Top 5 best sportsmen during the last 25 years. What do you t

[Bluebird]

1. Lance Armstrong. Winner of the hardest race in the world 7 times in a row.
2. Roger Federer. Must be the greatest tennis player in the world.
3. Maradona. Awesome soccer player.
4. Tiger Woods. Unbeatable in golf.
5. Ronaldinho. The currently greatest soccer player.

Your opinion?

[EddieV]

1. Formel 1: Schumacher
2. Tennis: Federer
3. Speedway: Ole Olsen
4. Football/Soccer: Platini
5. Apine skiing: Ingemar Stenmark, Heja Sverige

[chris]

i realize there are lots of people who excell in their individual sport. and i have been watching sports for the better part of 4 decades. and i am in no way claiming to have seen all atheletes in all sports...but no one these eyes have seen has dominated their sport like tiger woods. and that includes the finest basketball player maybe ever...michael jordan.

[mervap]

I will try very hard to limit myself to the last 25 years, not the finest period for 'sportsmen' as I would define the species. However, the very lack of true 'sportsmen' in the last quarter decade should make only 5 or so really stand out.

1) Tiger Woods- I have never seem dominance such as Tiger's in my lifetime...maybe Richard Petty in the late sixties, but that's another story.

2) Michael Jordan- As fine a basketball player as ever strode the court.

3) Joe Montana- I know, I know, Dan Marino and others own the records, but I had to win one football game, Mr. Montana is the man to have in your huddle. I just realized ol' Joe barely gets in under the year limit! Dang, I'm getting old!

4) Michael Schumacher- Formula 1 racing gets the short shrift here in the US, but Schumacher in his Ferrari was SO completely dominant a couple of years ago, no-one could challenge him. Arguably, the finest driver of any kind of racing.

5) John Smoltz- A complete hometown choice...and I'll gladly take the arrows sure to come my way for this choice. Smoltz falls under the Montana principal: If I have one game my entire season is riding on, Smoltzie is getting the ball...the winningest postseason pitcher of his era. The most intense competitor ever to play for the Atlanta Braves.


Honorable Mentions: Roger Federer, Lance Armstrong, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens

I should also mention that I do know there are great athletes in soccer (football) and various Olympic Sports, I cannot comment on their relative excellence because I don't know those sports very well. I'm hoping this thread will give us all the opportunity to learn about these deserving athletes.

[eggman1979]

1.-Zinedine Zidane

2.-Lance Armstrong

3.-Michael Jordan

4.-Michael Schumacher

5.-Roger Federer

I love american sports, I also admire people like Joe Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino, Pete Sampras, Wayne Gretzky (yeah, I know, he´s canadian), Larry Bird, Randy Johnson...but americans forget one thing: Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Ahh none of those mentioned above can equal to the magnificent Zizou, he wasn´t a sport man, he was an artist!!

[bobrocks]

1.Wayne Gretzky- I'm a hug hockey fan, and there is simply no way to overstate how amazing he was, especially in his Edmonton Oilers years. The only player to ever collect 200 points in one year, and he did it four times.

2.Roger Federer- In the last 40 years only twice has a player won 3 of the 4 Grand slam tournaments in the same year. Jimmy Connors in the 70's, and Mats Willander in the 80's. Federer was done it three of the last four years.

3.Tiger Woods- I don't watch a lot of Golf, but this guy is clearly on his way to passing Jack Nicklaus' all time records.

4.Michael Jordan- He was like Gretzky, clearly the best player on the court at all times, leading the Bulls to 6 championships. It's too bad he retired (the first time) in his prime, or he might have won a couple more titles.

5.Doug Flutie- This one is purely a Canadian pick. Yes, he was too small for the NFL, but if you could have seen how good he was in the CFL, you'd know what I mean. 6 MVPs in his 8 years up here, three Grey Cup championships. He was made for our league.

[giovagb07]

Lance Armstrong
Michael Jordan
Diego Maradona
Tiger Woods
Michael Schumacher

[mommasturn]

Sorry guys, gotta be a girl here,

Ronnie Santo, as far as being a sportsman goes, he's my #1. you can't break this guys spirit and love for his game. And he helps others out.

yes tiger is good at golf, micheal jordan at basketball, lance armstrong is a survivor that came back strong.

Top 5 athletes, that could be based on stats and winnings alone. But I think sportsman means how they behave within their sport as well as when they are out of it.

[mervap]

Props to the lady....being a 'sportsman' is about more than just raw numbers and wins. It is also about being good to others within your sports community...and outside it. Ron Santo is a fine choice...but....dangit! He falls outside the 25 year window. Actually, he doesn't...true, his playing days were long past, but he continues to inspire folks (obviously).

I can't believe I forgot Gretzky...dunno where I'd have put him, though. Maybe we'll have a top ten next time!

[james1985]

I don't think you can put team sportsmen and individual sportsmen in together, so I'll give you 10:

Individuals:

Lance Armstrong
Tiger
Schumacher
Michael Johnson (the athlete)
...it has to be Federer

Team:

Maradona
Zidane
Jordan
Martin Johnson (rugby - captained a winning Lions tour and a world cup winning side)
Barry Bonds