The Greatest Athlete of AL all time poll
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notredomer23
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Heggie should win in a landslide.
RyCo1983
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Aren't you Jim Thorpe?
dshans
They call me The Dribbler
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Seamus Thorpe.
[My son, Patrick (Pádraig), was given the nickname Seamus by his college buds.]
ACamp1900
Counting my ‘bet against ND’ winnings
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The fact that you were around before sports existed puts you at an unfair advantage....?
Ultimate Penn St. Hater
Go Irish!
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Nolan Richardson, the Arkansas coach?
RyCo1983
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I wasn't familiar with the name. It was nominated in the debate thread.
irishog77
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Yeah, I threw his name out there. I don't think he is the best athlete ever, but I mentioned him when people started nominating guys based on certain criteria. Richardson was drafted to play pro football, basketball, and baseball. And I believe he might have played pro football and basketball (technically), which I believe he still might be the only person to ever do so. I remember hearing this about him...but I'm not 100% certain of it-- only ~95% sure.
Ultimate Penn St. Hater
Go Irish!
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I had no idea. Thanks
dshans
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Hey, now! Mastodon roping was big. I had a fan club. Canyon Coliseums were sold out. I had all the Dino Jerky I could eat.
Fred Flintstone was my manager, Barney Rubble my corner man. Mr. Slate was the money man behind it all. Wilma and Betty were ... well, I'll stop there.
I'm not a Neanderthal, after all.
Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm moved to a Commune. I'd rather not talk about it.
RyCo1983
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I must issue this proclamation!
A vote for Jim Thorpe...is a vote for DSHANS!
You're in 2nd place friend.
Rhode Irish
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I don't get the title of this thread. What is the "AL" about?
RyCo1983
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C
Cackalacky
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Yep I was torn between him and Thorpe. I chose Thorpe.
dshans
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Good catch, Rhodemeister. If the poll is restricted to the American League many earlier calls are arguable. Should it be a simple typo, I'd let it slide. Who knows if it's safe to vote. I'd hate to have my choice thrown out. Who knows, the poll could be a ball – a strike for oldsters and deadsters. A perfect thread is rare. One with no hits is uncommon. Innings and outings are all part of the game. It's a squeeze play.
Canton_Irish
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Love debating this kind of topic but it's tough to put an exact meaning on "greatest athlete".
That being said, I've played sports extensively through my life and have a deep respect for the accomplishments of most of the people on that list. The sheer dominance of Babe Ruth is untouchable in my opinion, however. He was capable of accomplishing the most difficult feat in all of sports better than anyone to attempt it: hitting a baseball. The fact that he had the talent to be a hall of fame pitcher is just icing on the cake.
If I could have one guy on this list at 20 years old to start a team with (for the team guys on the list), I'd be insane not to select Ruth. Not Jordan, not Bo Jackson, and not Jim Thorpe.
That being said, I've played sports extensively through my life and have a deep respect for the accomplishments of most of the people on that list. The sheer dominance of Babe Ruth is untouchable in my opinion, however. He was capable of accomplishing the most difficult feat in all of sports better than anyone to attempt it: hitting a baseball. The fact that he had the talent to be a hall of fame pitcher is just icing on the cake.
If I could have one guy on this list at 20 years old to start a team with (for the team guys on the list), I'd be insane not to select Ruth. Not Jordan, not Bo Jackson, and not Jim Thorpe.
dshans
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Shit. I've forgotten the name of my Super vPAC already. It's in the thread that spawned this poll. No one, as yet, has submitted a request for "supportive support," i.e. vBucks. Things aren't going my way in the early polls.
Get in touch. It'll be worth it.
Get in touch. It'll be worth it.
Carl Lewis should have more votes but he is up against pretty stiff competition. Thorpe and Bo, even Deion were all superior OVERALL athletes. I would say that even Jenner, who won the DECATHLON was actually more impressive because of the variety of athletic skills necessary in other to just COMPETE in that event.
Hard choice here.
Hard choice here.
And HOW in the world is JORDAN third??? He was good at ONE SPORT ONLY. If you want to debate best NBA player ever, then he is in that debate, but best EVER OVERALL ATHLETE? Nah. Not even in the convo. AINGE was a better ATHLETE than Jordan.
Wilt Chamberlain was all conference at Kansas in Track and Field, as well as NCAA, obviously. And Jackie Robinson was also a multisport star at UCLA.
Honestly, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Babe Zaharias were superior to Jordan, Ruth, Ali, just to name a few.
I think we need a list of what they accomplished to make them even worthy of being on this poll, other than just nominations.
Honestly, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Babe Zaharias were superior to Jordan, Ruth, Ali, just to name a few.
I think we need a list of what they accomplished to make them even worthy of being on this poll, other than just nominations.
bigedefense
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I can't believe there are no curlers on the list!
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To me, if we're talking Greatest Athlete of all time, then I think you need to narrow your list to only those that participated in multiple sports or events. That eliminates guys like Jordan & Ali who only played one sport. I would then eliminate Lewis because he only ran the 100 and long jump. I would eliminate Sanders because he tried baseball, but couldn't make it. Jenner should be in the conversation since he either won every event or came close to winning every event in the decathalon.
Thorpe was well before my time and I did watch Bo in his prime. It really comes down to those two, because they played multiple sports at a high level and excelled at them. Thorpe participated in more sports so I would have to give the nod to Thorpe.
gkIrish
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Lewis ran the 200m as well.
GoIrish41
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Jim Brown's place in NFL and college football history is obvious, but some say he may also have been the best lacrose player ever. He would definately be on my short list along with Bo Jackson, Dave Winfield, a two sport star at Minn in the early 70s, and Jackie Robinson, who was the first person in UCLA history to earn varisty letters in four sports.
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Forgot about that, but it's still running. Not a different sport or event. Just MO.
Good points about Winfield and Robinson. I would probably move Robinson into the conversation with Thorpe and Jackson.
T Town Tommy
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Lewis was a great athlete but how great is really hard to determine. The early era of steroid use by track and field athletes casts a shadow over him - fairly or unfairly. Personally, I think he was clean when he was winning. My only reservations is when he started losing to known steroid users. And many of those athletes claimed Lewis started using late in his career.