Yahoo's Greatest Sportsman Poll

Minder · January 03, 2008, 09:50:44 PM

Its a bit like the old "what is your favourite ice cream?" argument............ The standard of QB's is poor though outside about the top 5.

stephenite · January 03, 2008, 10:27:23 PM

Quote from: Chrisowc on January 03, 2008, 09:06:24 PM
Sachin Tendulkar

You didn't see the first test from Melbourne last week than?

Great batsman and if they're going to include Ponting than he deserves a shout, I wouldn't have either of them in the poll myself though

corn02 · January 03, 2008, 10:27:41 PM

Tiger Woods is the greatest sportsman of all time.

The Real Laoislad · January 03, 2008, 10:52:34 PM

Quote from: corn02 on January 03, 2008, 10:27:41 PM
Tiger Woods is the greatest sportsman of all time.

I agree with you corn..
People always say Ali was but i think alot are just going along with popular opinion by saying that..
Don't get me wrong Ali was/is a legend but i believe Woods is a better golfer than Ali was a boxer if that makes sense
I know many won't agree but thats my opinion

CiKe · January 03, 2008, 11:34:47 PM

Most boxing historians will tell you Ali isn't the greatest boxer ever never mind the greatest sportsman. Hard to compare to Woods but considering he had some of his prime years taken away from him i'm going to go for him. If Mayweather has a few more fights against top class opposition and wins them all then he will go down as one of the very best in history - there is no fighter more dominant in or around their own weight class (yes Calzaghe is excellent but opposition has by and large been less than stellar - Kessler was however a fantastic performance). For that reason I think he has to be in the top five sportsmen.

Out of interest, in terms of % wins from tournaments entered, is Federer not more dominant than Woods? I don't know, would be interested to hear.

Did anyone mention Haile Gebreselaisse? He'd certainly be near the front...

Puckoon · January 04, 2008, 12:13:00 AM

Manning is a year older than Brady - who has already broken a bunch of the records this season. Based on present performance it has to be Brady. Potential to do all those things counts for nothing until its done.

Leg End · January 04, 2008, 12:19:00 AM

Quote from: Puckoon on January 04, 2008, 12:13:00 AM
Manning is a year older than Brady - who has already broken a bunch of the records this season. Based on present performance it has to be Brady. Potential to do all those things counts for nothing until its done.

true i was referring to eli (woops)(always get them two mixed up) his younger brother who i think will come good, No doubting brady is amazing and if you say one doesnt have the defence or one doesn't have the recievers, very few teams do and that is what makes them top of their field. I like qb's that can run the ball aswell which is why i used to like michael vick

Niall Quinn · January 04, 2008, 04:08:41 AM

Quote from: corn02 on January 03, 2008, 10:27:41 PM
Tiger Woods is the greatest sportsman of all time.

I'd say he's getting close all right - I'm not wholly convinced surpassing 18 majors is a given, but he'll give it a good rattle I'm sure! Federer really needs to beat Nadal on clay to be considered in the same vein, but I wouldn't rule that out in the coming years.
I guess a lot is in subjective interpretation of 'greatest sportsman', but I'd say Michael Johnson has impressed me more than any other in my time watching professional sports. His 200m in Atlanta is the equivalent of someone going out tomorrow and running 100m in 9.54 (pro-ration ignores his own Jun 96 run). I've never noticed an individual in any sport stick out as a class apart to the extent he did on the track.

stephenite · January 04, 2008, 05:42:42 AM

Quote from: stephenite on January 03, 2008, 10:27:23 PM
Quote from: Chrisowc on January 03, 2008, 09:06:24 PM
Sachin Tendulkar

You didn't see the first test from Melbourne last week than? Great batsman and if they're going to include Ponting than he deserves a shout, I wouldn't have either of them in the poll myself though

He's going off up the road from me at the moment, 139 not out

his holiness nb · January 04, 2008, 07:53:47 AM

Quote from: CiKe on January 03, 2008, 11:34:47 PM
Did anyone mention Haile Gebreselaisse? He'd certainly be near the front...

Thought of him yesterday but didnt bother posting. Good choice imo.

CiKe · January 04, 2008, 08:10:28 AM

not sure about Niall Quinn's calculations on Johnson's 200m time (isn't the WR 19.32?) but he is an excellent choice and probably the standout person I have seen mentioned so far - virtually everyone else mentioned has someone who can be be better on a given day but he was just majestic in the 200m and 400m for so long

Chrisowc · January 04, 2008, 10:18:55 AM

Quote from: stephenite on January 03, 2008, 10:27:23 PM
Quote from: Chrisowc on January 03, 2008, 09:06:24 PM
Sachin Tendulkar

You didn't see the first test from Melbourne last week than? Great batsman and if they're going to include Ponting than he deserves a shout, I wouldn't have either of them in the poll myself though

Indeed I did

He got 60 odd in the first innings. He finished on 154 not out this morning in Sydney to give India a 1st innings lead

Ponting is captain of one of the best teams in any sport. They have just equaled their own winning streak record.

Sachin is the highest run scorer in international cricket (odi's and test matches combined). One of the all time greats of his sport still out performing most of his peers.

Whether you like the sport is irrelavent. I hate golf but recognise the genius of Tiger.

Niall Quinn · January 04, 2008, 01:07:58 PM

Quote from: CiKe on January 04, 2008, 08:10:28 AM
not sure about Niall Quinn's calculations on Johnson's 200m time (isn't the WR 19.32?) but he is an excellent choice and probably the standout person I have seen mentioned so far - virtually everyone else mentioned has someone who can be be better on a given day but he was just majestic in the 200m and 400m for so long

Yeah, I should've explained - he reduced the WR by 0.4 secs in 1996, which I've equated to someone reducing the 100m WR by 0.2 secs (most ever is 0.05 I think).

Rav67 · January 04, 2008, 01:17:08 PM

Absolutely has to be one of Federer, Woods or Mayweather. Federer would get my vote.

As regards Ali, I think Ring magazine which is always a good barometer in boxing consider Sugar Ray Robinson to be the greatest boxer of all time.

Bogball XV · January 04, 2008, 02:52:27 PM

Quote from: Rav67 on January 04, 2008, 01:17:08 PM
Absolutely has to be one of Federer, Woods or Mayweather. Federer would get my vote.

As regards Ali, I think Ring magazine which is always a good barometer in boxing consider Sugar Ray Robinson to be the greatest boxer of all time.

A lot of you are mentioning Mayweather, I can't really comment, which says it all really. Until boxing sorts itself out and becomes a real sport again nobody really knows. I mean Mayweather was 4/6 to beat Hatton last month, what price Federer to beat Henman or Woods to beat Barry Lane?
I imagine Federer has a much better percentage record than Woods, but then I don't think conditions and luck are as much of a factor in tennis as they invariably are in golf.
For me it's Woods, as someone else pointed out he's revolutionised the game and its following, Federer just serves to make tennis more boring?