Most Dominant Athlete Ever

[Meathead 0]

Who do you guys think is the most dominant athlete ever?

I've been watching this Mike Tyson marathon and just watching how he knocked guys out 5 inches bigger and 20lbs heavier in the 1st rounds is amazing. While he is probably at the bottom of the top-10 ever boxers, he is probably the most or second most dominant. Other guys like Wilt Chamberlin too. Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player ever, but the way Chamberlin dominated was just amazing.

Boxing: Ali, Louis, Tyson

Hockey: Orr

Baseball: Ruth, Ryan, Bonds

Basketball: Chamberlin

[tburk32 0]

im sure everyone will agree, Tiger Woods

[Meathead 0]

im sure everyone will agree, Tiger Woods

I think Tiger woods probably did the most as far as increasing popularity of his sport but I also think that other guys dominated their respective sports more than Tiger. Although Tiger is still probably like top-10 as far as domination goes.

[Quintin 16]

Where the hell's football (soccer) and Pele?

[Meathead 0]

Where the hell's football (soccer) and Pele?

I don't know enough nor care enough about soccer to discuss it. But yeah, Pele was definatley dominant.

[mnitishin 0]

i agree that Tiger dominated his sport. he took golf to a new level. i dont think that there could be a "most dominant athlete" as every sport requires different skills so it wouldnt be right to pick one athlete. it would be better to say which sport was dominated by which athlete.

[Vapor 0]

how bout a little hockey player named wayne?

[Meathead 0]

it would be better to say which sport was dominated by which athlete.

That's kind of what I meant, to make it more clear: By dominance I mean a certain player's dominance over his competition in a certain sport.

[All Torhs Team 0]

Where the hell's football (soccer) and Pele?

How about some real football? Like the NFL.

Thats a tough one. My friend over right now is saying Joe Montana. I disagree

[Meathead 0]

Where the hell's football (soccer) and Pele?

How about some real football? Like the NFL.

Thats a tough one. My friend over right now is saying Joe Montana. I disagree

It's hard to argue against Jim Brown.

[sherwood21 0]

Without Walter Hagen golf wouldn't be where it is today..he was the catalyst in a way, as he was the first to really make a lot of money at golf. Tiger is in my opinion the most dominant golfer of all time, but to say he brought it to the stage it's at today is foolish, as Hagen was the start of huge sponsorships

My vote for puck would be Orr/Gretzky

[kosydar 0]

People still pay attention to this joker?

[TBLfan 25]

Michael Schumacher or Lance Armstrong.

[mack 44]

For baseball I'd have to go with Mays, Mantle and Williams.

[Meathead 0]

For baseball I'd have to go with Mays, Mantle and Williams.

Oh, good call on Mays. I forgot about him.

[DamnLocust 0]

I'm with TBLfan on Lance Armstrong.

It's a lot easier to recognize dominance in non-team sports, as many dominant players in team sports would not have been quite as dominant without the proper supporting cast. The truly great players are those who make others around them better (a la wayne, mario, forsberg, thornton, etc.), but they still cant do it all on their own. someone else must be there to pass,recieve passes, to protect one another, etc. Lance pretty much did it all by himself.

Speaking of Super Mario, he was pretty darn good with the puck too.

[Meathead 0]

I'm with TBLfan on Lance Armstrong.

It's a lot easier to recognize dominance in non-team sports, as many dominant players in team sports would not have been quite as dominant without the proper supporting cast. The truly great players are those who make others around them better (a la wayne, mario, forsberg, thornton, etc.), but they still cant do it all on their own. someone else must be there to pass,recieve passes, to protect one another, etc. Lance pretty much did it all by himself.

Speaking of Super Mario, he was pretty darn good with the puck too.

The only reason I tend to leave Lance off the list is because biking is a sport where guys repeat and threepeat somewhat often.

[TBLfan 25]

Ken Griffey Jr, before his injuries.

Pete Rose.

Michael Jordan.

Jack Nicklaus.

Carl Lewis.

Rocky Marciano.

and once again...

Michael Schumacher and Lance Armstrong.

Schumacher has reached the podium in OVER half of his Formula 1 races. He has almost won over 80 times in well under 300 races, that is rediculous. And it's not like Ferrari only puts out one car, he's simply the best there ever was.

Armstrong... well, you guys know.

[TBLfan 25]

I'm with TBLfan on Lance Armstrong. 

It's a lot easier to recognize dominance in non-team sports, as many dominant players in team sports would not have been quite as dominant without the proper supporting cast.  The truly great players are those who make others around them better (a la wayne, mario, forsberg, thornton, etc.), but they still cant do it all on their own.  someone else  must be there to pass,recieve passes, to protect one another, etc. Lance pretty much did it all by himself. 

Speaking of Super Mario, he was pretty darn good with the puck too.

The only reason I tend to leave Lance off the list is because biking is a sport where guys repeat and threepeat somewhat often.

the most anyone has ever won the tour de france was 5 previous to Lance and that happened 4 times and only Miguel Indurain won 5 in a row. Lance won 7, he's the most dominate of the sport.

[Meathead 0]

Baseball:

1. Babe Ruth

2. Nolan Ryan

3. Barry Bonds

4. Lou Gehrig

5. Randy Johnson in his prime

Basketball:

1. Wilt Chamberlin

2. Shaquille O'Neal

3. Michael Jordan

Boxing:

1a. Mike Tyson (from '86-'89)

1b. Muhammad Ali

1c. Joe Louis

Football:

1. Jim Brown

2. Walter Payton

3. Dick Butkus

Hockey:

1. Bobby Orr

2. Wayne Gretzky

3. That Tretiak guy

[Meathead 0]

I'm with TBLfan on Lance Armstrong. 

It's a lot easier to recognize dominance in non-team sports, as many dominant players in team sports would not have been quite as dominant without the proper supporting cast.  The truly great players are those who make others around them better (a la wayne, mario, forsberg, thornton, etc.), but they still cant do it all on their own.  someone else  must be there to pass,recieve passes, to protect one another, etc. Lance pretty much did it all by himself. 

Speaking of Super Mario, he was pretty darn good with the puck too.

The only reason I tend to leave Lance off the list is because biking is a sport where guys repeat and threepeat somewhat often.

the most anyone has ever won the tour de france was 5 previous to Lance and that happened 4 times and only Miguel Indurain won 5 in a row. Lance won 7, he's the most dominate of the sport.

Definatley. I'm not saying Lance isn't the most dominant in cycling, there's not doubt about that. I'm saying that Lance didn't dominate cycling as much as say Tyson dominated boxing.

[mack 44]

I have to question your baseball list. Nolan Ryan that high? Yes he was a genetic freak that kept his velocity till he retired, but he wasn't good enough to merit such a high ranking. Yes he had a lot of no-hitters, but overall his numbers weren't the greatest. Hell, he never even won a Cy Young.

[Meathead 0]

I have to question your baseball list. Nolan Ryan that high? Yes he was a genetic freak that kept his velocity till he retired, but he wasn't good enough to merit such a high ranking. Yes he had a lot of no-hitters, but overall his numbers weren't the greatest. Hell, he never even won a Cy Young.

Just the fact that he did so well for so long. Which now that I look back I guess he didn't really dominate for his entire career, he went through stretches where he was unhitable.

[TBLfan 25]

I dont agree all that much with that list. It seems that you are going on numbers and reputation. You're not taking in account of pure talent on players that had their careers cut short by choice or injury.

Barry Sanders was the best running back in the history of the NFL. If he would have continued to play, even for the crappy Detroit team around him he would have destroyed the record book.

Ken Griffey Jr, was well on pace to destroy the homerun record. He would have probably gone down as the best player to ever play the game. And on top of his incredible offense, defensively he was a multi-year gold glover.

O'neal is overrated. I'd put Kobe in over him. You're forgetting Doctor J, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and many others.

And probably the best overall athlete in modern times was Bo Jackson.

[mack 44]

I don't know about unhittable (no-hitters aside), but I will admit the fact he was at least effective that long is something to marvel. I just think there are quite a few better pitchers (albeit 'ancient' ones) to put ahead of the ones you had.