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

[Jerry!]

So you would put Tiger Woods and Mike Tyson (?!?) over Jordan? If I am THAT off base about Jordan being the worlds greatest sportsmen as a few of you make me out to be, then what the **** are you smoking putting them up ahead of Jordan? There is no way that I can put Woods or Tyson over Jordan. Is Woods the best golfer of all time, he probably is right now or if not he will become it. But it's a myth that he reinvigorated golf.

You leave the country, go around the world, a lot people couldn't tell you who Larry Bird or Wilt Chamberlain or Jerry West was, but they know who Michael Jordan is. It doesn't matter if they understand the game of basketball or are in love with it or not, they know who he is.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

I would say the globetrotters are far more important for basketball than Jordan They broke the Black White barrier up until them basketball had been a white mans sport. .

Your point was about the greatest world athlete? In a sport by world standards which is not played by most of the world to any real standard?

All this thread is proving is how much people on both sides of the Atlantic know little to jack **** about each other's sports.

I swear people in East Asia have the best perspective on sports cause they get everything out there on there TV (Star Sports and ESPN Asia Network is decent. They show College and Pro American Football, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball as well Cricket, Rugby, Soccer as well as Boxing, Golf, Tennis, F1 and Nascar to boot. Puts ESPN here in the states to show, what with them airing Sportscenter 30 times a sday)

But for the record, people need to know the Holy Trinity:

Ali, Jordan, Pele

Now Close this ****ing thread of vague unfamilarity being dumped left, right and center.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

...and Eldrick is speeding in to Fourth Place.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Maradona is the greatest of all time. When you think of soccer you think of maradona. Maradona has made the greatest goal in the history of soccer. As good as Jordan was he is not at the same level as Maradona. To this day Maradona attracts millions of people where ever he goes.

Pele>>> Maradonna

When I think Maradonna I think cokehead and Hand of God.

 

[Jerry!]

To be honest, I never heard of Mardonna. I know Pele and I don't follow soccer in the least.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Jerry... try leaving the country once in your life... then get a better feel of where Jordan stacks up with the great soccer players that have lived... he's probably in my top five but no way is he number one... ofcourse you don't give a sh:t about soccer... neither do I... but you just have to realize... 75% of the countries outside the US don't give a sh:t about anything BUT soccer. If you wanted an American Sportsman thread... I'll be the first to put guys like Jordan, Ruth, etc. on the list.

Actually if you go outside of USA, Jordan and basketball is actually bigger in some spots than here (Football is king here).


Places Ive seen myself....
Phillipines (Basketball is the national sport out there. Them Manilla nyggas had League Pass in 96 lol)
China ( I went out there in 96, this was before Yao. Hong Kong sells NBA jerseys on every street corner like Soccer Jerseys in the Uk)
France (was out there in 96 and you could see kids rocking jerseys and the Game of the Week is primetime on Canal +. Went again in 04 and with Tony Parker a major star dude is big. Not as big as football yes, but damn if it out there)
Eastern Europe? Crotatia, Lithuania, Yugoslavia. Y'all forget FIBA is major and they look across to the NBA as the place to make it.
Greece (no NBA Players and yet because of there strong European runs)
Brazil and Argentina (yes, thats right. We're Soccer is king, Basketball has a huge marketplace as well and there Olympic and International Squads have big followings. Oscar Schmidt is a legend in Brazil)
Shoot even Australia got some love cause of its Olympic team (Whatever happen to Shane Heal?)


The UK is like the only place where Basketball aint poppin the way it should elsewhere and people know Mike there in a major way.

So of course Jordan is major. Dude boosted Nike. The Air Jordan shoe is a culture phenomen. You go to like Asia and Japan, its like NYC the way the sneakerheads fiend. Sneaker Collectors (or Sneaker Pimps) have there own culture and market (magazines, meetings, clubs) and it all started in East Asia patterning the East Coast love for Air Jordan and Nike Uptowns.

Obviously Soccer is king worldwide, but I think people across the globe would Jordan and his impact worldwide ahead of most Olympic Athletes or Cricket and Rugby players



lol@ anyone putting Shane Warne or Johna Olumu (sp?) or Imran Khan ahead of Jordan. Yeah there icons in there sports but they aint seeing Mike.



Get ya world game up people. Your swagger levels are dangerously low.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

To be honest, I never heard of Mardonna. I know Pele and I don't follow soccer in the least.

Dude is the Barry Bonds of Soccer if you think about it....

 

[Whirlysplat]

So you would put Tiger Woods and Mike Tyson (?!?) over Jordan? If I am THAT off base about Jordan being the worlds greatest sportsmen as a few of you make me out to be, then what the **** are you smoking putting them up ahead of Jordan? There is no way that I can put Woods or Tyson over Jordan. Is Woods the best golfer of all time, he probably is right now or if not he will become it. But it's a myth that he reinvigorated golf.

You leave the country, go around the world, a lot people couldn't tell you who Larry Bird or Wilt Chamberlain or Jerry West was, but they know who Michael Jordan is. It doesn't matter if they understand the game of basketball or are in love with it or not, they know who he is.

I'd say Woods is the greatest player of one of the most played games. For a short time Tyson was the most recognizable, "then current" sportsman on the planet.

To Superludacris, Football (Soccer to you) is far bigger than Basketball in most of the countries you mention. I've been to a few of them and many others. It truly is the wolds game. That said Ali is more recognizable than Pele. The feats of the likes of Joe Louis at the time still stand up half a century later. No one disputes Jordan is a great. He's just not, "The Greatest".

 

[Whirlysplat]

Dude is the Barry Bonds of Soccer if you think about it....

The "Dude" was my friend, and this is from an Englishman so I am loathe to admit it, the greatest footballer of his generation. Now an ex coke addict and grossly overweight, he is a shadow of the man he was. Maradonna, sadly was a man with demons. Despite cheating my nation out of the World Cup, I admire his talent and skill.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

I'd say Woods is the greatest player of one of the most played games. For a short time Tyson was the most recognizable, "then current" sportsman on the planet.

To Superludacris, Football (Soccer to you) is far bigger than Basketball in most of the countries you mention. I've been to a few of them and many others. It truly is the wolds game. That said Ali is more recognizable than Pele. The feats of the likes of Joe Louis at the time still stand up half a century later. No one disputes Jordan is a great. He's just not, "The Greatest".

Well done, you didnt fully read my post as expected.

 

[DBella]

Well done, you didnt fully read my post as expected.

I think it's because Whirly deemed your post "too long", perhaps?

 

[Whirlysplat]

Well done, you didnt fully read my post as expected.

I've read it "all" now (happy? )and I agree he is more recognizable than most athletes, Lomu or Warne. That said, the fact you have heard of Lomu and Warne speaks volumes about them, doesn't it? I saw Lomu play for the Barbarians after he had had his kidney problems, sadly he was not the player he originally was by that time.

I think it's because Whirly deemed your post "too long", perhaps?

Perhaps. He did make some good points, so "perhaps" I did him and his post an injustice. I'd still put Woods and a number of sportsman from the past over Jordan. Pele is certainly above him as is Ali in my opinion. Jesse Owens and Joe Louis truly stand out from the more distant past.

 

[Jerry!]

I'd say Woods is the greatest player of one of the most played games. For a short time Tyson was the most recognizable, "then current" sportsman on the planet.

Woods didn't make golf anymore enjoyable worldwide or in the country to people who just aren't fans of golf or never heard of the game. I was never a fan of golf before Tiger Woods. I'm still not. It is just as boring, he is doing the same thing as everyone else, except his ball lands closer to the hole. I guess if that's excitement to some people, fine.

But Jordan did that with basketball. The Bulls teams of the 90's were like a traveling circus. For that reason alone, Woods can never top Jordan. And sports like golf and tennis, those are hard for me to judge the best players and how they fit in with being one of the greastest sportsmen. They are individual sports where as basketball and soccer or football, involve a team and truly great stars make those who play with them better as was the case with Jordan and I can only assume Pele as well. There just seems to be more to it than there is with individual sports. Ali is an exception because of his impact both in and out of the ring.

And seriously, when you think of some of the World's Greatest Sportsmen, TYSON comes up with the likes of Ali and Pele and BEFORE Jordan? That's a joke.

 

[Jerry!]

double post

 

[Jerry!]

Triple post! ****ing batman boards.

 

[TLH]

Ali with an honorable mention to Gretzky

 

[Whirlysplat]

Woods didn't make golf anymore enjoyable worldwide or in the country to people who just aren't fans of golf or never heard of the game. I was never a fan of golf before Tiger Woods. I'm still not. It is just as boring, he is doing the same thing as everyone else, except his ball lands closer to the hole. I guess if that's excitement to some people, fine.

But Jordan did that with basketball. The Bulls teams of the 90's were like a traveling circus. For that reason alone, Woods can never top Jordan. And sports like golf and tennis, those are hard for me to judge the best players and how they fit in with being one of the greastest sportsmen. They are individual sports where as basketball and soccer or football, involve a team and truly great stars make those who play with them better as was the case with Jordan and I can only assume Pele as well. There just seems to be more to it than there is with individual sports. Ali is an exception because of his impact both in and out of the ring.

And seriously, when you think of some of the World's Greatest Sportsmen, TYSON comes up with the likes of Ali and Pele and BEFORE Jordan? That's a joke.

Woods is a great and incredibly recognizable. I play golf so I am biased a little. He did get a lot of people into golf. You only have to talk to people at golf clubs to see that.

Tyson for a short time till Buster Douglas and Desiree Washington etc. was the most recognizable current sportsman on the planet. It all went wrong for him and his psychological problems became more the news story. He lost his lateral movement and became a bum. The night he beat Spincks he could have beaten anyone in the world at that time, probably, such was his mystique and intimidation. Those days are long gone and for many forgotten. I don't know how old you are, but, if you are over 35 you will remember that period. Did his legacy last? Hell no! Was he for a short time the face on the planet. Yes!

Owens, Ali, Pele,

 

[Whirlysplat]

Holyfield also deserves a mention as does Lennox Lewis (americam reaction should be amusing). Both did amazing things. Holyfield beat so many much bigger men and Lewis dominated for almost a decade the entire heavyweight division. Did anyone dominate longer or fight more number one contenders? Marciano had more defenses by far, but, the quality was questionable. Neither is anywhere near Ali or Pele for being recognizable.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Jesse Owens was a pioneer for black people but GTFOH @ thinking he's better than Mike.

Air Jordans>>>>> Owens' Medal

LOL!

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Holyfield also deserves a mention as does Lennox Lewis (americam reaction should be amusing). Both did amazing things. Holyfield beat so many much bigger men and Lewis dominated for almost a decade the entire heavyweight division. Did anyone dominate longer or fight more number one contenders? Marciano had more defenses by far, but, the quality was questionable. Neither is anywhere near Ali or Pele for being recognizable.

In terms of Boxers or all time athletes?

 

[Whirlysplat]

In terms of Boxers or all time athletes?

Heavyweight Boxers until recently were perhaps the most exposed (in terms of recognizability) sportsmen in the world. This has changed with the decline in popularity of boxing, due in part to MMA, but more, in my opinion to the prevalence of eastern European champions and contenders. Time has marched on, at least at present for boxing.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

Heavyweight Boxers until recently were perhaps the most exposed (in terms of recognizability) sportsmen in the world. This has changed with the decline in popularity of boxing, due in part to MMA, but more, in my opinion to the prevalence of eastern European champions and contenders. Time has marched on, at least at present for boxing.

No one is putting Holyfield and Lewis in the all time athletes list. lol@ mentioning those 2 in the same breath as Pele, Jordan and Ali. I'll give top 15-10 all time in Boxing but overall athletes of all time? Man Lenox and Evander dont even believe that **** themselves.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

And no, Holyfield and Lewis are not as recognisable as Jordan in there prime. Because even when heavyweight boxing was in its prime in the 80s and 90s. NBA Basketball was huge all over the world at the time (take it from an exapt).

People in China could recognise Mike. Dude was on TV Commercials, Giant Billboard posters, Nike Shoes and McDonald's ads all over America to Europe to Asia (that huge billboard in Barcelona during the Olympics) son made the Dream Team the biggest draw of the Olympics outside (maybe even more) than Track and Field.

 

[Whirlysplat]

Jesse Owens was a pioneer for black people but GTFOH @ thinking he's better than Mike.

Air Jordans>>>>> Owens' Medal

LOL!

If Mike had ever "done it", in front of a Nazi crowd that hated him. I might agree. Owens = amazing. Joe Louis is also awesome for a similar reason.

 

[Whirlysplat]

And no, Holyfield and Lewis are not as recognisable as Jordan in there prime. Because even when heavyweight boxing was in its prime in the 80s and 90s. NBA Basketball was huge all over the world at the time (take it from an exapt).

People in China could recognise Mike. Dude was on TV Commercials, Giant Billboard posters, Nike Shoes and McDonald's ads all over America to Europe to Asia (that huge billboard in Barcelona during the Olympics) son made the Dream Team the biggest draw of the Olympics outside (maybe even more) than Track and Field.

People in China would recognise Holyfield and Lewis. I remember the dream team and enjoyed it. Who hasn't forgotten the Bowe/ Holyfield trilogy and fan man, immortalised in that Simpsons episode or Bowe binning the belt, rather than fight Lewis. Heavyweight Boxings golden age though was the early seventies with Foreman, Frazier, Ali, Norton etc. long before the eighties and nineties.