Who is the greatest competitor of all time?

[DavidCorperial]

I might be throwing in an odd name, but how about Kurt Angle, who won an Olympic Gold Medal with a broken freakin' neck.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DavidCorperial

I might be throwing in an odd name, but how about Kurt Angle, who won an Olympic Gold Medal with a broken freakin' neck.

Don't confuse competitiveness with mental illness.

Some of Kurt's stuff is "fire", other parts are most likely simply signs that he ain't entirely all there.

[hollmt]

I am going to throw this one out there and see how it flies...

Secretariat.

[QuikSand]

Joey Chestnut?

[spleen1015]

Cal Ripken, Jr.

Bitches

[thesloppy]

Was just channel hopping past a Jim Thorpe movie on TCM, he probably deserves a mention, right? Olympic gold in pentathlon and decathlon, played for six teams in the NFL and managed to squeeze 6 seasons of MLB in there as well. Apparently also played professional, barnstorming basketball for a couple of years in there as well.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Was just channel hopping past a Jim Thorpe movie on TCM, he probably deserves a mention, right? Olympic gold in pentathlon and decathlon, played for six teams in the NFL and managed to squeeze 6 seasons of MLB in there as well. Apparently also played professional, barnstorming basketball for a couple of years in there as well.

Also a high school lacrosse player and 1912 Intercollegiate Ballroom Dancing national champion.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

1912 Intercollegiate Ballroom Dancing national champion.

That's awesome!

[Carman Bulldog]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Was just channel hopping past a Jim Thorpe movie on TCM, he probably deserves a mention, right? Olympic gold in pentathlon and decathlon, played for six teams in the NFL and managed to squeeze 6 seasons of MLB in there as well. Apparently also played professional, barnstorming basketball for a couple of years in there as well.

I think there is something to be said about the greatness of the competitor who is able to play professionally in multiple sports in the modern day, and do it well at that.

Therefore Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders both warrant discussion in the conversation. Brian Jordan and Danny Ainge as well, to a lesser degree.

[QuikSand]

Sold on Thorpe

[NoSkillz]

I don't think his name has been mentioned but I think Jack Nicklaus is an interesting candidate.

An unparalleled record both in amateur and professional play. His peers have all documented how his mere presence on a leaderboard would cause even the best players to start faltering, with the 1986 Masters a perfect example of that.

He was also the best "loser" EVER in sports. No one showed more sportsmanship and class in defeat.

I understand he was an accomplished football and basketball player in his younger days as well.

[BishopMVP]

Along the vein of Dick Butkus you can throw guys like Ray Nitschke, or a 2-way guy like Chuck Bednarik in that mix. As much as I hate him off the field, for a modern LB Ray Lewis had that drive & fire (listen to him talk about how his only goal from like age 10 was to erase his absent father's name from his HS record books, and then he kept up that work ethic through Miami & the NFL.) Ronnie Lott's obviously a great pick.

Another out of Left Field pick - Ted Williams. Had the slightly misguided and selfish competitive fire like Kobe, but wanted to be the best ever & put himself in the conversation as a hitter, while doing pretty well as a fighter pilot and a fisherman.

[CrescentMoonie]

Babe Ruth was a great pitcher and great hitter. His pitching was during a deadball era, but it was still excellent compared to his contemporaries. Even after transitioning to OF, he was 5-0 as a pitcher for the Yankees.

I do wonder how many HR he hits in his career if he's not primarily a pitcher for 5 years.

[OldGiants]

Ruth is the worst choice on this thread. A great player who had many other distractions in his life.

Ty Cobb and Jackie Robinson are much better choices for baseball.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

Ruth is the worst choice on this thread. A great player who had many other distractions in his life.

Ty Cobb and Jackie Robinson are much better choices for baseball.

Ruth was a dominant pitcher who made the majors at 19, played until he was 40 (with a .985 OPS at 39), and held the career HR record for 39 years. He still holds the career SLG and OPS records. The move to OF was something he wanted because he wanted to play every day instead of just pitching.

I don't see how someone changing from pitching to OF at 25, being great at both, and lasting 2 decades as a pro can be a bad competitor.

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Ruth was a dominant pitcher who made the majors at 19, played until he was 40 (with a .985 OPS at 39), and held the career HR record for 39 years. He still holds the career SLG and OPS records. The move to OF was something he wanted because he wanted to play every day instead of just pitching.

I don't see how someone changing from pitching to OF at 25, being great at both, and lasting 2 decades as a pro can be a bad competitor.

Roger that.
I also didn't think there was a right or wrong answer/choice on this as opinions will vary.

And if you are going to say Cobb or even Robinson for that matter are better, back it up. Last I checked, both of those players had distractions as well.

[CrescentMoonie]

Robinson is a great choice though. All the extra crap he had to deal with, especially as the face of humungous change, could only have been handled by someone who was willing to compete in the on and off field aspects of the sport.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by hollmt

And if you are going to say Cobb or even Robinson for that matter are better, back it up. Last I checked, both of those players had distractions as well.

I think it could be argued Babe was one of the WORST competitors of all time. He cared less about winning than he did about having fun.

Im envious.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

I think it could be argued Babe was one of the WORST competitors of all time. He cared less about winning than he did about having fun.

Im envious.

A guy who cared less about winning than having fun begged management to let him switch from pitching to OF because he wanted to play every day? Really?

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

I think it could be argued Babe was one of the WORST competitors of all time. He cared less about winning than he did about having fun.

Im envious.

I mean, I'm not on the Ruth bandwagon. I merely gave credit where credit was due on what Crescent said about him in his post and to not knock someone on his opinion/choice in a thread where opinions are going to vary.

I've given my vote to Secretariat.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

A guy who cared less about winning than having fun begged management to let him switch from pitching to OF because he wanted to play every day? Really?

Why?
Because chicks dig players.

Look I know it was a different time, but Babe semi-regularly showed up to games drunk...I cant call you the greatest "competitor" of all time if you dont care enough to give your best.

That isnt to say he might not have been the best player, there is a very good chance he was, but maybe Im just defining competitor the wrong way.