genuinely interested to see people's opinions! some easy names (i cant really speak of athletes whose career peak was before '92 or so):
michael phelps roger federer tiger woods (controversial!!!) michael jordan barry bonds wayne gretzky zinedine zidane (euro vote)
i am also sexist and cant think of any women (jenni finch??) i also cant think of a singularly dominant (on the gretzky/jordan level) (american) football player from the last 40 years (arguably theres no one like that in baseball either but its hard to argue with bonds--maybe a-rod, maybe pujols, from the last decade or so). also i dont know shit about soccer so i dont know if zidane is that good.
― max, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:11 (eighteen years ago)
I wouldnt pick him, but Tom Brady should be nominated.
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:12 (eighteen years ago)
oh wait last 40 years???? Well how about Joe Montana, or Jim Brown? 40 years encompasses almost the entire modern history of American football!
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:13 (eighteen years ago)
martina navratilova should be nominated
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:14 (eighteen years ago)
Lance armstrong?
― carne asada, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:14 (eighteen years ago)
Pete Sampras
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:15 (eighteen years ago)
i guess cyclists are not athletes to you
xpost, thx carne
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:15 (eighteen years ago)
greg lemond as well, cause lance was a DOPER
Haile Gebrselassie.
― NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:15 (eighteen years ago)
zinedine zidane (euro vote)
LOL
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:15 (eighteen years ago)
-- max, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:11 (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
gtfo
lol xpost
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:17 (eighteen years ago)
and why is Woods controversial? he's probably a top 3 contender easily...
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:17 (eighteen years ago)
It's Phil Taylor, anyway.
Carl Lewis.
― NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:17 (eighteen years ago)
yeah lance is an obvious one--besides baseball im sort of a casual sports fan so i really only know what i hear in the "MSM," but feel free to make fun of my choices
― max, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:18 (eighteen years ago)
And not in a "lol ironic lads' mag" way, in a "nobody has dominated a sport that has any actual mainstream appeal (ie, not Jahanaghir Khan) way in recent memory"
xxp
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:18 (eighteen years ago)
woods is controversial because someone is going to say that golfers aren't "athletes"
carolina kluft
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:19 (eighteen years ago)
Alan Minter
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:19 (eighteen years ago)
http://www.dickipedia.org/dick.php?title=Lance_Armstrong
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:19 (eighteen years ago)
Carl Lewis Ivan Lendl Tony Dorsett Mary Lou Retton/Nadia Comenhoweveryouspellit Michelle Kwan (lol)
― HI DERE, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:20 (eighteen years ago)
comaneci! was about to nominate her
jackie joyner-kersee
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:21 (eighteen years ago)
Uhhhh, this guy?
http://images.askmen.com/galleries/men/muhammad-ali/pictures/muhammad-ali-picture-1.jpg
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:22 (eighteen years ago)
Bo Jackson
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:23 (eighteen years ago)
hicham el guerrouj
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:23 (eighteen years ago)
Dave Winfield (only guy to be drafted by all 3 major US sports)
Gotta be Carl Lewis, Muhammad Ali.
― Herman G. Neuname, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:23 (eighteen years ago)
Mike Tyson
― Euler, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:23 (eighteen years ago)
http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/resources/2008/04/teeth-mike-tyson-400a071807.jpg
― ice crӕm, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:24 (eighteen years ago)
Wilt Chamberlain (not just a big oaf. watch him run the break as a young buck)
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:24 (eighteen years ago)
-- Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:22 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link
Nobody cares about boxers that aren't Hispanic.
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:24 (eighteen years ago)
Bjorn Borg
― Herman G. Neuname, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:24 (eighteen years ago)
Jack Nicklaus Wilt Chamberlain Magic Johnson Secretariat (lolol)
― HI DERE, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:24 (eighteen years ago)
This guy.
― Eric H., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:25 (eighteen years ago)
if we go with "athlete" as being characterized by "athleticism," and in particular aptitude at a bunch of sports--like winfield and jackson and at one point drew henson--allen iverson deserves mention
― max, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:25 (eighteen years ago)
pound for pound, inch for inch, allen iverson is up there with anyone.
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:26 (eighteen years ago)
Daniel Negreanu
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:27 (eighteen years ago)
Even Secretariat?
― HI DERE, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:27 (eighteen years ago)
alberto tomba janica kostelic annika sorenstam
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:28 (eighteen years ago)
http://graphics.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2005/10/27/1130439217_0429.jpg
― ice crӕm, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:28 (eighteen years ago)
haha, if horses count Secretariat will walk this....
I could name lots of basketball players but there is pretty unanimous agreement on Jordan so i figure that helps narrow down one sport at least.
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:28 (eighteen years ago)
at some point it's going to come down to "which sport is more 'athletic'"...
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:29 (eighteen years ago)
if "athlete" means simply freak-of-nature size/speed/strength/agility etc then Bo Jackson is prob my vote.
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:29 (eighteen years ago)
LOL American sports stars no-one else has ever heard of
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:29 (eighteen years ago)
AI over Secretariat. Secretariat would've had to do what he did and look like this to compare: http://images.ponyaday.com/2008W/2008-01-07-stoic-shetland-pony.jpg
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:29 (eighteen years ago)
unfortunately: http://khbproductions.com/272/RogerClemens2.jpg
― ice crӕm, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:30 (eighteen years ago)
Yeah, my votes are Maradona, Phil Taylor, and Best Mate
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:32 (eighteen years ago)
yelena isinbayeva
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:32 (eighteen years ago)
Viv Richards
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:33 (eighteen years ago)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/sioncampus/05/09/graduate.east/p1_bird.jpg
― ice crӕm, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:33 (eighteen years ago)
http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2006/08/shaq.jpg
― ice crӕm, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:34 (eighteen years ago)
ian thorpe
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:35 (eighteen years ago)
note to ryan: Jim Brown retired after the 1965-66 NFL season.
40 years encompasses almost the entire modern history of American football!
Depends what you mean by "modern," but I hope all those books about the Giants-Colts 1958 "Greatest Game Ever" won't have to be burned...
― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:35 (eighteen years ago)
burn dem
― ice crӕm, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:36 (eighteen years ago)
stefi graff
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:36 (eighteen years ago)
modern = post first superbowl...but yeah point taken.
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:37 (eighteen years ago)
or steffi graf
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:38 (eighteen years ago)
http://www.virginmedia.com/images/eddie-the-eagle-431.jpg
― NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:38 (eighteen years ago)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/images/2008/04/02/pele_ali_404x470.jpg
there's two of them right there
― carne asada, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:38 (eighteen years ago)
Bobby Orr
― dan m, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:39 (eighteen years ago)
Gordie Howe
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1085245210589605907&hl=en
― bnw, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:41 (eighteen years ago)
http://michaelemilio.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/tx_graf1.jpg
hotness
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:42 (eighteen years ago)
Stern John
― blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:44 (eighteen years ago)
Stern John.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:44 (eighteen years ago)
Dean Windass
― blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:45 (eighteen years ago)
How did that happen?! Okay replace my Stern John with Salif Diao.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:45 (eighteen years ago)
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:45 (eighteen years ago)
Phil Taylor Stephen Hendry Ayrton Senna Garry Kasparov Shane Warne
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:46 (eighteen years ago)
Nicky Barmby.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:46 (eighteen years ago)
Daley Thompson. Two-time decathlon Olympic champion, four-time world record breaker.
― ledge, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:47 (eighteen years ago)
These are only slightly sillier suggestions than Gary Kasparov or Phil Taylor who are not ATHLETES by any stretch of the imagination or you might as well include that guy who won the world pie-eating championships five times in a row or something.
Xpost - Ledge might have it.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:48 (eighteen years ago)
I thought of Daley, but how is he the best if people have done his event better?
― NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:48 (eighteen years ago)
How is Taylor not an athlete? Seriously, how?
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:49 (eighteen years ago)
Because darts isn't an athletic sport?
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:50 (eighteen years ago)
Jocky Wilson Andy Reid David Boon Bill Werbeniuk Shirley Crabtree
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:50 (eighteen years ago)
-- Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:50 (34 seconds ago) Bookmark Link
You have to train for it, Taylor follows a rigid diet for it (ie, if his bodyweight shifts it fucks his entire game up), you can't do it if you're suddenly strick invalid... why isn't it a sport?
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:51 (eighteen years ago)
comparing ppl across sports is just as wildly subjective as comparing athletes from different eras -- ie, today's competitors are objectively faster and stronger than they were 25 years ago, just as those in 2033 will be better.
― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:51 (eighteen years ago)
so you judge by the standards of the time.
― ledge, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:53 (eighteen years ago)
^^^ this. but even so, Jordan is pretty hard to fuck with.
xp
― will, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:53 (eighteen years ago)
you'll be nominating cricketers next
― blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:53 (eighteen years ago)
Carl Lewis was the first person i thought of
I already have (xp)
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:54 (eighteen years ago)
Unless you think Viv Richards wasn't athletic?
intuitively i think this should go to someone who competed/is competing in an individual discipline
xps re jordan
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:54 (eighteen years ago)
Didn't say it wasn't a sport. (Is it a sport, officially? I consider it one). But it's not exactly an athletic discipline is it?
I was going to just go 'lol fat dudes' but that rules out sumo.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:55 (eighteen years ago)
-- blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:53 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link
lol
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:55 (eighteen years ago)
Joke also works if you change "cricket" to "baseball", so it serves as transatlantic lulz
think the best suggestions so far are thompson, lewis, navratilova, phelps, kluft, gebrselassie
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:56 (eighteen years ago)
Michael Johnson for me probably.
― NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:57 (eighteen years ago)
Oh yeah, that's a good one
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:57 (eighteen years ago)
i think jordan and woods are the most OTM. and secretariat if meant in earnest!
― ryan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:57 (eighteen years ago)
for reference: http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:58 (eighteen years ago)
Annoyingly, I cannot find a site for the British equivalent of that, which was on Channel 4 about 10-12 years ago and was won by Daley Thompson. I think it might also have been executive produced by Daley Thompson, though.
― William Bloody Swygart, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:04 (eighteen years ago)
Not renowned for his modesty, Daley
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:04 (eighteen years ago)
Baseball (23*) Football (20*) Track/Field (12*) Basketball (11) Tennis (8) Boxing (7) Hockey (6) Golf (6*) Horse Racing (5) Auto Racing (3) Swimming/Diving (2) Speed Skating (2)
no cycling, WTF? secretariat IS on the list but not lance?
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:05 (eighteen years ago)
AUTO RACERS?!
Actually, yes - no mention of Schumacher or Rossi seems a bit remiss.
― William Bloody Swygart, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:07 (eighteen years ago)
but not lance?
Cycling insufficiently American, too European?
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:08 (eighteen years ago)
You're right, no one cycles here.
― dan m, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:08 (eighteen years ago)
Jackie Chan
― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:09 (eighteen years ago)
Big sport in the US is it?
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:10 (eighteen years ago)
Tour de Kentucky
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:11 (eighteen years ago)
Top N. American athletes of the century
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:11 (eighteen years ago)
dude won the fucking tour de france 7 times and espn doesn't consider him?
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:12 (eighteen years ago)
god forbid they even air US cycling events (which do exist, plz see cyclism on versus)
-- lex pretend, Wednesday, August 13, 2008 10:56 AM (15 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
if you include navratilova, i think graf should be included.
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:12 (eighteen years ago)
lol that's my only input into this conversation. just fuckin include her.
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:13 (eighteen years ago)
Driving a car very fast does not make you a great athlete.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:13 (eighteen years ago)
OK OK just don't hurt us xp
― blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:14 (eighteen years ago)
i'd like graf to be included too, she def has a legit claim to be the GOAT of women's tennis - went for m-nav because her purely athletic contribution to the sport is really incredible, not just for how she raised the bar but also her longevity.
oh yeah sergei bubka!
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:16 (eighteen years ago)
Will Greer
― HI DERE, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:17 (eighteen years ago)
that list is best n american athletes of 20th century. Lance didn't win his 1st Tour until '99. Calm down.
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:17 (eighteen years ago)
Ronaldo. Fat Ronaldo, not pretty boy Ronaldo
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:18 (eighteen years ago)
i am reading yelena isinbayeva's wikipedia page now and it's even more WHOA than i thought it would be
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:20 (eighteen years ago)
Ed Moses.
― William Bloody Swygart, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:20 (eighteen years ago)
greg lemond won plenty in the 20th century, fuck you!
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:21 (eighteen years ago)
Bruce Lee
― dan m, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:22 (eighteen years ago)
Bubka, yes. And Isinbayeva always brightens up any athletics coverage!
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:24 (eighteen years ago)
an american
― conrad, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:25 (eighteen years ago)
Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards
― HI DERE, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:26 (eighteen years ago)
Eric the Eel
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:27 (eighteen years ago)
Joe Gaetjens
― dan m, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:27 (eighteen years ago)
george washington
― conrad, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:27 (eighteen years ago)
I've always thought the best athletes are the ones who just seem born to do their selected discipline, and can mesmerise me even though I don't give a shit about the sport in question. For that reason I'll always consider Ian Thorpe a greater swimmer than Phelps, despite the crazy number of medals/world records he is amassing.
Also in this category (and despite the fact he's a lol cricketer) would be Shane Warne. And Ronnie O'Sullivan, now that I'm thinking about it.
But Maradona would get my vote.
― spaghetti, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:29 (eighteen years ago)
Maradona Jonah Lomu Platini Arjuna Ranatunga* Sampras
* may not be a real contender
― Jibe, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:29 (eighteen years ago)
Travis Pastrana
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:30 (eighteen years ago)
Jesus
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:32 (eighteen years ago)
Gaetjens was more than 40 years ago
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:33 (eighteen years ago)
So was Jesus
ctrl f spitz shows no results.
He must have been a good athlete even though phelps is trying to push him off the stage.
― Jibe, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:36 (eighteen years ago)
Anti-semitism
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:37 (eighteen years ago)
i also cant think of a singularly dominant (on the gretzky/jordan level) (american) football player from the last 40 years
First person I thought of was Jerry Rice, but that's largely because he was so good for so long.
― jaymc, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:43 (eighteen years ago)
on the bonds/gretzky/jordan level)
― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:44 (eighteen years ago)
No Eddy Merckx yet. If he doesn't place higher than Lance Armstrong then you are all fools. Much better all round rider.
― Ed, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:46 (eighteen years ago)
gretzky is statistically so far ahead of everyone who ever played (north american) hockey that it isn't funny. comparable to a baseball player hitting over a thousand homers, etc etc
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:47 (eighteen years ago)
bruce lee
a bear
― Jordan, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:49 (eighteen years ago)
no one here even knows who merckx is :/
― cutty, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:49 (eighteen years ago)
Reinhold Messner. Full stop.
No way I'm going to vote for anyone else.
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:52 (eighteen years ago)
lol Tony Hawk answer
― bernard snowy, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:57 (eighteen years ago)
Missing from this list...
Franz Klammer Hermann Maier
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:58 (eighteen years ago)
...and in that vein, Ingemar Stenmark.
― collardio gelatinous, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:59 (eighteen years ago)
no one here even knows who merckx is
Not true
― Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:00 (eighteen years ago)
Merckx: anyone who can win Classics and Tours needs to be taken seriously.
― collardio gelatinous, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:02 (eighteen years ago)
In his early years, Chamberlain was not interested in basketball, because he thought it was "a game for sissies".[9] Instead, he was an avid track and field athlete: as a youth, he high jumped 6 feet, 6 inches, ran the 440 yards in 49.0 seconds and the 880 yards in 1:58.3, put the shot 53 feet, 4 inches, and broad jumped 22 feet.[10]
In Game 1, the Sixers beat the Boston 127–112, powered by Hal Greer's 39 points and Chamberlain's unofficial quadruple double, with 24 points, 32 rebounds, 13 assists and (unofficially counted) 12 blocks.
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:02 (eighteen years ago)
yeah but the best anything should have to win more often than not, right?
― chicago kevin, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:05 (eighteen years ago)
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=degree/list_allaroundathletes
― Granny Dainger, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:06 (eighteen years ago)
you talking about Wilt? He def won more games than lost.
why?
would kelly slater be a LOL too?
― collardio gelatinous, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:06 (eighteen years ago)
Alexander Karelin absolutely dominated Greco-Roman for like 15 years or something.
― Garrett Martin, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 16:13 (eighteen years ago)