ESPN top athletes of last century

[spatch]

I know its 7 years late, but looking back, who should have been on the list/should have been higher

ESPN.com: Top N. American athletes of the century

Wayne Gretzky should have been number 1 IMO.

Mike Tyson should have been on the list also. Yeah, has unstable, but this isn’t the list of top 100 sports ambassadors. If I could construct one fantasy sports event it would be Ali vs. Tyson. Tyson is stronger, as fast (if not faster, watch Tyson do a speed bag workout in his prime), and crazier than Ali. Ali has him beat in “fundamentals” and conditioning. I would love to see that play out in the ring.

Under the same reasoning, Jackie Robinson should have been lower. Yes, he was a great ball player and yes he broke the color barrier, but again this is a list of the best athletes, not the best people who happened to be athletes. No way is he higher than Bill Russell, Ted Williams, or Gordie Howe.

 

[PumpingIron]

No no no, gretzsky is just where he should be...

Jordan is the only choice for number 1.

I couldve moved Jim Thorpe up though.

 

[CNizz]

i have to agree too, Jordan is one of the most phenomonal players the world has ever seen, but it is very difficult to gauge where everyone else falls when cross examining all of the different sports, especially considering the difference between the games back in Ruth's day and how it is played now

 

[anabolicrhino]

Word on Jordan! He changed a generation of styles, baggy shorts saggy socks, shaved heads / Changed the way sports were covered and marketed. He was the king of psychological warfare How many games did he win because the other team was just "watching him be Jordan" He took smack talking to a new level. Real friendly with the refs and kicked down the door for black stars to do crossover advertising!!!

Gretsky, the most boring 1,000 goals ever! He took the tough out of hockey

Ali would have driven Tyson to tears, He could psyche out anybody! the tougher the opponent Liston,Foreman the more he tormented them. The ultimate gamesmen along with Jordan!

 

[Rodja]

Word on Jordan! He changed a generation of styles, baggy shorts saggy socks, shaved heads / Changed the way sports were covered and marketed. He was the king of psychological warfare How many games did he win because the other team was just "watching him be Jordan" He took smack talking to a new level. Real friendly with the refs and kicked down the door for black stars to do crossover advertising!!!

Gretsky, the most boring 1,000 goals ever! He took the tough out of hockey

Ali would have driven Tyson to tears, He could psyche out anybody! the tougher the opponent Liston,Foreman the more he tormented them. The ultimate gamesmen along with Jordan!

It's 892 goals and you are dead wrong about Gretzky. He showed how being dominant is just as much mental as physical. He saw and could anticipate better than anyone that has ever played hockey. The term "Greatest Athlete" is a slight misnomer, but I would put Gretzky above everyone else.

 

[PumpingIron]

^ (anabolicrhino's post) I agree...but the Tyson, Ali argument...both in their prime is a good one.

 

[christopher]

Jordan is definite #1....

anyone ever heard of TIger WooDS...? :think:

 

[prld2gr8ns]

Good point about Tiger.... and Jordan was defenitly deserving of a slot like that.

 

[anabolicrhino]

It's 892 goals and you are dead wrong about Gretzky. He showed how being dominant is just as much mental as physical. He saw and could anticipate better than anyone that has ever played hockey. The term "Greatest Athlete" is a slight misnomer, but I would put Gretzky above everyone else.

I bumped him a couple of goals to be nice...He was a great stick man, no one even comes close as a passer and a great ambassador for the game but,...the league created an optimum situation for him as they were trying to go mainstream(still waiting) He was allowed to sit in front of the net or behind it in "his office" like no one before or since. Anybody else gets cross checked!!! Mario Lemieux was a better skater more physical and was more fun to watch.

Gretzky to his credit brought hockey to the southern United States-whatever that's worth!

Gretzky's 4 cups in five years is impressive almost as impressive as Messier 's 5 in seven for the same team!

 

[PumpingIron]

Jordan is definite #1....

anyone ever heard of TIger WooDS...? :think:

Tiger was good in the 1900's but most of his major accomplishments came late in the 90's and so far in the 21st century....

I was thinking the same thing until I realized that this was a 20th century list...Another guy that came to mind was federrer...but again he was his best in the 21st.

 

[Rodja]

I bumped him a couple of goals to be nice...He was a great stick man, no one even comes close as a passer and a great ambassador for the game but,...the league created an optimum situation for him as they were trying to go mainstream(still waiting) He was allowed to sit in front of the net or behind it in "his office" like no one before or since. Anybody else gets cross checked!!! Mario Lemieux was a better skater more physical and was more fun to watch.

Gretzky to his credit brought hockey to the southern United States-whatever that's worth!

Gretzky's 4 cups in five years is impressive almost as impressive as Messier 's 5 in seven for the same team!

I agree that Lemieux is the more gifted player, actually he is probably the most physically gifted player ever. However, Gretzky transcended the game, there really was nothing he could not do on the ice.

 

[prld2gr8ns]

Plus, he was the first guy to have "enforcers".