Who Is The Greatest Sportsman Of All Time?

[showstopper24 0]

I guess Hank Aaron just said that Tiger is by far the best and most dominant sportsman of all time.

[runthemover 39]

Jim Thorpe has to be in this conversation. Gold medalist. Basketball. Baseball. Most famous for football though.And, like one other guy mentioned, Gretzky should definitely be in there too.

[LJB723 0]

And, like one other guy mentioned, Gretzky should definitely be in there too.

<<<<GuyHockey fans don't seem to be anywhere near this thread though...

[Jam-Fly 8]

I think Michael Jordan has to be number 1. People who've never heard of the NBA know who Michael Jordan is. Ali and Woods both definitely have to be up there as well. What about Zinedine Zidane? Where would you rank him? I think he'd be outside the top 5, and probably the top 10, but would he make the top 20? His headbutt on Materazzi really ruined his reputation, but if that didn't happen, he'd be up high in my list I think.

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

This list is all time, and I think too many people are making the error of recency.Jeff Gordon? Is that a joke? Earnhardt and Richard Petty had more impact on their sport, much less on the culture at large.Brett Farve? Is that a joke? He's not even in the top five qb's of all time, lets be serious people.Tiger woods and jordan are huge, as they've both had huge impacts. I would say jordan had more cultural impact, being in the right place at the right time as he was in terms of marketing. Woods had more impact on his sport, making it a legitimate TV sport when he's in the running for a title, brining in tons more cash and endorsements to the sport. His cultural impact is yet to be determined, but his greatness isn't.But there are others. ASk a 45 year old black man what Ali's impact was. Ali was a great, great boxer. But no serious boxing scholar ranks him the greatest of all time. But he was of such huge cultural importance, an icon and a legitimate civil rights leader. He had a huge cultural impact on how african American athletes acted. Pre-ali, Black athletes had to be very subdued, very quiet and respectful and vanillia ( for lack of a better word) After Ali, they could be colorful, brash, braggadocios. For better or worse, Ali impacted all sports. His impact is much harder to see now.. I highly recommend Ali Raps and When they were kings for further ALI goodness. But the guy who really gets left out of these conversations is Ruth. Babe Ruth was one of the first celebrities, period. One of the first larger than life american icons, sports or otherwise, who's life was covered by the media. His impact on baseball can't be understated. He first set the single season home run record in 1919 with 29. The next year he hit 54 homeruns, more homeruns than every TEAM other than the yankees and phillies. Do you know what a huge gap he had between the next man a that time? No one, has ever had that big of gap between them and the next guy, in any sport. He transformed baseball, and ushered in the live ball era. the word "Ruthian" entered our lexicon as a larger than life accomplishment, and is still used today 80 years later. Sure, he didn't hit against black pitchers, sure it was a different era, yeah yea yeah. But no one has ever had such a huge impact as ruth, and on single person ever will again, the way media is and the way sports are supersaturated. No single person could transform a game, or loom so large over america. Babe ruth isn't really even a man anymore, he's more of a myth akin to paul Bunyon or bill brasky. Me personally, I think it's ruth ftw, and it's not even close.Also, Pele needs to be mentioned by someone. It might as well be me who mentions him. Brett Favre? That makes me want to puke.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Tank Abbot

[James D 0]

Good analysis McGee... agree with much of it, mainly the overall theme that 'older guys' do tend to get left out of this type of conversation. And obviously, there was nothing they could do about it, in terms of making their name so well known around the world, compared to sports stars today...Jordan may have accelerated the mass marketing/sponsorship/mega sponsorship deals (although really.. he WAS preceded by Ali in terms of grabbing a whole generation's attention), but it simply could not have happened 50 years ago, no matter how good they were. TV and meda coverage then, was probably 1/20th of what it is today.Fyi though, both Babe Ruth and Pele are mentioned in my list in the OP.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Good analysis McGee... agree with much of it, mainly the overall theme that 'older guys' do tend to get left out of this type of conversation. And obviously, there was nothing they could do about it, in terms of making their name so well known around the world, compared to sports stars today...Jordan may have accelerated the mass marketing/sponsorship/mega sponsorship deals (although really.. he WAS preceded by Ali in terms of grabbing a whole generation's attention), but it simply could not have happened 50 years ago, no matter how good they were. TV and meda coverage then, was probably 1/20th of what it is today.Fyi though, both Babe Ruth and Pele are mentioned in my list in the OP.

Oooo...i forgot Pele... GOOD pick

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

Good analysis McGee... agree with much of it, mainly the overall theme that 'older guys' do tend to get left out of this type of conversation. And obviously, there was nothing they could do about it, in terms of making their name so well known around the world, compared to sports stars today...Jordan may have accelerated the mass marketing/sponsorship/mega sponsorship deals (although really.. he WAS preceded by Ali in terms of grabbing a whole generation's attention), but it simply could not have happened 50 years ago, no matter how good they were. TV and meda coverage then, was probably 1/20th of what it is today.Fyi though, both Babe Ruth and Pele are mentioned in my list in the OP.

oh, I know, but no one gave them love, I mean, people said brett farve unironically, and that chapped my ass.

[LJB723 0]

Pele is certainly a good nominee but I don't think he is even the best footballer ever. His achievment of scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final at 17 is staggering but that Brazil team, and every other Brazil team he played on, was unbelievably good. Look at the 1970 team for example, taken to be the greatest national team ever, they would have still won that World Cup without Pele. If we are going to include footballers then it has to be Maradona for me. He single handedly (no pun intended) won the 1986 World Cup, that Argentina side were nothing without him. And the Napoli side he played for had won nothing for an eternity until he showed up.As for Zizou, a frighteningly talented man but I'm not sure if he's top 5 in the football stakes. I'd say:1. Maradona2. Pele3. Beckenbauer4. Cryuff5. Di Stefano/Puskas/Eusabio (I can't decide)

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

Pele is certainly a good nominee but I don't think he is even the best footballer ever. His achievment of scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final at 17 is staggering but that Brazil team, and every other Brazil team he played on, was unbelievably good. Look at the 1970 team for example, taken to be the greatest national team ever, they would have still won that World Cup without Pele. If we are going to include footballers then it has to be Maradona for me. He single handedly (no pun intended) won the 1986 World Cup, that Argentina side were nothing without him. And the Napoli side he played for had won nothing for an eternity until he showed up.As for Zizou, a frighteningly talented man but I'm not sure if he's top 5 in the football stakes. I'd say:1. Maradona2. Pele3. Beckenbauer4. Cryuff5. Di Stefano/Puskas/Eusabio (I can't decide)

yeah, but again, I was thinking about Pele's impact on the popularization of the sport, and his help in legitimizing non-european soccer, as the face of south american soccer, and as the face of a whole new style of play.I love, love love maradona, but I think he has too much negative along with him to be considered the greatest sportman of all time. To me, the title greatest sports man has to go beyond your impact on the field of play, but also into your effect on the game itself, culture, media, ect. Ali isn't the greatest boxer of all time, but he may be the greatest sportsman of all time, I thin kthe same is true for the pele/maradona thing.

[El Guapo 8]

What about Zinedine Zidane?

considering i had to google him, and still have no idea who he is.no

[LJB723 0]

yeah, but again, I was thinking about Pele's impact on the popularization of the sport, and his help in legitimizing non-european soccer, as the face of south american soccer, and as the face of a whole new style of play.I love, love love maradona, but I think he has too much negative along with him to be considered the greatest sportman of all time. To me, the title greatest sports man has to go beyond your impact on the field of play, but also into your effect on the game itself, culture, media, ect. Ali isn't the greatest boxer of all time, but he may be the greatest sportsman of all time, I thin kthe same is true for the pele/maradona thing.

Football didn't need to be legitimised in Europe. Hungary, Germany and Italy had done that fine. And South American football had been king for awhile after Uruguay's World Cup and Olympic titles. What I will agree with is Pele being the first football megastar and did make a great posterboy for the Samba style of play. And of course Maradona's off-field exploits will taint him forever. But what I have come to like about him is his honesty when asked about anything in the current state of football; he shoots from the hip, he doesn't have to answer to anyone. Pele on the otherhand strikes me as FIFA's yes-man; held up to endorse whatever whacky idea Blatter and co have but because they have Pele agree everyone else will have to because he is such a friggin' angel! Bah, that's not real-life. And don't get me started on the viagra commercials....

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

Football didn't need to be legitimised in Europe. Hungary, Germany and Italy had done that fine. And South American football had been king for awhile after Uruguay's World Cup and Olympic titles. What I will agree with is Pele being the first football megastar and did make a great posterboy for the Samba style of play. And of course Maradona's off-field exploits will taint him forever. But what I have come to like about him is his honesty when asked about anything in the current state of football; he shoots from the hip, he doesn't have to answer to anyone. Pele on the otherhand strikes me as FIFA's yes-man; held up to endorse whatever whacky idea Blatter and co have but because they have Pele agree everyone else will have to because he is such a friggin' angel! Bah, that's not real-life. And don't get me started on the viagra commercials....

What I loved about maradona vs today, is that he never, ever dived. Some of his greatest goals, he gets fouled mercilessly. IN today's game, he just would have flopped, but instead he fought through it and scored spectacular goals. If he would have dove like today's people do, he probably would have gotten more goals actually, from all the free kicks and penalties he earned, but he wouldn't have been a legend.

[LJB723 0]

What I loved about maradona vs today, is that he never, ever dived. Some of his greatest goals, he gets fouled mercilessly. IN today's game, he just would have flopped, but instead he fought through it and scored spectacular goals. If he would have dove like today's people do, he probably would have gotten more goals actually, from all the free kicks and penalties he earned, but he wouldn't have been a legend.

Too true my friend. Those were the good ol' days! Before gamesmanship was commonplace and diving taught at football 101. Eusebio is another great example of a great player who never went to ground as soon as the breeze picked up. He got kicked to shreds in '66! It's quite sad that I can't think of many greats in the modern game I can say the same about. Zizou wasn't a diver, neither is (Brazilian) Ronaldo or Kaka and those boys get kicked a fair bit too.

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

Too true my friend. Those were the good ol' days! Before gamesmanship was commonplace and diving taught at football 101. Eusebio is another great example of a great player who never went to ground as soon as the breeze picked up. He got kicked to shreds in '66! It's quite sad that I can't think of many greats in the modern game I can say the same about. Zizou wasn't a diver, neither is (Brazilian) Ronaldo or Kaka and those boys get kicked a fair bit too.

Ronaldo is an absolute bull.

[Untilted 158]

What I loved about maradona vs today, is that he never, ever dived. Some of his greatest goals, he gets fouled mercilessly. IN today's game, he just would have flopped, but instead he fought through it and scored spectacular goals. If he would have dove like today's people do, he probably would have gotten more goals actually, from all the free kicks and penalties he earned, but he wouldn't have been a legend.

Good point, but one hand makes up for a 100 dives

[Untilted 158]

I always hear a lot of people recognizing Ali as the most popular global athlete of all time. This has always made me ill. I will always consider Ali the god-father of the self-indulging, chest thumping, look at me current athlete

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

Good point, but one hand makes up for a 100 dives

pah, who are you to question the will of god?

[ahosang 0]

My $0.02I don't like golf, and think it's rubbish, but seriously, Tiger Woods can play!!!Yes, jordan was legend, but i think he is just a spectacular personality - like Ali was - and also a team sport player is gonna be hard to get 'Best Sportsman', but good argument for him in terms of public impact.On the football front, let's be clear, Maradona's achievements weren't just winning the World Cup and reaching a final with a crap team, but perhaps more importantly to the argument, helping Napoli win 2 Italian titles - you don't know how big that is. Any side with him in it were lifted way above their normal ability...I'd grudgingly give it to Tiger - he's consistently crushing large fields. Side argument - woman - I'd say Navratilova...

[showstopper24 0]

My $0.02I don't like golf, and think it's rubbish, but seriously, Tiger Woods can play!!!

And...he won Sportcenter's "Who's Now?" contest.

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

I always hear a lot of people recognizing Ali as the most popular global athlete of all time. This has always made me ill. I will always consider Ali the god-father of the self-indulging, chest thumping, look at me current athlete

Yes, heaven forbid African American's stop their false front, soft spoken, soft shoe for the white man. Heaven forbid an athlete have color, charisma and magnetism. Heaven forbid they be entertaining.

[Jam-Fly 8]

I don't like Pele. Too much of a money-bagger.

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

I don't like Pele. Too much of a money-bagger.

I'm not sure what you mean. YOu hate him 'cause he's rich? Is that a phrase that loses something in american translation?

[HubDub04 0]

Yes, heaven forbid African American's stop their false front, soft spoken, soft shoe for the white man. Heaven forbid an athlete have color, charisma and magnetism. Heaven forbid they be entertaining.

You have got to be kidding me. I don't know what nationality you are (assuming black) but seriously, why does everything have to come down to race? There have been tons of black musicians, athletes, activists, and politians who have never been soft spoken or put up a "false front for the white man". I don't understand your "argument" at all.