Pneumonic Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Terry Fox. One leg and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJ Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PushthePile Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'm Spartacus Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PushthePile Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PushthePile Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sen. John Blutarsky Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 The best all ROUND athlete of all time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Rich Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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