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Who is the greatest athlete ever from your country?
- Thread starter SL1200
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Her palmares were extraordinary even prior to the advent of EPO.
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I had never heard of EPO when that nickname was thrown around in the Savoie.
How did you get Sydney Crosby and, say, Michael Jordan on the same list?
I'm going to list a few..
The most well known and transcendent would be Jonah Lomu. Transformed the game and his position (as a winger, you usually had a fast, wiry player. Jonah was a fast brute would could run around your or over you). Unfortunately his body failed him and he didn't by far have the career that he could have.
Old timers would put Sir Colin Meads up top. For me, Richie McCaw. Near 150 test matches in probably the most punishing position in rugby.
In athletics, one of Sir Peter Snell, Sir Murray Halberg or Dame Valerie Adams.
The most well known and transcendent would be Jonah Lomu. Transformed the game and his position (as a winger, you usually had a fast, wiry player. Jonah was a fast brute would could run around your or over you). Unfortunately his body failed him and he didn't by far have the career that he could have.
Old timers would put Sir Colin Meads up top. For me, Richie McCaw. Near 150 test matches in probably the most punishing position in rugby.
In athletics, one of Sir Peter Snell, Sir Murray Halberg or Dame Valerie Adams.
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Lance Armstrong
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lol
The Uniballer was awesome
studies show EPO does next to nothing for performance
in endurance athletes.
he would have won 7 Tours without it.
The Uniballer was awesome
studies show EPO does next to nothing for performance
in endurance athletes.
he would have won 7 Tours without it.
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I agree wonder how they got the time to play different sports in the crossover season be it Soccer, rugby to Cricket and the same in American with Football and Baseball.
My old school shout out goes to Andrew Stoddart who was born 2 miles from where I live and played in Rugby Union, Cricket and even Australian Rules Football.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Stoddart
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In modern times Jason Robinson who played both Rugby League and Rugby Union.
In Rugby League 12 caps for Great Britain and 7 for England and in Rugby Union 51 caps for England in which he got a try in England winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and was a Great British Lion 2001/2005.
His club trophies in Rugby League was a Super League title, four Championships, three Challenge Cups, three Regal Trophy wins, 4 premiership titles and an away win against Brisbane Broncos to win the World Club championship and in Rugby Union was a European Cup title and Guinness Premiership title.
In Rugby League 12 caps for Great Britain and 7 for England and in Rugby Union 51 caps for England in which he got a try in England winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and was a Great British Lion 2001/2005.
His club trophies in Rugby League was a Super League title, four Championships, three Challenge Cups, three Regal Trophy wins, 4 premiership titles and an away win against Brisbane Broncos to win the World Club championship and in Rugby Union was a European Cup title and Guinness Premiership title.
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Canada obviously has Gretzky and he would win any poll.
But we also have others like Lemieux and Steve Nash who need mention. Steve Nash in particular as he broke thru in a sport few Canadians played at the top levels in at the time. So he did not have the steal sharpening steal thing that the hockey players have.
I think Ben Johnson and Donovan Bailey are also up there for Canada (I ignore Ben's roids bust in an era when they were covering up Carl Lewis's).
And then there is our very own GSP who may well go down as the undisputed GOAT of MMA as he battles now only with Fedor for that honour.
But we also have others like Lemieux and Steve Nash who need mention. Steve Nash in particular as he broke thru in a sport few Canadians played at the top levels in at the time. So he did not have the steal sharpening steal thing that the hockey players have.
I think Ben Johnson and Donovan Bailey are also up there for Canada (I ignore Ben's roids bust in an era when they were covering up Carl Lewis's).
And then there is our very own GSP who may well go down as the undisputed GOAT of MMA as he battles now only with Fedor for that honour.
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Canada obviously has Gretzky and he would win any poll.
But we also have others like Lemieux and Steve Nash who need mention. Steve Nash in particular as he broke thru in a sport few Canadians played at the top levels in at the time. So he did not have the steal sharpening steal thing that the hockey players have.
I think Ben Johnson and Donovan Bailey are also up there for Canada (I ignore Ben's roids bust in an era when they were covering up Carl Lewis's).
And then there is our very own GSP who may well go down as the undisputed GOAT of MMA as he battles now only with Fedor for that honour.
You can't discount Ben Johnson's cheating IMO. He gets dq'ed as should Carl Lewis. The argument that your chemist is not as good as the other guy's doesn't make you any less guilty.
Gretzky probably the obvious winner for Canada. Only downer was, for all the other teams he played for, he never won another Cup.
As a kiwi, Jason Robinson was one of the few English rugby players I didn't hate. I think it had to do with Wigan being the league team in the UK that kiwis supported because so many kiwis went to play for them (the Paul bros, Dean Bell, Inga the Winger etc) and of course the likes of Monie, Platt, Betts and Bell (albeit them being pretty much over the hill) being with the Warriors in the early years.
Robinson was truly electrifying in those years. Always excitement when he got the ball.
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well Lewis' chemist was no better. The US was just active in covering up their top athletes who were cheating while Canada was busy exposing ours. Its a Canadian thing as we did the same during the SARS epidemic. We public ally broadcasted to the world 'we have SARS' and decimated our tourist travel while the US (California) quietly hid they had it so as to not impact tourist travel.
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Coming from the UK I never have heard about Jim Thorpe but upon reading about him he is up there with world G.O.A.T.SJim Thorpe
or
Jesse Owens
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Best American athlete was Jim Thorpe.
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It's quite a long read but if you're stuck at work like me it will help you kill some time..
Once in a while an athlete emerges that rises above us mortals. Athletes who transcend the sport. Think of people like Muhammed Ali or Tiger Woods. Athletes that become Household names.
Who is that athlete from your country?
I'll start..
Country : the Netherlands
Sport : Football (soccer for the murricans)
Athlete : Johan Cruijff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff anglicised to Cruyff; 25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Cruyff was the most famous exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Dutch football rose from obscurity to become a powerhouse in the sport. Cruyff led the Netherlands to the final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup and received the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. At the 1974 finals, he executed a feint that subsequently was named after him, the "Cruyff Turn", a move widely replicated in the modern game. Wearing the number 14 jersey, he set a trend for wearing shirt numbers outside the usual starting line-up numbers of one to eleven.
At club level, Cruyff started his career at Ajax, where he won eight Eredivisie titles, three European Cups and one Intercontinental Cup. In 1973, he moved to Barcelona for a world record transfer fee, winning La Liga in his first season and was named European Footballer of the Year. After retiring from playing in 1984, Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later Barcelona; he remained an influential advisor to both clubs. His son Jordi also played football professionally.
In 1999, Cruyff was voted European Player of the Century in an election held by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, and came second behind Pelé in their World Player of the Century poll. He came third in a vote organised by the French magazine France Football consulting their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect their Football Player of the Century. He was chosen on the World Team of the 20th Century in 1998, the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002, and in 2004 was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.
Considered to be one of the most influential figures in football history, Cruyff's style of play and his football philosophy has influenced managers and players, including the likes of Arrigo Sacchi, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, Pep Guardiola, Frank Rijkaard, Michael Laudrup, Eric Cantona and Xavi. Ajax and Barcelona are among the clubs that have developed youth academies based on Cruyff's coaching methods. His coaching philosophy helped lay the foundations for the revival of Ajax's international successes in the 1990s. Spanish football's successes at both club and international level during the years 2008 to 2012 have been cited by many as evidence of Cruyff's impact on contemporary football.
Source : Wikipedia
I either learned about this dude from a friend or from the Dog. Can't remember now. Binged his HLs.
His chip shots over goalie heads were immaculate. His precision with the ball is what really put him on another level that I could discern. It wasn't about speed, agility, power. The guy was a true skill God.
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Because sid the kid is a goat
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George Best is also of that time period, most would say he's one of the most skilled players to ever touch a ball, up there with the best of all time like Pele, Maradona, or indeed Cruyff (and now Messi etc.) but he was infamously self-destructive and fell into alcoholism which destroyed his career. Bit of a tragic story. Despite that he's still an icon of world football, particularly for Manchester United and even more particularly for Northern Ireland fans. Hell we've even named an airport after him.
Take a look -
He allegedly nutmegged Cruyff in a game once, but there's no footage. Might just be a legend but I could believe it.
