Who is your greatest athlete of all time ,any sports?????

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BookerL said:

Usain Bolt

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No no no no no. No offense to you personally, but that's my reaction to his name in this category. He's a short distance sprinter. His skills are too limited in scope to be the greatest athlete of all time. Carrying a baton doesn't exactly rate as a significant skill. How long is he performing at any one time? Maybe 21 seconds at most. Not enough. When I think of that tittle I want someone with numerous skills, a diversification of talents. A gymnast, a decathlete, a two sport star. Something more.

Michael Phelps has a better range of skills in the types of swimming he has to perform and 23 gold medals over 4 Olympics. Back stroke, breast stroke, butterfly, freestyle are very different kinds of movements. 65 Gold medals in the top World competitions including the Olympics. 82 Medals overall.

Want a guy totally dominant in one sport, how about Mark Spitz. 7 Events, 7 golds, 7 straight world records in a diversity of swimming skills in his second Olympics.

Babe Ruth. Destined for the Hall of Fame, pitcher or hitter, deserved both. His record against the great Walter Johnson as a pitcher was 11-1. A 2.28 ERA lifetime (1.75 in 1916), a 3.42 BA and 714 HRs lifetime.

I'm not saying Carl Lewis, but he won 9 golds in the Olympics running and in the long jump, and was drafted by both the NBA and NFL. And the skills a gymnast has to master are astounding. I'd take Ashton Eaton with two Decathlon golds long before Usain.

Larisa Latynina, Soviet Olympic gymnast 1956-1964. 9 Golds, 5 Silver, 4 bronze, 18 medals over 3 Olympics well before steroids. 25 Golds in European, World, and Olympic championships. Just saying it's unbelievable.

Look at the athletes who take hits along with their skills like Gretzky, athletes who have to go face to face and through a forest of giants like Michael Jordan and still dominate through a career. How about guys who were magnificent at offense and defense like Bill Russell or Bobby Orr.

Cheers

I think Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt are the two greatest Olympians of the 21st Century. Both are arguably the all time greatest in their sports, swimming and sprinting. The fastest man on land and the fastest man in water.

Phelps.....hands down

Roger Federer

Talent, dedication and an first class gentlemen!

Ashton Eaton
Decathelon gold in 2 Olympics in a row.

For best athlete for the women...I was so impressed with this girl:


Kerri Walsh Jennings...but I would have to sleep on it. Too soon after the Olympics. She is one hell of a beach VB player. I was so impressed with her over the years.

Ah, for me it has to be Camille Leblanc-Bazinet.
Anyone who speaks with an accent melts my heart and when she speaks English it's the cutest thing
Plus, she has a smile that lights up a room ...

I agree with you Lorence that she is a amazing athlete and I am sure she is a amazing person.

My only regret is what extreme cross-fit does to a woman's body. Legs become way too tick and breast kind of disappear. I do not find that particulary attractive, but that is only my opinion. Other than that, she is still beautiful

Cheers,

Youppi
He was good in two major sports, baseball then hockey!

Greatest Athlete Over 7 Feet Tall

How about Joel Embiid? They say that the NBA is now a league of 3 point shooters but 7'2" Joel Embiid seems intent on reinforcing the impact of an athletic big man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APL3cuZtXFc

I was talking about in today's game. They are saying the big man has lost dominance in the modern NBA with all teams emulating the small ball of the Warriors, which is essentially a centerless team.

MJ and Bo Jackson. I would throw Prime Time in the mix as well.

joelcairo said:

1. Gordie Howe
2. Archie Moore
3. Sugar Ray Robinson
4. Roger Federer

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Three years later my top 4 remain the same...but I'll add #5 : Rafael Nadal.

The latest list therefore has 2 great boxers, 2 incredible tennis players, and up at the top a hockey player who just happened to be the greatest athlete who ever lived.