Who in your opinion is the greatest sportsman of all time

Jocky Wilson wid have beat Phil Taylor and day of the week in his prime- Beer,Vodka,Whiskey, Greetin!  lol

Jack Nicklaus.

taking away media and popularity,Michael Jordan:

6× NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991–1992, 1996, 1998)

14× NBA All-Star (1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002–2003)

6× NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998)

10× NBA scoring champion (1987–1993, 1996–1998)

3× NBA steals champion (1988, 1990, 1993)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988)
10× All-NBA First Team (1987–1993, 1996–1998)
All-NBA Second Team (1985)
9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1988–1993, 1996–1998)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1985)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1985)
3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)
2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1987–1988

NCAA Champion (1982)
2× Consensus NCAA All-American First Team (1983–1984)
ACC Player of the Year (1984)

Ranked No.1 by ESPN Sportscentury's Top 100 Athletes of the 20th century

2 x  olimpic gold medal winner




he left legacy no other sportsman ever left

tambam - he even played soccer professionally as well - a bit of a wind up merchant  but a great all rounder in his day

Another vote here for Steveirll

I didn't know Jordan had won the Slam Dunk Contest in '88. In that case, scrap my Ali vote; I want to vote for Joe.

ali

Roger Federer

i will give you all a wee clue .

he floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee.

Don Bradman
phil taylor
arkle

Carl Lewis SHOCKING omission?

9 olympic golds, in diverse events from 100m to the long jump?

It's like if Usain Bolt started winning the Pole Vault in addition to sprinting, just because he felt like it.

You must wonder what the people who specialised in just the long jump thought of it at the time.

How in gods name can ye put a dart player in as the greatest sportsman.

Miguel Indurain would be up there for me. Cycling is by far the most gruelling sport, the guy was a machine.

babe ruth

For my money it as to be a 1 v 1 sport,either tennis or boxing.I hate both sports but both needs skill,stamina and passion.I would take Federer from tennis and Ali from boxing

The trouble with naming a cyclist is that cloud of drug abuse that hangs over the sport - Indurain included

Drug abuse cloud hangs over most sports these days

Pandorica Joined: 10 Jul 10
Replies: 3902 28 Jan 12 17:57 
The trouble with naming a cyclist is that cloud of drug abuse that hangs over the sport - Indurain included

Not sure it was as prevelant then even though it was an issue. Eddie Merx then.

Merckx.

ALI

Chuck Norris.

Ronaldo (fat one)

Some of the above may be good, but I reckon they'd be useless at the true test of all rounds sportsmanship, that which separates the men from the boys, the legend from the also ran.


Winter Total Wipeout.

I'm not sure how far back you have to go in the Tour de France to be absolutely sure that nothing underhand was happening. It's a long time though. Tom Simpson back in 67 for example died, at least partly, as a result of chomping amphetamines.
I can't lay my hands on my book about the history of the T de F but I'm sure there were examples before that.

eddie the eagle

Eddie turned up on DIY SOS last year as a volunteer tradesman.

How about a woman? - Chrissie Wellington. four times world champion and world record holder in the ironman triathlon  (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike and 26.2mile run) and unbeaten at the event. Since she started the sport in 2008 she has cut 32 minutes off the world record

Others in with a shout that haven't been mentioned:

Michael Phelps
Pele
Ben Ainslie
Shaun White

Henri Toivonen

joe louis

Mike Tyson as this peak would have murdered Ali.

kingmax     28 Jan 12 17:51 
babe ruth
______________

you watched that film as well last night

Tyson wasn't a boxer, he was a street fighter

no mention of Nadal - (good at tennis and football) ,same as Becker the Boris  in his day ,could have played for Bayern Munich  .... we need more who shine OUTSIDE their field

tyson had great boxing skills when he was inclined to use them, towards the end of his career he just wanted to end the fight asap

no way is he close to best sportsman ever though

botham

Don't think Tyson is close to best sportsman ever, but Tyson circa 1988 would have destroyed him.

Coachbuster google Deion Sanders and check his wiki page, pretty impressive if multi sport athlete is what you seek.

yes, i looked ealier as someone had nominated the man - 

i would agree

MOHAMMID ALLY BY A MILE

kim jong il

lucas radebe

In 1994, Pyongyang media reported that Kim Jong-il shot an amazing 11 holes-in-one to achieve an unprecedented 38-under-par game on a regulation 18-hole golf course - on his first try at golf.
Reports say each of his 17 bodyguards verified the record-breaking feat.

Some good shouts here.

If you go for a cyclist, you go for Merckx imo (was going to say it, but someone beat me to it).

You've got to consider Ali, Woods, Federer, Puskas and Moses.

Messi may yet be in the mix, but not there yet.

The winner has to be Michael Jordan though. Was nothing special in high school and got where he did through very hard work and sheer bloody-mindedness. Unfortunately, basketball is a rubbish spectator sport.

iain dowie

The Rock

so ali it is then. The rock tried to be ali of wrestling... he did do well to be fair. There's only one ali tho. So I conclude Muhammad ali is the greatest sportsman of all time.

Tiger Woods .... his achievement in holding all four Major titles at the same time is unsurpassed IMHO.

Jan 29, 2012 -- 9:59AM, SrgtDouche wrote:

so ali it is then. The rock tried to be ali of wrestling... he did do well to be fair. There's only one ali tho. So I conclude Muhammad ali is the greatest sportsman of all time.

they don't call him The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment for nothing

I would pick Ali.

A 1 on 1 combat sport trumps most other sporting endeavours imo. Ali proved himself as one of the greats at a time when his rivals were all at a high level. He also came back from defeat, which shows tremendous character. Whilst undefeated or dominant champions have a superior record, it could also show that their rivals just weren't at a high enough level to test them.

Although my favourite athlete of all time is Mike Tyson (at his peak). He had pretty much every athletic attribute covered (strength, speed, stamina, co-ordination, balance, power).

My favourite athlete is Pele.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhlwe99GbVI

who can forget how ali defeated foreman. One of the biggest upsets in the history of boxing. Ali was great even before the fight but he cemented himself as the greatest after that fight and frazier in manilla. I think ali was 8/1 against foreman. Was free money lucky backers must've made fortunes on him every match.

tiger woods? is this some sick joke

it's muhammad ali and nobody comes close

Thank you.

nedum onuoha (nap)

surely its titus bramble

mr john lauranitus

maybe Stone Cold Steve Austin

If Kim Jung Il was that good at golf on his first attempt, im prepared to row in with him. Wasnt that great at dictating though.

aaronh no wrestler will ever be the greatest sportsman. Give it up FFS. Hulk hogan doesn't even come close.

Rock also doing well in the golf ATM, worthy shout imo

the Undertaker, 19 wins and 0 defeats at Wrestlemania

TMO stated that... it's a great achievement but that takes place once a year. Does not qualify for greatest sportsman of all time... no sorry.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento

what about any of the tennis players? If it were greatest sportswoman then martina navrilotva would top by a huge margin imo

Rafa Nadal

Ric Flair
The butcher
and
The Sting imo

all in the running

Monty Panesar

2 unbelievable athletes in Australia atm

yep djok defo up there

djokovic up there when he wins the french open this year to hold all 4 majors in one go

all this talk of Tiger Woods , but he isn't even regarded as the  best golfer of all time  - time on his side though

Stone Cold won 3 Royal Rumbles

WHAT?

even won a match with a broken neck, what a legend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g8Uap64fhc&feature=related (possibly not pleasant viewing)

WHAT?

Cris

END OF THREAD

^^ not even the best Ronaldo u muppet

dawsy where the phuck have u been hidin

Jan 29, 2012 -- 7:20PM, freddiek wrote:

dawsy where the phuck have u been hidin

Not been hiding at all.

Ali...although, I believe he was no more than 3/1 against Foreman.
And more likely around the 7/4- 2/1 mark in the UK if my memory serves me well.

fred

phil taylor

Don bradman v Mohammad Ali

For me. The don dominated his sport like no one has ever dominated any sport ever IMO.  I suspect he comes a close second to Ali, because Ali had worldwide greatness despite not being the best ever boxer, or even necessarily the best ever heavyweight.  He generally speaking came out on top in arguably the greatest series of contests in the history of sport.

R Truth

Right we are betfair punters.Ali was not even in the top 10 Heavyweights let alone one of the greatest ever boxers.The same as the "greatest football team ever" Barcelona are not even the best football team in Spain !! Forget the hype and go against the crowd...

The Great Wilson of course.
Remembered fondly by us older forumites.

Steve Davis

my mate is gud at fifa

Max Woosnam
Olympic Gold and Silver Medals for Tennis
Wimbledon Doubles Champion
Davis Cup Captain
England Football Captain
Man City Captain (finished 2nd in the league)
Scored a century at Lords
Compiled a maximum 147 at snooker
Scratch golfer
Defeated Charlie Chaplin at table tennis using a butter knife instead of a bat :)

Maxwell "Max" Woosnam (6 September 1892 – 14 July 1965) was an English sportsman is sometimes referred to as the 'Greatest British sportsman' in recognition of his achievements .[1][2]

Amongst his achievements was winning an Olympic gold and silver at the 1920 Summer Olympics, winning the doubles at Wimbledon, compiling a 147 break in Snooker, making a century at Lord's Cricket Ground, captaining the British Davis Cup team, captaining Manchester City F.C. finishing ultimately runners-up for the Football League Championship in 1920-21 and captaining the England national football team.
______________________________________________

jeez,what a legend 

Leviathan, just read his Wiki page -- awesome, I have never heard of that guy!

My brother bought me a biography a few years ago.  Just an incredible story.  The guy must have had the most amazing hand/eye co-ordination to be so good at everything.

Max "Power" Woosnam certainly a contender.

"Woosnam declined the opportunity to become a professional sportsman, finding the idea 'vulgar'."

If the guy could see the overpaid primadonnas now .. he must be turning in his grave.

The Miz

Cheers levi, never heard of Woosnam before. 

Don Bradman's batting stats were 30% better than anyone else who has ever played the game.  30% is massive.  I can't think of any other sportsmen who was so much better than their peers.

^^

Wayne Gretzky had stats way above anyone else too.

If you go on stats or are Canadian or Australian it`s one of those two..

some good shouts here

sonny bill williams newzealand rugby star, wins new zealand
heavyweight boxing championship

get it on with the klitchkos and he'd be a contender

Eddy Merckx Cyclist Supreme