TBEs in other sports

[Beanflicker]

Boxing - Floyd

Hockey - Wayne

Golf - Tiger

Baseball - Barry Bonds

Basketball - Wilt the Stilt

MMA - Jon Jones

Skateboarding - Tony Hawk

Downhill Skiing - Sonny Bono

[TitoFan]

Boxing - Floyd

Hockey - Wayne

Golf - Tiger (Backup please)

Baseball - Barry Bonds (Backup please)

Basketball - Wilt the Stilt (Backup please)

MMA - Jon Jones

Skateboarding - Tony Hawk

Downhill Skiing - Sonny Bono

Good...... controversial picks.

[Beanflicker]

I'm not an expert on a lot of those but Tiger dominated like no one else and they actually had to fuck around with golf courses and "Tiger-proof" them to help the other golfers compete with him, and it didn't work.

Barry Bonds done slammed more home runs than anyone. I know someone is going to bring up Babe Ruth (fat drunk) but if you played baseball during a time when blacks weren't allowed to play, IMO you are DQ'd from being considered #1.

Wilt was the fucking boss, they had to change a rule because of him.

[El Kabong]

Yes well Barry Bonds used steroids and HGH.

[Gandalf]

By TBE do we mean an exceptional athlete who avoids opponents in their prime, picks and chooses his opponents, and braggishly declares his greatness? No, there is only one TBE and that is Floyd Mayweather.

[Beanflicker]

Yes well Barry Bonds used steroids and HGH.

So did everyone else he played against though.

[Beanflicker]

Football... JIM BROWN!!!

[El Kabong]

Yes well Barry Bonds used steroids and HGH.

So did everyone else he played against though.

You assume

Football... JIM BROWN!!!

Lawrence Taylor, Bo Jackson, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, Ray Neitschke, Deacon Jones, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Johnny Unitas, Ronnie Lott, Reggie White...it's not cut and dry that Jim Brown was even the best running back ever because there are different kinds of running backs now. What about Red Grange or Jim Thorpe? Jim Thorpe was one of the most amazing athletes of all time!!!!

[El Kabong]

Soccer's a difficult one what about Zidane?

Football is difficult too because of the different positions and expectations those positions carry.

And if we're ignoring injuries and circumstances then Ben Hogan was the best golfer.

[Mark TKO]

Soccer's a difficult one what about Zidane?

Football is difficult too because of the different positions and expectations those positions carry.

And if we're ignoring injuries and circumstances then Ben Hogan was the best golfer.

Ben Hogan Ben Hogan ? Let me tell you something. Ben Hogan was good . But next to Tiger Woods Ben Hogain ain't shit !

[El Kabong]

Soccer's a difficult one what about Zidane?

Football is difficult too because of the different positions and expectations those positions carry.

And if we're ignoring injuries and circumstances then Ben Hogan was the best golfer.

Ben Hogan Ben Hogan ? Let me tell you something. Ben Hogan was good . But next to Tiger Woods Ben Hogain ain't shit !

He was in a car crash which almost killed him....Tiger Woods uses advanced technology, ben Hogan used a WOODEN driver!

[palmerq]

Soccer's a difficult one what about Zidane?

Football is difficult too because of the different positions and expectations those positions carry.

And if we're ignoring injuries and circumstances then Ben Hogan was the best golfer.

Zidane was certainly superb, he is 2nd on my list for best footballers ever, I don't consider players I didn't live through though(like pele and maradona :S) I rate messi over zidane though despite zindanes amazing achievements, he has 3 goals in world cup finals:S and his performance v england in euro 2004 was what zidane was all about.. zidane was immense and a real legend.. I still vote for messi though :S

[ryanman]

Formula 1 - Aryton Senna (despite Schumacher's 7 titles)

Sailing - Ben Ainslie

Rowing - Steve Redgrave

Cycling - Eddy Merckx

Agree with many of the others already mentioned. Accept for Baseball, Ice Hockey, Basketball and American Football which I don't know enough about to do anything than repeat what I've heard.

Oh and by the way if Ferenc Puskas played for Brazil in the 70s he would be widely regarded as the best ever. 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary.

[TitoFan]

Good discussion.

Went through and gathered some of the obvious votes (sorry if I missed any non-obvious ones) and this is sort of the list I can cobble together at this point:

Tennis - Federer (5 votes), Nadal (1 vote)

Golf - Nicklaus (2 votes), Tiger (2 votes), Hogan (1 vote)

Baseball - Ted Williams, Mays, Bonds, Ruth, Cobb (1 vote each)

Hockey - Gretzky (3 votes), Roenick (1 vote)..... surprised no Lemieux although I agree with Gretzky

Soccer - Pele (3 votes), Messi (2 votes), Zidane (1 vote)

Basketball - Jordan (3 votes), Chamberlain (1 vote), Steve Nash? (1 vote)

NFL - Montana, Brown (1 vote each)..... although I agree and refrained on the basis it's too much a position-dependent sport

Snooker - O'Sullivan, Hendry (1 vote each)

Darts - Phil Taylor (2 votes)

Sprinting - Bolt (4 votes), Michael Johnson (1 vote)

Swimming - Weissmuller, Mousambani, Spitz (1 vote each)

Rugby - Gareth Edwards

Distance running - Halle Gebresellasie

MMA - Jon Jones

Skateboarding - Tony Hawk

Downhill skiing - Sonny Bono

Karate - Norris, Lee (1 vote each)

Middle distance - Sebastian Coe

Ski jumping - Eddie Edwards

Cricket - Don Bradman

College basketball - Pete Maravich

NASCAR - Richard Petty

Formula 1 - Aryton Senna

Cycling - Eddy Merckx

Horse racing - Secretariat

Course fishing - Bob Nudd

Thai skiing (really?) - Vanessa Mae

Sailing - Ben Ainslie

Rowing - Steve Redgrave


Anyway... we're still missing some sports that may or may not be considered, but that certainly must have their own TBE's, like......

Pocket billiards, speed skating, gymnastics, archery, volleyball, diving.......

[Beanz]

Formula 1 - Aryton Senna (despite Schumacher's 7 titles)

Sailing - Ben Ainslie

Rowing - Steve Redgrave

Cycling - Eddy Merckx

Agree with many of the others already mentioned. Accept for Baseball, Ice Hockey, Basketball and American Football which I don't know enough about to do anything than repeat what I've heard.

Oh and by the way if Ferenc Puskas played for Brazil in the 70s he would be widely regarded as the best ever. 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary.

Good Pics. I will second Puskas (behind Trevor Brooking and Argyle's Tommy Tynan and Paul Mariner of course )

Best Diver / Being gay seems to help, Louganis, Daely, ...Cristiano Ronaldo, Suarez, Robben

Redgrave just completely smashes TBE rowing award and also has a pretty strong case for TBE Olympian.

5 medals in consecutive Olympic games (with Diabetes too )