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Irelands greatest ever sportsman -Sean Kelly

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24

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    #32
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,156 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    Cork24 wrote: »
    Once again a drug riddled sport weight lifting and cycling...

    Come on do you really think some one could do a speed of 35 going up hills ...

    35 km/hr? Who did that? What has downhill speed got to do with EPO? As Kelly said, "Just let go of the damn brakes."

    As for every Olympic medal being tarnished by drugs, what do you reckon Bob Tisdall, Pat O'Callaghan or Ron Delany were on?


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    #33
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    Cúchulainn for his hurling exploits and that posh fella that nearly a won medal sliding on a tea tray.


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    #34
    pprendeville
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭pprendeville


    BetterThanHoyte wrote: »
    He's not even our best footballer ever. Pipe down.

    "If you don't pipe down".....
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4xeidmjy6s


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    #35
    victorcarrera
    Registered Users Posts: 1,059 ✭✭✭victorcarrera


    squod wrote: »
    I'm sure there's more examples of sporting excellence I'm not aware of.

    Bad example you picked there.
    I suggest you look up the documentary RTE radio did on him where he openly admits to taking PED's and his honest insight into their competitions and what they have to do to win.
    But that's OK because they don't claim it to be a sport, more like an experiment instead.
    A likeable guy if somewhat misguided.
    There are no controls in their competitions and they are all on everything.
    Ever wonder why does he not have any olympic medals?

    Anyhow I think Paul Kimmage is Irelands best sporting cyclist and was probably one of the best in the world before modern PED controls were introduced.


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    #36
    pprendeville
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭pprendeville


    Beasty wrote: »
    Are you telling me there weren't 8 other HTC riders helping Cav win in Paris?

    TBH, it's a completely meaningless discussion:rolleyes:

    there's never a winner in these arguments but it makes for funny reading so i wouldn't say its meaningless.


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    #37
    Neville Bartos
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭Neville Bartos


    Anyhow I think Paul Kimmage is Irelands best sporting cyclist and was probably one of the best in the world before modern PED controls were introduced.[/QUOTE]

    Paul Kimmage, seriosly like ?.... He might be one of the best cycling journalists but even he would admit to not being the best cyclist...Very average..Both Martin Earley and Shay Elliott would be far far better than Kimmage!!..


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    #38
    Neville Bartos
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭Neville Bartos


    victorcarrera wrote: »
    Bad example you picked there.
    I suggest you look up the documentary RTE radio did on him where he openly admits to taking PED's and his honest insight into their competitions and what they have to do to win.
    But that's OK because they don't claim it to be a sport, more like an experiment instead.
    A likeable guy if somewhat misguided.
    There are no controls in their competitions and they are all on everything.
    Ever wonder why does he not have any olympic medals?

    Anyhow I think Paul Kimmage is Irelands best sporting cyclist and was probably one of the best in the world before modern PED controls were introduced.


    Paul Kimmage, seriosly like ?.... He might be one of the best cycling journalists but even he would admit to not being the best cyclist...Very average..Both Martin Earley and Shay Elliott would be far far better than Kimmage!!..


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    #39
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    victorcarrera wrote: »
    Anyhow I think Paul Kimmage is Irelands best sporting cyclist and was probably one of the best in the world before modern PED controls were introduced.

    You do know he admitted to doping?


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    #40
    victorcarrera
    Registered Users Posts: 1,059 ✭✭✭victorcarrera


    RobFowl wrote: »
    You do know he admitted to doping?

    Yes I do. I read his book. I remember the amazing restraint he showed by abstaining when everyone else was on something and the 'gear' was freely available. It was a hard job competing at that level but if you were clean it was impossible. If I remember the story correctly he was in a Dublin hotel room getting ready for an end of season criterium and feeling so tired he did not want to ride. He took an upper from a fellow rider and described his resultant form as follows.
    " I felt so strong I thought I was going to break the frame."
    I think he retired shortly after that.

    To others: I was replying to a thread titled Irelands greatest ever sportsman.
    So Kimmage still gets my vote for what he has done in and for cycling and by extension other sports also.


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    #41
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    Sonia O'Sullivan. Only beaten by cheats and illness.


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    #42
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,092 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Neville Bartos wrote: »
    http://listverse.com/2009/05/08/top-10-best-road-cycle-racers-of-all-time/

    In what other sport would you see an irishman so far up in the all time list?..I honestly cant think of any irish sports person who would be that far up in an all time list in their given sport..

    Eamonn Coghlan broke the indoor mile record four times, so was therefore the top of the list. Also first person over the age of 40 to go sub 4 which isn't too shabby, not sure if any other old blokes have since done a sub 4 or not.


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    #43
    Rofo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 172 ✭✭Rofo


    Richie Aprille wrote: »
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXStSnomVoY&feature=player_embedded

    At 39 seconds - What is Donncha O'Callaghan doing trying to go up against Kelly? Madness..


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    #44
    Neville Bartos
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭Neville Bartos


    Rofo wrote: »
    At 39 seconds - What is Donncha O'Callaghan doing trying to go up against Kelly? Madness..


    Haha!!!..Donnacha o'Callaghan...Got to hand it to ya there, that is a good one!!

    Eamonn Coughlan is no doubt one of the greatest Irish Sportsmen but for me he would still be a bit behind Kelly...Is Coughlan rated in the top 5 of all time greatest runners that the world has ever seen?...Maybe not...


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    #45
    JMJR
    Registered Users Posts: 155 ✭✭JMJR


    For consistent achievement over a long period of time Joey Dunlop has to be a top condender.

    Formula One TT World Championship

    1981 3rd
    1982 1st
    1983 1st
    1984 1st
    1985 1st
    1986 1st
    1987 2nd
    1988 2nd
    1989 2nd


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    #46
    The_Kew_Tour
    Registered Users Posts: 34,069 ✭✭✭✭The_Kew_Tour


    petethedrummer wrote: »
    Sonia O'Sullivan. Only beaten by cheats and illness.

    Yep in 93 wc and 2000 olympics.


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    #47
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,092 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    petethedrummer wrote: »
    Sonia O'Sullivan. Only beaten by cheats and illness.

    I was only a 9 seconds off beating her in a 10k a couple of months back, and she "cheated" by starting infront of me whilst I had to dodge around a bunch of other slower people at the start.*


    *She may not have actually been trying particularly hard to race at the time.


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    #48
    Undercover Elephant
    Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Undercover Elephant


    Neville Bartos wrote: »
    Eamonn Coughlan is no doubt one of the greatest Irish Sportsmen but for me he would still be a bit behind Kelly...Is Coughlan rated in the top 5 of all time greatest runners that the world has ever seen?...Maybe not...
    It's not like your list is objective, though, is it? Just some guy giving his opinion. If that's the measuring stick, best just give the thing to Liam Brady and be done with it.


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    #49
    squod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,704 ✭✭✭squod


    victorcarrera wrote: »
    Bad example you picked there.
    I suggest you look up the documentary RTE radio did on him where he openly admits to taking PED's and his honest insight into their competitions and what they have to do to win.
    But that's OK because they don't claim it to be a sport, more like an experiment instead.
    A likeable guy if somewhat misguided.
    There are no controls in their competitions and they are all on everything.
    Ever wonder why does he not have any olympic medals?

    Anyhow I think Paul Kimmage is Irelands best sporting cyclist and was probably one of the best in the world before modern PED controls were introduced.

    Post up a linky. AFAIK he did two RTE radio interviews. Pretty sure in both he denied taking anything but regular supps.

    There's also a good few Irish record holders and champions in the WDFPA
    (tested drug free).

    Cork24 wrote: »
    Once again a drug riddled sport weight lifting and cycling...

    IMO you put way too much emphasis on doing athletes down in general. Might aswell throw your TV out the window.

    Rallying, horse racing, boxing, powerlifting, strongman........ I'm sure there s a load more sports we could be discussing where Irish people have excelled.


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    #50
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    Neville Bartos wrote: »
    Cycling is an individual sport wheras football is a team sport so of course you will have more competitors.....I dont think that should come into the debate anyway..im talking about quality not quantity..and if you break it down into quality and the amount of international success any irish sports man has had, Kelly is probably at the top..

    Cycling is an individual sport? Learn something new every day!


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    #51
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    themandan6611 wrote: »
    no, has to be Stephen Roche as the best cyclist - he won the treble - including the big one and the other one Kelly could never win.

    two amazing cyclists (along with Martin) - its been a long 20 odd years since we had the like.....

    Martin? Do you mean Dan Martin? Keep dreaming pal!


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    #52
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    I'm going to end this - we all know the answer to the OP is Raam. End of.


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    #53
    Happy Monday
    Registered Users Posts: 1,211 ✭✭✭Happy Monday


    For a man who was the greatest natural exponent of his sport in its history it has to be Alex Hurricane Higgins late of Sandy Row in South Belfast.

    No other Irishmen changed the way we thought about an international sport the way this man did.

    Go Alex!


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    #54
    happytramp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,600 ✭✭✭happytramp


    Happy Monday wrote: »
    For a man who was the greatest natural exponent of his sport in its history it has to be Alex Hurricane Higgins late of Sandy Row in South Belfast.

    No other Irishmen changed the way we thought about an international sport the way this man did.

    Go Alex!

    I assume this is a joke. I refuse to believe anyone could consider Snooker a sport.


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    #55
    happytramp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,600 ✭✭✭happytramp


    Neville Bartos wrote: »
    Eamonn Coughlan is no doubt one of the greatest Irish Sportsmen but for me he would still be a bit behind Kelly...Is Coughlan rated in the top 5 of all time greatest runners that the world has ever seen?

    Is Kelly? With Merckx, Coppi, Anquetil and Hinault already on that list, space is at a premium.


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    #56
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,092 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Neville Bartos wrote: »
    Eamonn Coughlan is no doubt one of the greatest Irish Sportsmen but for me he would still be a bit behind Kelly...Is Coughlan rated in the top 5 of all time greatest runners that the world has ever seen?...Maybe not...

    He's certainly the greatest over 40 mile runner. He might even get placed in a top ten middle distance runners list. But like you can't compare Coughlan to Kelly, you also can't compare Usain Bolt to Paula Radcliffe. Although I think the IAAF scoring tables do place her marathon time higher.

    So no idea who the greatest runner might be.


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    #57
    Slideshowbob
    Registered Users Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭Slideshowbob


    Harry Bradshaw was a pioneer for golf in Ireland - Ireland's greatest sportsman


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    #58
    Happy Monday
    Registered Users Posts: 1,211 ✭✭✭Happy Monday


    happytramp wrote: »
    I assume this is a joke. I refuse to believe anyone could consider Snooker a sport.

    Refuse all you want super tramp refuse all you want!
    I am sure 99% of people regard snooker as a sport.
    And Alex was the man who brought snooker into a new era.


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    #59
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    robinph wrote: »
    So no idea who the greatest runner might be.
    Haile Gebrselassie


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    #60
    goldencleric
    Registered Users Posts: 405 ✭✭goldencleric


    Happy Monday wrote: »
    Refuse all you want super tramp refuse all you want!
    I am sure 99% of people regard snooker as a sport.
    And Alex was the man who brought snooker into a new era.

    Of course its a bloody sport, cop-on happy tramp!


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    #61
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,092 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    RobFowl wrote: »
    robinph wrote: »
    So no idea who the greatest runner might be.
    Haile Gebrselassie
    ...and if we knew how old he actually was it might make him even "greater". They could be anything up to 5 years off with the guess of his age, he's certainly older than what it says on his passport though.


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