Who Is The Greatest Sportsman Of All Time?

[James D 0]

This is one of those topics that often divides people by the sports they watch the most. However every now and then a person comes along, that is just so damn good that even if you don't like a particular sport, you have to give them the respect they deserve.Some traits that I think should count are:TalentFair playSuccess (both on the field and off it)My vote goes to Tiger Woods. Even though he is mid-way through his career, I think it's still possible to call him the greatest of all time. The richest sportsman of the generation (not that 'greatness' can be measured by annual income), he dominates a popular sport in a way that no other has done before... Woods has won 13 majors, the second-most of any male player, and 63 PGA Tour events. He is the youngest player to achieve the Career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on Tour. He's held the number one position in the world rankings for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks. He has been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record nine times.There are many sportsmen (and woman), past and present who some may claim to be the greatest ever. Who gets your vote? Here's some names that I personally think could all be contenders. In no particular order:Michael Schumacher, Roger Federer, Mohamed Ali, Wayne Gretsky, Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, Pele, Don Bradman, Jesse Owens, Babe Ruth, Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz, Lance Armstrong.I know I will have missed lots of names off (I'm British, so I've tried to collect of fair representation of 'American' sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey too), and even sports that I didn't think of, but it's a start.

[showstopper24 0]

Josh Cribbs...but the second best is Tiger for sure. Nobody is/was as dominant as he is.

[bigkg 0]

He's ahead of Tiger because of the impact he had on sports culture.

[Jadaki 0]

Josh Cribbs...but the second best is Tiger for sure. Nobody is/was as dominant as he is.

I can't believe you didn't put LeBron up as your answer, at least that would have been mildly retarded instead of the rampant stupidity of putting the second best return man in the NFL.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

1) Tiger Woods without a doubt he changed the sport of golf. 2) Michael Jordon did the same with basketball3) Jeff Gordon like him or not... he won more NASCAR races and Championships in a shorter amount of time than anyone...ever.4) Brad Reuthinger from my old neighborhood...could spit a loogie nearly 75 feet.

[donk4life 34]

Anyone throw Lance Armstrong in there?

[HubDub04 0]

What no Brett Favre?My list would be:1) Tiger2) Brett Favre3) Michael Jordan

[bigkg 0]

Michael Jordan changed our perception of athletes forever.

[Jadaki 0]

What no Brett Favre?

Do you go out and buy Brett Favre shoes? Does he have his own recognizable logo? Just from a marketing standpoint he isn't even in the same universe as Woods and Jordan. Not to mention he hasn't been nearly as dominate as either of them are, 1 superbowl ring isn't going to cut it for this discussion.Favre isn't the best football player ever, not even the best QB.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Anyone throw Lance Armstrong in there?

Oh come one... he rode a bike. How hard is that? You even get to sit down while youre doing it.JUST KIDDING !I didnt add him because .... ummm.. I guess i forgot.

[donk4life 34]

Do you go out and buy Brett Favre shoes? Does he have his own recognizable logo? Just from a marketing standpoint he isn't even in the same universe as Woods and Jordan. Not to mention he hasn't been nearly as dominate as either of them are, 1 superbowl ring isn't going to cut it for this discussion.Favre isn't the best football player ever, not even the best QB.

Exactly.Hands down it's Michael Jordan. I think if Tiger Woods continues his dominance he will def. have to be considered, but he's still has a ton of years ahead of him.

[LJB723 0]

OP did say sportsmen or women so I'm going to throw out Carolina Kluft - unbeaten for 5 years as a multi-eventer, amazing.On the man front, Gretzky

[HubDub04 0]

You can't put Jordan ahead of Tiger for two main reasons.1) You said in your criteria that they needed to be a good off of the field athlete and Jordan was for the most part. But he has had major gambling issues that has hurt his image slightly, but not much.2) Tiger has never had any off of the course drama worth mentioning. He has won pretty much everything there is to be won on the PGA tour about 10 times over. The sick part is that Tiger still had 10 years minimum of dominate time left under his belt before he rides off into the sunset.

[HubDub04 0]

I also think Tom Brady should be in this conversation. Probably the best QB ever to play the game.

[Jadaki 0]

I also think Tom Brady should be in this conversation. Probably the best QB ever to play the game.

Brady still has fewer rings than Montana and Bradshaw.

[El Guapo 8]

1. Jordan2. Tiger3. Nobody even close

[bigkg 0]

Jordan wins this for the impact he had on sports culture. He was the first true sports superstar. Things like major endorsements by shoe companies and other brands weren't really anything until Jordan came around. His talent and performance speak for themselves.

[James D 0]

Where do you guys think Mohamed Ali figures in this? Top 10? Top 5? I'd think they'd be some who would consider him the greatest sportsman ever.In the days before the internet, huge sponsorhip and tons of sports channels, he was able to command a HUGE global fan base. His record is incredible ((56 wins, 5 losses - 3 of those losses coming in his last 4 fights, when his best days were long gone).He also overcame much adversity in his life, in order to become the massive international figure that he is. I'd say that his style, appeal and personality transformed a major sport.Who's had the most influence globally, Woods, Ali or Jordan? I dunno, I think it's fairly close. Who is/was the most dominant? I'd still say Woods... but very close.

[showstopper24 0]

Anyone throw Lance Armstrong in there?

I'll put him up here, but I have to say this.Golf is boring to watch (I like it, but for a majority of people, it is boring) and so is cycling. People like golf better, but still, I know a lot about golf because of Tiger. I know nothing about cycling, even though I was a Lance fan.

Hands down it's Michael Jordan. I think if Tiger Woods continues his dominance he will def. have to be considered, but he's still has a ton of years ahead of him.

I was just in a grocery store in Miami and I saw Tiger water.

[Jadaki 0]

Where do you guys think Mohamed Ali figures in this?

I'd have a hard time placing him for two reasons. The prime of his career was before I was born, so I didn't get to see his social impact though I've read and seen historical reports of it. Boxing isn't a major sport to me, so even if he was on a level with whatever person you want to name from football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and even golf it doesn't carry as much weight with me as someone in those sports would.Golf is usually boring to watch if you don't play the sport. Once you understand the sport a bit it becomes much more entertaining.

[bigkg 0]

I'd have a hard time placing him for two reasons. The prime of his career was before I was born, so I didn't get to see his social impact though I've read and seen historical reports of it. Boxing isn't a major sport to me, so even if he was on a level with whatever person you want to name from football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and even golf it doesn't carry as much weight with me as someone in those sports would.Golf is usually boring to watch if you don't play the sport. Once you understand the sport a bit it becomes much more entertaining.

Surely you've read enough about boxing to realize that it was probably the 2nd most popular sport in America during the 50's, 60's, and part of the 70's only behind baseball.To whoever said Ali didn't have advantages such as endorsements, Jordan was the reason these endorsements became so popular. I've said this like 3 times in this thread and this puts Jordan above everybody. He changed sports forever.

[Jadaki 0]

Surely you've read enough about boxing to realize that it was probably the 2nd most popular sport in America during the 50's, 60's, and part of the 70's only behind baseball.

It's also a dying sport now and has been for a while. Too much corruption, better competition (MMA) and to many organizations...

[king_tanner 84]

For people in my age range it has to be Michael Jordan.There is no other athlete that people have been in awe about whether you liked him or not. Tiger Woods' stats are amazing, but he doesn't have the buzz surrounding him that Jordan had. There isn't anything Tiger can do about it because lots of people see golf as a boring sport to watch. If golf was on the same popularity level as basketball it would be Tiger, but its not and probably will never be so it has to be Jordan.

[king_tanner 84]

You can't put Jordan ahead of Tiger for two main reasons.1) You said in your criteria that they needed to be a good off of the field athlete and Jordan was for the most part. But he has had major gambling issues that has hurt his image slightly, but not much.2) Tiger has never had any off of the course drama worth mentioning. He has won pretty much everything there is to be won on the PGA tour about 10 times over. The sick part is that Tiger still had 10 years minimum of dominate time left under his belt before he rides off into the sunset.

I think the gambling stuff could (and maybe should have) put a negative light on Jordan, but it didn't change his image at all. When people talk about Jordan you never hear people talk about his gambling.Your right Tiger hasn't had any off course drama, but he has had some on course. Sometimes he comes off as being a diva. At Pebble Beach a couple years ago he freaked out on some kid who messed up his order on a hot dog in the clubhouse. He just seems stuck up and whiny sometimes on the course. This should have nothing to do with his greatness though, like gambling shouldn't have anything to do with Jordan.You obviously can't compare Tiger's durability to Jordan by saying he has 10 years minimum left to dominate even when he has won everything. Golf obviously isn't as physically demanding as basketball, golfers can win PGA events in their 50's.

[Buckeye Hughes 0]

Tiger over Jordan, and when you actually think about it, its not really that close. Jordan changed the game of basketball and revitalized the NBA along side Bird and Magic. There is no arguing that the NBA was not as interesting before Jordan and hasn't been interesting since Jordan retired. Jordan also made athletes truly marketable. Before Jordan there were athletic endorsers sure, but none of them had the impact that Jordan had. Name me ONE other athletic endorser that had people lined up when his or her new product came out. When a new pair of Jordans hit the market they were the hottest thing out there. Hell some kids got shot over them.On the court, Jordan really had no equal. I think Magic made the people he played with better, which was never really a quality Jordan had. But there is no doubt no one did more for the sport of basketball than Michael Jordan (save James Naismith).Tiger on the other had has not only changed the game of golf, he has changed an entire culture. Think for a minute the significance of a player of color (Tiger IS NOT black) winning the Masters. For those of you not familiar with golf, many players consider the Masters the greatest major (not Euros). Furthermore, this is a club that never allowed minorities near the clubhouse. To have Tiger win his first professional major here was beyond historic. The manner in which Tiger generally wins is pure and utter domination. He has destroyed fields in many of his wins. The fact is, if Tiger is at the top of the leader board, he instills a fear in the other players. They know they can't win, and Tiger knows that they know this. The difference between Tiger and Jack Nicklaus was that Jack wanted to win by one. Tiger wants to win by ten or more. Before he is done, Tiger will own every major record in the game.What Tiger has done off the course really sets him apart in my mind. His development of The First Tee, The Earl Woods Learning Center, and his countless charities have made the world a better place. The purses in golf tournaments are at the astronomical numbers they are because of him. This in turn leads to millions of dollars more to the local charities. Tiger's indirect efforts are more than most of the world will ever be able to commit to charity.Tiger modeled much of his career after Jordan, but as he will do with Nicklaus, he has surpassed Jordan. The scary part is Tiger is just now entering what most golfers consider the ideal age. If he continues to yearn to dominate his sport he will do so for as long as he likes. His time after his golfing life is over will continue to bring good things to people less fortunate. Tiger has made the lives of others better. Can Jordan say the same thing?