The best athlete in the world?

[Scott Campbell]

Two words...Kurt Rambis.

Trendiest eye wear anyway.

[Patler]

Not to diminish Heiden's accomplishments, but I don't think it's comparable to a runner winning the 100, 400, 800, 1600, and marathon. A great accomplishment, but they are just different. You see guys in speed skating that can flourish at different distances. Same with swinning. Not in track. Phelps has been incredible too, but it wouldn't compare to a guy in track who could win at all of the distances.

In the old days, there were sprinters in track who did well at the 100 yard dash, 220 and quarter mile, and distance guys who did well at the half-mile, mile and two mile (to put it in old guy terms). Now days there is too much specialization for that. For the most part it is the same with speed skaters, you rarely see anyone excell at the extremes, both the sprint and distance events. No speed skater dominated the whole spectrum like Heiden, especially when you consider not just winning, but dominating all the distances.

Swimming has always been interesting to me because of the different strokes. I always admired the swimmers who dominated in multiple strokes over those who dominate a stroke over multiple distances.

[Patler]

Eric Heiden - won all 5 speed skating events at the 1980 Olympics and at one time had the world records in all 5 events.

He's an Orthopodic in SLC now, and patches up skiers with torn ACL's.

He also has been one of the primary Orthopoedic Drs. for the Olympic team for quite a few years.

[MJZiggy]

I think we're getting at what I've been thinking reading this thread. That is, You can't really call any one athlete "the best athlete in the world" because each sport requires different strengths and different skill sets. When I used to work at the gym, the weightlifters used to tell me they were better athletes than I was. I invited them to take my class and not one of them made it through. They had muscles built for lifting and didn't have the endurance required for my "wimpy" little class. It's the same with sprinters vs. marathoners. Different training for the muscles.

Speaking of different training, I have seen Sonya Thomas at work and it is amazing to watch.

[woodbuck27]

I think we're getting at what I've been thinking reading this thread. That is, You can't really call any one athlete "the best athlete in the world" because each sport requires different strengths and different skill sets. When I used to work at the gym, the weightlifters used to tell me they were better athletes than I was. I invited them to take my class and not one of them made it through. They had muscles built for lifting and didn't have the endurance required for my "wimpy" little class. It's the same with sprinters vs. marathoners. Different training for the muscles.

Speaking of different training, I have seen Sonya Thomas at work and it is amazing to watch.

We're discussing MALE athletes MJ.

Get back in the kitchen.

[MJZiggy]

The MALE athletes were the ones that couldn't keep up.

[woodbuck27]

The MALE athletes were the ones that couldn't keep up.

Your trying to make a point?

[MJZiggy]

Yes.

[HarveyWallbangers]

In the old days, there were sprinters in track who did well at the 100 yard dash, 220 and quarter mile, and distance guys who did well at the half-mile, mile and two mile (to put it in old guy terms). Now days there is too much specialization for that. For the most part it is the same with speed skaters, you rarely see anyone excell at the extremes, both the sprint and distance events. No speed skater dominated the whole spectrum like Heiden, especially when you consider not just winning, but dominating all the distances.

Swimming has always been interesting to me because of the different strokes. I always admired the swimmers who dominated in multiple strokes over those who dominate a stroke over multiple distances.

I don't know. Chad Hedrick won three medals and finished in the top 6 in all 5 events this last Olympics, and that he was considered a major disappointment. There's a MUCH greater difference in a 100M dash and the marathon than the 1,000M and 10,000M in speed skating.

[MJZiggy]

But could a marathoner speed skate 10,000 meters?

[woodbuck27]

Yes.

OK!??

Your point is? That when it comes to endurance that the female species is superior to the male?

[MJZiggy]

No, my point is that muscles can be trained to do different tasks and a muscle trained for one task is going to be weak at another. Therefore you can't say that an athlete in any one sport is the best athlete in the world because he would be unable to compete at a high level in a different sport that requires different muscles and skills. You're the one who brought gender into it.

[Patler]

No, my point is that muscles can be trained to do different tasks and a muscle trained for one task is going to be weak at another. Therefore you can't say that an athlete in any one sport is the best athlete in the world because he would be unable to compete at a high level in a different sport that requires different muscles and skills.

That's what makes Jim Thorpe especially, and Bo Jackson such interesting stories.

There was a guy in the 1960s who played in the NBA and was a pitcher in major league baseball. Any oldtimers remember his name?

[Patler]

I don't know. Chad Hedrick won three medals and finished in the top 6 in all 5 events this last Olympics, and that he was considered a major disappointment. There's a MUCH greater difference in a 100M dash and the marathon than the 1,000M and 10,000M in speed skating.

That just goes to my point, Hedrick wasn't able to win all 5 was he? No one other than Heiden has, and he was dominant in doing it.

Forget the marathon, how many 100 yeard dash men ever when a 1600, or even an 800? The 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 might be a better comparison to what speed skaters do. My point is there are distances races and sprints for both, and they require different techniques and different skills. Heiden dominated across the board for several years. Otherws have tried, and failed.

Speaking of dominating....another of my favorites....hurdler Edwin Moses.

[Bossman641]

From what I've heard Jim Thorpe.

As has been brought up, best athlete is difficult to define. Is it the most dominating athlete in a single sport or the one with the widest range of athletic abilities? I tend to agree with the second definition. While I think Tiger is a great golfer, I don't really see him as a great athlete.

I've always been more impressed by those who played more than one sport, such as Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders (even though I hate Deion).