Greatest British Sports Stars

[WhingForPresident]

Watching the breath taking performance of Mo last night got me thinking. Are we living through a period of having a lot Britian's all time greatest sports stars doing the business?

If so who are they?

I'll start with three.

1. Mo Farah - Britian's greatest ever long distance track athlete

2. Andy Murray- Britian's greatest ever tennis player

3. Lewis Hamilton - Britian's greatest ever motor racing driver.

Fred Perry won eight grand slams, Murray has three...

Quite impressive that you managed to spell Britain wrong four times as well.

 

[B-right-on]

Chris Hoy got to be in the top 10. Bloke revolutionised velodrome cycling as ultra cool.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Fred Perry won eight grand slams, Murray has three...

Quite impressive that you managed to spell Britain wrong four times as well.

1. You don't measure 'greatness' by the number of grand slams, especially when comparing two such different eras where professionalism and fitness are incomparable. I suspect Perry would have one zilch if he'd been up against Federer, Nadal & Djokovic.

2. Spelling. Oh shit - my spell checker is broke!

 

[AmexRuislip]

4. Wayne Rooney - Britian's greatest ever football player.

 

[Bingo]

1. You don't measure 'greatness' by the number of grand slams, especially when comparing two such different eras where professionalism and fitness are incomparable. I suspect Perry would have one zilch if he'd been up against Federer, Nadal & Djokovic.

2. Spelling. Oh shit - my spell checker is broke!

Also Murray has two Olympic singles gold medals, Nadal 1, Federer and Djokovic have none.

 

[big nuts]

Phil Taylor if you count darts as a sport.

 

[portlock seagull]

Watching the breath taking performance of Mo last night got me thinking. Are we living through a period of having a lot Britian's all time greatest sports stars doing the business?

If so who are they?

I'll start with three.

1. Mo Farah - Britian's greatest ever long distance track athlete

2. Andy Murray- Britian's greatest ever tennis player

3. Lewis Hamilton - Britian's greatest ever motor racing driver.

Hamilton?!! A side from him being an absolute bellend, F1 isn't even a sport. It's a no from me, likes of Redgrave, Bannister, Coe, Perry and Best etc get my vote over someone pushing a pedal in a most expensive machine wins event any day

 

[Two Professors]

John Surtees
Ian Botham
Stanley Mathews

 

[Bob'n'weave]

The Eubanks. Britain's first ever father and son world champion boxers.

 

[Gwylan]

Ian Botham

When Wisden asked 100 cricket writers/cricketers for the best players of the 20th century, Botham didn't even make the top five English players. Just because he's done some great work for charity, it shouldn't elevate him above better players.

But if you're looking for someone who did finish top of a world list, I suggest Gareth Edwards, named as the best player in a poll of worldwide rugby experts.

I'm no horse racing fan but reckon Lester Piggott must be in with a shout too - don't really know enough about his rivals to know for sure.

 

[Mackenzie]

I may be doing him a dis-service (and I probably picked the worst bloke to do it to), but I thought Geoff Capes was more your 'Good British Trier' rather than multi medal winning greatest ?

It was a bit of a tongue in cheek pick, but to be fair to him he won gold medals in shot put at Commonwealth level, was twice "worlds strongest man" when that was a popular pastime in the late 70's and was five time Highland games champion.

Also as a child of the 70's Geoff Capes was just about the most famous and recognisable Englishman there was for a time, but I agree with you that in sporting excellence terms there are more worthy candidates.

 

[Hillian1]

It was a bit of a tongue in cheek pick, but to be fair to him he won gold medals in shot put at Commonwealth level, was twice "worlds strongest man" when that was a popular pastime in the late 70's and was five time Highland games champion.

Also as a child of the 70's Geoff Capes was just about the most famous and recognisable Englishman there was for a time, but I agree with you that in sporting excellence terms there are more worthy candidates.

Pretty good at growing budgies too by all accounts.

 

[Mackenzie]

Pretty good at growing budgies too by all accounts.

Well there you go, the complete sportsman.

 

[Two Professors]

When Wisden asked 100 cricket writers/cricketers for the best players of the 20th century, Botham didn't even make the top five English players. Just because he's done some great work for charity, it shouldn't elevate him above better players.

But if you're looking for someone who did finish top of a world list, I suggest Gareth Edwards, named as the best player in a poll of worldwide rugby experts.

I'm no horse racing fan but reckon Lester Piggott must be in with a shout too - don't really know enough about his rivals to know for sure.

Don't really care what Wisden or the journos think about Beefy.Anybody who can bat like he did,after a skinful the night before,at Edgbaston is tops in my book!

 

[Stat Brother]

So all of the Greatest British Sports Stars happen to be men?


That'll be news to the likes of
LauraTrott
Jessica Ennis-Hill,
Kate Richardson-Walsh,
Nicola Adams,
Jo Pavey,
Sarah Storey,
Tracey Neville.

 

[Albion in the north]

So all of the Greatest British Sports Stars happen to be men?


That'll be news to the likes of
LauraTrott
Jessica Ennis-Hill,
Kate Richardson-Walsh,
Nicola Adams,
Jo Pavey,
Sarah Storey,
Tracey Neville.

Just beat me to the Jess Ennis-Hill and Sarah Storey post.
Mo is great at running but to be champion at a sport that requires a lot of different skills is pretty damned impressive.And (Dame) Sarah Storey has been Paralympic champion at 2 entirely different sports. Weve also had some pretty impressive sailors, both men and women.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Phil Taylor if you count darts as a sport.

For me that is as much of a sport as what Lewis Hamilton does, i.e. not at all

 

[Albion in the north]

George Digweed?

 

[1234andcounting]

Isn't it C B Fry? Of course, none of his achievements were on tv and he played football before 1992, so it doesn't count.

Represented England at football and cricket, equalled world record for the long jump.

And was offered the throne of Albania. Unlikely to happen to Andy Murray, Mo Farah or Chris Froome.

 

[jakarta]

For me that is as much of a sport as what Lewis Hamilton does, i.e. not at all

You have clearly never been a motor racing driver or a motorcyclist, the technology is nothing to do with your skill to drive/ride. And these days you have to be fit as well.