Greatest of All-Time?

[Demonbinder]

This is a poll at CSN Chicago today:

Who do you think is greatest athlete of All- Time?

Muhammed Ali
Michael Jordan
Babe Ruth
Jim Brown
Wayne Gretzky

I'll go with Michael.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Gretzky, followed by Jim Brown.

[SlowwHand]

Muhammed Ali. The others were great, but part of a team. Ali excelled all on his own.

[Tuberski]

Babe Ruth. 714 home runs and a career ERA of 2.28 w a record of 94-46.

ACK!

[SlowwHand]

Well sure, but he was hopped up on booze, broads and cigars.

[EPW]

Well sure, but he was hopped up on booze, broads and cigars.

That makes it more impressive, not less lol. But i'll go with greztky even though i don't watch ice soccer.

[Al B. Sure!]

People still care about Babe Ruth?

I'm going with Cassius off of sheer impact. You have to consider that Jim Brown and Babe Ruth mean nothing outside of the US and Gretzky means nothing outside of the few countries that care about hockey. That leaves Jordan and Ali but Ali had a cultural impact that Jordan could never achieve. Ali was a symbol in the time of the civil rights movement and an icon internationally.

After his release, Mandela said: "Ali's struggle made him an international hero. His stand against racism and war could not be kept outside the prison walls."

[MRT144]

Gretzky, followed by Jim Brown.

Gretzky was not even the most physicaly gifted hockey player or athletic, just the best.

[Imran Siddiqui]

People still care about Babe Ruth?

Why the heck not?! He's the greatest baseball player of all time. Has the highest Wins Above Replacement in history, the highest OPS+, and was a great pitcher before all that.

Gretzky was not even the most physicaly gifted hockey player or athletic, just the best.

I guess it depends on what one means by best athlete. As in best physical specimen or best player in an athletic sport?

[rah]

Most baseball players in the old days weren't really athletes as far as I was concerned. Babe is a perfect example. Abound with talent, but not especially athletic.
In football the average offense only runs around 60 plays a game and played less than 20 games a year. Jim only touched the ball about half the time. Strength was more important.
Hockey players usually only play just more than a third of the game. (granted those are usually very intense 20 minutes)
Ali only averaged 3 fights a hear over 20 years.

Great basketball players will go strong for at least 40 minutes a game over 90 times a year. So I go with Jordan. (see how biased Chicago fans can justify this. )

[Supr49er]

Jesse Owens

[Tuberski]

Most baseball players in the old days weren't really athletes as far as I was concerned. Babe is a perfect example. Abound with talent, but not especially athletic.
In football the average offense only runs around 60 plays a game and played less than 20 games a year. Jim only touched the ball about half the time. Strength was more important.
Hockey players usually only play just more than a third of the game. (granted those are usually very intense 20 minutes)
Ali only averaged 3 fights a hear over 20 years.

Great basketball players will go strong for at least 40 minutes a game over 90 times a year. So I go with Jordan. (see how biased Chicago fans can justify this. )

Yes, but Jordan is a huge freaking douche that was allowed to "retire" for a couple of years, instead of being banned, for gambling. Plus, no other sport, ever, gives it's superstars more favoritism than the NBA. They always show that shot of his against the Jazz, every time I see the blatant push he used to get open.

ACK!

[ColdWizard]

Jim Thorpe

[rah]

Yes, but Jordan is a huge freaking douche that was allowed to "retire" for a couple of years, instead of being banned, for gambling. Plus, no other sport, ever, gives it's superstars more favoritism than the NBA. They always show that shot of his against the Jazz, every time I see the blatant push he used to get open.

ACK!

The question was greatest athlete

Yes, Jordon had issues. Yes he gambled, but not on basketball if I remember correctly. And YES the NBA likes it's superstars. I can't wait for Derick Rose to get a little more love from the refs.
And Finally YES, the NBA has it's fair share of Douche's. MJ was just one of them. But he was one hell of an athletic specimen.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well if we defining athlete that way, I'd have to say that the Human Highlight Film, Dominque Wilkins was more athletic than all the rest of the NBA players .