I figure with 2016 acting as she has, and a vacancy, we need a watch list to check in on.
Michael Jordan
Pele
Jim Brown
Bo Jackson
Carl Lewis
Michael Jordan
Pele
Jim Brown
Bo Jackson
Carl Lewis
Who are the five greatest living athletes
- Thread starter Saguaro Cat
- Start date
The best athlete in the world is probably living in a tent somewhere in the desert or climbing a tree in a rainforest.
Dave Scott - 6 time winner Ironman Triathlon, Kona Hawaii
Cael Sanderson - 159-0 and 4 NCAA titles as a wrestler at Iowa State
Wayne Gretzky
Jim Brown
Michael Phelps
Cael Sanderson - 159-0 and 4 NCAA titles as a wrestler at Iowa State
Wayne Gretzky
Jim Brown
Michael Phelps
Toss up between Todd Van Popel and Felipe Lopez.
Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus deserve consideration. Carl Lewis has to be on the list. Mark Spitz, Michael Johnson, lots of Olympians. Would not consider a whole lot of team athletes, there are a ton of great football players, but are they the greatest ever "athletes"? Hard to say.
Not that I would ever watch it for a second but the best athletes on the planet are gymnasts, especially male gymnasts. The combination of strength and flexibility is insane.Tell Michael Jordan to do the Iron Cross on the rings and then do 6 somersaults.
For me, athletes have to be competitors, but it's not the end all. Being the best bicyclist by a million miles still wouldn't put you in my group.
I wouldn't put Nicolas or tiger because that's like the bicyclist example above but times a hundred. They have a skill, but they compete against fat tubs of goo. golfers aren't worthy.
Tennis and Gretzky don't make it because they're too weak. Strength has to count for something.
There's probably some male gymnasts that deserve consideration, but the fact no one cares keeps them off the list. It seems unfair, but fame counts.
No swimmers. There's a reason everyone laughs at Aquaman. I'm better than everyone during the 0.1% of time we aren't on dry land.
It's all a big blob of stuff I can't quantify.
I wouldn't put Nicolas or tiger because that's like the bicyclist example above but times a hundred. They have a skill, but they compete against fat tubs of goo. golfers aren't worthy.
Tennis and Gretzky don't make it because they're too weak. Strength has to count for something.
There's probably some male gymnasts that deserve consideration, but the fact no one cares keeps them off the list. It seems unfair, but fame counts.
No swimmers. There's a reason everyone laughs at Aquaman. I'm better than everyone during the 0.1% of time we aren't on dry land.
It's all a big blob of stuff I can't quantify.
Bo had a .250 career avg and a 141 hr. Not exactly a baseball star. He broke a bat over his knee and ran up a wall.
Injury cut his dual sport career short. If not for that, he would have been a multi-year All Star AND All-Pro. Even his peers call him one of the best athletes that has ever lived.
Question is not precise, imo.
If the question is "Who is the person living today that, at the peak of his/her prowess, was the greatest absolute athlete as measured across all quantifiable metrics?", then my answer is Herschel Walker and Lebron James. Bo Jackson is acceptable. I will also take Eric Bledsoe if you are Billy Joe Wildcat.
If the question is "Who, right now, is currently the best athlete alive, as measurable by performance that can be repeated in the next month or so?", I'm not sure there is an answer. Lebron works, I guess, or Usain Bolt, but I think you just can't know that because it is a highly variable thing.
If the question is "Who is the person living today that, at the peak of his/her prowess, was the greatest absolute athlete as measured across all quantifiable metrics?", then my answer is Herschel Walker and Lebron James. Bo Jackson is acceptable. I will also take Eric Bledsoe if you are Billy Joe Wildcat.
If the question is "Who, right now, is currently the best athlete alive, as measurable by performance that can be repeated in the next month or so?", I'm not sure there is an answer. Lebron works, I guess, or Usain Bolt, but I think you just can't know that because it is a highly variable thing.
Tell a male gymnast to lead a team to 6 NBA championships, 1 MB NCAA title and jump from the free throw line and dunk it. There are a plethora of other accomplishments Jordan did that only a male gymnast could only dream of. Jordan also competed in the Minor Leagues for awhile and is decent in golf. Name a male gymnast that could compete competitively in another sport (professional or minors.)
While I get your point, clearly you are only looking at it one sided.
You know how I know you are gay...
NBA - Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, Steph
NFL - Jim Brown, Bo Jackson, Randy Moss
MLB - Jeter, Kershaw, Griffey Jr
HHL - Gretzky
Golf - Jack, Arnold, Tiger.
Boxing - Tyson, Holyfield, Mayweather
Tennis - Federer, Joker, McEnroe, Sampras
Soccer - Pele, Messi, Ronaldo
Women - Serena, Venus, Mia Hamm, Danica
NFL - Jim Brown, Bo Jackson, Randy Moss
MLB - Jeter, Kershaw, Griffey Jr
HHL - Gretzky
Golf - Jack, Arnold, Tiger.
Boxing - Tyson, Holyfield, Mayweather
Tennis - Federer, Joker, McEnroe, Sampras
Soccer - Pele, Messi, Ronaldo
Women - Serena, Venus, Mia Hamm, Danica
I agree he put too many names, but they were reasonable all the way till I got to Danica. Geez, so many great female athletes that I have seen and he throws one of the 2 that only got famous for their looks (Anna Kournikova was the other). Danica has never accomplished anything other than look good on TV commercials, and even that is debatable once you notice she looks a lot like a female Coach K.
Michael Jordan - greatest basketball player of all time - He is the GOAT.
Jerry Rice - you can debate greatest QB or RB of all time, there is not debate about who is the greatest WR of all time. He is the GOAT.
Jon Jones - most dominant MMA Fighter of all time (he is a freakish athlete for his sport and still have 7 to 8 more years in his prime, maybe longer), he will end of being the GOAT
Ken Griffey Jr - in the age of steroids he is one of few MLB players that was never associated with steroids. He was a remarkable athlete.
Tiger Woods - he changed the game of golf. He proved power could be a asset in golf. He forced tournaments to literally triple their purses they paid to players. He is the GOAT.
Jerry Rice - you can debate greatest QB or RB of all time, there is not debate about who is the greatest WR of all time. He is the GOAT.
Jon Jones - most dominant MMA Fighter of all time (he is a freakish athlete for his sport and still have 7 to 8 more years in his prime, maybe longer), he will end of being the GOAT
Ken Griffey Jr - in the age of steroids he is one of few MLB players that was never associated with steroids. He was a remarkable athlete.
Tiger Woods - he changed the game of golf. He proved power could be a asset in golf. He forced tournaments to literally triple their purses they paid to players. He is the GOAT.
Gymnast are excellent at their sport, but put a ball in their hand and they will look like a fish out of water.
Steph Curry is not a "great athlete". In fact, that is why he is so inspiring. He is small and frail, yet dominates the league.
I owe an apology to UMM and Butters for thinking they had the worst takes on this board. Clearly they do not. Does Curry belong in discussions for 5 greatest living athletes? Probably not but to say he isn't a great athlete is a horrendous take.
There's the rub. The question is sort of stupid. Lebron can't hit under par and Spieth can't dunk on a 7 footer. Who is the better athlete?
Steph Curry is amazing in his ability to hit shots with no wind up from distances no one else has ever really been able to do in the NBA with any consistency. But he's not a great NBA athlete in other respects. Incredibly good, yes, but not great.
Westbrook is a far better "athlete" than Curry and a worse player, while still being elite.