Who is the greatest athlete of all time?

[waxman]

Because the Shiffrin thread has detoured from its intended purpose how about this important question? Greatest athlete of all time, what say you?
I'll nominate: András Balczó is a Hungarian modern pentathlete. He competed at the 1960, 1968 and 1972 Olympics in the individual and team events and won three gold and two silver medal; he missed only one medal, finishing fourth individually in 1960.

[smartyiak]

Impossible to say...b/c if you're saying "best athlete," I'll say Bo Jackson...he was incredible...a once-in-a-lifetime guy. But: injuries make him lower on "titles" list.

Accomplished: maybe Jesse Owens or Jim Thorpe?

Babe Zaharias prolly holds the women's title...but she was also only 5'7", 126lbs.

(I know: all 'Mericans...but, it's where I live).

[BmillsSkier]

[XXX-er]

This is America damn it so who made the most $$$$$$$$ cuz they had the best lawyer ?

wouldn't that be Tiger Woods ?

[smartyiak]

Totally forgot about him. I stand corrected!

[hatchgreenchile]

Randy Moss would be my NFL vote.
DBs getting “Mossed” - FKNA !

[MakersTeleMark]

[Supermoon]

If we are talking pure athleticism, the answer has to be Bo Jackson, hands down. Just watch his tape. There is nobody who has ever been like him.

If we are talking most dominant in a sport, I think Serena Williams.

[PNWbrit]

I think we've been here before

[ötzi]

It's Bo.

[Rapleflug]

Hard to argue against Bo. To be that good at two sports is pretty crazy. Not to mention he shot a a bow and arrow with his feet in the 30 for 30. Wacky stuff.

[skisurfmirth]

Shout out Jim Brown. crushed so many preppies lacrosse rules had to be changed. Then went to NFL and also crushed.


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[californiagrown]

If we are talking pure athleticism, the answer has to be Bo Jackson, hands down. Just watch his tape. There is nobody who has ever been like him.

A lot of folks want to say this but they are missing one of the most key talents an athlete can have: the ability to stay healthy. Injuries, whether major, or nagging and minor weed out soooooo many uber talented athletes. I think its unfair to have a "what if" in the argument for GOAT.

My nominees are:

Deion Sanders- in the conversation for GOAT in one sport, and world class for over a decade at another. All the raw athletcism with stupid amounts of coordination and a mental game second to none.
Jim Thorpe - Dude was an anomaly and never played a sport where he wasnt the best player in the world at the time. Guy even won a national title in ballroom dancing, WTF?
Dave Winfield - Hall of fame baseball player drafted to play in the NBA, NFL and MLB.

[half-fast]

Shout out Jim Brown. crushed so many preppies lacrosse rules had to be changed. Then went to NFL and also crushed.


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Brown also averaged something like 54 points a game in high school basketball and played a couple seasons at Syracuse.

[Mofro261]

"I am the Greatest of all time."- Mohammad Ali.



Not the most athletic, not the most well rounded, not the most decorated.

But the Greatest.

[east or bust]

I don't really think being all time in a skill sport nominates someone for best athlete.

I mean, Serena Williams, really? I'd like to see Serena run a marathon, or bike 100 miles, or, or, or. Damn good tennis player though.

It's the same reason I don't think Mikaela deserves a mention in this thread.

Pure athleticism runs a lot deeper than that. Endurance, agility, mental composure. Push all of those things to the absolute limit and start there...

eta: failed on the contextual mention of Serena, but stick to my overall point.

[hatchgreenchile]

A lot of folks want to say this but they are missing one of the most key talents an athlete can have: the ability to stay healthy. Injuries, whether major, or nagging and minor weed out soooooo many uber talented athletes. I think its unfair to have a "what if" in the argument for GOAT.
.

Bo is the chalk pick in these debates, but I also value elite productivity and longevity.
Lebron is also on my list. Another "too big, too strong, too fast" guy who would dominate in multiple sports.

[smartyiak]

Bo is the chalk pick in these debates, but I also value elite productivity and longevity.
Lebron is also on my list. Another "too big, too strong, too fast" guy who would dominate in multiple sports.

Given his recent activities, I think he might be being discounted, but from a pure athletic standpoint, Hershel Walker is/was pretty amazing. Plus, he won the Cowboys 3 SB rings...and wasn't even on the team!

[neufox47]

I don't really think being all time in a skill sport nominates someone for best athlete.

I mean, Serena Williams, really? I'd like to see Serena run a marathon, or bike 100 miles, or, or, or. Damn good tennis player though.

It's the same reason I don't think Mikaela deserves a mention in this thread.

Pure athleticism runs a lot deeper than that. Endurance, agility, mental composure. Push all of those things to the absolute limit and start there...

eta: failed on the contextual mention of Serena, but stick to my overall point.

No one is thinking of endurance when they think of athleticism.

Serena was insanely athletic. In a sport where most athletes are on the smaller side she had quickness despite having 30-60 lbs on her competition.

Joe Lewis is another old timer who should get mention but I’ll stay with Jim Thorpe.

I’ll also add that the best people at almost every sport are alive today. Jim Thorpe wouldn’t stand a chance in todays NFL. Wayne Gretzky wouldn’t be very special in todays NHL. Nolan Ryan would be a good pitcher but have no shot at the Cy Young.

[SumJongGuy]

Talk about a multi sport athlete. She's a good golfer too...

[EWG]

I logged into this thread just to see the silliness and futility of people spewing fallacious arguments and then got hit over the head with this truth bomb. An actual definitive answer. Well done. Perhaps next someone should start a thread arguing about what happens in the afterlife and BMills can answer that one also.

Well. Fucking. Done.

[alias_rice]

A lot of folks want to say this but they are missing one of the most key talents an athlete can have: the ability to stay healthy. Injuries, whether major, or nagging and minor weed out soooooo many uber talented athletes. I think its unfair to have a "what if" in the argument for GOAT.

My nominees are:

Deion Sanders- in the conversation for GOAT in one sport, and world class for over a decade at another. All the raw athletcism with stupid amounts of coordination and a mental game second to none.
Jim Thorpe - Dude was an anomaly and never played a sport where he wasnt the best player in the world at the time. Guy even won a national title in ballroom dancing, WTF?
Dave Winfield - Hall of fame baseball player drafted to play in the NBA, NFL and MLB.

Except you don’t really have to do the “what if”in Bo’s case. At his peak he was the best athlete. His peak was just unfortunately too short.

Dave Winfield was a good nominee though. He won the most outstanding player award in the college World Series. As a pitcher. If he was born in another time, he may have been Shohei Ohtani.

[californiagrown]

Nolan Ryan would be a good pitcher but have no shot at the Cy Young.

Soooo, not much has changed?

[MarcusBrody]

No one is thinking of endurance when they think of athleticism.

Serena was insanely athletic. In a sport where most athletes are on the smaller side she had quickness despite having 30-60 lbs on her competition.

Joe Lewis is another old timer who should get mention but I’ll stay with Jim Thorpe.

I’ll also add that the best people at almost every sport are alive today. Jim Thorpe wouldn’t stand a chance in todays NFL. Wayne Gretzky wouldn’t be very special in todays NHL. Nolan Ryan would be a good pitcher but have no shot at the Cy Young.

Do you really think that Wayne Gretzky wouldn't be special in today's NHL? It's not like he was from the 1950s. He played against players who were still playing until last year.

Edit: Jaromir Jagr is an all-time great. He scored 66 points are recently as the 15/16 season when he was 43 (!). His prime was the twilight of Gretzky's career and yet Gretzky was perfectly competitive during the same period. I'm sure that young Gretzky would be perfectly fine being dropped into the NHL today.

[californiagrown]

Except you don’t really have to do the “what if”in Bo’s case. At his peak he was the best athlete. His peak was just unfortunately too short.

Bo Jacksons best statistical years as a pro athlete are above average- low level allstar. Full stop. he never hit over .275, and never hit more than 32 Hrs. those were his career bests in baseball. In football he never rushed for 1000yds and never scored more than 5 rushing TDs in a season. He was never even in consideration for best at his position in either sport let alone the best player in his sport. He is in no pro hall of fames. His entire argument is a what-if.