Who's your Mount Rushmore of Boston Sports?

[Patsfanin Philly]

Not only did he combat it - he never lost his positive attitude. The man was a class act.

He won 2 high school state championships, back to back NCAA championships, throw in an Olympic Gold medal and 11 rings in 13 years....... Sorry LeBron, Sorry MJ, Sorry Kobe, there's my GOAT right there.....

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

Boston is the easiest town to do this in for one in each of the four major sports. Each sport has a player so far ahead of the others there should not even be a discussion really…it should just be an acknowledgement to their greatness and a beer raised to them.

Russel
Williams
Orr
Brady

How anybody in their right mind could put Papi over Williams is just laughable at best.

Using championships as the main criteria is also laughable unless you are talking tennis, boxing, or golf. Using that BS criteria, Aaron Rogers rates no better than Jeff Hostettler, Mark Rypien or Trent Dilfer. John Hannah never won a championship yet he is the best or 2nd best Guard to ever play the game.

leaving Teddy Ballgame off…..just SMH….and laughing.

BTW if you are just doing your Rushmore based on who you watched…no problems…but if all time Boston sports is the goal….it really is too easy.

 

[yukon cornelius]

Brady
.....
.....
.....
Orr
Russell
Ortiz

I am a championships matter person.

then bill russell is still top tier?

his teams won 11, and 8 straight? 11 in 13 years?

 

[rochrist]

Brady GOAT
Orr GOAT - He is and I'm not just stating that because I'm from NE.
Williams GOAT hitter
Russell GOAT 9 World Championships as a player and 2 more World Championships as a Coach.

That's player/coach.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Boston is the easiest town to do this in for one in each of the four major sports. Each sport has a player so far ahead of the others there should not even be a discussion really…it should just be an acknowledgement to their greatness and a beer raised to them.

Russel
Williams
Orr
Brady

How anybody in their right mind could put Papi over Williams is just laughable at best.

Using championships as the main criteria is also laughable unless you are talking tennis, boxing, or golf. Using that BS criteria, Aaron Rogers rates no better than Jeff Hostettler, Mark Rypien or Trent Dilfer. John Hannah never won a championship yet he is the best or 2nd best Guard to ever play the game.

leaving Teddy Ballgame off…..just SMH….and laughing.

BTW if you are just doing your Rushmore based on who you watched…no problems…but if all time Boston sports is the goal….it really is too easy.

If championships don't matter then Bill Russell needs to come off your list.

Can't have it both ways.

 

[Hyped]

Ted Williams
Bill Russell
Bobby Orr
Tom brady

With extras for: Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, and Larry Bird.....c'mon...Papi was UNSTOPPABLE in the 2013 playoffs!

 

[foxboroughfraser]

Yeah I'm a Boston sports fan but I'm not a delusional homer. Only Boston diehards think Russel is the goat over Jordan

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[jimnance]

Four Heads: Brady in 2001, Brady in 2007, Brady in 2014, Brady in 2020

2016 says hello

 

[jimnance]

Yeah I'm a Boston sports fan but I'm not a delusional homer. Only Boston diehards think Russel is the goat over Jordan

Not true. There are many from all over the country,not Celtics fans who put Russell #1. That includes many former NBA players and coaches. Yes, there's a larger # who put MJ #1, but it's by no means unanimous. Brady is more of a slamdunk GOAT in his sport than MJ is in his.
That's the facts,Jack.
Btw,I'm a C's fan, grew up watching Russell and I grudgingly put MJ#1 over Big Bill at #2- but not by much. That's purely on the court. Off the court,as a man- it's not remotely close- Russell is/was 10× the man MJ ever dreamed of being.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

For number four:

-Bird
-Bourque
-Cousy
-Martinez
-Ortiz
-Williams

Might add a poll to this thread. It would be more symmetrical to have a baseball player. I'd like to vote for Pedro, but he was only there for six seasons (seemed like more than that.) Ortiz was amazing and has the championships, but Williams is a top 5 all-time player. I have to go with Williams.

 

[TommyD4207]

Rus
Orr
TB12
Papi

Championships matter.

I'd have Pedro ahead of Ortiz, just because of the sheer dominance he had for a stretch, but I totally can't argue against Ortiz.

This is my list, otherwise.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Tom Brady, Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, Ted Williams

As much as it pains me to not have Larry Bird on there, we have without much argument:

1) the GOAT football QB and clear top 5 overall football player, the all-time winner in FB
2) clear top 5 NHL player (top 2, really, maybe #1)
3) clear top 5 basketball player, all-time winner in any sport
4) the GOAT hitter and clear top 10 overall baseball player

The only hesitation is Teddy Ballgame's lack of championship success. I just can't replace him with Bird, though. Teddy without losing the WWII years to the war effort would have had insane career numbers.

 

[Bruins29]

i'm with you on this one, i have them in two tiers:

Tier 1
Bill Russel - not only did he just win, but his legacy of combating racism transcends his on the court accomplishments

Ted - gave up 5 seasons in his prime, ended up being one of the greatest fighter pilots of his era (john glenn called him the best), and then just picked up where he left off......greatest hitter of all time

Tier 2
Orr - redefined the position, changed the game......his knees betrayed him, but he ushered in the modern era of hockey

Tom Brady - GOAT QB, just a winner, he is the poster boy for making the most of opportunity and getting it done when it counts



i think the real debate happens with 5, 6,7 & 8

I appreciate Russell and Williams greatness and sacrifice. And Russell stands over everyone else as a team sport champion. But I cant agree putting Williams in a Tier over Brady. Cant do it.

Brady was that great in a league that was designed to prevent him from doing what he did and on top of it a league that cheated to insure he couldn't continue. Brady's 6 rings are => whatever Williams did on/off the field.

 

[Bruins29]

I'd have Pedro ahead of Ortiz, just because of the sheer dominance he had for a stretch, but I totally can't argue against Ortiz.

This is my list, otherwise.

If its "face of the city" and GREATNESS - Mount Rushmore stuff - Ortiz is a better choice over Pedro IMO. But the top 4 are pretty set. I cant see Ortiz over Williams unless you are trying to appeal to a whole generation (or in this case maybe more than one generation) who wont get Williams etc..

 

[maust]

2) clear top 5 NHL player (top 2, really, maybe #1)

Any discussion of the top 10 hockey players of all time comes down to Orr vs Gretzky followed by 8 other guys. It's kind of amazing when we consider how different the positions are. We're talking a center vs a defensman, it's apples vs oranges yet there it is.

 

[Bruins29]

Brady
.....
.....
.....
Orr
Russell
Ortiz

I am a championships matter person.

So championships matter except if your name in Bill Russell? That is weird since Bill has almost 2x the rings Brady has in Boston.

 

[TommyD4207]

If its "face of the city" and GREATNESS - Mount Rushmore stuff - Ortiz is a better choice over Pedro IMO. But the top 4 are pretty set. I cant see Ortiz over Williams unless you are trying to appeal to a whole generation (or in this case maybe more than one generation) who wont get Williams etc..

I mean, the Williams thing is like Yaztremski, I suppose, sort of an old-time Red Sox mentality. Great players, that didn't win anything The same type that get all misty-eyed over the 'Impossible Dream' 67 Red Sox that lost in the WS. I mean, there are players with actual rings in the conversation.

To me, Pedro was in the 'best pitcher ever' conversation for 5 years in the steroid era, and that carries some weight with me, although like I said, the case for Ortiz is compelling as well, and 'best clutch hitter' is something he can lay claim to.

Also, if Bird had been able to play a few more years, in my mind, he'd be a coin flip for the Celtics spot with Russell.

 

[Bruins29]

Tom Brady, Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, Ted Williams

As much as it pains me to not have Larry Bird on there, we have without much argument:

2) clear top 5 NHL player (top 2, really, maybe #1)

Thats the 4 really.

Bird dosent belong but he is a HM for sure

Orr is solidly cemented at 2nd GOAT NHL player and it would be difficult to debate this (and you could argue #1 but 99 is all-time). So you can be confident about that. He was that good - otherworldly.

 

[sb1]

Jordan Richards
Panda Sandoval
Vin Baker
Joe Corvo