Most important athlete of all-time?

[cgchambers]

Has to be Lance Armstrong. I had a 2.5 year battle of my own and I cannot tell you what it meant to see someone who was worse off then I was kicking @ss!! The work he does and the money he raises for the cancer community is unparrelled in my opinion. Most athletes these days are solely out for themselves, (Ricky Williams, Terrel Owens, etc) Lance Armstrongs work will hopefully benefit all of mankind one day, not just a select group of people (ie. Americans).


Just my opinion

 

[MJtje]

The best athlete and the most DOMINANT athlete at the moment in any sport has to be Federer......that dude is unbelievble talented and WINS everywhere.......

And youre right LA does a lot for the cancer community.....good on him! Shall we do a best LA memory: alpe d'huez ''the look'' classic......!

Has to be Lance Armstrong. I had a 2.5 year battle of my own and I cannot tell you what it meant to see someone who was worse off then I was kicking @ss!! The work he does and the money he raises for the cancer community is unparrelled in my opinion. Most athletes these days are solely out for themselves, (Ricky Williams, Terrel Owens, etc) Lance Armstrongs work will hopefully benefit all of mankind one day, not just a select group of people (ie. Americans).


Just my opinion

 

[codencopple]

i didn't read the 10 pages so i'm sure somebody has mentioned this but those bracelets say "LIVE STRONG" that doesn't just apply to bikers or people in the medical feild lol

 

[rousseau]

Interesting thread. If you by "most important" you mean the athlete who has had the most impact on the most people in terms of success, it's obvious it would have to be someone who played football.

I'd guess Pele.

 

[oldbobcat]

Important according to what criteria?

And there are so many criteria that any discussion is useless. I'd rather drink beer with a bunch of old runners and listen to nasty gossip about Mary Decker Slaney.

Goes to show how useless Playboy's become. At least in the old days we could read Joseph Heller, Norman Mailer, and Nat Hentoff. And the jazz poll was about real jazz.

By my criteria, however, I'd vote for Muhammed Ali. Reply if you really need to know my criteria.

 

[LottomagicZ4941]

Jesus Christ being up on that cross must have been quite the endurance test.

Athlets really arn't that important beyond their entertainment or motiational factor.

 

[Jono L]

Has to be Pele, he is the greatest athlete from the biggest sport, hands down victory.

 

[Yippee38]

I voted for Sterling Moss, but I really think [size=-1]Juan Manuel Fangio is more significant.
[/size]

 

[huhenio]

I voted for Sterling Moss, but I really think [size=-1]Juan Manuel Fangio is more significant.
[/size]

Fangio for sure on international car racing.
Bicycle = Lucien Petit Breton.
Footy = Maradona

I am biased

 

[mitosis]

Has to be Pele, he is the greatest athlete from the biggest sport, hands down victory.

But Pele is not from the US!