Greatest Sportsman Ever

[Deleted member 25315]

Eddie Merckx

 

[Bonzo]

Jocky Wilson.

 

[englishman abroad]

Already mentioned

Muhammad Ali

 

[Kent_Mackem]

I suppose Paula Radcliffe doesn’t qualify because of the thread title?

However I’ll mention her because the fact she was able to regularly beat a field of athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia at all is impressive. To defend a world record in the marathon for so long, without relying on cheating by taking drugs, against such opposition is staggering.

 

[burb]

Ali
Federer
Eddie the Eagle

 

[bobbypark]

Ali
Jesse Owens

 

[dixonsafc]

I like darts and snooker, but haway man you can't compare Stephen Hendry or Phil Taylor to Pele, Federer or Ali

Eddie Merckx

This is a great shout. Merckx achievements are unparalleled.

 

[monkeytassle]

Everyone is a f***ing GOAT these days.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Christ you are an intolerable arsehole.

Wow

 

[Lambchops]

Wow

Massive, massive lack of self awareness from phil there I thought

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Massive, massive lack of self awareness from phil there I thought

Looking at the time he posted it he must have been pissed

 

[chunkyshanhawk53]

I don’t like the sport at all but Michael Jordan deserves a mention

I’ll second Bradman, statistically a freak versus his predecessors, peers and successors

 

[RokerLegend]

Daley Thompson

 

[Cheesy Feet]

I like darts and snooker, but haway man you can't compare Stephen Hendry or Phil Taylor to Pele, Federer or Ali



This is a great shout. Merckx achievements are unparalleled.

Caught doping wasn't he?

 

[Voice of fair play]

Only because any twerp can pick up a club and be half decent in about a week.

Well that’s complete bollocks simple as that!

 

[chriswallace85]

Federer for me.

 

[PTR]

Competitiveness in that sport should play a major factor to. Not many sports when 50 + players have a genuine chance of winning the event like there is in golf

Is that not just the nature of golf though - its the ultimate "ball didn't roll my way today" sport. Hitting something 200 meters, and it landing an inch either side can be the difference.

You can only be so skilful, which gets you to the elite level - beyond that luck and "just having a good day" plays a big part.

For me, things like Steve Redgrave winning an olympic gold at 5 consecutive Olympics is just amazing. Then Bolt winning just about every sprinting major event for a decade, and being the fastest runner in history, by a canny margin.
Those are outstanding things. Woods isn't even the best golfer ever really (very close tbf).

 

[Harry Angstrom]

I dont believe anyone has been more dominant in a sport than Tiger Woods was from 1997-2009. Golf is easily the most competitive sport in the world.

 

[Lambchops]

Is that not just the nature of golf though - its the ultimate "ball didn't roll my way today" sport. Hitting something 200 meters, and it landing an inch either side can be the difference.

You can only be so skilful, which gets you to the elite level - beyond that luck and "just having a good day" plays a big part.

For me, things like Steve Redgrave winning an olympic gold at 5 consecutive Olympics is just amazing. Then Bolt winning just about every sprinting major event for a decade, and being the fastest runner in history, by a canny margin.
Those are outstanding things. Woods isn't even the best golfer ever really (very close tbf).

Running fast and rowing a boat requires more skill than playing golf?

 

[Deleted member 26533]

Owt like this on the telly always ends up with Ali winning.

He's not even the greatest boxer, let alone sportsman