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Who would you consider to be the GREATEST ATHLETE ever?

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anxju
Posts: 9371 - Karma: 61
is it MJ? lebron?

tough question like the other thread i made last night, but again its very open to discussion

in my opinion, it has to be someone that's recent, because the competition these days is soooo much more fierce than the competition from say 20 years ago

how do you measure how good of an athlete one is? does he have to be a multisport star, or just dominate his own? michael phelps can dominate swimming, but can he play basketball better than say, cliff lee? do you measure success by championships? does that make bill russell, who has 11 nba championship rings, the greatest athlete ever?

IMO, its probably lebron. just look at his size, skillset, and overall athletic competence

randy moss is also up there, just because of pure speed and ridiculous hand eye coordination
Nov 4 2009 1:27PM
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ski@jaypeak2
Posts: 2805 - Karma: 470
That is why i said Jim Thorpe.  He won two gold medals in the pentathalon and decathalon(5 different events and 10 different events)  And played profesional football, basketball, and baseball.  I mean come on, thats like Bo Jackson on steroids......i mean....
Nov 4 2009 3:25PM
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Mr.Panda
Posts: 17711 - Karma: 564
I am comparing them in terms of what they did for the sport. They did do quite a lot.
Nov 4 2009 3:26PM
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bermbuster49
Posts: 7445 - Karma: 90


james stewart = crazy.  to watch the pace he rides in for the whole time is rediculous.  he reminds me of usain bolt on a dirtbike (except for a 30 minute sprint)


Nov 4 2009 3:59PM
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*steeze_is_good
Posts: 2886 - Karma: 721
Arnie Palmer
Nov 4 2009 3:59PM
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jamiebrowne
Posts: 545 - Karma: 54
The answers to this question have been super bias depending on whether or not you watch football or basketball etc. There are a lot of athletes that haven't been mention (SOCCER is one example). If you think about it, how many kids outside North America want to be professional soccer players? A shit load! Or cricket players in India..... this could go on forever.

However, that aint the point of my response. I am more interested by which athlete has the best V02 count.
VO2 max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity) is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual. The name is derived from V - volume per time, O2 - oxygen, max - maximum.

Essentially, this is the ability to act at your top performance as long as possible.
The world record holder is actually Espen Harald Bjerke a Norwegian cross-country skier.

Ya i thought it was Lance Armstrong as well but fuck it.
Nov 4 2009 4:05PM
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jnizzle
Posts: 365 - Karma: 75
Simon Dumont lol
Nov 4 2009 4:11PM
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Niceguy33
Posts: 90 - Karma: 10
Tiger or Jordan
Nov 4 2009 4:17PM
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AlexGaynor
Posts: 947 - Karma: 148
II would of thought Usain Bolt gets some credit at least for being the fastest human ever. I think you will find that the top athletes in each athletic sport are also extremely coordinated in the others but it is impossible to compare.

I think Pele deserves a mention, and i don't even like soccer.

But for all you "America is the only country in the world" people here is espn' ideas

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=degree/list_allaroundathletes
Nov 4 2009 4:33PM
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hey-dude-its-me
Posts: 4238 - Karma: 412

Lebron and Moss? Why the fuck would you even consider either of them...

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Nov 4 2009 4:41PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Not Tiger, and no, that doesn't mean I don't respect what he does.
Nov 4 2009 4:43PM
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frosted_flakes
Posts: 1200 - Karma: 1,256

i like how no one is paying attention to you

i'd ay this guy or any of the best track and field athletes; best endurance, skill, power, agility

Nov 4 2009 4:48PM
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Niceguy33
Posts: 90 - Karma: 10
Its pretty much impossible to compare athletes in different sports. I would rate the greatest athlete by how much success they've had in their particular sport. So I cant se anyone topping Tiger or MJ.
Nov 4 2009 4:53PM
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babujib
Posts: 5039 - Karma: 104
theres no doubt in my mind its JIM BROWN. guy was an all-american lacrosse player, hall of fame football player, averaged something like 40 points in high school basketball, podiumed in decathlon national championship, was drafted to play baseball, and i think he might have boxed too.
Nov 4 2009 4:54PM
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TheWeaz
Posts: 803 - Karma: 1,903
Brandon semenuk


Nov 4 2009 4:59PM
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wskibum176
Posts: 1536 - Karma: 13
ABSOLUTELY NOT. if you dug alittle deeper into MMA you would realize that alot of guys are D1 wrestlers (and GOOD D1 wrestlers), take up and comers like CB Dalloway and Ryan Bader, both members of TUF. While neither of them has won a title, they both compete in tougher weight divisions than heavyweight (the weakest division in the UFC by far). And while neither of them has a belt, Bader is undefeted and I think CB only has 2 losses. If your going on those characteristics, I would argue that these guys along with others like Grey Maynard (and thats not even considering the actually champs/top ranked guys in the UFC) are equally, if not more athletic than Brock Lesner
Nov 4 2009 5:03PM
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hey-dude-its-me
Posts: 4238 - Karma: 412
god damn it there are so many blatantly wrong responses in this thread
Nov 4 2009 5:05PM
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dwigt
Posts: 461 - Karma: 2
how can it not be tiger woods? he has dominated his sport unlike anyone in the history of all sports, and he is so athletic i have no problem believing he would be sick at just about every other sport as well
Nov 4 2009 5:06PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,509
scott vail/ thread
Nov 4 2009 5:06PM
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exile_ch
Posts: 715 - Karma: 609
Muhammed Ali (boxe)
Jack Nicklaus (golf)
Pelé (football)
ayrton senna (F1)
Roger Federer (tennis)
Ussain Bolt (athletism)
Michael Jordan (basketball)
Michael Phelbs (swimming)
Tiger Woods (golf)
Carl Lewis (athletism)
Sir Bradman (cricket)

I'm sure I'm missing a whole lot... But I lol'd pretty hard at people including guys like Brett Favres or Lebron James in here.
Or I didn't get the question.

I mean Greatest athlete ever? In the world or just the US ? Caus' I don't know if you're aware of it but  american football is kinda exclusive to the US... The most majority of the world just don't give a fuck about this sport. So picking an athlete from your Baseball or football league is nonsense for me.

Football (the real one, soccer for you) is the most popular game in the world, by far. Then I guess I'll pick Pelé.. But it's way to complicated to pick a winner with such different sports. Federer could be the one, as it's sooo difficult to stay on top of the ranking in tennis for long period of time, you have to be insanly consistant to win 15 majors... I mean the guy cannot loose a single match when playing a Grand Slam, no day off possible, one mistake you're out.

Phelbs, Jordan, Ali, Pelé and Federer would be in my top 5.

noooooooow if the question is "fittest athlete ever", I guess you have to look into football(soccer),  or maybe Rugby.
Nov 4 2009 5:07PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37817 - Karma: 125,773
me
Nov 4 2009 5:08PM
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hey-dude-its-me
Posts: 4238 - Karma: 412
What? He's muscular, not athletic....  When have you ever seen him do anything physical besides golf (which is more of a game than a sport anyway)
Nov 4 2009 5:11PM
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wskibum176
Posts: 1536 - Karma: 13
No ones suggested a RUGBY player? I would def argue that some of the better rugby players of all time deserve at least a nomination
Nov 4 2009 5:13PM
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OldManFinkyBeans
Posts: 217 - Karma: 16
ovechkin
tiger woods
Nov 4 2009 5:13PM
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double_D
Posts: 778 - Karma: 25
ohhhhhhh
Nov 4 2009 5:16PM
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DDrem.
Posts: 3552 - Karma: 24
1. its spelled/spelt Phelps
2. you didnt include hockey and rugby/aussie football among a bunch of other sports
Nov 4 2009 5:19PM
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babujib
Posts: 5039 - Karma: 104
i would like to reiterate


for christ sakes they had to create a rule in lacrosse because he was so dominant. i dont know another athlete that they had to make a rule specifically because they were too good.
Nov 4 2009 5:22PM
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exile_ch
Posts: 715 - Karma: 609
Sorry abotu Phelps :) .

As for your second point, like I said, I sure did miss some big names out there... You're right about Rugby.

As for Aussie Football, I'm not sure it's quiet a "world" game... A bit like American football. I'm not familiar with this game btw, is this played only in Australia?
Nov 4 2009 5:32PM
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low_fidelity
Posts: 2673 - Karma: 118



Nov 4 2009 5:38PM
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ski@jaypeak2
Posts: 2805 - Karma: 470

I guess i can agree with ESPN for Jim Brown as #1 as long as jim Thorpe is #2 Dave Winfield definatly suprised me though i never knew he was that good.

3. Dave Winfield
Winfield could do it all on the baseball field -- hit for power, run (three times he finished in the top eight in triples, and in four seasons he stole more than 20 bases), and field, winning the Gold Glove seven times. Winfield, who played for the University of Minnesota, was the Gophers' best hitter and pitcher, not a shabby achievement considering Minnesota made it to the semis of the 1973 College World Series. After 22 major-league seasons -- he never played in the minors -- Winfield was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility.

But there's more. He was also good enough to play pro basketball, drafted by both the Atlanta Hawks and the Utah Stars after starring as a power forward on Minnesota's Big Ten championship team. And he was such a great athlete that even though he never played a single down in college, the Vikings selected him in the 1973 draft. No other athlete has ever been drafted in all three pro sports.

Nov 4 2009 5:52PM
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jamodeo
Posts: 3040 - Karma: 663
Cristiano Ronaldo or Kareem Abdul Jabar
Nov 4 2009 6:01PM
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skinakedfast
Posts: 1296 - Karma: 494
Thank you for posting that. Hes just incredible, motocross has to be one of  the most physically,and  mentally demanding sport out there. you dont get any better than Bubba. hes a god
Nov 4 2009 6:05PM
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derbski
Posts: 3173 - Karma: 62
I thought that was Atari Bigby for a second and I was going to give you huge K. I love bigby, if predator were to take off its mask, it would be bigby underneath, they have the same dreads.
Nov 4 2009 6:07PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
Lance, Ronoldo, Pele, A-Rod, Randy Moss. Lance is just fucking insane in the way he trains and his overall mental and physical fitness level. All the rest are just insane in what they do. There are way too many variables and no set standard for the "best athlete". It's all subjective. Any star in their own sport could be advocated for being the best athlete.
Nov 4 2009 6:15PM
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B.Snow
Posts: 1859 - Karma: 92
Bruce Lee
Nov 4 2009 6:21PM
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butteredjohnson
Posts: 558 - Karma: 113
[IMG]http://www.northmyrtlebeachgolf.com/course-architects/photos/John-Daly.jpg[/IMG]
end thread
Nov 4 2009 6:27PM
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butteredjohnson
Posts: 558 - Karma: 113
fun fact = i fail 97% of the time.
Nov 4 2009 6:29PM
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DaveM
Posts: 2936 - Karma: 1,562
Jeremy Shockey
Nov 4 2009 6:47PM
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
Tiger Woods is the most dominant athlete of any sport, he may not be able to run as long as a soccer player or throw a baseball 95mph, but there is no one players domination comparable to his.
Nov 4 2009 6:50PM
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ct_steeze
Posts: 1175 - Karma: 153
Michael Phelps
Nov 4 2009 6:50PM
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exile_ch
Posts: 715 - Karma: 609
Actually there is... Federer.

Federer packed 15 Grand Slams in 8 years.
Woods packed 14 Grand Slams in 12 years.

On top of this, Woods can have a bad day during a slam and still win it, Federer can't.
Nov 4 2009 7:01PM
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saskskier
Posts: 4774 - Karma: 10,005
Seth Morrison - big mountain skiing is ridiculous to begin with and he's pretty much the best.  Strength, agility/coordination, endurance, balance, etc...
Nov 4 2009 7:03PM
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scratchproteen
Posts: 5173 - Karma: 286
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its true. Deion Sanders best athlete.
Nov 4 2009 7:06PM
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Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
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ned bowen
best athlete, hands down
Nov 4 2009 7:08PM
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Bepo
Posts: 8195 - Karma: 17
BO JACKSON
Nov 4 2009 7:17PM
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scratchproteen
Posts: 5173 - Karma: 286
doub post...but just had to let it be known that he played baseball as well

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in 92' he hit .304 stole 26 bases NL leading 12 triples...hes the only player ever to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week...and to play in a superbowl and world series
he ran back kicks, punts, played receiver in the nfl...
Nov 4 2009 7:19PM
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hey-dude-its-me
Posts: 4238 - Karma: 412
^ not hating on Dion but Bo Jackson had literallly every attribute that Dion Sanders had only he's bigger and waaaayyyy stronger
Nov 4 2009 7:26PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7817 - Karma: 1,537
This is going to be so hard to define, and most likely, there is no "greatest" athlete. Someone might be great at football, soccer, and baseball, but maybe they don't have endurance for an ironman, or they don't have the balance and quickness to race downhill bikes. This question can never be answered.
Nov 4 2009 7:27PM
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G_1
Posts: 79 - Karma: 14
i know you said past 20 years, but i think sugar ray robinson deserves a mention. he fought like 200 professional fights and won 173 of them, 108 by KO. over the course of his boxing career this averages as like a fight every 2 or three weeks. compare that with today when pro boxers fight like 1 or 2 fights a year! ESPN named him as the greatest boxer in history, and mohammad ali also claimed ray robinson was the best boxer ever.

and before people mention lack of competiton in that time, look at some of the people he fought and beat, and then see where they rank in the top boxers of all time such as lamotta.

plus in boxing you need to have a bit of everything to be successful, strength, speed, agility, coordination, endurance
Nov 4 2009 7:37PM
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scratchproteen
Posts: 5173 - Karma: 286
bo jackson is a great choice...i just picked deion because he was the first that came to mind when i saw this thread...i've always thought he was...i mean people may hate his attitude and such but the man can play ball
Nov 4 2009 7:44PM
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zagfan5
Posts: 2608 - Karma: 144
win.
Nov 4 2009 7:57PM
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