Originally Posted by ForemanRules

No other choice son

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Who is he?

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

The guy Ali ran from for 3 1/2 years.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Doesn't ring a bell, but damn Ali was sure the man back in the day.

Originally Posted by fufu

Pete Sampras?

Originally Posted by min0 lee

That's easy, Babe Ruth...

Originally Posted by JordanMang

Royce Gracie brought MMA and the UFC into light and was the the originator of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu ( the most common fighting style used in the sport today! ).

Originally Posted by min0 lee

At the crack of dawn I will have to shoot you, I am sorry but it must be done.

Originally Posted by JordanMang

Royce Gracie brought MMA and the UFC into light and was the the originator of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu ( the most common fighting style used in the sport today! ).

Originally Posted by fufu

...why? Not a tennis fan?

Originally Posted by FatCatMC

In other words, which athlete was most influential to the development of their respective sport and why?

Originally Posted by cg18862

Without Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR would still be a southern region only sport. He brought it to a national level and now it is one of the highest grossing money sports. It's also one of the only sports that pays it's "athletes" by how well they do; not by how much "potential" they will have

To make the money, you have to perform each week. That can't be said about basketball, football, or baseball.

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

there have been many many athletes who should be mentioned here ali, ruth, gretzky but i feel a tho jordan is unmatched in this area. his value to the game of basketball is unmatched although bball was lookin good with bird magic.

Originally Posted by the nut

Arnold hands down.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

Bodybuilding is not a sport. That is like saying a beauty pagent is a sport

Originally Posted by cg18862

Have you ever driven a race car at 200 mph for 600 miles for 6 hours? and you don't think these guys are athletes.....I didn't know that you could be a big fat slob, out of shape, and still race cars.

Originally Posted by the nut

How did your last pagent go? I beg to differ on that one, a beauty pagent contestant can put herself in serious shape, but if she's got a busted face she isn't winning. Bodybuilders are judged on symetry and size (attained legally or NOT), not what god given face they have.



I didn't know weight was the deciding factor in being an athlete. Go to New Hampshire and watch the drivers in the lower cicuits and tell me if you see any fat slobs. What about the fat slobs that are nose tackles and lineman in the NFL, are they not athletes?:thumb:

Originally Posted by the nut

How did your last pagent go? I beg to differ on that one, a beauty pagent contestant can put herself in serious shape, but if she's got a busted face she isn't winning. Bodybuilders are judged on symetry and size (attained legally or NOT), not what god given face they have.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

So they got judged on looking pretty how does that fit in as a sport?

Originally Posted by cg18862

Good point. They are still athletes in my opinion though, just not to the extent of basketball players or other sports. They do, however, put their lives at risk each time they go out to race. That does takes some kind of physical, athletic skills not to kill yourself.

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

Are you seriouse?

Originally Posted by min0 lee

I think Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King would be a better choice......but really, why tennis?

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

"Players like kobe, lebron, shaq, bird, magic, chamberlain, russell, maravich, i believe brought the same excitement to the game as jordan."

Are you seriouse?

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

there will never be another athlete that captivated the attention of the world like michael jordan did. basketball was a popular sport before jordan no doubt but jordan made it where even non fans became fans not of basketball but of the spectacle that was michael jordan.

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

ali and ruth are the only athletes comparable to jordan

Originally Posted by the nut

Obviously, we dont see eye to eye on athletes if your comparing beauty pageant contestants to body builders.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

What is the difference. They both diet and exercise to parade themselves around on stage. Not discrediting the difficulty in what they do, but that doesn't make it a sport

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

naa i think ali ruth and jordan are on a larger scale than tiger golf is becoming more popular everyday among younger people and it probably is from tiger woods but golf is still a sport in which only a very small percentage of people can appreciate. if u play golf which few people have the oppurtunity too u might be interested in watching it on tv but basketball baseball and boxing are universally popular if u play it or not.

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

there will never be another athlete that captivated the attention of the world like michael jordan did. basketball was a popular sport before jordan no doubt but jordan made it where even non fans became fans not of basketball but of the spectacle that was michael jordan.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Come down to reality and join the rest of us once you get Jordan's cock out of your mouth.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Come down to reality and join the rest of us once you get Jordan's cock out of your mouth.

Originally Posted by JOHNYORK

and i suppose ure rocksteady?

Originally Posted by bigss75

Originally Posted by bigss75

I always thought beebop was making sounds iwth your mouth while someone else raps

Originally Posted by GRANDV

I would say the most influential would be Jordan. I say this because it was not only his style of play, because there was a guy named Dr. J would did things with a basketball that was absloutely amazing, but it was what Jordan help change in the NBA, that we all do to this day (that includes NBA players). Jordan help revolutionize sneakers, the way shorts are made, in being longer. The billions of dollars generate with the buying of more jerseys and interest in the game. Everyone, no matter who you are wanted to be like Mike, drink gatorade, stick your tongue out and twist in the air and reverse layup everytime we shot. He became such an icon in basketball that everytime a new player comes to the league, they are more compared to him than any other player in any other sport. Do not get me wrong, Babe, Tiger, Jackie, Ali and Earnhardt help their sports come to light more with what they were able to do competing in their sports, but Jordan was able to do that, plus a little more.

I know it will spark more debate, but just my .02 I just glad that I was alive to see all these greats play, drive and putt. Life is good.

Originally Posted by GRANDV

I would say the most influential would be Jordan. I say this because it was not only his style of play, because there was a guy named Dr. J would did things with a basketball that was absloutely amazing, but it was what Jordan help change in the NBA, that we all do to this day (that includes NBA players). Jordan help revolutionize sneakers, the way shorts are made, in being longer. The billions of dollars generate with the buying of more jerseys and interest in the game. Everyone, no matter who you are wanted to be like Mike, drink gatorade, stick your tongue out and twist in the air and reverse layup everytime we shot. He became such an icon in basketball that everytime a new player comes to the league, they are more compared to him than any other player in any other sport. Do not get me wrong, Babe, Tiger, Jackie, Ali and Earnhardt help their sports come to light more with what they were able to do competing in their sports, but Jordan was able to do that, plus a little more.

I know it will spark more debate, but just my .02 I just glad that I was alive to see all these greats play, drive and putt. Life is good.

Originally Posted by FatCatMC

In other words, which athlete was most influential to the development of their respective sport and why?