Wayne Gretzky - Greatest Sports figure ever?

[Da Speeit]

It's possible. Too bad he's from a different era, kids coming up have no regard or respect for him

 

[My Spot]

He's not even the greatest in his own sport.

 

[PRESIDENT TRUMP]

He's not even the greatest in his own sport.

 

[PRESIDENT TRUMP]

It's possible. Too bad he's from a different era, kids coming up have no regard or respect for him

I'm not sure about on a global scale, but here in Ontario, he's seen as a Diety to not only kids that grow up playing hockey but sports fans in general. In Canada his Dad is more famous than 90% athletes regardless of the sport. I'm sure his God Status will Wayne over time, but as of today, he's still respected by the younger generation. I can't speak for the US or other Hockey playing nations tho

 

[HereticBD]

Fuck Wayne Gretzky.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

You started the thread with "Greatest" and then went on to talk about most "dominant" which are not always the same.

Sorry, greatest is either Ali or Jordan. How can you be the greatest sports figure ever when 99% of the people in the world cannot pick you out of a line up nor name anything you have done. Greatness is not just what you have done inside your respective sport but what you have accomplished outside of it, using your platform.

Most dominant? Jordan isn't the most dominant NBA player ever. Gretsky, I'll give him that but he wasn't a two way player at all. Still, the Great One is easily the most dominant hockey player of all time but is he more dominant than Phelps? I'm not a swimming guy at all but the guy has 28 medals in the Olympics and the next two Olympians on the list of all time medal winners sit at 18 and 15.

Phelps and Gretsky definitely stack up well and it's arguable that Phelps is easily ahead of Gretksy but if we are talking pure dominance, Alexander Karelin stands head and shoulders above everyone else. He went undefeated for 13 years, and didn't even give up a single point in the last 6 years that he was undefeated. Won Gold at three consecutive Olympics. Again, from 1988 until his silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, he did not lost a single match. Think about that, he did not have a single bad night and this is all against national and international competition. Sorry, 13 year winning streak is the TRUMP card.

Before Jordan and the 92 Dream Team, Basketaball was not big around the world. While Hockey was bigger in Europe than Basketball was.

And is harder to play hockey than basketball. Is harder to rack up stats in hockey than basketball.

 

[Lord Commander Palis]

His daughter is a better sports figure.

Ice Princess fan eh?

 

[Tom Steinbeck]

Would Gretzky been as great as he is if he didn't have all those enforcers protecting him?

 

[MCS]

Ali did more in and out of his ring than anyone. Views on war and race. Outside stuff matters in the "sports figure" category.

 

[MaureenCretis]

Are we talking greatest sport figure in north america or world wide?
In america I would say it's between Ali and Jordan...world wide it's Pelé.
Soccer is the world's most popular sport and Pelé is the only player to have won 3 world cups.

Whichever way you look at it, that is still an absolutely astonishing achievement.

 

[Rygu]

He's not even the greatest hockey player ever. If him and Lemieux traded places Lemieux has 3000 points and 1000 goals.