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Post by Manute Bol on Jun 12, 2016 0:57:40 GMT -5
Not the GOAT, but more who is the "face" or household name of that particular sport.
My picks:
Baseball: Babe Ruth Basketball: Michael Jordan Boxing: Muhammad Ali Cycling: Lance Armstrong Football: Joe Montana Golf: Tiger Woods Hockey: Wayne Gretzky MMA: Royce Gracie NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt Professional Wrestling: Hulk Hogan Skateboarding: Tony Hawk Soccer: Pele Swimming: Michael Phelps Tennis: Roger Federer Track and Field: Jesse Owens
Feel free to add sports on to this if you want.
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mizerable
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Post by mizerable on Jun 12, 2016 1:13:45 GMT -5
I agree with most of your list, however I'd say Tiger Woods is probably better known to golf, although Arnold Palmer is up there too.
Football is tough since Montana was quite successful, but he'd still have a hard time cracking a lot of people's top 10 best QBs based on stats alone. I can't really give the NFL a face although in recent years Peyton Manning has come the closest. I'd put Tom Brady on there too, but he's pretty polarizing. Troy Aikman is another all time candidate.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2016 3:45:49 GMT -5
I disagree on Tennis. John McEnroe is Tennis.
As for Football, you really cant have one person as its face. Every country plays it and every country has its heroes. Pele is just kinda there, but a Bobby Charlton or Michael Platini or even Roberto Baggio could be just as bigger names as Pele is. David Beckham is probably the most well known to people who don't follow the sport.
Also for Grid Iron. I don't follow it, but John Elway is the one player I keep hearing about. Never heard of Montana.
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Post by Can you afford to pay me, Gah on Jun 12, 2016 4:01:06 GMT -5
Not the GOAT, but more who is the "face" or household name of that particular sport. My picks: Baseball: Babe Ruth Basketball: Michael Jordan Boxing: Muhammad Ali Cycling: Lance Armstrong Football: Joe Montana Golf: Jack Nicklaus Hockey: Wayne Gretzky MMA: Royce Gracie Professional Wrestling: Hulk Hogan Skateboarding: Tony Hawk Soccer: Pele Swimming: Michael Phelps Tennis: Roger Federer Track and Field: Jesse Owens Feel free to add sports on to this if you want. Just going to add of couple or racing one. Nascar: Richard Petty (I know some would argue Dale Earnhart who is close but only second behind Richard plus Richard is known as the King of Nascar) Indy Car: Mario Andretti Overall the list is pretty on.
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Post by karl100589 on Jun 12, 2016 4:21:23 GMT -5
Not the GOAT, but more who is the "face" or household name of that particular sport. My picks: Baseball: Babe Ruth Basketball: Michael Jordan Boxing: Muhammad Ali Cycling: Lance Armstrong Football: Joe Montana Golf: Jack Nicklaus Hockey: Wayne Gretzky MMA: Royce Gracie Professional Wrestling: Hulk Hogan Skateboarding: Tony Hawk Soccer: Pele Swimming: Michael Phelps Tennis: Roger Federer Track and Field: Jesse Owens Feel free to add sports on to this if you want. When it comes to cycling I always think of Eddie Merckx before I do lance, especially post drugs scandal.
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Fundertaker
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Post by Fundertaker on Jun 12, 2016 5:15:12 GMT -5
Yeah, Eddy "The Cannibal" Merckx is the name in cycling excluding France (Bernard Hinault) and the US (Armstrong). If nothing else because is resume is more than "I won the Tour de France a bunch of times and made it boring doing so".
As for Track & Field, considering that Usain Bolt is still out there and Michael Johnson was a thing (they changed the schedules of events in Barcelona 92 JUST so he could appear on TV on whatever he was racing), I would put both over Jesse Owens, whose accomplishments are now more in line with "showed the Nazis that Arians weren't that great" than "face of the sport".
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Post by Jedi-El of Tomorrow on Jun 12, 2016 5:39:22 GMT -5
Baseball: Babe Ruth Basketball: Michael Jordan Boxing: Muhammad Ali Cycling: Lance Armstrong Football: Jim Brown Golf: Tiger Woods Hockey: Wayne Gretzky MMA: Brock Lesnar Professional Wrestling: Hulk Hogan Skateboarding: Tony Hawk Soccer: David Beckham Swimming: Michael Phelps Tennis: Andre Agassi or Arthur Ashe or Pete Sampras Track and Field: Jesse Owens Nascar: Dale Earnhart Indy Car: Mario Andretti
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2016 6:47:23 GMT -5
To be honest, Richard Petty and Dale Senior do look similar. Nice mustache? Check. Bad-ass shades? Check. Iconic paint schemes? Check. Stupid looking hat? Petty wins hands-down.
However, every face of tennis I picture are the women: Navratilova, Evert, Graf. I may side with Chrissy.
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Post by Hit Girl on Jun 12, 2016 8:18:29 GMT -5
Diving: Tom Daley F1: Michael Schumacher Horse Racing: AP McCoy Snooker: Steve Davis/Stephen Hendry Darts: Phil Taylor Rugby: Jonah Lomu Cricket: Brian Lara
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Post by karl100589 on Jun 12, 2016 11:43:05 GMT -5
Football/ Soccer: Pele Rugby: Jonah Lomu Cricket: Brian Lara/ Don Bradman Golf: Jack Nicklaus Male Tennis: Bjorn Borg Female Tennis: Martina Navratilova/ Billie-Jean King Boxing: Muhammad Ali MMA: Royce Gracie Horse Racing: Red Rum Formula One: Ayrton Senna NASCAR: Richard Petty Indycar: Mario Andretti Cycling: Eddie Merckx Track and Field: Carl Lewis Swimming: Mark Spitz Gridiron/ American Football: Joe Montana Baseball: Babe Ruth Basketball: Michael Jordan Hockey: Wayne Gretzky Snooker: Hurricane Alex Higgins Darts: Phil The Power Taylor
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Fundertaker
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Post by Fundertaker on Jun 12, 2016 11:50:49 GMT -5
Snooker: Hurricane Alex Higgins Due to the somewhat recent expansion in Snooker's popularity outside of the UK, could he still be considered it? I mean, Ronnie O'Sullivan is front and center the most popular player for the last 10 years (arguably 15, though that still enters Stephen Hendry's last great years) and most new fans know of him and the only Higgins they would know is John.
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Post by karl100589 on Jun 12, 2016 15:38:12 GMT -5
Snooker: Hurricane Alex Higgins Due to the somewhat recent expansion in Snooker's popularity outside of the UK, could he still be considered it? I mean, Ronnie O'Sullivan is front and center the most popular player for the last 10 years (arguably 15, though that still enters Stephen Hendry's last great years) and most new fans know of him and the only Higgins they would know is John. Arguably, by Alex came at a time when Snooker was a massive mainstream entity. Light entertainment shows like Big Break and Pot Black were on the air and nearly 20 million people were tuning in to watch the World Championship final every year, and of that era Alex was by a long way the biggest name at the time even though he arguably wasn't that great of a player. Ronnie is by a long way the biggest name in the sport at the moment, but he is the biggest fish of a pond that very few people care about these days.
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Post by Manute Bol on Jun 12, 2016 16:08:58 GMT -5
I agree with most of your list, however I'd say Tiger Woods is probably better known to golf, although Arnold Palmer is up there too. I strongly considered Tiger Woods originally and realize you're probably right on this. Editing my original post. I disagree on Tennis. John McEnroe is Tennis. However, every face of tennis I picture are the women: Navratilova, Evert, Graf. I may side with Chrissy. Tennis is a tough one. I was considering McEnroe, and even the Williams sisters. Tennis is not really in my wheelhouse so much, so I'd love to hear the case against Federer. Also for Grid Iron. I don't follow it, but John Elway is the one player I keep hearing about. Never heard of Montana. Never heard of Montana? I'm surprised to hear that. Didn't realize he didn't transcend in that way. Nascar: Richard Petty (I know some would argue Dale Earnhart who is close but only second behind Richard plus Richard is known as the King of Nascar) Wow, I completely overlooked NASCAR. Good call! I would think it has to be Earnhart, no? When it comes to cycling I always think of Eddie Merckx before I do lance, especially post drugs scandal. Yeah, Eddy "The Cannibal" Merckx is the name in cycling excluding France (Bernard Hinault) and the US (Armstrong). If nothing else because is resume is more than "I won the Tour de France a bunch of times and made it boring doing so". I was really hesitant to put Armstrong because of the turn his career took, but I really don't think anyone has brought as much attention to the sport as he is. And I mean that in a positive way, prior to the scandal. As for Track & Field, considering that Usain Bolt is still out there and Michael Johnson was a thing (they changed the schedules of events in Barcelona 92 JUST so he could appear on TV on whatever he was racing), I would put both over Jesse Owens, whose accomplishments are now more in line with "showed the Nazis that Arians weren't that great" than "face of the sport". Michael Johnson was my original pick, but I went with Owens because he really became bigger than the sport. I definitely do see your argument though. As for Bolt, I think he's a little too current. A little hindsight helps make fairer choices. As for Football, you really cant have one person as its face. Every country plays it and every country has its heroes. Pele is just kinda there, but a Bobby Charlton or Michael Platini or even Roberto Baggio could be just as bigger names as Pele is. David Beckham is probably the most well known to people who don't follow the sport. I'd have a hard time buying that David Beckham is more iconic to soccer than Pele!
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Sam Punk
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Post by Sam Punk on Jun 12, 2016 17:22:36 GMT -5
baseball: jackie robinson basketball: bill russell football: odell beckham jr golf: arnold palmer hockey: gordie howe
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Post by Manute Bol on Jun 12, 2016 18:37:38 GMT -5
baseball: jackie robinson basketball: bill russell football: odell beckham jr golf: arnold palmer hockey: gordie howe One of these things is not like the others...
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Allie Kitsune
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Jun 12, 2016 18:48:09 GMT -5
One really odd thing.
I know this is "wrong", but the first person I actually think of when people talk about Track and Field is (Decathlon competitor) Dan O'Brien.
This is only significant to Americans who were of a certain age during a certain time period, but he was MASSIVELY hyped like few athletes before him, the "Dan vs. Dave" Reebok Commercials leading up to Barcelona '92.
He failed miserably (didn't even make it past the US Team Qualifying) and cost Reebok a ton of money.
And then made up for it by winning the Decathlon at Atlanta '96.
He may not be historically significant in any way, but his massive 1992 Hype Levels always stand out in my mind.
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pegasuswarrior
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Post by pegasuswarrior on Jun 13, 2016 0:07:38 GMT -5
Only chiming in to throw in two cents about one category I disagreed with.
Tennis: Williams sisters (dislike them, but it's true). Also, honorable mention: Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf, both over Federer. Although, I can see Federer being argument-worthy over either of them. Just throwing out the names that jump out when I hear "most iconic."
(I am more of an Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Gabriela Sabatini fan myself.)
Adding:
Pro Bowling: Dick Weber (Earl Anthony too "plain" to be more iconic?)
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Vampiro138
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Post by Vampiro138 on Jun 13, 2016 0:47:38 GMT -5
Only chiming in to throw in two cents about one category I disagreed with. Tennis: Williams sisters (dislike them, but it's true). Also, honorable mention: Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf, both over Federer. Although, I can see Federer being argument-worthy over either of them. Just throwing out the names that jump out when I hear "most iconic." (I am more of an Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Gabriela Sabatini fan myself.) Adding: Pro Bowling: Dick Weber (Earl Anthony too "plain" to be more iconic?) I dont know about Dick Weber, im going with his son Pete Weber instead. he brought bowling back so to speak, he is a huge wrestling fan so he was pretty much the attitude era for bowling. he appears on ESPN still and even people who dont watch bowling know of him via that "who do you think you are? I AM!" thing. plus Pete has had a great career in bowling despite his problems on the tours in the past.
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Post by Jedi-El of Tomorrow on Jun 13, 2016 5:01:51 GMT -5
One really odd thing. I know this is "wrong", but the first person I actually think of when people talk about Track and Field is (Decathlon competitor) Dan O'Brien. This is only significant to Americans who were of a certain age during a certain time period, but he was MASSIVELY hyped like few athletes before him, the "Dan vs. Dave" Reebok Commercials leading up to Barcelona '92. He failed miserably (didn't even make it past the US Team Qualifying) and cost Reebok a ton of money. And then made up for it by winning the Decathlon at Atlanta '96. He may not be historically significant in any way, but his massive 1992 Hype Levels always stand out in my mind. The 2 things I'll always remember about that are first, the semipro baseball team here after Dan failed to make the Olympic team just gave out all the promotional shit Reebok gave them to sell. At the game after he failed to make the Olympic team, they just started handing out buttons, bumper stickers, posters, and I believe shirts. They would announce it over the PA to just come up to the play by play box if you wanted some stuff, or more stuff. The 2nd is during an episode of Cheap Seats, they were watching the Superdogs Superjocks episode with Dan O'Brien in it, and he talked about failing to make the team, and said that he learned that sometimes the best man doesn't always win. The Sklars immediately responded with "No Dan, the best man always wins. The cocky overhyped media darling doesn't always win, but the best man always wins."
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Post by Manute Bol on Jun 14, 2016 16:36:29 GMT -5
Moving this thread to the sports section was a death sentence. To be honest, I didn't even know we had a sports section here until this thread got moved.
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