Best Sportsman Ever?

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Listening to Virgin Radio today they had a competition to win a trip to the Beijing olympics and they were giving clues to great olympic athletes.
It brought it all back when one of them was Carl Lewis.9 gold medals ,only person to win 2 long jump golds,100,200& relay golds as well.Surely he is the greatest sportsman ever.

 

[Stevie Boy]

Steve Redgrave for me

 

[Frutos]

Muhammad Ali

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Muhammad Ali

Yeah but Henry cooper put him on his arse.

 

[Frutos]

Yeah but Henry cooper put him on his arse.

True, and if he'd done so 30 seconds earlier so the bell couldn't save Ali/Clay, boxing and sporting history could have been very different.

Ali still gets my vote though, as much as anything because he's one of the few people who have ever really earned worldwide recognition even from people who have no interest in the sport in which he participated.

Ask anyone in the street in pretty much any major city on the planet who Muhammad Ali is and they'll more than likely have at least some idea, sports fan or not. Rightly or wrongly, the same just doesn't apply for Carl Lewis.

 

[zoom]

Maheta Molango

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

True, and if he'd done so 30 seconds earlier so the bell couldn't save Ali/Clay, boxing and sporting history could have been very different.

Ali still gets my vote though, as much as anything because he's one of the few people who have ever really earned worldwide recognition even from people who have no interest in the sport in which he participated.

Ask anyone in the street in pretty much any major city on the planet who Muhammad Ali is and they'll more than likely have at least some idea, sports fan or not. Rightly or wrongly, the same just doesn't apply for Carl Lewis.

Which is really why i asked the question,surely his record says it all,has there ever been better?.

 

[Peppermint Tea]

CB Fry.
Cricket: 26 test matches. Captained both England and Sussex. 94 1st class tons.
Football: FA Cup finalist with Scumhampton.
Rugby: Blue in the Varsity match and played for the Baa-Baas.
Athletics: World long jump holder and won the 100 yards in the first ever athletics international.

Beat that.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

CB Fry.
Cricket: 26 test matches. Captained both England and Sussex. 94 1st class tons.
Football: FA Cup finalist with Scumhampton.
Rugby: Blue in the Varsity match and played for the Baa-Baas.
Athletics: World long jump holder and won the 100 yards in the first ever athletics international.

Beat that.

Yeah but you could have played test cricket in the 1800s

 

[Fergus96]

Big Daddy ?

 

[Peppermint Tea]

I nearly did. But for a bout of consumption I would have batted 4 against the demon Spofforth...

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Define Sportsman.

If you mean the most successful in his sport then lots of possibilities including the ones mentioned.

If you mean most sportsmanlike then my vote would be for Jack Nicklaus.

If you mean pubs, the one at Withdean is the best (and only) one that I have been to.

 

[NMH]

Sir Alf Ramsey.

R.I.P. but don't forget to tell the kids who led ENGLAND to World Cup winning fame at last.

 

[Fergus96]

Eddie the Eagle Edwards?

 

[Eagle Slayer]

Phil 'The Power' Taylor .... 13 times World Champion

 

[Sajerz]

Shane Mcfaul

 

[steward 433]

Joey Dunlop OBE R.I.P.

26 Isle of Man race victories including 3 hat-tricks
24 wins at the Ulster grand prix
5 CONSECUTIVE formula 1 world titles
Over 1200 race wins in his career

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Can't really argue with Carl Lewis's record, but I'm sure I read something a while back that hinted at some kind of drug suspicion about him.

Don't think he ever tested positive in competition, mind, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything these days.