With Tiger’s Masters win today, Twatter is asking if he’s the greatest athlete ever. This poll asks: name you greatest athlete you’ve seen. (So Jim Brown, Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens etc all off the table)
Use whatever criteria you wish. Can only pick one. [Reply]
Being a Bostonian I have so many to choose from--Brady, Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, to name a few--but I'd have to go with...
From Wikipedia:
William Felton Russell (born February 12, 1934) is an American retired professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven NBA championships during his thirteen-year career. Russell and Henri Richard of the National Hockey League are tied for the record of the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league.
(And he did this at a time when blacks were second class citizens, especially in the northeast.) [Reply]
Originally Posted by JD10367:
Being a Bostonian I have so many to choose from--Brady, Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, to name a few--but I'd have to go with...
From Wikipedia:
William Felton Russell (born February 12, 1934) is an American retired professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven NBA championships during his thirteen-year career. Russell and Henri Richard of the National Hockey League are tied for the record of the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league.
(And he did this at a time when blacks were second class citizens, especially in the northeast.)
Jordan and for me it isn't particularly close. Lots of great individual athletes. Just can't compare a team sport to an individual sport. Let alone a sport that requires strategy vs one that doesn't. Jordan was a great player but in the clutch, I don't think anyone in any sport will ever match him. [Reply]
My favorite Jordan story was bill Simmons said he used to motion to the bench to basically pull players when someone wasn't doing their job. Nobody cared about winning more than MJ. He was a maniacal asshole but that's what made him great. [Reply]
Got to go with Mike as well. Not sure in any other sport you could get 70% of the current players to agree on a GOAT at their sport. MJ just did that. [Reply]
Honestly there are two athletes right now that may be the best ever that we're just now watching, in terms of sheer historic dominance.
One is Katie Ledecky, the distance swimmer. The other is Simone Biles, in gymnastics. They both shook me at how much better they were than everybody else -- it was like they are playing a different sport.
I know those aren't high-level sports, though, and I don't think you can consider either of them until their careers are more complete.
So I'll say the most greatest athletes in terms of sports dominance:
Wayne Gretzky
Michael Jordan
Roger Federer
Edit: Bill Russell
Greatest athletes in terms of sheer athletic ability:
Wilt Chamberlain
Deon Sanders
Bo Jackson
The most fun I've had watching an athlete perform:
Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501:
Jordan and for me it isn't particularly close. Lots of great individual athletes. Just can't compare a team sport to an individual sport. Let alone a sport that requires strategy vs one that doesn't. Jordan was a great player but in the clutch, I don't think anyone in any sport will ever match him.
Originally Posted by Direckshun:
Honestly there are two athletes right now that may be the best ever that we're just now watching, in terms of sheer historic dominance.
One is Katie Ledecky, the distance swimmer. The other is Simone Biles, in gymnastics. They both shook me at how much better they were than everybody else -- it was like they are playing a different sport.
I know those aren't high-level sports, though, and I don't think you can consider either of them until their careers are more complete.
So I'll say the most greatest athletes in terms of sports dominance:
Michael Jordan
Roger Federer
Greatest athletes in terms of sheer athletic ability:
Deon Sanders
Bo Jackson
The most fun I've had watching an athlete perform:
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt more fun to watch than Mahomes? [Reply]