Im 36…
Opine please…
What about MJ or Tiger?
Depends on how early you got into sport. I’m 42 and I recall most of Ali’s fights, Rumble in the Jungle, THriller in Manilla etc. Ali would take some beating (but not in the ring) obviously.
Man that’s tough. While I’ll have to think about I know for sure it’s not Lance. Maybe not even top 5.
Alternatives:
Redgrave 5 golds at 5 consecutive Olys in Rowing, not a sport for P*ssies!
Woods 10 Majors, the grand slam twice and he’s not 30
Schumacher in F1
Sampras 7 Wimbledons
Thats just the last 25 years off the top of my head.
I haven’t watched the last stage and ceremony yet. Not sure if I will because I’m going to get all weepy and my wife will think I am a lunatic.
I’m 36 as well but wouldn’t consider him the greatest sportsman of our era. Sure he’s the greatest TdF rider of our (or any) era, but without riding the other major tours, skipping most of the classics, etc, how can he be considered the greatest? That would be akin to Martina Navratilova playing only at Wimbledon, Tiger only playing in the Masters, etc. My list would include:
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Martina, Williams sisters, Sampras - all great players that dominated
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Tiger - 10 and counting, even when he’s “down” he’s still one of the best 2 or 3 in the game
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Schumacher - dominate for as long as Lance, but did it in more races
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Carl Lewis - spectacular in so many events
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Nolan Ryan - not the best record, but the strikeouts, the 7 no-hitters, etc. Easily one of the top 10 pitchers of all time
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Michael Jordan - championships, championships, championships. We were blessed to have watched probably the best basketball player of all time play in our generation
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Joe Montana, Steve Young - the 49ers had to wait until incredible Joe hung it up before another, equally talented, QB took the reigns. Growing up in Dallas in the pre-Jerry Jones days, Cowboys fans hated, but respected, Montana and his incredible abilities.
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Dale Earnhardt - dominate driver
The athletes listed above for the most part did it week in and week out. You can’t take anything away from Armstrong, but clearly he did not have the presence of those listed above. 3 weeks in France is tough, but ride in more events for crying out loud.
young jedi, you are leaving many off your lists:
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Chris Evert, Jimmy Connors, Borg, McEnroe, Laver.
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Let’s give Tiger another 5-7 years, but I can’t argue much there.
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Don’t know crap about auto racing (me not you)
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Brue Jenner, Rafer Johnson, Edwin Moses, Jim Thorpe
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Sandy Koufax, Jim Palmer, Eck, Fingers, Carlton, Gibson.
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No question
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Could argue here but I won’t since I am niner’s fan.
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Nascar - who cares.
A pretty good case can be made that Armstrong isn’t even the greatest cyclist of your era.
You know you’re asking a purely subjective question don’t you? Ask 10 people get 10 different answers kinda question. For that reason I reckon your question is stupid.
Umm,
What about Lynn Hill? She’s one of the best climbers in the world and arguably one of the best atheltes. First person to Free The Nose on El Capitain. That took guts, strength and skill.
My point is… I think we are comparing apples to oranges here.
I don’t know enough about cycling and it’s history to say who is the best, but dang, I am sure impressed with what Lance has done, and it has inspired me on a personal level.
Oh, and btw people. Golf is not a sport.
Trae
"Golf is not a sport. "
Explain.
It’s not a sport - it’s a way of life. Oh wait, that’s surfing.
Man that’s tough. While I’ll have to think about I know for sure it’s not Lance. Maybe not even top 5.
It is easy to just spout off isn’t it Tubbs? So we are all waiting for you to tell us who are the top 5, and furthermore what have they done for their sport, their country or a cause.
You’re such a little man…it’s easy to sit in your airconditioned room and type drivel on this forum. How about backing up your comment with some substance? We await your answer, or your blustering retort. I’m betting on bluster.
Thats always the problems with these discussions - lack of an agreed upon definition. My personal criteria is basically a combination of how high a profile the sport is (which usually determines level of competition and is judged on a worldwide scale) and how thoroughly an athlete dominated that sport with some major concessions allowed for their visibility/impact outside of the arena and level of visibility they brought to a sport (how ‘iconic’ they are).
In north america I’d say that Lance, Ali, Jordan, Gretzky meet this combination of criteria quite well. Tiger knocking on the door. For sheer domination of high profile sports there is pele, maradona, bonds, nickalaus, owens, brown, chamberlain.
Tubbs? Hey cool you have given my handle a nickname! Man it’s cool having a fan. You talk to me the most. You always attack me on nothing which makes me think that your attacks aren’t really against me but a way you try to control your ever growing love of me. You love my ideas and my thoughts to the point where you have to read me and wait until I talk about such unimportant things like is Lance the greatest sportsman of my generation then you attack. By attacking me you control this monster of obession that is growing your chest. Your life is slowly begining to spiral around me. You can’t stop thinking about me. You need me. You have to have me.
Now to your challenge. Michael Jordan showed a domination of basketball that was season long. He lead his team every game for months to reach the championship game. To reach the game he had to win all season long.
Lance has too only lead his team for 3 weeks. He has no other preasures other then to when the tour. To achieve the Tour his team builds everything around him and makes sure he gets what he needs. He doesn’t have to lead his team every race. He picks and chooses what and who he races. Jordan had too play who he was told and he could not skip a game because it might make him too tired for the championships.
I love you roadfused.
he is my personal favorite…but during your time (which is also my time, I’m 30) there have been alot of greats…at all different kinds of sports.
He’s even behind Eddy Merckx as a cyclist. Don’t believe the media hype, they have to sell you their products…sheesh, consumers!
Wouldn’t that be Mr Mark Allen?
kelly slater
ian thorpe
michael phelps
…i think we can safely get rid of these american centric sports as well, eg nfl, baseball, nascar etc stars.