The best athlete in the world?

[HarveyWallbangers]

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.

Not sure how it goes to your point. The dude finished top 6 in all 5 events, and it wasn't even news. There's little chance that anybody in the last 40 or the next 40 years would even come close to doing it in the running events that you listed. It's not because of specialization. It's because it's an apples and oranges comparison, and wouldn't even be plausible in track--whereas it's much more plausible that somebody will come along and repeat this in speed skating. Take nothing away from Heiden. What he did was remarkable. Greatest speedskater of all-time, and I'd say he's certainly one of the greatest athletes ever.

[woodbuck27]

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.

OK mj, and 'of course' your right.

Then I still go with basketball players over football players over tennis players over golfers.

[oregonpackfan]

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.

Harvey,

I have to agree with Patler about Eric Heiden's amazing accomplishments in speed skating. Patler hit it right on the head in comparing the distances in speed skating to track. Heiden was truly amazing in winning the sprints through the long distance skating.

While working in Wauwatosa, WI many years ago, I went to the old oudoor speed skating rink and rented a pair of speed skates to try on their Olympic speed skating rink.

At the time, I was in my mid-20's and running 35-40 miles a week. Despite my "good leg fitness" level, my thighs were burning after just several laps.

That winter, I rented the speed skates a couple of more times. Though my technique and skating endurance improved, I was nowhere near the level of the the regular speed skaters.

That experience gave me a deeper appreciation of Heiden's incredible 1980 Olympic 5 gold medal accomplishments.

[sepporepi]

500-10000m speed skating translates to

300-5000m running.

So a guy must win at least the 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m to have an about equal Bandwith. Maybe the 200m too. That won't happen for 2 reasons:

1. Heiden had to race only once per distance in trak and field it would be 4 races of 400m, 3 of 800m and 1500m and 2 of the 5000m. That's impossible in 2 weeks.

2.Too much money involved in track an field so much more specialization and less chances for an allrounder.

Back to Micheal Phelps:

He was the first to win national titles in 3 different strokes in one year (200Free, 200Fly and 200+400IM), also finished second in the 200Back, behin then World Record Holder Peirsol.

Now he holds the World Records for the same 4 distances and he did them all in 7 days. What makes it even more impressive is that that 7 days he had to swim each event 3 times (Heats, Semis, Final). All in all he had 17 races including the 100Fly and 2 relays.

Thats almost impossible to do, just too much.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Harvey,

I have to agree with Patler about Eric Heiden's amazing accomplishments in speed skating.

Wouldn't have anything to do with him being from Wisconsin, would it?

Actually, I'd put Phelps accomplishments right up there with Heiden. Amazing. If he does that in the Olympics, that will be an unreal feat. I just don't think you can compare somebody winning the five speed skating events to winning the 100M through marathon in track. Was one of the speed skating events a relay? Not that it would matter all that much.

[Patler]

Not sure how it goes to your point. The dude finished top 6 in all 5 events, and it wasn't even news. There's little chance that anybody in the last 40 or the next 40 years would even come close to doing it in the running events that you listed. It's not because of specialization. It's because it's an apples and oranges comparison, and wouldn't even be plausible in track--whereas it's much more plausible that somebody will come along and repeat this in speed skating. Take nothing away from Heiden. What he did was remarkable. Greatest speedskater of all-time, and I'd say he's certainly one of the greatest athletes ever.

Of course it wasn't news...it was speed skating! No one cares!

But seriously, top six in 5 events isn't going to make any great waves. The guy didn't come close to what Heiden did, but it was news that he was trying to. And again, Heiden didn't just win 5 events at the Olympics, he dominated the events during his time.

My point is that it is very unusual for one competitor to be the best in a sprint event that takes 35 seconds, like the 500 meter, and one that takes 14 minutes, like the 10,000 meter, and everything inbetween. Maybe the comparison to the 100 meter and the marathon was too extreme, but how many 400 runners are competitive at the two mile? How many skaters have been? None, really. I don't look at a guy finishing sixth as coming even close.

Track has changed because of specialization. There was a time when all 100 yard dash men also ran the 220, and some even ran the 440. The best 220 guys were also good 100 and 440 guys. The best half-milers would run the quarter and the mile. Milers used to run the 880 and the 2 mile. Jim Ryan, Marty Liquori and others were solid half-milers, milers and two milers, and would win multiple events at competitions. Then, the dash men became just 100 and 220 guys, milers seldom dropped down, etc. Now, not all 100 meters runners are even competitive in the 200 or vice versa.

[mraynrand]

I almost forgot Babe Ruth. I would put him in the category of 'natural' talent. I have no idea how the guy would have been in other sports but he was so dominating as a pitcher and hitter for his time it was unreal. He was one of the first athletes to formally 'train' for his sport - but that was mostly because he ate and drank so much and had to lose pounds.

About Heiden - the guy was a beast. Plus he was pretty damn good on the bike too. Pretty good genes there. His father is also an orthopod - worked in Madison - he biked a lot too, into his 60s as I last heard - could shame guys 30-40 years younger. I'll never forget those Olympics, with the Heiden family cleaning up in skating and the US team beating the evil empire.

[mraynrand]

My point is that it is very unusual for one competitor to be the best in a sprint event that takes 35 seconds, like the 500 meter, and one that takes 14 minutes, like the 10,000 meter, and everything inbetween. Maybe the comparison to the 100 meter and the marathon was too extreme, but how many 400 runners are competitive at the two mile? How many skaters have been? None, really. I don't look at a guy finishing sixth as coming even close.

In track it's almost impossible to excel at short and long distances. You need extreme power (more muscles) and fast twitch to run the short distances 100 and 200, but by the time you get up to the 1500 you're already into the skinny twig guys. The muscle type and body frame you need for the two extremes of running just aren't compatible. I don't know exactly how it compares with skating, but you would think it would be similar, making Heiden's accomplishments all the more impressive. Heiden was just an unreal physical specimen.

[Pete10]

Dean Karnazes, Tyson Gay, or Lebron.

[BallHawk]

I don't think you can pick a "Most athletic person" because there are so many ways to define athleticism. Is it speed, height, agility? Or is it strength? Perhaps it's versatility? There's no clearcut definition.

[FritzDontBlitz]

i thought the best athletes in the world were decathletes?

LT can be the best football player, but lists like this are better left to the airheads at espn.

HAD TO EDIT THIS AFTER I SAW WHAT SITE THE LINK WAS FROM.

you guys do realize that fox and espn make up lame lists like this cuz they are too lazy to think up REAL programming?

lol peace out ya'll

[packinpatland]

Yes.

OK!??

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

Yes.
Try being in labor for 18-20 hours.

[Rastak]

Yes.

OK!??

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

Yes.
Try being in labor for 18-20 hours.

I would never be so stupid yo get myself in that situation.


Isn't that more of laying around suffering than endurance? * ducks the vase tossed at my head *

[MJZiggy]

Yes.

OK!??

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

Yes.
Try being in labor for 18-20 hours.

I hadn't thought of it that way, but I suppose you're right. And so is Rastak. If it were up to men, the species would die out because they'd never be able to take it. (Rastak, I'm calling Mrs. Rastak... :P )

[Bretsky]

Greatest athlete of all time was Jackie Robinson if you don't penalize him for the time period.

Baseball wasn't even his best sport. Guy was an absolute stud at basketball and football as well.

He stands for greatness. But IMO he is also the greatest athlete