pros everyone has matured. That is the true test when you are talking about best athletes ever. If high school counts then why not bring up middle school?

[kennethgriffen]

:lol


So major league production doesn't count but high school football does? OK

Many, if not most, guys aren't fully matured in high school. Scottie Pippen was 6'1" in high school. MJ got cut from his HS team. Others mature faster.

In college guys are more mature. In the pros everyone has matured. That is the true test when you are talking about best athletes ever. If high school counts then why not bring up middle school?


its like this guy isn't even reading my posts

:lol



btw i can't believe you still haven't realized i'm mocking the whole multi sport athlete thing and already posted my list with danny ainge nowhere to be found



i don't care about danny ainge... i'm using bo jackson logic to make a fraudulant mocking case for the guy since 3 beats 2 if 2 beats 1 REGARDLESS of actual legendary status in either


its the "well he plays 2 so he doesn't have to be as good as ruth/bonds/Cobb/Mays/Aaron or Brown/Rice/LT/Montana/Brady"



you suddenly say 2 lesser skills beats the best of either


so 3 even lesser skills beats the best of 2


get it?


i'm MOCKING PEOPLE like YOU


GET IT?

[tontoz]

Danny Ainge in 3 years

2 HR and 37 RBIs



Bo Jackson in 1 year

32 HR and 105 RBIs, led league in LF assists



But they both sucked? OK

[kennethgriffen]

Danny Ainge in 3 years

2 HR and 37 RBIs



Bo Jackson in 1 year

32 HR and 105 RBIs, led league in LF assists



But they both sucked? OK


this guy literally doesn't read SHIT



http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/2013/02/incredulous.gif

[DidUSaySomethin]

no danny ainge on the list?


isn't ainge the only 3 major pro sport level athlete




but my list would be


#1 Babe Ruth
#2 Wayne Gretzky
#3 Tom Brady
#4 Roger Federer
#5 Jack Nicklaus
#6 Muhammad Ali
#7 Michael Jordan
#8 Lionel Messi
#9 Fedor Emelianenko
#10 Michael Schumacher



no straight athletic competitors can make it for me. it has to be about more than just athleticism/cardio... and i can't list 2 guys from one sport either. if you're not the best ever at what you do then how can you be ranked ahead of a real GOAT

why do you have an NFL player in your top 10? the patriots literally beat a playoff w/ a third string QB in his first career game. belichick tried to get rid of him and isn't even the best player at his position. there are at least 100 athletes who are way more impactful

[kennethgriffen]

why do you have an NFL player in your top 10? the patriots literally beat a playoff w/ a third string QB in his first career game. belichick tried to get rid of him and isn't even the best player at his position. there are at least 100 athletes who are way more impactful

https://media.giphy.com/media/jqOFA0qaXGvss/giphy.gif




....

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7TKPNhaXNgBccrhS/giphy.gif

[fsvr54]

Jordan, for me, is the absolute GOAT athlete.

[72-10]

I'll probably make a new poll with many of the football players removed, and I'll supplant those changed poll options with other athletes.

[72-10]

I have to say, Bo Jackson's All-Star nod in MLB, might be there, but it's barely there. He sucked at putting the ball in play compared to a great batter. There's still no doubt he's a candidate of a GOAT athlete title.

[AlternativeAcc.]

I'll probably make a new poll with many of the football players removed, and I'll supplant those changed poll options with other athletes.
Good idea.

Jordan doesnt hold a candle to Bradman

[kennethgriffen]

Good idea.

Jordan doesnt hold a candle to Bradman


i think its easier to become the greatest cricket player than it is to become the greatest of a sport thats much harder to perfect


cricket is like baseball without a foul pole and the bats are flat... give babe ruth/barry bonds a cricket bat/take away foul poles and also take away defensive players gloves and they'd have .900 batting averages and hit 2000 homeruns each

[AlternativeAcc.]

i think its easier to become the greatest cricket player than it is to become the greatest of a sport thats much harder to perfect


cricket is like baseball without a foul pole and the bats are flat... give babe ruth/barry bonds a cricket bat/take away foul poles and also take away defensive players gloves and they'd have .900 batting averages and hit 2000 homeruns each
If cricket is easier to master than it would be harder to become GOAT due to the competition... 2.5 billion fans worldwide

1 guy sticks out... enormously

To be the goat of goats you have to dominate your sport more than the next goat. That's the criteria. Bradman dominated far more than bonds/cobb/ruth/William's or any other player you can name. Theres just no getting around it.

[lakers_forever]

Pele: Like Wilt + Russell. Crazy numbers and titles. First global superstar.
Ali
Jordan

That's the holy trinity for me.

For me it's hard to put some american football player there. You have to take in account the worldwide recognition of the sport. American football is pretty much only played in the US; irrelevant to the rest of the world.

[kennethgriffen]

If cricket is easier to master than it would be harder to become GOAT due to the competition... 2.5 billion fans worldwide

1 guy sticks out... enormously

To be the goat of goats you have to dominate your sport more than the next goat. That's the criteria. Bradman dominated far more than bonds/cobb/ruth/William's or any other player you can name. Theres just no getting around it.


the best hand/eye coordination/most powerful/fastest/best world athletes are not choosing cricket


its a 3rd world country sport.


the athletes with the best attrition, pedigree and most attention/respect are not playing cricket


a baseball player could transition to cricket way easier than a cricket player could transition to baseball


thats my point. your bradman guy is a poor mans mock baseball player that nobody cares or knows about outside of australia or some country with dead bodies floating in the river next to bathing homeless people