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Most Naturally Talented Sportsman of your Lifetime?

Mowen

by Mowen
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Mowen

Mowen

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Right then. Only go for people you've actually seen in real time as it were though, might make it a bit more interesting. I was going to do a top 5, but it was too tough for me, so thought I'd pick my number one from a few sports I know enough about.

 

Football - I'm going to go for Zinedine Zidane here, edging out the real Ronaldo, primarily because I saw a lot more of ZZ at his primo. Sublime player, unplayable, and could dictate any game in the world, he really had it all.

 

Cricket - I've always been of the opinion that it's harder to be a batsman at the top level than a bowler, so I have to go for a certain BC Lara here. Magnificent player, although Warne can count himself unlucky I came to the conclusion that I did in my first sentance.

 

Athletics - Michael Johnson. Just has to be. The 200m world record is staggering.

 

Tennis - Roger Federer. He might be starting to decline, but his natural ability shits all over Nadal imo, a genius, and brilliant to watch with it.

 

Golf - Tiger Woods. No explanation needed.

 

Motor Racing - Michael Schumacher. Miles ahead of the competition in F1 ( :blush:)

 

Probably Woods would have to take the overall title for me, I can't imagine anyone else dominating a sport as difficult to dominate as he has in quite the same manner. In a huge field of golfers at a major, where you'll probably have upwards of 10 playing some of the best golf of their life , to consistently be in the mix like he is is nothing short of staggering.

 

Just as an addenum, and because I'm a bit of a table tennis geek and no-one else will have heard of him, I'm going to mention Jan Ove Waldner. He's a Swedish guy who dominated the nineties and is credited with doing more to develop the game than anyone else. He's also the most famous westerner in China. Check out these two videos, they're absolutely amazing:

 

 

 

 

 

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James

James

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Football - Zidane

Cricket - Shane Warne

Athletics (track) - Michael Johnson

Athletics (field) - Jan Zelezny

Tennis - Sampras

Golf - Woods

Motor Racing - Damon Hill

Cycling (Road) - Greg LeMond

Cycling (track) - Chris Boardman

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Mowen

Mowen

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Damon Hill more naturally talented than Schumacher? You've got to be kidding me. Surprised you've put LeMond above Indurain and Armstrong, when did Mercyx (sp?) stop racing? I'd argue for Edwards above Zelezny as well, the triple jump world record is going to take some beating.

 

Oh, and obviously C.B. Fry is the most naturally talented sportsman of all time, I'm pretty sure he played Rugby, Cricket and Football for England, and held the world long jump record.

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Mike

Mike

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Basketball, Hate his guts to this day, But Jordan was a monster

 

Football(gridiron) Barry Sanders. My God. For me, Thanksgiving was more about watching Barry Sanders than eating turkey.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T4oNJJYwNU

 

No one will ever be better than Barry.

 

Boxing - I'd have to go for Tyson. I mean, when he was young he was just a murderer. Once he lost some strength and a lot of motivation, he fell off.

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James

James

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Damon Hill more naturally talented than Schumacher? You've got to be kidding me. Surprised you've put LeMond above Indurain and Armstrong, when did Mercyx (sp?) stop racing? I'd argue for Edwards above Zelezny as well, the triple jump world record is going to take some beating.

 

As I see it Hill only had two seasons in a good enough car, got cheated out of WC in 95, and won in 96. After that, no good team would have him due to evidence he had given in court, and was left to get performances out of Arrows and Jordans which no other driver could manage.

 

Mercx stopped late 70s. The first Tour in my lifetime was 1986 which had Hinault in his Autumn. LeMond was shot in the back and missed two years, and I reckon he would have won much more. Indurain was the best time triallist in my lifetime, but wasn't the all round package. Armstrong didn't do much outside of Le Tour, and much of his success owes a lot to his team, technological developments, and weak opponents.

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Mowen

Mowen

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Agreed on Armstrong, not even close to Mercx from what I've read. Still a fantastic cyclist nonetheless. Don't know much about LeMond really, only started getting interested (and even then only the tour) when Pantani won (97?)

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M4

M4

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Basketball, Hate his guts to this day, But Jordan was a monster

 

How can that be so?!

 

How can I hate Jordan? I'm a Knicks fan!

 

Obviously :D wasn't expexting a Knicks fan here is all.

 

MJ is the easy answer to this question, simply amazing.

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Guest lankybellwipe

Guest lankybellwipe

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Basketball, Hate his guts to this day, But Jordan was a monster

 

How can that be so?!

 

How can I hate Jordan? I'm a Knicks fan!

 

Obviously :D wasn't expexting a Knicks fan here is all.

 

MJ is the easy answer to this question, simply amazing.

 

Isn't it funny how the body mass index works?  I must be near to eye level with Jordan, yet I must weigh a third!

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Mike

Mike

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MJ was a ref protected fouling piece of shit. Saw a vid of him a couple of months ago. He was trash talking to some kids at a basketball camp, saying things like 'Kobe vs me at our primes? Not even f'in close' :laugh:

 

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chicago_shearer

chicago_shearer

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Overall, Tiger.  I can't stand him, but he's incomparable.  He dominates his field unlike any other figure in sport.

 

In tennis, Federer, depending on how he responds to this slump.  I think he is a better player, on his day, than Nadal or even Sampras for that matter.  But he's been knocked off the throne, and true champions come back greater than ever.

 

In the NFL, Elway, Sanders (Barry & Deion) and Emmitt. 

 

In football, it is more difficult to say.  Zidane, certainly.  I was born in '84, so I think Maradona counts, although I don't really remember seeing him play.  Then you have many naturally talented greats (C. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo) but it is too soon to say whether they are all-time greats.

 

Then you have Warne, Ronnie O'Sullivan, & Schumacher too. 

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madras

madras

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Overall, Tiger.  I can't stand him, but he's incomparable. He dominates his field unlike any other figure in sport.

In tennis, Federer, depending on how he responds to this slump.  I think he is a better player, on his day, than Nadal or even Sampras for that matter.  But he's been knocked off the throne, and true champions come back greater than ever.

 

In the NFL, Elway, Sanders (Barry & Deion) and Emmitt. 

 

In football, it is more difficult to say.  Zidane, certainly.  I was born in '84, so I think Maradona counts, although I don't really remember seeing him play.  Then you have many naturally talented greats (C. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo) but it is too soon to say whether they are all-time greats.

 

Then you have Warne, Ronnie O'Sullivan, & Schumacher too. 

THEN you go on to mention federer who has dominated his sport more than woods has his surely ?

 

did i mention myself.....reigning beach lilo head tennis doubles champion since 1997 (unbeaten ever) and beach world cup singles champion since 1997

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