Greatest Sportsperson in History that is not Paulo Wanchope

[Loony BoB]

Who are the candidates?

[Pike]

Can this be greatest athlete rather than greatest sportsperson?

Because if so, Secretariat.

[Colonel Angus]

Walter Payton or Michael Jordan, case closed.

[Loony BoB]

Can this be greatest athlete rather than greatest sportsperson?

Because if so, Secretariat.
The horse? Interesting!

[LocoColt04]

Are we talking pure athletic talent, or overall tactical prowess?

Joe Montana, Roger Staubach, Payton Manning, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods... these should be added to the existing list of candidates. And then we should collect 64 and run a tournament bracket.

[Ayen]

Walter Payton or Michael Jordan, case closed.

I second Michael Jordan.

I'd like to add Babe Ruth and Tiger Woods to the list.

[black orb]

>>> Roger Federer??..:luca:

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Bo Jackson.

How has that name not been brought up?
NFL fucking superstar
Baseball badass
HE PLAYED IN BOTH THE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES AND THE SUPERBOWL!

And he Qualified for the U.S. Olympics team for track and field, but unfortunately decided to pursue sports. But he does still hold the fasted time for the 40 yard at the NFL combine, I think. 4.12 seconds.

[Del Murder]

Wilt Chamberlain, Babe Ruth, and Jerry Rice were the best ever men at their sports. I don't know enough about other sports to say.

Best athlete ever was probably Secretariat though. Best human athlete, maybe Bo Jackson, though his career got cut way short.

[Old Manus]

Statistically Don Bradman is the greatest sportsman of all time.

[Loony BoB]

Statistically Don Bradman is the greatest sportsman of all time.
Still amazes me, his record.

[Sephiroth]

Michael Jordan.

He even played with Bugs Bunny.

[Rocket Edge]

It's entirely relative as many factors have to be taken into consideration, but I greatly admire Roger Federer. To be able to win what he won and play with the attacking style of tennis that he plays is remarkable.

[Madame Adequate]

No mention of Wayne Gretsky yet? For shame, for shame.

Okay I'm not sure I could definitively say he's the single best sportsman ever, but he is definitely up there.

[The Captain]

Jim Thorpe. Look up what he accomplished.

Take care all.

[Bubba]

I think you can pick out any of the major players that dominated their game and are considered the greatest. Gretsky, Payton, Ruth, Maradona, Bradman etc...

I'd have to give it to Michael Jordan though. Not only was he far and away the best basketball player of his generation, he also played professional baseball for the Chicago White Sox. OK, it wasn't at major league level, I think he played AA or something. But that still gives him the edge for me.

[escobert]

Walter Payton
This. he wasn't the biggest, he wasn't the strongest, he wasn't the fastest and wasn't from a big school. it was all heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NVWkXVoRRg


I'd have to give it to Michael Jordan though. Not only was he far and away the best basketball player of his generation, he also played professional baseball for the Chicago White Sox. OK, it wasn't at major league level, I think he played AA or something. But that still gives him the edge for me.

Deon Sanders and Bo Jackson both played in the NFL and MLB.

[Slothy]

Ayrton Senna.

[Pheesh]

Gotta go with Michael Jordan as well, not only was he the best player of all time in his sport, but the pulling power he had to draw in fans that would otherwise never watch the game is rivalled by probably only Tiger Woods.

[Bubba]

Deon Sanders and Bo Jackson both played in the NFL and MLB.

True! But neither of those would be considered the greatest in either sport.

[Pheesh]

Sanders is pretty much considered best all time in his position in the NFL (as much as anyone can reach consensus about things like that in NFL at least), I know nothing about his MLB career though.

[Bubba]

OK, so I've just had a look through Deion Sanders career and I've changed my mind. HE is the greatest sportsman of all time.

He is the only person to hit a Major League home run and score an NFL touchdown IN THE SAME WEEK. Also, he played in a Superbowl AND a World Series.

Smurf off, Michael Jordan. You are small time.

[Pheesh]

It's even more impressive considering that he was a defensive player.

[Loony BoB]

I know of a few people that switched sports and excelled in both of them. In said sports, though, it was simply not possible for them to do both because of modern sport contracts.

Sonny Bill Williams is probably the standout of players in sports that I know.

His record...
Rugby Union: 81 test matches, 22 tries.
Rugby League: 12 test matches, 5 tries.
Heavyweight Boxing: 6 fights, 6 wins, 3 via KO.

...and his titles...
Rugby Union: 2010 NPC Champion with Canterbury, Rugby World Cup winner with the All Blacks, Super Rugby winner with the Chiefs. Essentially he has won everything there is to win in NZ rugby at all senior levels.
Rugby League: 2004 NRL Champion (Premier) with the Bulldogs, 2013 NRL Champion (Premier) with the Roosters, World Club Challenge winner with the Roosters. Two time world cup finalist, unfortunately missing the one time the Kiwis actually won it inbetween those two finals!
Heavyweight Boxing: New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) Heavyweight Champion

Other worthy mentions...

Rebecca Romero, who was a world champion and Olympic champion in rowing, switched to track cycling and became world champion and Olympic champion for that, too.

Zanardi never won Formula One despite racing in it, but he did win the ChampCar title. After that, he lost his legs in an accident and went on to win two golds in hand cycling at the London Olympics. Nice!

More great mentions on this list (http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-multi-sport-athletes.php).

[Madame Adequate]

Thought of another one: Wilt Chamberlain. I mean I know guys like Jordan and James are seriously good but damn son some of Chamberlain's records still stand decades later and he's the only person in history to score a 100-point NBA game.

[Leigh]

Ayrton Senna.
Let me bare your offspring, so we can birth an army of individuals with superior opinions to the common man. :)

[Spuuky]

By the metric with which I'd judge (superiority over his peers), of the sports I am familiar with I would lean toward Gretzky. His statistics are utterly staggering. It would be like if you took Babe Ruth, removed all his home runs, and he still had the most hits in baseball history; or if you took Michael Jordan and remove all his dunks and 3-pointers and he still had the most points.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I don't know who is the best but I admire people like Nikki Lauda, who get back up, push through the fear, and keep going with all their heart.

[CimminyCricket]

Gordie Howe!

[Calliope]

Pirlo!

[FFIX Choco Boy]

Takeru Kobayashi.