The greatest sportsperson?

[joe1878]

Ali for me.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Who was Ireland greatest football player? It's either Roy Keane, Paul McGrath, Liam Brady, or George Best.

Judging it on an all island basis, i think George Best is very much the winner here. Down south i think Liam Brady would edge this for me.

 

[ArtetaMoney]

Rooney always comes to mind for me as a somewhat wasted talent. Don't get me wrong, he went on to have a stellar career, but I think back to the early 2000s.

His performances while with us for his first stint and, particularly, his Euro 2004 performances were stellar. He had the world at his feet.

But lifestyle choices limited what he could have become: compare him with Ronaldo and Messi, and arguably he could have been still on their level, if not more.

Ale, ciggies, brasses and al' birds took their toll.

Definitely, was ridiculous how good he was from such a young age.

 

[summerisle]

I know nothing about racing. Who was the best Jockey ?

 

[Rita_Poon]

I know nothing about racing. Who was the best Jockey ?

dettori must be close to a winning line...

 

[ArtetaMoney]

I know nothing about racing. Who was the best Jockey ?

Dettori has some big wins and a very longstanding career.

McCoy was unbelievable at what he did and I’ll be surprised if his record is ever broken. Richard Johnson would be the considered the best jumps jockey had McCoy not been around.

McCoy for me.

 

[summerisle]

Dettori has some big wins and a very longstanding career.

McCoy was unbelievable at what he did and I’ll be surprised if his record is ever broken. Richard Johnson would be the considered the best jumps jockey had McCoy not been around.

McCoy for me.

What about Lester Piggott or Gordon Richards ?

 

[Lapeno77]

Steve Davies or
Stephen Hendry.

Alex Higgins

 

[WA Toffee]

Actually, Serge Bubka and Jahinga Khan both probably warrant a mention

 

[helpimonfire]

This genius

 

[summerisle]

That's a very good point.

Just shows how our male brains have been conditioned to think over the years.

Serena Williams was incredible.

Commeneci (spelling?) the Gymnast.

Katerina Witt was absolutely dominant for a while in figure skating.

Sorenstrom in ladies golf.

Olga Korbut ?

 

[anjelikaferrett]

I would go with Shane Warne.

How about Steve Redgrave or Chris Hoy?

 

[Martin Alvito]

Martina Navratilova. Behind Court in titles, but did it in IMO a stronger era where far fewer players were playing both singles and doubles at the Slams. The longevity is just staggering, and she is permanently out of reach of today's players. If she doesn't take a decade off from doubles, she probably runs up the score to levels it would take bionics to top.

Tom Brady
Muhammad Ali
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Tiger Woods
Messi
Ronaldo
Kobe Bryant
Michael Phelps
Usain Bolt
Mike Tyson
Jerry Rice

This is the correct list.

Except that Jerry Rice should be at the top of that one, rather than at the bottom, and that you forgot to give Gretzky his due. Lemieux was the better scorer, in terms of netting, by the way. Pity that circumstances precluded him from demonstrating that one without a doubt.

 

[roydo]

For me, being a "great" sportsperson goes beyond medals and ups and wins. It also means great sportsmanship.

So whoever conceded a far from obvious gimme in the Ryder Cup between, I think, Jack Nickolas and Tom Watson, to square the match and not lose the cup if he missed.

There will be plenty of others, obvs.

edit. Sommet like that anyrate.

 

[Rita_Poon]

This genius

View attachment 185160

Needs his own category, most of the sports types in here are grateful being world leading class in their field with just one hand (where applicable) whereas RoS is genuinely the best both left and right. It's actually frightening that such a talent found the means to prove it in such spectacle.