Could any pro athlete in the big sports beat Aston Eaton in any event in the decathlon?

The702 wrote:

Jeff Demps. And if you don't think playing football in the SEC is the highest professional level of the sport, you haven't been paying attention.

USC should have been in that league if you are talking professional college football.....

Jeff Demps ran 10.27 in the final of the 100 on Sunday.

Aston Eaton ran 10.21 during the decathlon.

Brainwashed by ESPN wrote:

Earth to Track Fans wrote:

If Lebron James had competed in track and field throughout high school and then trained specifically for the decathlon starting at 18, he'd EASILY be the best decathlete on earth, easily.

Brainwashed by ESPN.

I think this guy was trolling, but he has a point. Lebron is way too big for a decathlon. Even if he weighed less, he would still be 6-8. I agree with him though that being the best decathlete doesn't mean you're the greatest athlete...you're just the greatest athlete to ever focus on the decathlon.

People like Derrick Rose or Robert Griffin 3 and many others would fair very, very well in the decathlon if they trained for it specifically throughout their lives. If all Americans focused on track and field, we'd be incredible. That principle applies to the decathlon as well. Eaton is one of the greatest athletes on earth. But to call him the absolute greatest is ignorant.

I eat lots of ice cream wrote:

In any of the major sports - pro baseball, football, basketball or even soccer could any athlete in the top professional league beat Ashton Eaton if they competed in one event?

Maybe a profeessional football player in the 100 or 110 hurdles? Maybe...

Maybe a soccer player in the 1500...?

That is about it.

There are probably hundreds of athletes that would crush Ashton Eaton in the decathlon if they had spent years training for the event. If he was truly a great athlete, he would have played one of those professional sports you listed. Real athletes don't do track, except for a couple sprinters.

W. Bearcats Lack wrote:

There are probably hundreds of athletes that would crush Ashton Eaton in the decathlon if they had spent years training for the event. If he was truly a great athlete, he would have played one of those professional sports you listed. Real athletes don't do track, except for a couple sprinters.

This ^ is certainly true. Much as I might want to believe otherwise, here in the US 99% of the best athletes gravitate toward football and basketball rather than T&F.

this aint no joke wrote:

Ryan (hack a minute) Hollins was a 6'10" high jumper in college.

Hollins is listed at 7' 240.

Ryan weighed a LOT less than 240 when he was at UCLA.

W. Bearcats Lack wrote:

There are probably hundreds of athletes that would crush Ashton Eaton in the decathlon if they had spent years training for the event. If he was truly a great athlete, he would have played one of those professional sports you listed. Real athletes don't do track, except for a couple sprinters.

He should smear feces over his face and have someone with broken glass glued to their shoe kick him in the balls for pretending to be a great athlete.

Here is the unfortunate truth wrote:

Much as I might want to believe otherwise, here in the US 99% of the best athletes gravitate toward football and basketball rather than T&F.

The original post has NOTHING to do with "the best athlete"... he asked about who would be the best "decathlete". Big difference.

Basketball players in HJ maybe? Some of those guys are pretty explosive (Rose, Wade, etc.), three months of technique work I'd say maybe. Same goes for linebackers (Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, etc.) and shot or disk - linemen don't have the athleticism to pull anything off in those events.

With a lifetime of training I'd put money on some of the more athletics guards and quarterbacks in the non-throwing events. I'd bet Wade and Rose could be sub-10 or sub-45 runners had they focused from an early age. 6-4, explosive as can be, with some anaerobic capacity developed over time? Game over.

Lineman dont have the "athleticism" to pull it off?? LMAO. One of the dumbest comments i have ever read, on any website. I can name 5 off the top of my head that would have been great, great shot putters/discus throwers if properly trained.

1. Willie Roaf, Saints/Cheifs

2. Orlando Pace, Rams/Bears

3. Jonathan Ogden, Ravens

4. Mario Williams, Texans/Bills

5. Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants

And the list goes on and on and on.

Also, with training i would take Richard Hamilton in the 1500 (he ran a 4:20 1600 in high school with really just natural talent, he obviously focused on basketball) and quite a few professional soccer players.

Vince Carter in his prime in the high jump, easily. And alot more NBA players...David Thompson, Michael Wilson (plays for the globetrotters, 6'2" with a redic 55 inch vertical) and Jamario Moon come to mind. Many more though. Also a few NFL cornerbacks and free safeties most likely.

Alot, and i mean alot, of NFL quarterbacks in the javelin if properly shown the technique. Jamarcus Russell can throw a football 60 yards....from his knees!! 85 while standing. Also quite a few MLB pitchers.

Probably a few NFL/NBA players in the 110 hurdles/100 meter dash. How about Deion Sanders in the hurdles?? He could have been a beast.

400=quite a few athletes in many different professional sports. Basketball, football, possibly a select few soccer players.

The fact is, if the top "big sports" players trained specifically for the event they would be best at, there are quite a few that would eat eaton for breakfast. However, he is the best ever at all the events combined and for that i give him mad props. Dude is a fvcking amazing athlete, one of the best ever undoubtedly.

Not a big sport in US, but there are a hell of a lot of volleyball players who could beat him in high jump. Those guys have made hops.

randomcoach wrote:

Not a big sport in US, but there are a hell of a lot of volleyball players who could beat him in high jump. Those guys have made hops.

Do they actually have the form to high jump? You need more than a good vertical.

James is 6-8, 270. Now he might not be that heavy, but I am not sure 6-8 is a good height for a decathlete. That discus and shot circle is not very big.

I would not put Eaton in greatest athlete ever. To my Jim Thorpe gets that nod. (Babe didrickson would be in the running as well).

I think there are some for sure. I mean several college football players have out performed him. Michael Carter was a big time shot putter. Then there was Nehemiah and lots of WR from U of Tenn that ran back in the day. Deion Sanders. Toss in Bob Hayes...

In the more technical events, Eaton probably has an edge.

It might be fun to have 10 NFL players all take him on. Each NFL player would do one event each (like a "relay"). So Ted Ginn might lead off in the 100, then someone in the LJ, continue on. Of course finding an NFL to PV might be interested--I am sure a general manager would just love to see that.

I think there are some for sure. I mean several college football players have out performed him. Michael Carter was a big time shot putter. Then there was Nehemiah and lots of WR from U of Tenn that ran back in the day. Deion Sanders. Toss in Bob Hayes...

In the more technical events, Eaton probably has an edge.

It might be fun to have 10 NFL players all take him on. Each NFL player would do one event each (like a "relay"). So Ted Ginn might lead off in the 100, then someone in the LJ, continue on. Of course finding an NFL to PV might be interested--I am sure a general manager would just love to see that.

OK, so there are guys who could be him in one event. Maybe even two events if it's the 100/110 or 100/400. Is there anyone could could beat him in THREE events - one run, one jump, and one throw?

In this competition Eaton has to do all 10 events and the challenger gets to choose 3.

I thought of Ogden also. He won NCAA indoors one time I think.

Trindon Holliday, but he's borderline in the NFL.

thirty-two wrote:

Basketball players in HJ maybe? Some of those guys are pretty explosive (Rose, Wade, etc.), three months of technique work I'd say maybe. Same goes for linebackers (Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, etc.) and shot or disk - linemen don't have the athleticism to pull anything off in those events.

With a lifetime of training I'd put money on some of the more athletics guards and quarterbacks in the non-throwing events. I'd bet Wade and Rose could be sub-10 or sub-45 runners had they focused from an early age. 6-4, explosive as can be, with some anaerobic capacity developed over time? Game over.

Lineman don't have the athleticism!? Michael Carter. And check the link. This is from one draft. They would kill Eaton in the throws.

categorically wrote:

OK, so there are guys who could be him in one event. Maybe even two events if it's the 100/110 or 100/400. Is there anyone could could beat him in THREE events - one run, one jump, and one throw?

In this competition Eaton has to do all 10 events and the challenger gets to choose 3.

I'd take RG III in 4. 100, 110h, 400, javelin. Give him 6 months and he would beat him on points. Make it a pentathlon and add the high jump and I think he'd still win.