12 "super-human" athletes of the last 50 years

[Bellhorn04]

I said he has "super-human skills" and mind. He is not a super human athlete.

 

Yes, I am proposing that the skills and the mind are part of the package, not just the pure physical attributes of strength and speed.

 

That's also why Gretzky is on the list. He was not a great 'pure athlete', but his skills and mind for the game of hockey made him super-human at it.

[notin]

Yes, I am proposing that the skills and the mind are part of the package, not just the pure physical attributes of strength and speed.

 

That's also why Gretzky is on the list. He was not a great 'pure athlete', but his skills and mind for the game of hockey made him super-human at it.

 

If it was just super freakish athletes, I’d nominate former Ravens/Patriots LB Adelius Thomas. To be that fast at that size is freakish. But he just lacked the staying power to have that great of a career.

 

I will say, though, the football choices were limited to offensive players. Are Rice and Brady better “superhuman athletes” who dominated their sport than, say, Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White?

[Bellhorn04]

If it was just super freakish athletes, I’d nominate former Ravens/Patriots LB Adelius Thomas. To be that fast at that size is freakish. But he just lacked the staying power to have that great of a career.

 

I will say, though, the football choices were limited to offensive players. Are Rice and Brady better “superhuman athletes” who dominated their sport than, say, Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White?

 

Quite frankly it was just something for me to have fun with...I did think about Lawrence Taylor, absolutely.

[notin]

Quite frankly it was just something for me to have fun with...I did think about Lawrence Taylor, absolutely.

 

I assumed it was posted for discussion purposes.

 

Best NFL players from the last 50 years? Pick two.

 

Tom Brady, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White, Deion Sanders (bringing him back on a different list), Barry Sanders, other?

 

There are arguments to be made for any of them...

[moonslav59]

I assumed it was posted for discussion purposes.

 

Best NFL players from the last 50 years? Pick two.

 

Tom Brady, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White, Deion Sanders (bringing him back on a different list), Barry Sanders, other?

 

There are arguments to be made for any of them...

 

My choices for the best 2 NFL players over the last 50 years are: Lawrence Taylor & Joe Montana.

 

[moonslav59]

Best to baseball players in the last 50 years:

 

Barry Bonds

 

Pedro Martinez

 

(No steroids? Change Bonds to Trout.)

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

Best two basketball players the last 50 years:

 

Michael Jordan

 

Lebron James (Jabbar a close 3rd)

[moonslav59]

Best Hockey players over last 50 years:

 

Wayne Gretsky

 

Bobby Orr (Lemieux & Howe close 3rd & 4th)

[moonslav59]

Best players from 1920 to 1970:

 

Baseball: Babe Ruth & Ted Williams (Willie Mays and Tom Seaver close behind)

Basketball: Wilt Chamberlain & Oscar Robertson (Bill Russell close)

Football: Jim Brown & Johnny Unitas

Hockey: "Rocket" Richard & Bobby Hull/Gordie Howe

 

[Bellhorn04]

My choices for the best 2 NFL players over the last 50 years are: Lawrence Taylor & Joe Montana.

 

 

Are you picking Montana over Brady based on that analysis?

[moonslav59]

Are you picking Montana over Brady based on that analysis?

 

No.

 

I'm a domer and was there for the 1977 championship.

 

The college performances tip the balance.

 

 

(Also, Reggie White was #3- not Brady.)

[Bellhorn04]

I love Joe Montana too, he's probably my favorite player ever. But I think Brady's record now surpasses his. Especially the 9 Super Bowl appearances to Joe's 4.

 

Their 'counting numbers' aren't really close.

[SoxHop]

I have no idea what i'm watching when I'm watching this, but it's jaw dropping material for me.

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by SoxHop

[SoxHop]

This gal aint to bad also.

 

[Kimmi]

I have no idea what i'm watching when I'm watching this, but it's draw dropping material for me.

 

 

Thanks to SoxHop for being the first to include female athletes in this discussion.

[Bellhorn04]

The things that the top female gymnasts do are definitely super-human.

[notin]

The things that the top female gymnasts do are definitely super-human.

 

Hard for me to name too many top gymnasts. Aly Raisman did compete in the 2016 Olympics in her 20s, which is like competing in MLB at 40...

[SoxHop]

The things that the top female gymnasts do are definitely super-human.

 

These people flip like 4 or 5 times just launching themselves in the air from a running start. I seriously have no idea what I'm watching, but it seriously blows my mind.

 

New Talksox challenge, let's all try one of these running jumps and then report back how it went.

[notin]

These people flip like 4 or 5 times just launching themselves in the air from a running start. I seriously have no idea what I'm watching, but it seriously blows my mind.

 

New Talksox challenge, let's all try one of these running jumps and then report back how it went.

 

Hard pass. The hospitals are overcrowded as it is...

[SoxHop]

Hard pass. The hospitals are overcrowded as it is...

 

Lol. I'll take my chances with a virus. Probably more than a 50 percent chance of me in the ER from attempting a Olympic gymnast floor routine.

[Kimmi]

Hard for me to name too many top gymnasts. Aly Raisman did compete in the 2016 Olympics in her 20s, which is like competing in MLB at 40...

 

I don't watch gymnastics regularly, but it is my favorite sport in the summer Olympics.

 

The level of difficulty has increased tremendously over the years.

 

Same with figure skating, which I do watch regularly.

[dgalehouse]

If we are talking about the athletes who were truly transcendent in their sports , the crème de la crème , I would say this : Baseball - Barry Bonds . Football - Tom Brady . Basketball - Michael Jordan. Boxing - Muhammad Ali . If we are talking about all around athletes , I think that is another discussion altogether .

[notin]

If we are talking about the athletes who were truly transcendent in their sports , the crème de la crème , I would say this : Baseball - Barry Bonds . Football - Tom Brady . Basketball - Michael Jordan. Boxing - Muhammad Ali . If we are talking about all around athletes , I think that is another discussion altogether .

 

What about multi-sport?

[a700hitter]

If we are talking about the athletes who were truly transcendent in their sports , the crème de la crème , I would say this : Baseball - Barry Bonds . Football - Tom Brady . Basketball - Michael Jordan. Boxing - Muhammad Ali . If we are talking about all around athletes , I think that is another discussion altogether .

Ali was in his heyday in the 60’s outside of the 50 years— couldn’t hit him and couldn’t defend against him. In the 70’s he was great but mortal. He could be hit and got hit a lot — answering the question asked in the 60’s could he take a punch. In the last 50 years of boxing, I’d put Mayweather at the top of the list.

[dgalehouse]

Ali was in his heyday in the 60’s outside of the 50 years— couldn’t hit him and couldn’t defend against him. In the 70’s he was great but mortal. He could be hit and got hit a lot — answering the question asked in the 60’s could he take a punch. In the last 50 years of boxing, I’d put Mayweather at the top of the list.

 

Ali's skills did start to diminish in the 70's , but most of his memorable fights were in that decade . Can't argue with Mayweather . He is undefeated , and fought all the top guys . And he didn't make the mistake that so many did by hanging around too long.

[notin]

Ali's skills did start to diminish in the 70's , but most of his memorable fights were in that decade . Can't argue with Mayweather . He is undefeated , and fought all the top guys . And he didn't make the mistake that so many did by hanging around too long.

 

Mayweather over Tyson?

 

Before Douglas, Tyson was 37-0 with 33 knockouts...

[a700hitter]

Mayweather over Tyson?

 

Before Douglas, Tyson was 37-0 with 33 knockouts...

Mayweather fought until age 40 and still no one could hit him. That's just incredible.

[dgalehouse]

Mayweather over Tyson?

 

Before Douglas, Tyson was 37-0 with 33 knockouts...

 

" Before Douglas " should not be the cut off point . Tyson was more dynamic , aggressive and entertaining than Mayweather . But his overall record was not as good as Floyd's. Personally , I don't think Tyson , in his prime , would have stood a chance against Ali in his prime.

[Bellhorn04]

Mayweather over Tyson?

 

Before Douglas, Tyson was 37-0 with 33 knockouts...

 

Tyson also-somewhat unexpectedly-delivered one of the all-time great lines:

 

"Everybody's got a game plan, till they get hit in the mouth."

[dgalehouse]

Tyson also-somewhat unexpectedly-delivered one of the all-time great lines:

 

"Everybody's got a game plan, till they get hit in the mouth."

 

Going back in time , the great champion , Joe Louis , had a couple of good lines . Regarding a particularly elusive opponent , he said " He can run , but he can't hide ." After he knocked out a foe with a body shot , a reporter said to him , " he didn't like getting hit in the gut ". Joe replied simply ( if somewhat ungrammatically ) " Who do " ?