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Best All Round Athlete


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Bo was hurt the previous week, not in Buffalo. He does however, get my vote for best pro athlete. Deion was

a horrific tackler and an average, at best, baseball player. Bo excelled in both sports.

 

Bo gets my vote as well. I still haven't seen that combo of power and speed 20 years later.

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I would have to say Deion Sanders. I mean the guy did it all. He Played 10 seasons in MLB and 11 years in the NFL ( I may be aff by a year or two in both categories) He is the only player to not only play in a World Series and a Super Bowl, but to also hit a home run in MLB and score an NFL touchdown in the same week. In college, Sanders played football, baseball and track. On one occasion, on a day with a double header baseball game he played the first game, then went and competed in the schools 4x100 relay and then returned to play the second baseball game!

 

I don't think there is another athlete that comes close. He also "allegedly" ran a 4.16 40 yard dash. Also, remember the Pizza Hut commercial where he responds to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones questions ("Football or baseball?" and "Offense or defense?") with "both!!"

 

 

I am interested in everyones take on this.

OJ was great at most sports...as was Jim Brown.

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In there perspective sports you could go with folks like Micheal Jordon, Tiger Woods, Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky, Muhammed Ali, Jim Brown, or Jerry Rice, I mean are we talking best all around athletic ability or versatility?

 

Can we say Dion Sanders or Bo Jackson is a better all around athlete then Michael Jordon?

Tiger Woods?? I nominate Rick Musialowski.-Who I think was a superior athlete.At least a bowling ball weighs 16 LBs.

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Mickey Mantle deserves some mention.

 

The man hit a dead ball 564 feet with no steroids, and he was the fastest man in MLB from home to first. He was offered a scholarship to play football at Oklahome U, and did play some basketball in HS.

 

Realistically, he was probably a step below Chamberlain and perhaps Bo, but Mantle was still superb.

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Hmm. Some very interesting responses in here.

 

I was glad to see Wilt Chamberlain get mentioned. He was known for his basketball prowess, but he also was a very fast and incredibly strong athlete. Meadowlark Lemmon once said of how Chamberlain, when he was playing w/ the Harlem Globetrotters, could throw him up in the air and catch him. Lemon was 'bout 210 @ the time. Wow.

 

Here's my short list (haha, yeah right):

 

Olympians

Jim Thorpe

Rafer Johnson

Jesse Owens

Carl Lewis

Babe Didrickson Zaharias

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Wilma Rudolph

 

 

Football

Jim Brown

Tony Gonzalez

Deion Sanders

Bo Jackson

 

Baseball

Willie Mays

Roberto Clemente

James Bell

 

Basketball

Wilt Chamberlain

Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant

Hakeem Olajuwon

 

Other Sports

Tiger Woods

Bjorn Borg

Michael Chang

Roger Federer

Muhammad Ali

Sugar Ray Robinson

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Mickey Mantle deserves some mention.

 

The man hit a dead ball 564 feet with no steroids, and he was the fastest man in MLB from home to first. He was offered a scholarship to play football at Oklahome U, and did play some basketball in HS.

 

Realistically, he was probably a step below Chamberlain and perhaps Bo, but Mantle was still superb.

 

Although you're probably right, I'll just play devil's advocate: There are documented cases of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball all the way back to the 1880s, like the infamous Pud Gavin's.

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Hmm. Some very interesting responses in here.

 

I was glad to see Wilt Chamberlain get mentioned. He was known for his basketball prowess, but he also was a very fast and incredibly strong athlete. Meadowlark Lemmon once said of how Chamberlain, when he was playing w/ the Harlem Globetrotters, could throw him up in the air and catch him. Lemon was 'bout 210 @ the time. Wow.

 

Here's my short list (haha, yeah right):

 

Olympians

Jim Thorpe

Rafer Johnson

Jesse Owens

Carl Lewis

Babe Didrickson Zaharias

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Wilma Rudolph

 

 

Football

Jim Brown

Tony Gonzalez

Deion Sanders

Bo Jackson

 

Baseball

Willie Mays

Roberto Clemente

James Bell

 

Basketball

Wilt Chamberlain

Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant

Hakeem Olajuwon

 

Other Sports

Tiger Woods

Bjorn Borg

Michael Chang

Roger Federer

Muhammad Ali

Sugar Ray Robinson

 

 

Nice to see Clemente make your list, Rich.

 

:thumbsup:

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Hmm. Some very interesting responses in here.

 

I was glad to see Wilt Chamberlain get mentioned. He was known for his basketball prowess, but he also was a very fast and incredibly strong athlete. Meadowlark Lemmon once said of how Chamberlain, when he was playing w/ the Harlem Globetrotters, could throw him up in the air and catch him. Lemon was 'bout 210 @ the time. Wow.

 

Here's my short list (haha, yeah right):

 

Olympians

Jim Thorpe

Rafer Johnson

Jesse Owens

Carl Lewis

Babe Didrickson Zaharias

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Wilma Rudolph

 

 

Football

Jim Brown

Tony Gonzalez

Deion Sanders

Bo Jackson

 

Baseball

Willie Mays

Roberto Clemente

James Bell

 

Basketball

Wilt Chamberlain

Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant

Hakeem Olajuwon

 

Other Sports

Tiger Woods

Bjorn Borg

Michael Chang

Roger Federer

Muhammad Ali

Sugar Ray Robinson

 

Kelly Slater... introduced surfing "outside" of the typical wave zone...

 

Olympic Lifting- Dave Rigert formally the USSR

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Hmm. Some very interesting responses in here.

 

I was glad to see Wilt Chamberlain get mentioned. He was known for his basketball prowess, but he also was a very fast and incredibly strong athlete. Meadowlark Lemmon once said of how Chamberlain, when he was playing w/ the Harlem Globetrotters, could throw him up in the air and catch him. Lemon was 'bout 210 @ the time. Wow.

 

Here's my short list (haha, yeah right):

 

Olympians

Jim Thorpe

Rafer Johnson

Jesse Owens

Carl Lewis

Babe Didrickson Zaharias

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Wilma Rudolph

 

 

Football

Jim Brown

Tony Gonzalez

Deion Sanders

Bo Jackson

 

Baseball

Willie Mays

Roberto Clemente

James Bell

 

Basketball

Wilt Chamberlain

Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant

Hakeem Olajuwon

 

Other Sports

Tiger Woods

Bjorn Borg

Michael Chang

Roger Federer

Muhammad Ali

Sugar Ray Robinson

 

 

Michael Chang?

Tiger Woods??-Michael Jordan never lost a one on one basketball game to a fat guy with man boobs.

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Michael Chang?

 

 

Yes. Watching the guy chase shots all over the court @ the French Open was awesome. Rarely have I seen that kinda hustle in a tennis match.

 

Tiger Woods??-Michael Jordan never lost a one on one basketball game to a fat guy with man boobs.

 

To the best of my knowledge, Jordan never won THE major golf title on a broken leg, either.

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Dave Winfield drafted in three sports.

 

Randy Smith who excelled in basketball, soccer and track.

 

John Elway was drafted in two sports (football and baseball)

 

Since I have to choose I will chose Jim Thorpe. He excelled in so much and he got screwed.

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Yes. Watching the guy chase shots all over the court @ the French Open was awesome. Rarely have I seen that kinda hustle in a tennis match.

 

 

 

To the best of my knowledge, Jordan never won THE major golf title on a broken leg, either.

the fact that he won a golf title with a broken leg proves that golf isnt a sport. And NO Duffy Waldorf never beat Michael Jordan one on one.

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Hmm. Some very interesting responses in here.

 

I was glad to see Wilt Chamberlain get mentioned. He was known for his basketball prowess, but he also was a very fast and incredibly strong athlete. Meadowlark Lemmon once said of how Chamberlain, when he was playing w/ the Harlem Globetrotters, could throw him up in the air and catch him. Lemon was 'bout 210 @ the time. Wow.

 

Here's my short list (haha, yeah right):

 

Olympians

Jim Thorpe

Rafer Johnson

Jesse Owens

Carl Lewis

Babe Didrickson Zaharias

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Wilma Rudolph

 

 

Football

Jim Brown

Tony Gonzalez

Deion Sanders

Bo Jackson

 

Baseball

Willie Mays

Roberto Clemente

James Bell

 

Basketball

Wilt Chamberlain

Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant

Hakeem Olajuwon

 

Other Sports

Tiger Woods

Bjorn Borg

Michael Chang

Roger Federer

Muhammad Ali

Sugar Ray Robinson

 

Golf is not a sport. Hitting a stationary ball with no one at all even in the form of noise interfering isn't a sport. OH BUT ITS ON ESPN yeah well so is Poker and Dominoes. OH BUT YOU CAN'T DO WHAT THEY DO I WANT YOU SEE YOU DO IT well I can't juggle does that make juggling a sport? Comparing Tiger Woods to Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Martian Brodeur, Hank Arron, or any great NFL player is insulting them.

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Golf is not a sport. Hitting a stationary ball with no one at all even in the form of noise interfering isn't a sport. OH BUT ITS ON ESPN yeah well so is Poker and Dominoes. OH BUT YOU CAN'T DO WHAT THEY DO I WANT YOU SEE YOU DO IT well I can't juggle does that make juggling a sport? Comparing Tiger Woods to Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Martian Brodeur, Hank Arron, or any great NFL player is insulting them.

hear hear....-a great skill..like bowling(altho requiring less exertion) or darts or skeet shooting or shuffleboard

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Golf is not a sport. Hitting a stationary ball with no one at all even in the form of noise interfering isn't a sport. OH BUT ITS ON ESPN yeah well so is Poker and Dominoes. OH BUT YOU CAN'T DO WHAT THEY DO I WANT YOU SEE YOU DO IT well I can't juggle does that make juggling a sport? Comparing Tiger Woods to Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Martian Brodeur, Hank Arron, or any great NFL player is insulting them.

LMAO, how about we compare Tiger Woods to David Wells, Langston Walker, and Shawn Bradley. Golf is a sport. You don't have to be a great athlete to play or even in great condition, but it certainly helps. Much like baseball, the game revolves around having great eye hand coordination and concentration. I understand your argument but I think it's just a different kind of sport.

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Golf is not a sport. Hitting a stationary ball with no one at all even in the form of noise interfering isn't a sport. OH BUT ITS ON ESPN yeah well so is Poker and Dominoes. OH BUT YOU CAN'T DO WHAT THEY DO I WANT YOU SEE YOU DO IT well I can't juggle does that make juggling a sport? Comparing Tiger Woods to Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Martian Brodeur, Hank Arron, or any great NFL player is insulting them.

 

You go around calling it "not a sport", and then you don't even bother to state your definition of "sport". My definition is any physical activity governed by a specific set of rules or customs and engaged in competitively.

 

By my definition, golf is a sport. What's your definition?

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LMAO, how about we compare Tiger Woods to David Wells, Langston Walker, and Shawn Bradley. Golf is a sport. You don't have to be a great athlete to play or even in great condition, but it certainly helps. Much like baseball, the game revolves around having great eye hand coordination and concentration. I understand your argument but I think it's just a different kind of sport.

then darts and shuffleboard and curling are sports...as long as we have defined our terms

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You go around calling it "not a sport", and then you don't even bother to state your definition of "sport". My definition is any physical activity governed by a specific set of rules or customs and engaged in competitively.

 

By my definition, golf is a sport. What's your definition?

 

By that definition there is no difference between a sport and a game. If you can't tell if someone is athletic or nonathletic by how they play it than its not a sport. In golf can I tell if any golfer is athletic by only looking at how they play golf? No you can't because golf is not a sport.

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By that definition there is no difference between a sport and a game. If you can't tell if someone is athletic or nonathletic by how they play it than its not a sport. In golf can I tell if any golfer is athletic by only looking at how they play golf? No you can't because golf is not a sport.

game.set.match

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LMAO, how about we compare Tiger Woods to David Wells, Langston Walker, and Shawn Bradley. Golf is a sport. You don't have to be a great athlete to play or even in great condition, but it certainly helps. Much like baseball, the game revolves around having great eye hand coordination and concentration. I understand your argument but I think it's just a different kind of sport.

 

Yes but David Wells, Shawn Bradley, and Langston Walker were limited to how good they were because they were not athletic. Wells couldn't field his position that well due the fact he wasn't athletic. Walker was better suited for the right side of the line because he wasn't as athletic as other tackles. Shawn Bradly sucked because he didn't have enough strength to compete with more athletic big men.

 

Tiger woods or any golfer isn't going to be limited in any way by their nonathletic ability. Which makes it a game not a sport.

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By that definition there is no difference between a sport and a game. If you can't tell if someone is athletic or nonathletic by how they play it than its not a sport. In golf can I tell if any golfer is athletic by only looking at how they play golf? No you can't because golf is not a sport.

 

so strength isn't part of being athletic? i'd love to see the nonathlete crush a 400 yard drive down the middle of the fairway!

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so strength isn't part of being athletic? i'd love to see the nonathlete crush a 400 yard drive down the middle of the fairway!

 

Really John Daily is strong. Are the guys who drive the ball the longest the guys who can bench the most? Being able to drive the ball far is not a show of strength more of a show of skill generating speed with a golf club enough to drive a ball very far doesn't require great strength. Golf is a GAME that caters to a specific skill set. Even in the sport of hockey the strongest guys don't have the hardest slap shot.

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I disagree. Tennis requires more athleticism than basketball. You see lanky, nonathletic people become successful basketball players, but anyone with out enough athleticism can't last a minute in a tennis match. I'm not calling Lebron that, clearly the guy is very talented...I'm just saying I'm much more impressed with Fed.

 

Also, I really don't feel as though you watch tennis, do you? Not the best player? He has consistently (20 consecutive times) attended a major semi-final, and at the age of 27 has more grand slam finals than any one mens singles player. Not to mention, the man just took home a career grand slam, and has consistently gotten to the french finals, which is beyond remarkable, considering it doesn't correlate with his style at all. He's just that good. Maybe because you've watched on ESPN Nadal highlights, so you're a little confused, but Roger Federer will arguably go down as the greatest tennis player of all-time.

LeBron James couldn't play tennis at a competitive level, and Roger Federer couldn't play basketball at the level James does. They are very different sports. I have played tennis enough to know what it takes. I have a great appreciation for Federer's talent as a tennis player, and I agree he is in the conversation as the greatest ever.

 

A thread like this is always frustrating because you are necessarily comparing apples and oranges. Lance Anderson might be the fittest athlete of all time if you're measuring body fat and flat out endurance. I think his resting pulse when he was winning all those Tour de France races was in the 20s. Who knows whether he could have ever been an NFL WR or a point guard in the NBA had his interests been directed in a different direction. For tennis, body control, reflexes, quickness, eye/hand coordination and endurance are all very important. On the other hand, a tennis player doesn't need to be as strong as most NFL players need to be, nor is vertical leap as an important consideration for a tennis player as it is for a forward in basketball or a WR in the NFL, though it can certainly help sometimes.

 

I will say LeBron James has pretty freaky athleticism. At 6'8" I think he's supposed to run the 40 in a time that would be competitive for an NFL WR or CB. Basketball players also need a great deal of endurance.

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LeBron James couldn't play tennis at a competitive level, and Roger Federer couldn't play basketball at the level James does. They are very different sports. I have played tennis enough to know what it takes. I have a great appreciation for Federer's talent as a tennis player, and I agree he is in the conversation as the greatest ever.

 

A thread like this is always frustrating because you are necessarily comparing apples and oranges. Lance Anderson might be the fittest athlete of all time if you're measuring body fat and flat out endurance. I think his resting pulse when he was winning all those Tour de France races was in the 20s. Who knows whether he could have ever been an NFL WR or a point guard in the NBA had his interests been directed in a different direction. For tennis, body control, reflexes, quickness, eye/hand coordination and endurance are all very important. On the other hand, a tennis player doesn't need to be as strong as most NFL players need to be, nor is vertical leap as an important consideration for a tennis player as it is for a forward in basketball or a WR in the NFL, though it can certainly help sometimes.

 

I will say LeBron James has pretty freaky athleticism. At 6'8" I think he's supposed to run the 40 in a time that would be competitive for an NFL WR or CB. Basketball players also need a great deal of endurance.

Lance Anderson is so severly underrated. I would say most posters here have never even heard of him. :devil:

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You don't see James play all that much do you?

 

 

It wasnt my post that you were referring too, but much of LeBrons game is based on his athleticism and frame, both god given. While the thread is regarding the best athlete, LeBron IS a better ATHLETE than Kobe. There's NO comparison to their ATHLETICISM. Who's the better basketball player? Kobe. And there's NO comparison. While LeBron MAY eventually be better, he isn't right NOW. Fanboys may disagree...thats what fanboys do. Kobes the best basketball player on earth. Get over it.

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It wasnt my post that you were referring too, but much of LeBrons game is based on his athleticism and frame, both god given. While the thread is regarding the best athlete, LeBron IS a better ATHLETE than Kobe. There's NO comparison to their ATHLETICISM. Who's the better basketball player? Kobe. And there's NO comparison. While LeBron MAY eventually be better, he isn't right NOW. Fanboys may disagree...thats what fanboys do. Kobes the best basketball player on earth. Get over it.

IMO, you can make a case for Bryant, James, and Wade being the best basketball player on earth. Anyone who says that it's no comparison, is being a little slanted. These guys play under different circumstances and have different games. It's impossible to pick out the absolute best player in team sports. That's not to say you aren't entitled to your opinion but it's not accurate to say no comparison.

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It wasnt my post that you were referring too, but much of LeBrons game is based on his athleticism and frame, both god given. While the thread is regarding the best athlete, LeBron IS a better ATHLETE than Kobe. There's NO comparison to their ATHLETICISM. Who's the better basketball player? Kobe. And there's NO comparison. While LeBron MAY eventually be better, he isn't right NOW. Fanboys may disagree...thats what fanboys do. Kobes the best basketball player on earth. Get over it.

 

Well doesn't LeBron's God given abilities make him the better player. The stats seem to dictate so. Lebron is a better passer, better defender, and more efficient player than Kobe (according to efficiency rating). Once again its a team game if Lebron had Shaq (Shaq in his prime) he would have won more than just three championships. If you gave Lebron Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Derrick Fisher he would have gotten a ring this year.

 

If you put Kobe on the Caves they are a playoff team but they aren't going to win a championship. Like I said look at what Kobe did when all he had was Lamar Odom and no one else he would get bounced in the second round by teams like the Spurs and Suns. Jordan couldn't beat the Pistons till Pippin and CO were able to help out. Even in basketball a sport were one player has the most impact on the game one player can't win it by himself.

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I've read Larry Felser on more than one occasion mention that the BEST football player he ever saw was Cookie Gilrist, and that included being better than Jim Brown. I think Cookie may have played baseball & lacross as well.

Cookie--forgot about him. Stellar athlete.

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IMO, you can make a case for Bryant, James, and Wade being the best basketball player on earth. Anyone who says that it's no comparison, is being a little slanted. These guys play under different circumstances and have different games. It's impossible to pick out the absolute best player in team sports. That's not to say you aren't entitled to your opinion but it's not accurate to say no comparison.

Those are the big 3 right now . Dwight is a tad behind because his offensive game is not polished.

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Those are the big 3 right now . Dwight is a tad behind because his offensive game is not polished.

Dwight is a great player but you are right about not being polished. His lack of offensive moves was glaring through out the postseason. Even Shaq had to develop some different shots and a few post moves. He'll get there.

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If we're talking about pure athleticism why don't we look at a guy like Bryan Clay. He won the decathlon at last years Olympics.

 

100 meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meter, 110 meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and the 1500 meter.

 

I would say that is a better measure of the best athlete then one or two professional sports

 

As a former D-III decathlete, I will say that it is a good gauge of athleticism, but realistically your best all-around athletes choose to make more $ in other sports than track and field. Rod Woodson was top 10 ranked in the world at 110 hurdles when he went pro in football. Renaldo Nehemiah held the 110 hurdle record when he left to play WR in the NFL, and rebroke the record after he retired from football.

 

My vote will go to Herschel Walker. He was a beast with that rare bit of power and speed. He was such an elite athlete that he almost made the US 4x100 team and competed in the 1992 winter olympics in bobsled.

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As a former D-III decathlete, I will say that it is a good gauge of athleticism, but realistically your best all-around athletes choose to make more $ in other sports than track and field. Rod Woodson was top 10 ranked in the world at 110 hurdles when he went pro in football. Renaldo Nehemiah held the 110 hurdle record when he left to play WR in the NFL, and rebroke the record after he retired from football.

 

He did? If so, that's news to me. I ran the 110s in high school and college and I remember Skeet's 12.93 being the record 'til Roger Kingdom broke it by a hundreth back in '89.

 

How good was I? Not nearly as good as they were. My best @ the college/amateur hurdle height (3.5 ft) was 14.86, the time I ran as I took 2nd in the PSAC Championships meet in '88.

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My vote will go to Herschel Walker. He was a beast with that rare bit of power and speed. He was such an elite athlete that he almost made the US 4x100 team and competed in the 1992 winter olympics in bobsled.

 

Good pick. When his name comes up, there are some here who scoff, I guess just thinking about the DAL - MIN trade.

 

Didn't ESPN or somebody have a "best athlete of all time" thing several years past? IIRC, Secretariat ended up at #2.

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