IMO 'the best ever' is overused and should only be applied to people who are either retired or nearing the end of their careers so that their achievements are easier to quantify. Out of the people mentioned so far, in the sports I know about, I'd agree with Michael Schumacher, Lance Armstrong, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn McGrath, and Muttiah Muralitharan. I'd also suggest adding Adam Gilchrist (much as it pains me to do so). Many of the others mentioned may well one day be considered as being among the best ever, but it's too early to say as yet.
Current sports people considered "best ever"?
- Thread starter Macaroni Pony
- Start date
Macaroni Pony
globbits
N_igma said:
I don't know an awful lot about hurling unfortunately, but my best mate (from Dublin who has seen him many times) assures me he is a living legend and the best ever
Macaroni Pony
globbits
not with you, soz?
Macaroni Pony
globbits
To be fair, my mate did mention Christy Ring as well....
tom_craggs
Well-Known Member
Stephen Hendry
Maldini (Only current footballer I think)
Tiger Woods
Maldini (Only current footballer I think)
Tiger Woods
Macaroni Pony said:
One of commentator Micheal O' Muircheartaigh's daft sayings was something about this fella who came down from the mountians. Some here:
The stopwatch has stopped. It's up to God and the referee now. The referee is Pat Horan. God is God
'I saw a few Sligo people at Mass in Gardiner St this morning and the omens seem to be good for them - the priest was wearing the same colours as the Sligo jersey... 40 yards out on the Hogan stand side of the field Ciaran Whelan for Dublin goes on a rampage... It's a goal... So much for religion.'
E2A:
"Danny "The Yank" Culloty. He came down from the mountains and hasn't he done well"
"1-5 to 0-8. Well from Lapland to the Antartic that's level scores in any man's language"
"Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now....but here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail...I've seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park
"Teddy McCarthy to John McCarthy, no relation, John McCarthy to Teddy McCarthy, still no relation".
"Sean Óg o Hailpín....his father's from Fermanagh, his mother's from Fiji, neither a hurling stronghold. "
"Colin Corkery on the 45 lets go with the right boot. It's over the bar. This man shouldn't be playing football. He's made an almost Lazarus-like recovery from a heart condition. Lazarus was a great man but he couldn't kick points like Colin Corkery. The ball is kicked out by Declan O'Keeffe it's dropping......"
Busterbubble
New Member
Haile Gebrselassie
Paula Radcliffe - best Brit woman anyhow . . .
Paula Radcliffe - best Brit woman anyhow . . .
Macaroni Pony
globbits
Flashman said:
quality!Hurling fascinates me - i didn't even realise London and New York have teams in the championship
Macaroni Pony said:
Hurling fascinates me - i didn't even realise London and New York have teams in the championship
This one is my favourite though:
"Pat Fox out to the forty and grabs the sliothar, I bought a dog from his father last week. Fox turns and sprints for goal, the dog ran a great race last Tuesday in Limerick. Fox to the 21 fires a shot, it goes to the left and wide..... and the dog lost as well."
You couldn't make it up.
jonnyd1978
Handsome lads are playing chess in your area
Macaroni Pony said:Just thought of another.
Best left back ever
Not too shabby at centre back too. Defo makes the all time great XI.
Oh he's an all-time legend for footballers full stop, regardless of position. All the kudos gets flung at the flair boys further up the field but last time I checked there were 11 men on a team and defenders need a lot more consistency than forwards, and you can't get much more consistent than 20 years for one of Europe's top clubs and countries. People wax lyrical about Ronaldinho, Shevchenko and Rooney being the best in the world but I usually point out that looking over a career Paulo will probably always have them beat.
Until Tiger Woods wins another 9 majors, Jack Nicklaus is the best golfer that has ever lived.
I think it's a lot harder to select "best ever" for team sportsman. There are no footballers currently that come close to having the kind of impact Pele and Maradonna had, surely?
I think Andre Agassi is the best Tennis player ever. He has won all of the grand slams ...soemthing Sampras never came close to (in the French) and I doubt Federer will either. Also, Agassi dropped out of the top 100 twice (I think) and came back to be world number one. Most other players could never have done that IMO. Borg would come a close second.
I think it's a lot harder to select "best ever" for team sportsman. There are no footballers currently that come close to having the kind of impact Pele and Maradonna had, surely?
I think Andre Agassi is the best Tennis player ever. He has won all of the grand slams ...soemthing Sampras never came close to (in the French) and I doubt Federer will either. Also, Agassi dropped out of the top 100 twice (I think) and came back to be world number one. Most other players could never have done that IMO. Borg would come a close second.
Culturally no, but Maldini certainly has Diego beat in terms of consistency and longevity, and it does perhaps point to the fact that attackers are more celebrated than defenders. For example, there are extremely daft people who say in the world of left backs that Roberto Carlos has been better than Maldini, presumably because he is more attacking and once scored that free kick. Other than that the idea is hilarious.
How about Barry Bonds? He's very close to both Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron's home run records and already has the regular season record.
Macaroni Pony
globbits
I know nothing about baseball, but Barry Bond was in the news for matching Babe Ruth's home runs record today?
Macaroni Pony
globbits
stavros said:
Its laughable isn't it? He is by far the greatest left back there's ever been - ffs, the man has been playing top flight European and Italian football for 21 years now
Am i right in saying that he's played in 7 European cup finals (winning 4)? Surely there can't be many players who've remained a "one club man" for that long either....
Pity he never won anything with the Azzurri though
Dr. Furface
One small step for me
Barry Bonds actually - yes he tied Babe Ruth but they are still only 2nd with 714 in the all time list behind Hank Aaron, who scored 755. Bonds may well surpass that this season though - he also holds the record for most home runs in a season, with 73. He holds a host of other records inc. 7 League MVP awards, but I don't think he's been a World Series winner, and he's also been dogged by steroid abuse allegations and isn't very popular with a lot of press and fans.Macaroni Pony said:
I can't think of any of this generation anywhere near that length of time. Other one-club-men who spring to mind are Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Raul and Ryan Giggs, but unfortunately the disgusting distribution of vast wealth amongst the few in the current climate means we'll see less and less of them. Note how the four mentioned play for Juventus, Roma, Real Madrid and Manchester United, who are all aongst the richest.
From history, Pele with Santos is the most obvious example, although he did play for the New York Cosmos latterly.
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
Can't imagine Jamie Carragher ever playing anywhere else, but not many others leap to mind.
Ledley, perhaps - said in hope rather than expectation.
Ledley, perhaps - said in hope rather than expectation.
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
Maldini is in there, without any doubt at all - Schumacher as well.
Richard Hill for England Rugby Union would be a plausible shout for a shortlist, an incredibly underrated player when it comes to looking at the 'greats' of the game. Often more influential than Johnson, Dallaghio, Dawson and Robinson on key England games. Unbelievably talented rugby player
Richard Hill for England Rugby Union would be a plausible shout for a shortlist, an incredibly underrated player when it comes to looking at the 'greats' of the game. Often more influential than Johnson, Dallaghio, Dawson and Robinson on key England games. Unbelievably talented rugby player
Macaroni Pony said:
The record actually belongs to Hank Aaron (755), Barry tied for 2nd all time yesterday and his last few years are under a cloud, to say the least.
There's an argument for Roger Clemens being the best post-war right handed pitcher, but "ever" is a long time in Baseball (and Clemens is not strictly playing at the moment anyway). There are a lot of long stats made in times when players played an awful lot more.
Interesting to see if Bonds will catch Hammering Hank, and whether they'll let it stand if he does ever get caught out as a steroids user...
Genghis Cohen
Minister For Scrabble
stavros said:
Another player I've never 'understood,' never fulfilled his initial promise in my correct opinion.
Red Faction
Allez Les Rouges
J.P.R. Williams
Barry John
Gareth Edwards
Willie John McBride
Paul O'Connell
Anthony Foley
Mick Galwey
Keith Wood
Brian O'Driscoll
Johnny Wilkinson
this list is only provisional
let me think a bit more about it
Barry John
Gareth Edwards
Willie John McBride
Paul O'Connell
Anthony Foley
Mick Galwey
Keith Wood
Brian O'Driscoll
Johnny Wilkinson
this list is only provisional
let me think a bit more about it
