In many sports you can point to one person who has earned the title of "Best Ever". It might be based upon one sterling effort, like the all-time best time in the 100 meter dash, or the title might be earned over the course of a career's worth of accomplishments... There are those that like to separate a particular sport into eras and then handing out the accolades, and then there are those that like to compare a past great champion to the best individual participating in that sport at this time.
Over the last few days we've seen a couple of posts by people in the Fox Sports Community that brought attention to the individuals participating in various sports. jaguarjoe72 wrote a series entitled
These highlight certain football, baseball and basketball player's accomplishments that earned them consideration as to whether they had attained enough status to be deemed synonymous with the team they played for, and then there was a NASCAR post by RLGuido entitled
Now this last one is getting to the heart of the matter.
So, with this in mind, I'd like to pose a question...
Who are the all-time greatest performers in each of the following sports, or, to borrow from jaguarjoe72, Can we put a face on these sports?
1. Baseball - MLB
2. Basketball - NBA
3. Boxing
4. College Football
5. Golf
6. Hockey
7. NASCAR
8. Professional Football
9. Tennis, Men
10. Tennis, Women
Here are my astute selections:
1. Baseball - MLB
The Say Hey Kid! Willie Mays
Offense, defense, speed, savy, the man had it all...
2. Basketball - NBA
Charisma Personified, Michael Jordan!
Talk about the will to win... And win he did!
3. Boxing
Float like a butterfly... STING like a bee! Muhammad Ali!
I always think of Dandy Don Meredith saying "It ain't braggin' if you can do it!" when I think of this man... Many people hated the mouth, but he truly is "THE GREATEST!"
4. College Football
The All-American Boy... Roger the Dodger! Roger Staubach...
The man characterized as the greatest football player in U.S. Naval Academy History. I think that is much too narrow, he's the greatest to play the collegiate game! A modern day Heisman Trophy winner in a military academy? Army and Notre Dame dominator! He served his country, then led the Dallas Cowboys to glory...
5. Golf
You think it's still too early? I don't... Tiger Woods wins this going away!
Check this out:
The holder of the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Champioship trophies, all at the same time... Nobody else can say that!
6. Hockey
There can't be any other... The Great Gretzky! Wayne Gretzky...
This man's accomplishments in the NHL are on a par with hitting 100 home runs your rookie year in MLB or winning the Grand Slam of Golf for three years running... Wayne Gretzky, without equal in hockey!
7. NASCAR
There already is a man holding the title of "The King" in NASCAR, but was he the greatest ever? I've gotta tip my hat to him, but I'm taking "The Intimadator"! Dale Earnhardt...
A Tribute...
In quest of his eighth NASCAR title that never was to be, Dale is in the lead again!
8. Professional Football
My all-time favorite... Joe Montana!
Four Super Bowl Championships and how many individual records that still stand today? Joe, you're the man!
9.Tennis, Men
There have been other, more flamboyant Champions in this sport, but the quiet one, Pete Sampras wins on the men's side...
He won 14 Grand Slam titles and 11 Grand Masters events... Nuf' said?
10. Tennis, Women
Always the lady, She battled all challengers from the baseline and through pure willpower, she would put them away... Chris Evert!
18 Singles Titles and 3 Doubles Titles in 18 years of Grand Slam tennis defines her, Chris Evert the greatest women's tennis player...
I'm a sports fanatic living on the west coast of Florida. I'm a rare bird that moved here from the left coast a couple of years ago. I advocate an even playing field in all of life's endeavors.
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