dtoce wrote:
Tom_hampton wrote:
andy12 wrote:
I think she has a respectable argument for greatest female athlete. Of course those arguments are fairly pointless.Serena doesn't lead ANY category of wins in women's tennis, and she isnt even listed in some categories (she's never completed the grand slam for instance).
Margaret Court is on every list and is #1 on three of them (more than any other player):
Most grand slam singles wins, most titles at a si.gle tournament, most consecutive tournament titles.
Serena does not dominate her sport the way that Margaret Court did, and she doesn't even compare to the dominance of people like Gretzky, Phelps, Ali, et al... Who completely changed the standard by which others are judged.
I agree with you Tom. There is often a proximity bias to the present which is hard to overcome and remain objective.
My own list would have to start with the most dominant people in their sport before I started to ruminate about best ever...
Gretsky (?Orr-I'm still a Bawston fan!...)
Phelps (was Spitz-not anymore)
some squash player that I can't remember who I think never lost or something like that
Woods (?Nicholas)
Bolt, Owens-same but different
Marciano, Ali, Lewis (although Tyson changed the game too)
Court (or McKay-not likely Serena, but at least I've seen her in person)
Jordan (?Chamberlain, James-room for arguments...)
Federer
Montana to Rice --I just think it should be a combination, like it was IRL (? Brown, Brady, LT)
Ruth>Cobb
Slater
Bradman
Pele, Maradona (?Ronaldo-man my son had me watch so many shots of his on youtube)
Schumacker, Petty
Armstrong-NOT
So you bring up an interesting point. Jordan in my opinion is the best basketball player of all time. Yet on my list he is 2nd behind Lebron as the greatest athlete of all time. Jordan's time in baseball was pretty damning to his GOAT athlete.
Someone like Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson have compelling arguments. Sanders was one of the best cover corners to play football and was a pretty good at baseball. Bo was Bo. Amazing but a flash in the pan.
This is why I love this conversation.