The Greatest Sportsman Ever™
- Thread starter Handjob Bob
- Start date
No Schumachaer?
feck knows why people have chosen marciano. Joe should be on the list though. One of the greatest fighters, ever. Certainly up there with Sugar Ray and Ali.
i think its the 49-0
did u see the hero betrayed documentary about Louis messed up stuff
I do understand the arguments against including darts/snooker (although I will mention that there have been many top level footballers in the past who drank before games and even some at half time!) but I was just saying that on a similar basis, I wouldnt consider any F1 driver in a discussion about 'The Greatest Sportsman Ever'.
OK I've pretty much skimmed through and may have missed it, but if not - there's talk of Tennis and no mention of a certain John Mcenroe
I dont think there is any argument that puts McEnroe ahead of Sampras, Federer, Laver or even Bjorg - he is one of the best but clearly there have been better.
Don`t won`t to step on any toes here, but how many countries play cricket?
England, SA, WI, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, NZ and Australia? Perhaps a few more?
If most of Europe, USA, most of South America and most of Africa and Asia don`t play the sport I think it shouldn`t be counted. No doubt the performers have been fantastic, but IMO a sport like swimming,tennis, track and field or football which is played all over the world is a lot harder to excel in.
England, SA, WI, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, NZ and Australia? Perhaps a few more?
If most of Europe, USA, most of South America and most of Africa and Asia don`t play the sport I think it shouldn`t be counted. No doubt the performers have been fantastic, but IMO a sport like swimming,tennis, track and field or football which is played all over the world is a lot harder to excel in.
Kenya, Canada, Irleand, Scotland?, Zimbabwe, Bermuda, Namibia, Netherlands
to name a few....
However, most are too shite to be recognised
If you add MotoGP, you have to have Giacomo Agostini.. he won 15 world titles.
he won 7 500cc world championships and 7 350cc championships and 10 Isle of man TT's.
Infact if you consider motosport, Giacomo Agostini has to be a serious contender.
he won 7 500cc world championships and 7 350cc championships and 10 Isle of man TT's.
Infact if you consider motosport, Giacomo Agostini has to be a serious contender.
Well I`m sure all countries play it to some extrent, but how many countries have it as one of their main sports? And to what degree is it played by the public?
Take football, played in every country in the world, and in most countries is one of the most played sports. It goes without saying that it will be harder to become nr. 1.
Roodboy I hear you knocking with you questioning of the F1 - but if you look at the training these drivers have to undergo to reach the physical fitness to compete in F1 - I'm pretty sure it should be included, however if there is another vote to take it down, I shall.
On a side note, athletics, is being the fastest runner on the planet enough to be considered an excellant sportsman? I mean you have to be ultimately gifted to begin with, combined with apply correct training methods, but this is a 'sport' that requires few attributes - can this be considered on the same level as say a footballer?
On a side note, athletics, is being the fastest runner on the planet enough to be considered an excellant sportsman? I mean you have to be ultimately gifted to begin with, combined with apply correct training methods, but this is a 'sport' that requires few attributes - can this be considered on the same level as say a footballer?
I think it's too subjective and impossible to campare different sports and different eras.
Take Bradman, many would argue him as the best sportsman, certainly here in Oz, bur he only played tests against 4 countries. How does that compare to modern day players hwo play more often in many more different conditions. How do you compare his record to a bowler such as Warne, same sport but two completely different skill sets required.
With F1, how much of the success is down to the drivers skill and how much is down to the engineers who build the cars?
I don't know who the best is but my favourite is probably Kieran Perkins for his swim at Atlanta in 96, truly outstanding effort against the odds.
Take Bradman, many would argue him as the best sportsman, certainly here in Oz, bur he only played tests against 4 countries. How does that compare to modern day players hwo play more often in many more different conditions. How do you compare his record to a bowler such as Warne, same sport but two completely different skill sets required.
With F1, how much of the success is down to the drivers skill and how much is down to the engineers who build the cars?
I don't know who the best is but my favourite is probably Kieran Perkins for his swim at Atlanta in 96, truly outstanding effort against the odds.
How about the middle east Asian countries and Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. Even few south American countries have an organized league in cricket but only the British expats take up the sports rather than local South Americans.
Cricket is being played in more countries in organized leagues although the teams are pretty much shite- after the FIFA WC and Olympics, cricket world cup 2003 was the most watched event in Sports even if ICC controlled by the BCCI morons tried their best damage all the world cups.
Football is greatest sport in the world bar none. but Test cricket if played properly comes close to football and offers as much as football. T20 leagues can challenge any yank sport in terms of plastic excitement and if marketed can knock the sports out of their perch even in their own backyard.
Like I said, I`m sure most countries play to some extent, but it`s only very big in a few countries isn`t it? Take this example, how many countries could possibly be top 10 in the world? If you take football, swimming, tennis, golf, tracks, volleyball etc you`ll have most countries regarding them as a huge sport, and most countries having it practised by a large portion of their inhabitants. You can see a great tennis player coming from all differtent kind of countries, Sweden, Australia, USA, Switzerland, China etc. That wouldn`t happen in Cricket, if you get what I mean.
In real numbers I`m sure Cricket is up there, cause of how many people live in countries like Australia, Pakistan, India etc. But it`s not widespread like other sports.
When none of Europe (bar England) and the United States don`t play it to any mentionable degree, it can`t be regarded as one of the most widespread sports IMO. Just like I wouldn`t call Babe Ruth the best athlete ever, I wouldn`t call a cricket player the best ever. Same goes with my Norwegian athletes. Bjørn Dæhlie is the best skiier ever bar none, he did some insane things that will forever stand. But skiing is only big in Scandinavia, Russia, Germany, Austria, Czech Rep and a few other central/eastern European countries. That obviously makes it easier to become the best.
My candidates would probably be:
Ali
Bubka
Maradona
Ali
Bubka
Maradona
I`m sure all this is true. It`s a good sport, that`s not in doubt. My point is more about it not being widespread enough. Thus making it easier to become nr 1.
Sachin and Schumachaer deserve atleast a mention