Greatest Athlete of All Time?

[Ken Papai]

"Kyle Legate" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Scribe2b wrote:
> > quang duong, cyclo driver in east haiphong city, has raised 3 generations of family by cycling.
> > his body is like iron. he has the heart of five lions. does he qualify for "best cyclist"
> > category? jc
> >
> If he does, you also have to consider Puong Bhang from lower Ho Chi Minh district. He raised 4
> generations of family _and_ neighbours by cycling.
his
> body is like petrified mahogany. he has the transplanted hearts of 6 water buffaloe

Where do you hear of such stories?

 

[Robert Chung]

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS wrote:
> Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS wrote:
>
>> Robert Chung wrote:
>>
>>> Mulai Ismail (1646-1727), the last Sharifian Emperor of Morocco. Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who put
>>> a spell on enough women to father (at latest count) 57 kids, pales in comparison. And Wilt
>>> Chamberlain claimed 20,000 victories in his career.
>>
>> Sri Chinmoy can do one-arm military presses with 500 kg at age 80.
>>
>> Steve
>
> Oh, and Jack LaLanne can still pull tugboats around the harbor with a rope clenched in his
> teeth. And his teeth appear to be real.

almost every day. Or, as Elaine LaLanne (what a name) puts it, "*Almost* on Monday, *almost* on
Tuesday..."

 

[Steve McGinty]

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 15:10:54 GMT, "SM" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is the best cyclist of all time
>and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of All Time" would they be?
>
3 names

Ali Pele Merckx

Regards! Stephen

 

[Jonathan V.D. S]

SM <[email protected]> schreef in berichtnieuws [email protected]...
> I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is the best cyclist of all time
> and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of
All
> Time" would they be?
>
>

The best cyclist of all time is not Merckx (who is actually third), but Bartali. In the list of
greatest athletes, he'd be somewhere in the top five.

The best male athlete of all time is, for me, Jesse Owens.

 

[Tom Kunich]

"SM" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think
is the
> best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes
of All
> Time" would they be?

Eddy Merckx without any questions at all. And he would be very near the top.

 

[Benjo Maso]

"Bruce Johnston" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "SM" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is
the
> > best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of
> All
> > Time" would they be?
> >
> I'll list four each gender...
>
> Women- Babe Didrikson Jackie Joyner-Kersee Florence Griffith-Joyner Chris Everett
>
> Men- Muhammad Ali Jim Thorpe Michael Jordan Carl lewis

Do only Americans count? If not, what about ***** Blankers-Koen? She dominated women's athletics for
more ten years, holding world records in 100m, 200m, 80 m hurdles, long jump,high jump, pentathlon
and even a national record in shot put. At the Olympics Games of 1948 she was world record holder in
six events, but was only allowed to enter four. Of course, she won them all.

Benjo Maso

 

[Ken Papai]

"Steve McGinty" <stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 15:10:54 GMT, "SM" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is the best cyclist of all
> >time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of
All
> >Time" would they be?
> >
> 3 names
>
> Ali Pele Merckx

- Merckx
- Barry Bonds
- Pele
- Joe Montana
- Michael Jordon
- LANCE

 

[Bruce Johnston]

"Jonathan v.d. Sluis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> SM <[email protected]> schreef in berichtnieuws [email protected]...
> > I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is
the
> > best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of
> All
> > Time" would they be?
> >
> >
>
> The best cyclist of all time is not Merckx (who is actually third), but Bartali. In the list of
> greatest athletes, he'd be somewhere in the top five.
>
> The best male athlete of all time is, for me, Jesse Owens.

Are you not the guy who posted Coppi, Bartali, then comes Merckx?

If so, can you briefly explain why this order or why Merckx is third? Ok, it's subjective. Lets hear
your subjective opinion? Just curious.

B-

 

[Stewart Fleming]

Bruce Johnston wrote:

> I'll list four each gender...
>
> Women- Babe Didrikson Jackie Joyner-Kersee Florence Griffith-Joyner Chris Everett
>
> Men- Muhammad Ali Jim Thorpe Michael Jordan Carl lewis

Please repost your list minus the dopers and with all the names spelled correctly.

 

[Bruce Johnston]

"Kurgan Gringioni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Bruce Johnston" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "SM" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > > I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is
the
> > > best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes
of
> > All
> > > Time" would they be?
> > >
> > I'll list four each gender...
> >
> > Women- Babe Didrikson Jackie Joyner-Kersee Florence Griffith-Joyner Chris Everett
>
>
>
> Chris Everett wasn't even as good as Martina Navritilova or Stephie Graf.
>
> If you're going to consider someone, they should at least be the best in their own sport.

Graf was good, Chris was argubly one of the best women tennis player ever.

B-

 

[Robert Chung]

Nev Shea wrote:
> "Robert Chung" <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f675b8a$0$27020 [email protected]:
>
>> Wait! Wait! I almost forgot! Here are the greatest athletes:
>> http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/photo/2000/10/30/0000011863
>
>
> they'll get my vote for greatest athletes when they can also use their peckers to play golf like
> tiger woods. That will qualify them as multi- sport, and everyone knows that golf is the greatest
> sport too!

Hmmm. Would they have to use the current nomenclature of woods and irons, or the older terms like
mashie, niblick, and brassie? I suppose rutting iron should make the list?

 

[Bruce Johnston]

"benjo maso" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Bruce Johnston" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "SM" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > > I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is
> the
> > > best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes
of
> > All
> > > Time" would they be?
> > >
> > I'll list four each gender...
> >
> > Women- Babe Didrikson Jackie Joyner-Kersee Florence Griffith-Joyner Chris Everett
> >
> > Men- Muhammad Ali Jim Thorpe Michael Jordan Carl lewis
>
>
> Do only Americans count?

List a few Top non-americans if you want. I'd be interested to know. ***** Blankers-Koen? I will
have to look that one up.

If not, what about ***** Blankers-Koen? She
> dominated women's athletics for more ten years, holding world records in 100m, 200m, 80 m hurdles,
> long jump,high jump, pentathlon and even a national record in shot put. At the Olympics Games of
> 1948 she was world record holder in six events, but was only allowed to enter four. Of
course,
> she won them all.
>
> Benjo Maso

 

[Kurgan Gringion]

"Bruce Johnston" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> >
> > The best cyclist of all time is not Merckx (who is actually third), but Bartali. In the list of
> > greatest athletes, he'd be somewhere in the top five.
> >
> > The best male athlete of all time is, for me, Jesse Owens.
>
> Are you not the guy who posted Coppi, Bartali, then comes Merckx?
>
> If so, can you briefly explain why this order or why Merckx is third?

He's like Lemond, giving virtual victories.

 

[Steve McGinty]

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 22:33:50 GMT, "Ken Papai" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Steve McGinty" <stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 15:10:54 GMT, "SM" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is the best cyclist of all
>> >time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of
>All
>> >Time" would they be?
>> >
>> 3 names
>>
>> Ali Pele Merckx
>
>
>- Merckx
>- Barry Bonds
>- Pele
>- Joe Montana
>- Michael Jordon
>- LANCE
>
>
How can you include athletes who compete in US specific sports, Ken? If that's the case I nominate
Scotland's finest Jocky Wilson and Stephen Hendry (darts and snooker).

Regards! Stephen

 

[Tom Kunich]

If you are including women cyclists it is a near tie between Jeanie Longo and Beryl Burton.

"lazysegall" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Sm wrote:
> > I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you
think is
> > the best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest
Athletes
> > of All Time" would they be?
>
>
>
> If you say that Merckx is the best. Now whether Merckx is the best athelete who was a cyclist is a
> question, but he was the best
cyclist. I
> think that he is clearly behind Jim Thorpe and Jim Brown (bothe
these
> guys played multipile sports so well it was ridiculous). Honestly,
Eric
> Heiden was so dominant in speed skating (he also won the first us
Pro
> cycling championships. At lillihammer they also had him go out and skate. His time still would
> have been good enough for 16 (I don't remember what event that was in). If we go to women I
> think we need
to
> include Babe didrickson Zaharius, she was once again a multisport
star.
> Carl Lewis (he doped), but Merckx might have as well? Mark Spitz? Michael Jordan? Babe Ruth (yeah
> he was fat, but so dominant for his
day
> and he could pitch too). Pele? That is just a few and not an attempt
to
> through every sport.
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

[Boyd Speerschne]

"Kurgan Gringioni" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> "Boyd Speerschneider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> "SM" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>>
>> > I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is the best cyclist of all
>> > time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes of
> All
>> > Time" would they be?
>>
>> Though this is a *really* subjective (not to mention off topic) discussion,
> I'll give it my $0.02.
>>
>> I think its ridiculous to say that someone besides a world class
> decathalete is the best athlete ever.
>> That's what the compitition is designed to do... find the best all around
> athlete... period.
>
> The best athlete may not have participated in the decathlon, or have ever even thought about it if
> they didn't participate in track and field.

True, but you could say that about any sport, cycling in particular. Heck, the best athlete may not
have participated in sports at all. But that's neither here nor there. My point was that the
decathalon is set up as a competition that identifies and rewards the best all around athlete in any
given era... so it makes an appropriate measuring stick.

 

[Kurgan Gringion]

"Bruce Johnston" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> > > I'll list four each gender...
> > >
> > > Women- Babe Didrikson Jackie Joyner-Kersee Florence Griffith-Joyner Chris Everett
> >
> >
> >
> > Chris Everett wasn't even as good as Martina Navritilova or Stephie Graf.
> >
> > If you're going to consider someone, they should at least be the best in their own sport.
>
> Graf was good, Chris was argubly one of the best women tennis player ever.

Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, Graf won 22.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/australian_open/2003/2695239.stm All-time Slam winners

M Court 62 M Navratilova 57 B J King 39

<snip>

Like I said, Evert isn't even the best in her own sport. You just put her there because you find her
attractive.

 

[Bruce Johnston]

"Robert Chung" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Nev Shea wrote:
> > "Robert Chung" <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f675b8a$0$27020 [email protected]:
> >
> >> Wait! Wait! I almost forgot! Here are the greatest athletes:
> >> http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/photo/2000/10/30/0000011863
> >
> >
> > they'll get my vote for greatest athletes when they can also use their peckers to play golf like
> > tiger woods. That will qualify them as multi- sport, and everyone knows that golf is the
> > greatest sport too!
>
> Hmmm. Would they have to use the current nomenclature of woods and irons, or the older terms like
> mashie, niblick, and brassie? I suppose rutting iron should make the list?

My favorite little clip. Tai Chi master throws 20 students at once.

5 megs

http://www.mysteries-megasite.com/temp/master.mpg

 

[Steve McGinty]

>>
>>
>> Do only Americans count?
>
>List a few Top non-americans if you want. I'd be interested to know.

Pele, Maradona, Platini, Charlton, Best, Law, Cruyff, Zidane, Ronaldo, Van Basten, Socrates, Zico,
Beckenbauer, Muller, Puskas, de Stefano

That's just the footballers of the top of my head.

Regards! Stephen

 

[Ken Papai]

"Steve McGinty" <stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 22:33:50 GMT, "Ken Papai" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Steve McGinty" <stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 15:10:54 GMT, "SM" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >> >I know this is going to cause some discussion but who do you think is
the
> >> >best cyclist of all time and where on the list of "Greatest Athletes
of
> >All
> >> >Time" would they be?
> >> >
> >> 3 names
> >>
> >> Ali Pele Merckx
> >
> >
> >- Merckx
> >- Barry Bonds
> >- Pele
> >- Joe Montana
> >- Michael Jordon
> >- LANCE
> >
> How can you include athletes who compete in US specific sports, Ken?

WTF? Easy. I just did. And for good measure I threw in Merckx and Pele.

What world athletes are "greater" than Bonds, Jordan, or Montana?

Bonds, Montana, and Jordan are the epitome of athletes, as is LANCE.

> If that's the case I nominate Scotland's finest Jocky Wilson and Stephen Hendry (darts and
> snooker).

Not an athlete.

You can smoke and be obese and be good at pool or darts.