Who is the greatest "world" sportsman of all time?

[Albiceleste]

Truth.




LMAO@ Comparing Lewis and Holyfield. And dont no one give a **** about cheating ass Diego except cheating ass Argentinans LMAO!

Maradona is not did not cheated. Millions of people around the world do care about Maradona.

Maradona
pele
Best
Woods
Jordan

 

[Whirlysplat]

So Tyson 88-90 was more recognizable worldwide than Jordan was in his PRIME? You don't seem to understand that Jordan was a lot more than just an American sports icon. He kept the NBA alive and along the way really first introduced the game on an international level, which in the process made him one of the world's most recognizable athletes, at least in the years that he played. I remember way back when there were reports of people seeing, in the heart of the Congo, little kids running around with MJ jerseys on.

I mean, the Dream Team alone should be proof enough. Even in the company of all those stars, it was still all about Jordan wherever around the world they went. There were 40 foot posters of him in Barcelona.

In 88-90 Tyson was the biggest sportsman on the planet. He actually visited Africa several times around then. That's why the Desiree Washington case was so big. Fame became infamy and his status crashed.... hard. it's easy to forget what was, with what is. The thing is Basketball never really caught on worldwide, as if it had you would have a world cup of basketball in the same way you do soccer and even Cricket and Rugby.
I don't argue relatives, I do know Tyson's fights 88 - 90 saw some of the biggest viewing figures ever. Far higher than any NBA game worldwide.

 

[Malice]

Davy Crocket...end of story!

 

[Jerry!]

Whirly you still don't understand what I am saying. Is boxing around the world more popular than basketball, honestly I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if it was or wasn't. But my point with Jordan this whole time has been relative to the sport he is in, he has done more for it individually than any other athelete has done for their respective sport. You HAVE to argue relatives in this kind of discussion, it's impossible to understand if you don't, which apparently is your main problem with considering Jordan as one of the greatest sportsmen. If you don't, then you might as well have only popular soccer players as the top sportsmen of all time. That's a whole lot more narrow minded than what I am saying about Jordan.

 

[Whirlysplat]

Whirly you still don't understand what I am saying. Is boxing around the world more popular than basketball, honestly I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if it was or wasn't. But my point with Jordan this whole time has been relative to the sport he is in, he has done more for it individually than any other athelete has done for their respective sport. You HAVE to argue relatives in this kind of discussion, it's impossible to understand if you don't, which apparently is your main problem with considering Jordan as one of the greatest sportsmen. If you don't, then you might as well have only popular soccer players as the top sportsmen of all time. That's a whole lot more narrow minded than what I am saying about Jordan.

I think what Louis and Owens did transcends any single sport so that is an opinion. Jordan did a great deal for a sport I don't doubt that. Is boxing more popular than basketball, heavyweights were. They are not now. You could say Imran Khan transcended Cricket for Muslim nations. It wouldn't make him a world great. It did make him a politician in Pakistan though. It wouldn't just be footballers, Ali would be above them. Let's be honest in terms of popularity he is "The greatest". How many films have been made about him?

 

[Jerry!]

I'm not even arguing that Jordan is the greatest, that is my personal opinon that he is, but all I am trying to do is show you he is in the top 3, whether a person is a fan of basketball or not they were fans of Michael Jordan.

 

[Whirlysplat]

I'm not even arguing that Jordan is the greatest, that is my personal opinon that he is, but all I am trying to do is show you he is in the top 3, whether a person is a fan of basketball or not they were fans of Michael Jordan.

I believe he was a great for his sport and a great athlete but like Rugby and Cricket, which in some ways are more global as far as international teams are concerned, it's just to much of a niche.

 

[Jerry!]

If that were true, people in America would at least know the name of cricket's or rugby's megastars. People all around the world were drawn to Jordan, whether they knew the game of baskteball before him or not, HE drew them to the game.

 

[Whirlysplat]

If that were true, people in America would at least know the name of cricket's or rugby's megastars. People all around the world were drawn to Jordan, whether they knew the game of baskteball before him or not, HE drew them to the game.

Super Ludacris did...... Jonah Lomu was offered a fortune to play gridiron and Ian Botham amazed Baseball stars by being able to hit some pitchers fast ball everytime in the 80's, when he visited L.A. Truth is in nations like India and Pakistan Cricket is much bigger. They have huge populations when we look at the world. They like basketball are all minority sports.

 

[Gamma Burst]

Easy answer:

Pelé.
Ali is a close second.

 

[Albiceleste]

Easy answer:

Pelé.
Ali is a close second.

Pelé is second to Maradona.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Super Ludacris did...... Jonah Lomu was offered a fortune to play gridiron and Ian Botham amazed Baseball stars by being able to hit some pitchers fast ball everytime in the 80's, when he visited L.A. Truth is in nations like India and Pakistan Cricket is much bigger. They have huge populations when we look at the world. They like basketball are all minority sports.

I only know these people cause Ive been around the world and have stayed in places and know people of different nations and there sporting intrest. You say India and Pakistan have huge populations but Basketball is huge in China and America and is an Olympic Sport for nations like Brazil, Canada, Australia, Crotatia, Argentina, Lithuana, Angola, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Ghana, Nigeria (with competitive teams and established national leagues) and is way more profitable cause of the endorsment deals. Cricket aint seeing Basketball.

lol@Botham being able to go to America with his drug bust on his record. I believe him being banned was a newspiece. lol@ any Baseball team offering that Magnum PI looking fool a contract.

Holler at me when Cricket is an Olympic sport. Its not seeing Basketball. lol@ anyone thinking it does.

 

[Whirlysplat]

I only know these people cause Ive been around the world and have stayed in places and know people of different nations and there sporting intrest. You say India and Pakistan have huge populations but Basketball is huge in China and America and is an Olympic Sport for nations like Brazil, Canada, Australia, Crotatia, Argentina, Lithuana, Angola, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Ghana, Nigeria (with competitive teams and established national leagues) and is way more profitable cause of the endorsment deals. Cricket aint seeing Basketball.

lol@Botham being able to go to America with his drug bust on his record. I believe him being banned was a newspiece. lol@ any Baseball team offering that Magnum PI looking fool a contract.

Holler at me when Cricket is an Olympic sport. Its not seeing Basketball. lol@ anyone thinking it does.

Cricket hasn't been in the olympics since 1908. The reasons are hilarious.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A14612032



Rugby was introduced into the Chinese armed forces to teach discipline and teamwork, they all play it as part of training. Botham never wanted to play Baseball he just amazed pro baseball players with his ability to smash them all over the place. Probably because the ball doesn't move in the same way in baseball. They are all minority sports next to real football (soccer). Why no world cup for Basketball? Why no World Cup for Baseball? They may be played in other countries but they are not the "national sports" of other nations, like Cricket, Soccer (real football) and Rugby are.

As for going around the world, many people have done that.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Basketball is way popular in China. Aint no chinese dudes playing that.

Basketball has the World Championships and the Olympics. 2 big tournaments as well as the FIBA tourney and NBA Playoffs.

And they are National Sports, I just said they were major leagues.


lol@ Cricket.

 

[Whirlysplat]

Basketball is way popular in China. Aint no chinese dudes playing that.

Basketball has the World Championships and the Olympics. 2 big tournaments as well as the FIBA tourney and NBA Playoffs.

And they are National Sports, I just said they were major leagues.


lol@ Cricket.

I'm no Cricket Player but it is the national sport of most ex commonwealth countries, including Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, The West Indies etc. The Basketball World Championships....hahahahahahahahaha

Watched much? So who wins it? hahahahahahaha

Yes they are a National sport, in America!

 

[Hound55]

Actually basketball's probably the second most global sport after soccer...

And like with soccer, the World Championships are considered a bigger award (for most of the contending nations...) than basketball in the Olympics is.

 

[doih]

2/10 thread.

Why start a discussion on who is the greatest sportsman and then give examples of most popular sportsman? It's not the same thing.

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=337337

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=179866

 

[kristina28]

Roger Federer for sure!
Osmo Oil

 

[Iceman]

This thread isn’t going to work lol. American sports totally dominate in the US and aren’t that big globally, while the other big global sports aren’t that big in the US. Only a minority of people have a good knowledge of sport across both sides of the pond.