OT: top 10 athletes in recent history

[BobDigital]

I was thinking of putting wrestling and gymnast on but i simply didn't know enough about those sports. Surely some of those people should be in contention at the least.

 

[signbabybrady]

There are athletes and there are athletes who dominated their sports and there are individuals who are not physically gifted but because of their skill and hard work, dominate their profession.

IMO Bo Jackson is the greatest all-around athlete who ever lived.

Tom Brady is the GoAT of football
MJ hoop
Orr all-around (Gretzky GoAT scorer)
Pele soccer
Phelps GoAT Olympian
Willie Mays baseball
Jack golf
Bolt sprinting

I went searching this thread for Bo.

He was an All Star in 2 different sports and real sports at that too. Hard to give it to someone else.

I can't give it to a swimmer swimming isn't a sport it's something you do to keep from drowning. Running doesn't count either that's something you do to get somewhere.

I had to fight the urge to just go with Brady but with bias aside it's Bo.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I went searching this thread for Bo.

He was an All Star in 2 different sports and real sports at that too. Hard to give it to someone else.

I can't give it to a swimmer swimming isn't a sport it's something you do to keep from drowning. Running doesn't count either that's something you do to get somewhere.

I had to fight the urge to just go with Brady but with bias aside it's Bo.

Swimming can be debated for sure. IMO you need to be physically gifted, have a certain body type and have great endurance to be successful. What Phelps has been able to accomplish over his career is sick.

At Auburn, Bo also ran a 10.39 in the 100m at 230 lbs. Insane.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

A couple of sports americans suck at:

-winter sports
-rugby
-soccer

We pretty much own everything else.

 

[signbabybrady]

Swimming can be debated for sure. IMO you need to be physically gifted, have a certain body type and have great endurance to be successful. What Phelps has been able to accomplish over his career is sick.

At Auburn, Bo also ran a 10.39 in the 100m at 230 lbs. Insane.

To be clear I am partially joking as clearly what Phelps has done is very impressive. Just that you have to consider that swimming is a single threaded skill where as a sport like football combines several different skills. And to be able to play 2 at such a high level as Bo should end the debate.

 

[RobertWeathers]

To be clear I am partially joking as clearly what Phelps has done is very impressive. Just that you have to consider that swimming is a single threaded skill where as a sport like football combines several different skills. And to be able to play 2 at such a high level as Bo should end the debate.

Of course Bo is a better athlete than Phelps. That is not a debate.

What is a debate is who was a more dominant professional in their respective sports. IMO Phelps > Bo.

I think we are OT.

 

[patsfan13]

Decathletes can make a legit claim as world's best all around athletes.


Running, sprints obstacles, distance, throwing, strength and skill, jumping covers the range of human athletic skills.

Bob Richards
Daley Thompson
ROman Sebrle
Ashton Eaton

 

[RobertWeathers]

A couple of sports americans suck at:

-winter sports
-rugby
-soccer

We pretty much own everything else.

Terrible at ping pong as well.

I consider myself a pretty good player and when I was going to China a lot I played vs people that were in my org. My first couple of games I held my own but then one of my guys told me that they were going easy on me out of respect. I told my translator buddy to tell them that while I appreciate their respect, I wanted them to try their best to beat me as that is the only way I can improve.

For the next 5 games to 11 I scored a total of ~7 points. LOL.

 

[signbabybrady]

Of course Bo is a better athlete than Phelps. That is not a debate.

What is a debate is who was a more dominant professional in their respective sports. IMO Phelps > Bo.

I think we are OT.

If you put it that way then Phelps moves up the list but now I'm putting Brady at the top.

 

[manxman2601]

Jahangir Khan, Squash, Pakistan

From 1981 to 1986, he was unbeaten in competitive play. During that time he won 555 matches consecutively, the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sports as recorded by Guinness World Records

Jahangir Khan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[RobertWeathers]

If you put it that way then Phelps moves up the list but now I'm putting Brady at the top.

Brady at the top of a team sport is very reasonable. Even Phelps has 1/2 of his medals in relays so you can make the argument.

I think a Qb deals with 1000s of different variables that impact his success and for TB12 to accomplish what he has demonstrates his greatness, impact and dominance over his career while Phelps 1/2 the time needed to really focus on one person- himself. Same goes for tennis players.

 

[Ring 6]

Pure athletic talent vs skill.

Golf is a skill sport that can be played at a high level by people with poor athletic skills.

Track and Field events, wrestling, other olympic sports require an exceptional level of athletic ability.

Not sure how you separate the 2. Swimming is talent throwing is skill? Why?
Why is wresting more athletic than OL play?
Gymnasts need balance and flexibility aren't those skills?
Is running fast more "athletic" than weightlifting?
I think athletics is about competition not debating which competitive skill counts and which doesn't.

 

[Ring 6]

Has Michael Jordan really not been mentioned?

 

[IllegalContact]

besides me?

Magnus Magnusson.........because his name literally said it all

and to spend your life looking like you're going to blow your O ring

 

[Froob]

Russell deserves to be on there, Olympic gold medalist, 11 time NBA champ, 2x NCAA champ, 1(?) time high school state champ.

 

[IllegalContact]

in all seriousness though.....

Muhammad Ali.....pencils down

 

[IllegalContact]

Russell deserves to be on there, Olympic gold medalist, 11 time NBA champ, 2x NCAA champ, 1(?) time high school state champ.

lose points for team sports....should probably be 2 separate lists.......

 

[WaterfallJumper]

besides me?

Magnus Magnusson.........because his name literally said it all

and to spend your life looking like you're going to blow your O ring

I prefer this Magnus Magnusson, the narrator of Vikings:

 

[pazrul72]

This is really two very different questions, are you talking athlete which is just pure God given ability or player which adds in drive, willpower, and intangibles. For example Lebron is probably 2-3 times the athlete MJ is yet I would take prime MJ 11 out of 10 times in a game. Prime Pay me a Ton could do things with a football few have ever seen. I still want Brady when the shots are real. Brady is somewhere around 10,000th best athlete but HAS to be top ten of any player list. For the question of top 10 athletes I think you have to throw out the results like Super Bowl wins etc and just look at the OMG did you see THAT moments. I admit to not watching enough sports besides football to have a list of my own.

 

[Pop222]

Sport since human beings began walking upright - Running
Most demanding race - Marathon
Best venue - Olympics

Abebe Bikila