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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.With the way James is carrying that Cavs team of cast-offs, there is no debate.
I don't root for the guy since he's no longer on the Heat, but this is straight up impressive. Still, the Cavs would be in a hole if not for Delevedova. The way he's guarding Curry is the game changer in this series. Curry is also choking a bit, but still. His defense mixed with LeBron being unstoppable has been Cleveland's saving grace. So soak it up, you fat bastards hailing from that **** hole of a city. Your boy came to the Heat to learn how to win, and win he did.
They have to definite 'athlete'. I'm assuming it's just being used as a synonym for 'sports player'?
If so, I'd have LeBron and Brady as the top 2 for this century so far.
For my money it's Laird Hamilton, and he doesn't even compete. He invented tow in surfing and had more to do with big wave surfing than anyone else. He's the greatest surfer of all time and very few can actually even do what he does. It takes a rare athlete to surf 60-80 foot waves and it is believed that Hamilton and a couple friends actually surfed some that were over 100 feet. (According to Susan Casey who wrote The Wave and spent a year with Hamilton and crew). As great as the athletes already named are none have the athletic ability to ever do what Hamilton can do.
Not to mention the testicles...
Good call on Laird.
Messi....hands down. Its not even close. The greatest ever in the world's most played and popular sport.If the criteria is American atheletes then Phelps would have gotten my vote with Brady a close second. If it's international, it gets more tricky because Federer is up there winning all those tennis Majors and beating Sampras as well. I would also consider Lionel Messi conquering the world's biggest sport and regarded as the GOAT in soccer
Messi....hands down. Its not even close. The greatest ever in the world's most played and popular sport.
Only 27 years old, ......."Often considered the best player in the world and rated by some in the sport as the greatest of all time,[3][4][5][6][7][8] Messi is the first football player in history to win four FIFA/Ballons d'Or, all of which he won consecutively, and the first to win three European Golden Shoe awards. With Barcelona, Messi has won seven La Ligas, three Copas del Rey, six Supercopas de España, four UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups."............some nonsense.....what a choker.Whatever..... How many teams he was on choked in how many champions league seasons and WCs? How many other soccer players were proclaimed just so great for a few years. Flavor of the month... Get outta here with that messi nonsense.
popularity contests... IIRC in 2001-02 not aOnly 27 years old, ......."Often considered the best player in the world and rated by some in the sport as the greatest of all time,[3][4][5][6][7][8] Messi is the first football player in history to win four FIFA/Ballons d'Or, all of which he won consecutively, and the first to win three European Golden Shoe awards.
With Barcelona, Messi has won seven La Ligas, three Copas del Rey, six Supercopas de España, four UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups and
Great, won twice in a competition of a total of SEVEN TEAMS (see again Yankees comment ref a single player on teams with outrageous payrolls). ("The current format of the tournament involves seven teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation over a period of about two weeks; ")two FIFA Club World Cups."............some nonsense.....what a choker.
And unlike the NFL with 32 teams in one country, 209 nations compete through FIFA with thousands of professional teams throughout the world. "Best in the world" actually means what it says. And since the OP is about the 21st century, Messi clearly owns this century. I love the American mentality that has to believe only their sports matter. They love to be World champs in sports the rest of the world bypasses
FIFA U-20 World Cup: Winner 2005 Netherlands U-20 Team
Copa América: Runner-up 2007 Venezuela Team
Olympic Games:.2008 Beijing Olympic Team
FIFA World Cup: Runner-up 2014 Brazil
Cmmon Gumby I am a die hard Madrid fan but when you see Messi play you can only slow him down but he'll eventually find a way to hurt you.
Cmmon Gumby I am a die hard Madrid fan but when you see Messi play you can only slow him down but he'll eventually find a way to hurt you.
By the age of 22, XXXX had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2008, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He followed this up by winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013 and 2014. He also won the 2013–14 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. In January 2014, XXXX scored his 400th senior career goal for club and country aged 28.[3]
Often ranked as the best player in the world and rated by some in the sport as the greatest of all time,[4][5][6][7][8][9] XXXX is the first Portuguese footballer to win three FIFA/Ballons d'Or, and the first player to win four European Golden Shoeawards. In January 2015, XXXX was named as the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation, during its 100th anniversary celebrations.[10][11] With Manchester United and Real Madrid, he has won three Premier Leagues, one La Liga, one FA Cup, two Football League Cups, two Copas del Rey, one FA Community Shield, one Supercopas de España, two UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Super Cupand two FIFA Club World Cups.
Whatever..... How many teams he was on choked in how many champions league seasons and WCs? How many other soccer players were proclaimed just so great for a few years. Flavor of the month... Get outta here with that messi nonsense.