adam porter wrote:
Dennis Reynolds 2.0 wrote:Bill Russell destroyes Haile on all counts.
Here are Hailes weaknesses: degree of difficulty of sport, competition depth of sport, gap over rivals/competitors.
the only reason you like bill Russell is because he is black and you are black.
Haile is white?
Dr Doctor wrote:
Wilt Chamberlain was a freak of nature, but he doesn't have the longevity or the depth of competition.
Wilt played in the NBA for 15 seasons and has career averages of 30 points and 23 rebounds. I think that qualifies as longevity and durability.
He played in an 8 team league where the average opposing center was 6'8", about the same size as Hedo Turkgolu.
Back then the average height of centers was 6'10" and you can't hold the low total number of teams against Wilt, it was the 60s.
He also won only 2 titles, one was late in his career when he was more or less a role player.
Wilt lead the 1967 76ers to championship victory in the time of the greatest run of domination in sports history: the Boston Celtics.
He doesn't have durability either, he started breaking down in his late 20's.
Again, he played 15 seasons and has a career average of 46 MINUTES PER GAME. Truly amazing especially for a 7-1 280lbs person.
Jabbar would be a better argument than Wilt.
Jabbar was probably the better NBA player but he was nowhere near the ATHLETE Wilt was.
Here's a collection of quotes about Wilt:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wilt_ChamberlainHaile is my favorite athlete of all-time (Tergat a close second). When he ran 12:44 for a WR a writer for USA Today likened it to hitting 5 monster home-runs in a World Series game. I think Haile is one of the greatest ever, but it's impossible to compare him to other athletes because each sport is so individualized. There is no way to determine a greatest athlete ever, but Haile is up there.
Let's make this easier for you to understand. Break it off into 10 categories
1. Dominance
2. Achievement
3. Consistency
4. Longevity
5. Durability
6. Skill range
7. Degree of difficulty
8. Depth/quality of competition
9. Gap over competitors head to head and all-time
10 Legacy
In every one of these categories Geb scores a 10 or 9.5 at lowest. So far you haven't come up with anyone close to that.
Usain Bolt, for example, doesn't yet have the longevity, although he's climbing the list in everything. Even still he won't have Geb's range unless he moves up to 400M after Rio and breaks that record too, but he will not ever likely get anywhere near 28 WR's, that Geb has set.
And Bolt is as great as they come. Since Beijing he has run 15 medal races. In those races, over a 6 season span, he has won gold 14 times, with the only failure a false start DQ in '11. Of the 14 golds half were world records. He definitely belongs in the discussion.
I'll just leave this here, Leonidas, or any other of the ancient Spartans, those guys were nuts.
ehem wrote:
I'll just leave this here, Leonidas, or any other of the ancient Spartans, those guys were nuts.
In that case, I nominate Achilles.
ventolin^3 wrote:
go fetch a job paying inflation-adjusted 175 balloons/hour past 25y+...
then surmise why i have spent mosta last 25y+ watching individual sports on tv/satellite...
You get paid in balloons?
What does what you get paid have to do with spending all your free time in front of the TV?
Red Scare wrote:
I would argue that Alexander Karelin, a terrifying monster whose story you should read, is the greatest of all time. He dominated greco-roman wrestling for decades. People would run out of the ring because they were too afraid of him. He could pick up and throw men in the heaviest weight class. His only loss ever was very controversial because of the way it was scored and is the only reason he retired after an already long career - he was still by far the best in the game.
Karelin deserves to be in this discussion, definitely. I mentioned him earlier. His only "loss" was because he couldn't get a grip on the sweaty, blubbery, slippery walrus in enough time.
just sayin wrote:growth hormone thyroid and steroid probably
utter bullsh!t
offer anything than a decongestant, which is no longer even on wada\'s list as they coudn\'t find any running advantage
Rich Froning
Mr. Obvious wrote:
ventolin^3 wrote:
go fetch a job paying inflation-adjusted 175 balloons/hour past 25y+...
then surmise why i have spent mosta last 25y+ watching individual sports on tv/satellite...
You get paid in balloons?
What does what you get paid have to do with spending all your free time in front of the TV?
you are on dumber side of stoopid
if pay is 175 balloons/hour for 25y, how many hours/week is trade-off couch-potatoeing watching tiger/pistol/serena/95%+ golden-diamond league meets since start ???
Dr Doctor wrote:
Let's make this easier for you to understand. Break it off into 10 categories
1. Dominance
2. Achievement
3. Consistency
4. Longevity
5. Durability
6. Skill range
7. Degree of difficulty
8. Depth/quality of competition
9. Gap over competitors head to head and all-time
10 Legacy
In every one of these categories Geb scores a 10 or 9.5 at lowest. So far you haven't come up with anyone close to that.
Usain Bolt, for example, doesn't yet have the longevity, although he's climbing the list in everything. Even still he won't have Geb's range unless he moves up to 400M after Rio and breaks that record too, but he will not ever likely get anywhere near 28 WR's, that Geb has set.
And Bolt is as great as they come. Since Beijing he has run 15 medal races. In those races, over a 6 season span, he has won gold 14 times, with the only failure a false start DQ in '11. Of the 14 golds half were world records. He definitely belongs in the discussion.
11. Number of women
Wilt Chamberlain wins...
A major advantage to making the case for Haile is the fact (arguably) that running is the most competitive sport in the world. Nearly anyone can and has done it. You can start at any age. You can compete against almost anyone. That's not the case for most sports.
Eugene the Ex-Drinking Machine wrote:
Wilt Chamberlain.
His combination of strength and athleticism is unmatched by any other athlete, ever. Don't believe me? Do some research and educate yourself.
Wilt Chamberlain was indeed a freak of nature.
* Incredible strength- benched over 500lbs
* 53' shot put in HS
* 49.0 440 yd dash
* 1:58.3 880 could out run most NBA guards
* over 40" vertical leap
* 6'6" HJ
* 22" LJ
* 45'9" Triple jump at KU
* World class volleyball player
I think that to even be considered the greatest Athlete of all time you first need to possess great physical coordination.
That pretty much eliminates distance runners. I've known of great runners who couldn't dribble a basketball and threw like a girl. (Not talking about those true female athletes)
It seems that decathletes and basketball players are the most athletic.
I'd go with Michael Jordan.
Alex Honnold
nn wrote:
Alex Honnold
Nice.
http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/north-face-alex-honnold-el-sendero-luminosoHaile rated:
1. Dominance 7, XC and Marathon hurt.
2. Achievement 9, can't be 10 without any major cross country or 5000m titles
3. Consistency 9
4. Longevity 10
5. Durability 10
6. Skill range 5, no cross country skills at all
7. Degree of difficulty 8
8. Depth/quality of competition 5, we're talking about running, let's be honest. Best athletes are where the real money is
9. Gap over competitors head to head and all-time 6, One word, Bekele
10 Legacy - 9, an all time great
Dennis Reynolds 2.0 wrote:
Haile rated:
1. Dominance 7, XC and Marathon hurt.
2. Achievement 9, can't be 10 without any major cross country or 5000m titles
3. Consistency 9
4. Longevity 10
5. Durability 10
6. Skill range 5, no cross country skills at all
7. Degree of difficulty 8
8. Depth/quality of competition 5, we're talking about running, let's be honest. Best athletes are where the real money is
9. Gap over competitors head to head and all-time 6, One word, Bekele
10 Legacy - 9, an all time great
Stupid
1. I already showed you the WR gap- 10
2. 28 WR's, lol. Dude, get off crack- 10+
3. 19 consecutive years top ranked? WR's in 13 years out of a 16 year span- 10
4. At least you have...
5. ..some sense
6. WR's in 11 different events! Road, track, indoor, outdoor. Get off crack- 10
7. People actually die running marathons. Again, crack, get off it- 10
8. Distance running is by far and away the most participated sporting activity in the world. Therefore he faces more competitors than anyone. Don't even need to get into how many WR holders/champions he has beaten- 10
9. Bekele is 10 years younger. LOL. Was Kobe Bryant better than Jordan because he fared better during Jordan's Wizard days? Again, WR's, WR gaps, win percentage, Geb is all far better than Bekele- 9.5
10. A 9 here doesn't even make any sense. Who would be 10? He is the best- 10
Seriously, get off crack
The Big Dipper wrote:
Eugene the Ex-Drinking Machine wrote:Wilt Chamberlain.
His combination of strength and athleticism is unmatched by any other athlete, ever. Don't believe me? Do some research and educate yourself.
Wilt Chamberlain was indeed a freak of nature.
* Incredible strength- benched over 500lbs
* 53' shot put in HS
* 49.0 440 yd dash
* 1:58.3 880 could out run most NBA guards
* over 40" vertical leap
* 6'6" HJ
* 22" LJ
* 45'9" Triple jump at KU
* World class volleyball player
Half of those stats aren't even true. Maybe more. Wilt was great, but the urban legends about him are a bit silly.