The World's Greatest Athlete

thirtyfoot

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-GREATEST08.html

Although not 100% scientific, I'd probably agree with the winner.

tribulus

Wow, scientific. Bit of a joke tbh.

At least a decathlete got first.

Dragan

Could that list be anymore American?

Roper

LOL at the baseball guy! Don't think they looked far enough around the world for different sports.

Like you say though the #1 is probably the only correct choice, with possibly Xiang as well and maybe Mayweather.

hypnosisdublin

Ronaldinho in his prime was quick, strong and agile. Now he only running he does is to the front of the queue of McDonalds......

I'd definitely have George St Pierre in the top 10

Dragan

hypnosisdublin wrote: »

Ronaldinho in his prime was quick, strong and agile. Now he only running he does is to the front of the queue of McDonalds......

I'd definitely have George St Pierre in the top 10

Georgie Boy was never gonna make the top ten being a French Canadian i'm afraid, dispite the fact that he may just belong there.

celestial

Sliiiiiiight American bias alright!!

For my money (no pun intended) Pretty Boy Floyd goes to the #1 spot.

Hanley

I would have expected to see a triathlete or endurance cyclist (possibly Lance) in there.

cowzerp

To be fair, I'd have a boxer as no 1, but would have an MMA fighter at 2, personally im a big mayweather fan but his style is not about been fit, its all about technical skill, there is way fitter boxers than him! although he is still extremely fit. not in the gay way!:o!

they just picked the sports they felt where up there then picked the person to suit there audience!

celestial

cowzerp wrote: »

To be fair, I'd have a boxer as no 1, but would have an MMA fighter at 2, personally im a big mayweather fan but his style is not about been fit, its all about technical skill, there is way fitter boxers than him! although he is still extremely fit. not in the gay way!:o!

No not really, he's about nothing else but being fit!!! I think he has got the tech skill naturally - something he was born with.

cowzerp

celestial wrote: »

No not really, he's about nothing else but being fit!!! I think he has got the tech skill naturally - something he was born with.

Dont know if you mean that you fancy him or are serious? his fight style is skill and making his opponent work hard

celestial

cowzerp wrote: »

Dont know if you mean that you fancy him or are serious? his fight style is skill and making his opponent work hard

Ehh no! I mean physically fit! Sure he lives his life as someone dedicated to fitness and staying within a few pounds of his fighting weight, 6-8 mile runs, public training sessions etc...The skill is a given.

cowzerp

celestial wrote: »

No not really, he's about nothing else but being fit!!! I think he has got the tech skill naturally - something he was born with.

you clearly dont understand boxing! he's fit but not major by boxing standards, he does not need to be, others slug it out toe to toe, they need to be fit, taking punishment to the head drains stamina-mayweather never gets hit! and the skill was taught by his pro boxing father and uncles, this cant be natural, boxing is very complex

Judomad

GENUINELY THINK LEBRON JAMES IS HARD DONE BY IN THIS, WATCH HIM PLAY A FULL NBA GAME AND NOBODY WILL DOUBT HE SHOULD BE NO.1, BUT MOST PEOPLE HERE WOULDNT BE INTO BASKETBALL SO THERE WOULD BE ALOT OF OBJECTIONS.....sh!t just noticed capps lock is on as im in work, cudnt be bothered writing it again hehe sorry dudes..

thirtyfoot

Hanley wrote: »

I would have expected to see a triathlete or endurance cyclist (possibly Lance) in there.

Think they are ruled out as they have a very narrow focus, ie, endurance. Same reason why Tiger Woods is ruled out but then if they are going to include Roger Federer why not Woods. I'd leave both of them out as they aren't really sports:)

The Decathlon is a good measure of any athlete's fitness. Take away the massive technical requirements of many of the events (which in itself is a huge skill) it tests all the attributes except maybe endurance as they are massive men most of the time and struggle when it gets to the 1500m. But the fact that they can compete at 10 different events at a world class elite level (for 9 of them) in the space of 2 days is in itself a pretty good feat of endurance. Thing is while Sebrle is Walls Street's Greatest Athlete, Bryan Clay is probably Decathlon's Greatest Athlete at the moment and a decent bet to break the World Record in Beijing.

Al_Fernz

Where's Phil "the power" Taylor?

The Shane

TBh, they've defined it as the world's greatest athelete not the fittest. It in equal parts includes prizes won and records set in their respective sports. To argue then on any fitness ground is a bit of a lost cause. The fittest athlete isn't necessarily going to get a look in.

As such it really just boils down to opinion and given their criteria woods should have gotten it. The skill aspect of any sport also factors, which makes it impossible to gauge. Boxing v golf v mma v tennis. The skill sets involved and where each falls on a technique v skill spectrum are also tricky variables.

To show my ignorance of boxing, how dominant is Mayweather? How long has be been champ? How many decent fighters are contending it?

Ultimately, what I'm saying is, this is stupid.

Shane, The

Mikel

It is stupid, but they got the right result through pure luck. For my money there's nobody would come close to a decathlete except perhaps a gymnast.
The catagories they used are daft though....

"stamina and recovery" are not the same thing, and how do you measure it anyway?
"power, strength and size" are judged together

they're probably just the best known faces from particular sports.... just be glad Beckham isn't included

amazingemmet

Mikel wrote: »

It is stupid, but they got the right result through pure luck. For my money there's nobody would come close to a decathlete except perhaps a gymnast.

Nah gymnast haven't got the stamina and endurance to get close imo

davyjose

Roper wrote: »

Like you say though the #1 is probably the only correct choice, with possibly Xiang as well and maybe Mayweather.

And surely the second best decathlete in the world would be somewhere in the top ten????

Hanley

davyjose wrote: »

And surely the second best decathlete in the world would be somewhere in the top ten????

Logical reasoning???? WTF?????

Roper

davyjose wrote: »

And surely the second best decathlete in the world would be somewhere in the top ten????

LOL well by their logic then yes. I doubt the criteria they used was too scientific, I'd say they just went to a bar after work and had a few beers and a chinwag. That's probably what I'd do.

Jonny303

Hmmmmm, really not convinced on the ronaldinio choice given what aspects they were judging on. Would someone like dan carter not top ronaldinio on the attributes there judging on?