The best athlete in the world?

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't believe she has. She's not like Kournikova, and is focused on tennis. That can't help. She was young when she came on the scene, so I think we are seeing a natural growth spurt. I watched last week, and they said she had grown another 2 inches in the last year. She's like 6'2" or something now.

I didn't know they the two inches meant in the chest.

[oregonpackfan]

Maria Sharapova. I'm just sayin'...

Holy shnikeys, did she get a boobjob, i don't remember seeing her with knockers that size before.

If any regular user of Viagra forgets where he left his little blue pills(not that I use them, mind you) all he needs to do is look at this picture!

She can swing a racket on my court any day!

[Partial]

Hottie!

I think the best Athlete has got to be Bo Jackson or Neon Deion. Playing two sports is tough.

[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?

A few people have done this.

Dave Debusschere pitched for the ChiSox (for a minute) and was a top player for the Detroit Pistons in the '60s.

Gene Conley pitched for the Milwaukee Braves and played in the NBA for the Celtics also in the 60's.

In the fifties, Chuck Connors of Rifleman and later horror movie fame, played for the Cubs and the Boston Celtics.

This is impossible now, but was done a lot in the old days of pro sport.

Thanks KY!
Gene Conley is the guy is the guy I was thinking of, because as I recall he tried both sports for several seasons.

Did Debusschere ever play pro baseball, or was he just drafted? Funny, you refered to him as a Piston, I think of him as a Knick. I checked his stats, and you are the more accurate. He played 5 more games with Detroit than with NYK!

[Iron Mike]

We also need a salivating emoticon.

[packinpatland]

Maria Sharapova. I'm just sayin'...

Don't think she'd pass the Wimbleton dress code.

[Joemailman]

I think that picture was from the Victoria Secrets Open.

[4and12to12and4]

Maria Sharapova. I'm just sayin'...

Don't think she'd pass the Wimbleton dress code.

I am not commenting on this picture, the way this thread is going, I figured we were just dragging her along regardless of topic!

I've reread this thread, and have, after not really taking much time to think about it, decided that i think that Bo Jackson would have to be considered the best athlete ever. To be able to do the things on the football field and the baseball field that he was able to do was absolutely unbelievable. If his body could've withstood it, and he got even four or five years in each sport, he was on his way to being the god of sports. In just that one year, he began a slogan that is still used today for multitaskers. He was on his way to being the most popular and celebrated sports figure of ANY era. As far a Neon Deion, he was as talented a corner as has ever played, but, i guess chasing a guy around the field and sticking with him doesn't impress me as much as running a football past and through 1000's of lbs. of angry men with strength and grace. And he kinda sucked as a baseball player unless he was stealing second (he didn't get to first much though).

[Joemailman]

Bo Jackson was the best I ever saw. Bo started out as a baseball player with great power who had trouble making consistent contact. However, up until his injury, his batting average went up every year. He was on the verge of superstardom in baseball when the injury occurred, and always was a star in football. I saw Bo play a number of times in Chicago during his White Sox days, and even then, he was the kind of guy who had everyone on the edge of their seats when he came to the plate. He had that magnetism that few athletes have.

As for Maria Sharapova, it is too early to say where she ranks among thr all-time woman tennis players, but she might be the best athlete to ever play women's tennis.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Pele.

[Partial]

Bo Jackson was the best I ever saw. Bo started out as a baseball player with great power who had trouble making consistent contact. However, up until his injury, his batting average went up every year. He was on the verge of superstardom in baseball when the injury occurred, and always was a star in football. I saw Bo play a number of times in Chicago during his White Sox days, and even then, he was the kind of guy who had everyone on the edge of their seats when he came to the plate. He had that magnetism that few athletes have.

As for Maria Sharapova, it is too early to say where she ranks among thr all-time woman tennis players, but she might be the best athlete to ever play women's tennis.

You are smoking crack if you think Sharapova is even top 20 best ever in women's tennis. She is one of the best there is right now, but ever? Not even close.

I agree completely on Bo, though.

[Partial]

Most dominant athlete ever might be Roger Federer. What he is doing is simply amazing(despite his recent slumps).

Most physically talented athlete has got to be Bo Jackson.

Most physically gifted athlete has got to be Shaq in his prime. That size back when he was quick and in shape(ripped) was downright scary.

[KYPack]

As for Maria Sharapova, it is too early to say where she ranks among thr all-time woman tennis players, but she might be the best athlete to ever play women's tennis.

Ever seen the two Williams sisters?

[Joemailman]

Bo Jackson was the best I ever saw. Bo started out as a baseball player with great power who had trouble making consistent contact. However, up until his injury, his batting average went up every year. He was on the verge of superstardom in baseball when the injury occurred, and always was a star in football. I saw Bo play a number of times in Chicago during his White Sox days, and even then, he was the kind of guy who had everyone on the edge of their seats when he came to the plate. He had that magnetism that few athletes have.

As for Maria Sharapova, it is too early to say where she ranks among thr all-time woman tennis players, but she might be the best athlete to ever play women's tennis.

You are smoking crack if you think Sharapova is even top 20 best ever in women's tennis. She is one of the best there is right now, but ever? Not even close.

I agree completely on Bo, though.

Who said anything about top 20? I said it is too early to tell where she will rank all-time. However, given that she is the 3rd youngest woman to ever win Wimbledon, and is consistently ranked among the top players, there is a chance she will be judged in historic terms.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Maria Sharapova is awesome. She's not the best player ever, but she has the best combination of skill and looks since Chrissy Evert (Chrissy has her beat on the court, but Maria gets the advantage off it).


Hard to believe it, but Venus Williams may end up with just 5 Grand Slam titles. Serena has broken away from her sister with 8 and counting. Maria has 2, and I wouldn't be surprised if she tops Venus in the end. Henin now has more titles (6) than Venus.