Best athlete?

[Dol]

Who do you rate as the best athlete of all time? You can have more then one I suppose. I nominate Sir Donald Bradman, every second innings he would knock over a century. That's like scoring 3 or 4 tries in every second Test match.

*Consider what this person has achieved in contrast to other athletes.

 

[incredible_holc]

physically Jonah Lomu, no competition

 

[All_Blacks_Hurricanes_Lions_Fan]

Me

nah jokes its to hard of a question to answer i cant answer it it would have to be more specific

 

[woodie]

Carl Lewis perhaps from athletics

Tiger Woods is the greatest 'athelete' in golf

By athelte do you mean sportsman or athelete as in fit, strong etc...

 

[captainamerica]

The answer is James Francis Thorpe.

Granted, most of you funny-talkers (people with non-American accents) might not rate his baseball exploits, but his Olympic and professional Football (American) achievements are tremendous. That, and that he stopped playing sport at the age of 41.

http://www.cmgww.com/sports/thorpe/thorpe.html

 

[An Tarbh]

Originally posted by woodie@Jul 16 2004, 02:07 PM
Carl Lewis perhaps from athletics

Carl Lewis is too tarnished

 

[Canadian_Rugby_Guy]

Originally posted by captainamerica@Jul 17 2004, 07:32 AM
The answer is James Francis Thorpe.

Granted, most of you funny-talkers (people with non-American accents) might not rate his baseball exploits, but his Olympic and professional Football (American) achievements are tremendous. That, and that he stopped playing sport at the age of 41.

http://www.cmgww.com/sports/thorpe/thorpe.html

Although very impressive, you can look at rugby stars and there quite a few that have careers which go from late 30s into early 40s more often then most sports. You also have people who play long after they've retired from a professional career. If there are any "best athletes", I'd say they'd have to be picked from sports like rugby or others that require excellent conditioning.

 

[woodie]

Jason Leonard

114 Caps at Prop. That's a phenomenal athelete.

 

[captainamerica]

Originally posted by Canadian_Rugby_Guy+Jul 17 2004, 09:43 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Canadian_Rugby_Guy @ Jul 17 2004, 09:43 AM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-captainamerica

@Jul 17 2004, 07:32 AM
The answer is James Francis Thorpe. 

Granted, most of you funny-talkers (people with non-American accents) might not rate his baseball exploits, but his Olympic and professional Football (American) achievements are tremendous.  That, and that he stopped playing sport at the age of 41.

http://www.cmgww.com/sports/thorpe/thorpe.html

Although very impressive, you can look at rugby stars and there quite a few that have careers which go from late 30s into early 40s more often then most sports. You also have people who play long after they've retired from a professional career. If there are any "best athletes", I'd say they'd have to be picked from sports like rugby or others that require excellent conditioning.[/b]

I disagree wholeheartedly but that is to be expected with a question/topic like this.

Thorpe stopped playing professional football at 41. This was in the era of the 60 Minute Men. He won the Pentathlon and Decathlon at the 1912 Olympics. He won them. Won. Them. Him.

Granted, not a day goes by where I cry myself to sleep thinking, 'If only Thorpe had tried Rugby (Union, not League),' -- he would have excelled at that, no question.

I appreciate evolution and the natural progression we've made (faster, stronger etc) but there is not really any single dominance by any one person across a variety of sports. When you add to it Olympic victory in non-fluff events, that kinda throws it over the edge for me.

 

[Wally]

Alastair Lynch of the Brisbane Lions (AFL). He's 35 but is still regarded as one of the competition's best and fairest. Quite possibly the most athletic person in any code on the planet.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
6th Fitzroy B&F 1990, R-Up 1991, Equal 3rd 1992, Winner 1993, 8th Bears B&F 1994, Lions B&F 2003, 10th 1996, 10th Lions B&F 1997, 5th 1998, 9th 2000, 10th 2001, All-Australian 1993, AFL Mark of the Year 1991, Fitzroy Leading Goalkicker 1993, Bears No.2 Goalkicker 1994, Leading Goalkicker 1996, Lions No.3 Goal-Kicker 1999, Leading Goalkicker 2000-01-02-03, Equal No.7 AFL Goalkicker 1993, No.4 AFL Goalkicker 2000, No.2 AFL Goalkicker 2002-2003, Tasmanian State of Origin Representative 1988-89-90-91-92-93, (Vice-Captain 1993), Member Lions’ Ansett Cup Grand Final Side 2001, Fitzroy Vice-Captain 1991-92-93, Bears Vice-Captain 1994-95-96, Lions Co-Captain 1997-98-99-00, Lions Life Member 1997, Member Fitzroy Team of Fifty Years (1944-93), Member Fitzroy Team of the Century (1897-1996), Premiership Player 2001-2002-2003.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

Sir edmund hillary

 

[Geoff]

Wayne Gretzky has got to be up there. He holds 62 NHL (ice hockey) records, no-one has dominated a sport like he did. Played for 20 years in the top league in world and was also sucussful in the rare international hockey competitions (except for the '98 Olympics).

All of the records held by "The Great One" http://nhl.com/hockeyu/history/gretzky/61records.html

They don't recognize his unofficial 62nd record: Most records held by a single player at any one time.

EDIT: Jim Thorpe and Jason Leanord have got to be up there as well.

 

[incredible_holc]

whats it with you canadians and Gretzky

 

[wigan_rlfc]

Billy Boston. Speed, Strength, Great Defence, Agility, and the second highest number of tries in British rugby league.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

gretzky is not only a top notch athlete but is a great athlete metnally aswell. He can see plays before they even happen. He is the ultimate athlete mentally. And if any of you have ever played ice hockey before you know its an extremely fast sport. the play will shift 200 feet in a matter a second and you have only a second to make a decision when you play.

 

[Dragon Fanatic]

You would have to have every sport listed. But for mine Ian Thorpe.

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by Wally@Jul 17 2004, 11:01 AM
Alastair Lynch of the Brisbane Lions (AFL). He's 35 but is still regarded as one of the competition's best and fairest. Quite possibly the most athletic person in any code on the planet.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
6th Fitzroy B&F 1990, R-Up 1991, Equal 3rd 1992, Winner 1993, 8th Bears B&F 1994, Lions B&F 2003, 10th 1996, 10th Lions B&F 1997, 5th 1998, 9th 2000, 10th 2001, All-Australian 1993, AFL Mark of the Year 1991, Fitzroy Leading Goalkicker 1993, Bears No.2 Goalkicker 1994, Leading Goalkicker 1996, Lions No.3 Goal-Kicker 1999, Leading Goalkicker 2000-01-02-03, Equal No.7 AFL Goalkicker 1993, No.4 AFL Goalkicker 2000, No.2 AFL Goalkicker 2002-2003, Tasmanian State of Origin Representative 1988-89-90-91-92-93, (Vice-Captain 1993), Member Lions’ Ansett Cup Grand Final Side 2001, Fitzroy Vice-Captain 1991-92-93, Bears Vice-Captain 1994-95-96, Lions Co-Captain 1997-98-99-00, Lions Life Member 1997, Member Fitzroy Team of Fifty Years (1944-93), Member Fitzroy Team of the Century (1897-1996), Premiership Player 2001-2002-2003.

*Yawn* That Drug Cheat...

Id have too Say Michael Jones, Peter Snell and Lance Armstrong.

Ian Thorpe is probably up there

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by Ripper+Jul 19 2004, 07:56 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ripper @ Jul 19 2004, 07:56 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-stupidass

@Jul 17 2004, 11:01 AM
Alastair Lynch of the Brisbane Lions (AFL). He's 35 but is still regarded as one of the competition's best and fairest. Quite possibly the most athletic person in any code on the planet.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
6th Fitzroy B&F 1990, R-Up 1991, Equal 3rd 1992, Winner 1993, 8th Bears B&F 1994, Lions B&F 2003, 10th 1996, 10th Lions B&F 1997, 5th 1998, 9th 2000, 10th 2001, All-Australian 1993, AFL Mark of the Year 1991, Fitzroy Leading Goalkicker 1993, Bears No.2 Goalkicker 1994, Leading Goalkicker 1996, Lions No.3 Goal-Kicker 1999, Leading Goalkicker 2000-01-02-03, Equal No.7 AFL Goalkicker 1993, No.4 AFL Goalkicker 2000, No.2 AFL Goalkicker 2002-2003, Tasmanian State of Origin Representative 1988-89-90-91-92-93, (Vice-Captain 1993), Member Lions’ Ansett Cup Grand Final Side 2001, Fitzroy Vice-Captain 1991-92-93, Bears Vice-Captain 1994-95-96, Lions Co-Captain 1997-98-99-00, Lions Life Member 1997, Member Fitzroy Team of Fifty Years (1944-93), Member Fitzroy Team of the Century (1897-1996), Premiership Player 2001-2002-2003.

*Yawn* That Drug Cheat...

Id have too Say Michael Jones, Peter Snell and Lance Armstrong.

Ian Thorpe is probably up there [/b]

Yawn? He took a prescribed medication only to find it had been added to the banned list. Hardly a drug cheat.

 

[Ripper]

Still an overated Druggie...

Matthew Lloyd > Alister Lynch

 

[Canadian_Rugby_Guy]

I'd have to say Ian Thorpe and Lance Armstrong as well. Simon Whitfield definetely deserves some praise too. Winning the first ever olympic triathlon competition.