GOAT Across All Sports

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

You made a post comparing Jordan & LeBron; I responded to that specifically and that only.

You then quoted me and made a bunch of arguments against Tom Brady, whom I never even mentioned.

There is no coherence in the sequence of your replies, it's all over the place. Talk about Tom Brady all you want, but it has nothing to do with the post I commented on or you quoted me on.

I never quoted you specifically on Brady, it’s the argument regarding “hand picking” Teammates to win championships in a new team. Brady just did so this season and likely did while he was a patriot. He won Multiple championships yet nobody in football are focused on the fact that he hand picked Teammates. For some reason, it’s open season on LeBron.

Just to indulge, If you were the GM of a team and you just signed the best player in the league, would you not try to find players compatible to your star player? Any GM in any sport would, so how is it different for LeBron? Getting input from your star player would be helpful too.

Btw, We’re talking about the GOAT across all sports so including Brady’s situation is fair game. Have some awareness of the topic discussed at hand

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Scorch

I never quoted you specifically on Brady, it’s the argument regarding “hand picking” Teammates to win championships in a new team. Brady just did so this season and likely did while he was a patriot. He won Multiple championships yet nobody in football are focused on the fact that he hand picked Teammates. For some reason, it’s open season on LeBron.

Maybe Brady deserves the same criticism, I have no idea. Not for me to comment as a non football fan.

Just to indulge, If you were the GM of a team and you just signed the best player in the league, would you not try to find players compatible to your star player? Any GM in any sport would, so how is it different for LeBron? Getting input from your star player would be helpful too.

Of course I would as a GM.
But we're not taking about how a GM builds the best team, we're talking about who's the GOAT of their sport.
Have some awareness of the topic at hand

Anyway, we're going to circles over a trivial thread topic. Lets agree to disagree on basketball's GOAT. It's not that serious.

[Jason14h]

7 years and 5 more championships from now the answer will be Lebron James

He may be getting better

He is right up there with Bo Jackson as the greatest athlete of all time

He could play forever without a freak injury - and basketball is becoming less physical every year

Unless Tom decides to play forever

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Non team sports withstanding, the GOAT must be so good that he’s able to elevate his new team to championship contender. Brady just did it, LeBron did it, Gretzky couldn’t

That's just the nature of hockey. Lower scoring, higher variance.

[SuperMatt18]

One reason I wouldn’t give it to Tom Brady is that on a worldwide scale the NFL just isn’t that important. It’s very much a North American centric sport and is only really played by North Americans.

I think is tough to be considered the greatest of the greatest when you play a sport that is really only popular in 3-4 countries, with very little in terms of participation or leagues outside those countries.

This has nothing to do with being the GOAT but it is a bit telling just how different the worldwide engagement is for something like the NFL vs soccer or Basketball.

Soccer - Ronaldo: 261M Followers
Basketball - Lebron: 79.1M Followers
Football: Brady - 9.2M Followers

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

One reason I wouldn’t give it to Tom Brady is that on a worldwide scale the NFL just isn’t that important. It’s very much a North American centric sport and is only really played by North Americans.

I think is tough to be considered the greatest of the greatest when you play a sport that is really only popular in 3-4 countries, with very little in terms of participation or leagues outside those countries.

This has nothing to do with being the GOAT but it is a bit telling just how different the worldwide engagement is for something like the NFL vs soccer or Basketball.

Soccer - Ronaldo: 261M Followers
Basketball - Lebron: 79.1M Followers
Football: Brady - 9.2M Followers

While all true, the NFL is popular enough around the world to be included in the conversation IMO.

Soccer and basketball are probably the only two sports you could call global, so do we limit the GOAT discussion to just those two sports? Cricket probably has more fans than the NFL, but its very regional. I think the NFL has more global reach and has fans everywhere. Anecdotal, but I know several Europeans who wake up an ungodly hours to watch football on Sundays and follow it closer than NFL fans here.

Not really making any conclusions here, just musing.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

While all true, the NFL is popular enough around the world to be included in the conversation IMO.

Soccer and basketball are probably the only two sports you could call global, so do we limit the GOAT discussion to just those two sports? Cricket probably has more fans than the NFL, but its very regional. I think the NFL has more global reach and has fans everywhere. Anecdotal, but I know several Europeans who wake up an ungodly hours to watch football on Sundays and follow it closer than NFL fans here.

Not really making any conclusions here, just musing.

Cricket "Probably" has more fans than the NFL?

Cricket is definitely in the top 2 sports in the world for raw fan numbers, if not number 1.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Nadal Fan

He won 173 matches in a row before a questionable call ended his streak......GOAT!

Spoiler!

Rick Flair's 3816345017 title reigns trumps that guy's win streak.

Bruno Sammartino's 8 year title run trumps that guy's win streak.

But really. Bret Hart. He is the best there is, best there was and the best there ever will be.

/thread.

[GGG]

https://www.topendsports.com/world/l...sport/fans.htm

A random website but it has field hockey as the number 3 most popular sport in the world. Basketball is the same as football.

Volleyball, Tennis, and Table Tennis all have more fans and the first NA sport is baseball.

No idea of the methodology.

[CroFlames]

That list looks like hogwash to me. Field hockey more popular than tennis? Two billion fans??

Basketball and NFL equally popular globally? I don’t think so.

[troutman]

Any sport popular in India or China will have huge numbers.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The GOAT across all sports means he is the clearest cut GOAT in his own sport. Wayne has a really strong case, but tons of people consider Bobby the GOAT in hockey or even Mario.

If you start talking about GOATs in the different major sports, there is a decent argument to be had and no clear cut choice i.e.: Michael vs LeBron, Tiger vs Jack, Ronaldo vs Messi.

IMO the clearest choice for GOAT in his sport, without much argument is Brady. Therefore, Brady has the strongest case to be declared the GOAT across all sports and has my vote.

Brady's team was caught cheating multiple times. So no, definitely not the GOAT in all sports.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Brady's team was caught cheating multiple times. So no, definitely not the GOAT in all sports.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

That list looks like hogwash to me. Field hockey more popular than tennis? Two billion fans??

Basketball and NFL equally popular globally? I don’t think so.

There is no way NFL Football shows up on any serious world view list.

[Samonadreau]

Not sure if they have been mentioned yet, but Lance Armstrong and Usain Bolt deserve to be in the discussion.

Armstrong no doubt a ton of controversy to go along but still, reached a level in his sport that few other sports have seen.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Controversy? That’s slightly underselling it.

Barry Bonds, the East Germans and the Russian Olympic team combined took less drugs than Lance. Even they were like, woah dude, easy on the doping.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Controversy? That’s slightly underselling it.

Barry Bonds, the East Germans and the Russian Olympic team combined took less drugs than Lance. Even they were like, woah dude, easy on the doping.

All the cyclists were doping. He was just the best at it. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Dont get me wrong though, we was a dirty dirt bag.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

A marathon a day

For 143 consecutive days

On an artifical leg

While dying in cancer


The greatest athlete of all time is Terry Fox.

/thread

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

A marathon a day

For 143 consecutive days

On an artifical leg

While dying in cancer


The greatest athlete of all time is Terry Fox.

/thread

That's a worthy selection. We often forget about Steve Fonyo, who completed Terry's coast to coast marathon.

https://www.vanmag.com/arrested-developments

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by troutman

That's a worthy selection. We often forget about Steve Fonyo, who completed Terry's coast to coast marathon.

https://www.vanmag.com/arrested-developments

Oh I didn't forget.

I had no idea.

Looks like he's lived a checked life since his 425 trek across the country, but that doesn't take away from the impressive accomplishment.

Also not to negate his accomplishment it looks like he *only* averaged 11mi/day not the 23mi/day that Fox did. (of note I couldn't run 11 miles, I mean no disrespect).

Interesting fellow, thanks for bringing him to my attention!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Fonyo