Who are the Top 10 sportspeople since 1975?
Roar Guru By Jason Cave, 2 Feb 2010 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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- Australian Open, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, motor sports, Roger Federer, Tennis, Tom Watson
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Tom Watson of the US plays a shot on the fifth tee during the opening round of the British Open Golf championship, at the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Thursday, July 16, 2009. AP Photo/Peter Morrison
Roger Federer’s victory in the Australian Open has got him to sixteen Grand Slam victories, making him, without doubt, the greatest tennis player of all time. But where does he rank alongside names such as Ali, Jordan, Woods, and Schumacher?
Here is my Top 10 sportspeople between the period 1975-2010:
1. Roger Federer (tennis)
2. Tiger Woods (golf)
3. Muhammad Ali (boxing)
4. Carl Lewis (Olympics)
5. Mark Richards (surfing)
6. Greg Norman (golf)
7. Peter Brock (motor)
8. Valentino Rossi (motor)
9. Allan Border (cricket)
10.Tom Watson (golf)
Honourable mentions:
Ronaldo (football)
Serena Williams (tennis)
Michael Phelps (Olympics)
What do you think of this list?
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- Australian Open, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, motor sports, Roger Federer, Tennis, Tom Watson
February 2nd 2010 @ 8:48am
Trevor said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
This list shows that you have no idea about sport.
Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time. Not to mention the likes of Lance Armstrong and Michael Schumacher not making the list because of Greg Norman, Peter Brock and Tom Watson??? Quit whatever you are smoking buddy.
You too “Dogz R Barkn” – you are even more dillusional. El Masri? I am a dogs supporter and even I laugh at that suggestion.
February 2nd 2010 @ 2:23pm
battleator said | February 2nd 2010 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
How is Dane Tilse and Mashall Chalk not there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what a disgrace!
Warnie?
February 2nd 2010 @ 9:11am
mushi said | February 2nd 2010 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Clearly this is a wind up
February 2nd 2010 @ 10:24am
Brett McKay said | February 2nd 2010 @ 10:24am | Report comment
as I wrote a few weeks ago Jason, these lists are never about who you pick, just who you left out….
“Gutsy”, is a word that comes to mind, in trying to limit yourself to ten names in 35 years!!
February 2nd 2010 @ 12:44pm
Redb said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
As someone esle wrote your better off putting them in categories for such a vast timeline : Best Olympians, tennis players, golfers, boxers, motor racing drivers, soccer players,etc.
February 2nd 2010 @ 12:39pm
Jameswm said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
So the list starts looking a bit like this – and I won’t bother putting them in any particular order
Roger Federer (tennis)
Tiger Woods (golf)
Michael Jordan (basketball)
Usain Bolt (track and field)
Lance Armstrong (cycling)
Joe Roff (rugby)
Michael Phelps (swimming)
Carl Lewis (track and field)
Michael Schumacher (motor sport)
What about Daley Thomspon as an honourable mention?
Gretzsky I can see, but it’s such a minority sport. If you want cricket, then Warnie!
That British rower – Redgrave?
The Thorpedo
February 2nd 2010 @ 12:56pm
DaMan3000 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
I would swap Usain Bolt with Carl Lewis. Lewis’ Career spanned 17 years of pretty consistent achievements where as Bolt has been competing at this level for only 3 years and could get spanked at the next Olympics (it’s probably paying 1,000,000,000,000:1 at the TAB for a spanking?)
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:03pm
Brian said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Take Jameswm list. Add Maradona and your getting close. I’d also add Gretzky ahead of Roff (whom I’ve never heard of). C Ronaldo & Sergei Bupka might also go close but all-in-all Jameswm list is a massive improvement
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:13pm
Bob said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Brian-if you dont know Roff, you dont know sport! back to the library buddy
February 2nd 2010 @ 8:35pm
sheek said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
Joe Roff was a ‘Harlem Globetrotters vs Washington Generals’ like Wallaby.
He would score some spectacular & freakish tries, then just to make things interesting & exciting, let a few tries in as well………. !!!!!
February 2nd 2010 @ 10:51pm
Brian said | February 2nd 2010 @ 10:51pm | Report comment
As an under 30 from Victoria I’d suggest I’d be in the overwhelming majority who havn’t heard of Roff. Being freakish would mean that Roberto Carlos & Senna would also qaulify
February 3rd 2010 @ 12:56pm
Devon Head said | February 3rd 2010 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Joe Roff can be likened to wearing the thinest of rubbers at a brothel…
Sure your excitement levels and match experience are unparalleled…. but on the other hand you also run the risk of ruining your season by a massive breach in your defensive line..
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:49pm
Trevor said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Yeah but Carl Lewis was on Human Growth Hormone – this surely discludes him from the list.
February 2nd 2010 @ 2:14pm
Wylie said | February 2nd 2010 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
Yep, agreed. Lewis is a cheat and deserves no recognition whatsoever.
February 3rd 2010 @ 9:56am
PastHisBest said | February 3rd 2010 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Ha Ha Ha!!! Joe Roff!! My God, are you seriously suggesting that Joe Roff is the best rugby player in the last 35 years!!! Mad.
February 2nd 2010 @ 12:58pm
Bay35Pablo said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
1. Roger Federer (tennis)
2. Tiger Woods (golf)
3. Mike Tyson (boxing)
4. Michael Phelps (Olympics – swimming)
5. Kelly Slater (surfing)
6. Lance Arnstrong (cycling)
7. Michael Schumacher (motor)
8. Valentino Rossi (motor)
9. Adam Gilchrist (cricket)
10. Dan Carter (rugby)
Try top 25 or 50 …..
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:19pm
Redb said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
How Michael Jordan is left off any list defies logic.
February 2nd 2010 @ 3:34pm
Bay35Pablo said | February 2nd 2010 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
Redb, yep. But I basically took his list, kept what I agreed with, changed some I disagreed with, and added some in people had suggested. Jordan should be there, but who do I punt? Rossi, Carter? Slater?
February 3rd 2010 @ 8:25am
Redb said | February 3rd 2010 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Carter in a flash surely. How can anyone sensibily suggest this rugby player was bigger than Michael Jordan.
February 3rd 2010 @ 8:29am
Redb said | February 3rd 2010 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Also and maybe I’m bit biased, but I would have put David Campese in front of virtually any rugby player
given his ability to attract new fans to the sport.
February 3rd 2010 @ 12:52pm
True Tah said | February 3rd 2010 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
Redb
in terms of freaks, Lomu would have to be up there, certainly the greatest physical specimen to have ever strapped on a rugby boot.
How many blokes are his size (120kg), as strong (benchpress close to 200kg), and can run like he did? I would argue that in a purely physical sense, he would be in the top 1% of recent sportsmen.
Its probably best to do this by sport:
Rugby – Lomu, see above.
NFL – Barry Sanders, this bloke would find space in a telephone box with an elephant
Futbol – Maradonna, he might have resembled a beach ball in later years until he had lipo,
but his goal against the Poms was gold.
League – Mal Meninga, cant get over how big this blokes thighs were.
Basketball – Michael Jordan, nuff said.
Cricket – Brian Lara – I would have Shane Warne, but Warnie had a team of stars around
him, whereas Lara was effectively a one man band.
February 3rd 2010 @ 1:02pm
Redb said | February 3rd 2010 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
TT,
Good call on Lomu.
Redb
February 3rd 2010 @ 9:59am
PastHisBest said | February 3rd 2010 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Any one of those Bay. Jordan was an absolute freak. Best basketball player. Ever.
February 2nd 2010 @ 8:44pm
sheek said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:44pm | Report comment
Apparently he’s a closet Collingwood supporter………..
Which of course, is just not on!
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:00pm
Sammy22 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Roger is great but there are women tennis players who have more Grand Slam victories to their name so he is not the greatest yet using that guide. Steffi, Chris and Martina since ’75
Carl Lewis… proven drug taker you may as well put in Marion Jones
Never liked the guy but Maradonna knew how to move a football around
List is way short of women
And where is the line between great sports people and Commercially Promotable sports people, so unfortunately the noise level will always take over the quality on this list
Tooo hard
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:54pm
Trevor said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
Women? Haven’t they only been allowed to play professional sport for the past decade? The competition levels in women sport is nothing compared to men’s sport so therefore their achievements are much less too. And of all sports – tennis – they only have to play 3 sets in Slams which is a travesty. Why do they get paid the same for less quality and duration? Perhaps they can be compared to me in long distance open water swimming?
February 2nd 2010 @ 3:20pm
Sammy22 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
Oh Sorry Trevor I mistakenly thought the list was from the back end of the 20th century. I realise now its based on 19th Century thinking when men thought beating humans that were physiologically different was some kind of achievement. If your the best sports person in the area you compete …….. then thats what you are … but hey some don’t get it
February 2nd 2010 @ 6:51pm
Sam said | February 2nd 2010 @ 6:51pm | Report comment
Yeah woman have no competition because as we all know, 80% of the worlds population is male.
February 4th 2010 @ 12:36pm
Trevor said | February 4th 2010 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
All I am saying Sammy22, is that the list is for the best of all time. Not the best ‘female athlete’ or the best ‘athlete with a disability’ or the best ‘tree hugging hippee who wants to stand up for the weak and feable’. Get a grip. The list is for the best of all time. Men are physically superior so they should dominate the list. Perhaps you could table a list of the best cleaners, procrastinators or dress makers???
February 3rd 2010 @ 10:01am
PastHisBest said | February 3rd 2010 @ 10:01am | Report comment
If you want a women’s list go on to the league forum.
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:36pm
Devon Head said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
Here, here Bobby!!
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:55pm
Bob said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
Devon Head – You have shown that you possess a true knowledge of sport! Kudos to you old chap….kudos to you.
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:45pm
Art Sapphire said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
The two most popular team sports in the world are football and basketball.
Since 1975, 2 athletes have etched their names as the among greatest (if the not greatest) to play their respective sports.
Please step forward Diego Maradona and Michael Jordan.
End of History lesson
February 2nd 2010 @ 2:00pm
Lazza said | February 2nd 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
This is Australia Art. We prefer to ignore how popular or competitve sports are, especially team sports that we don’t excel in.
Diego and Michael would probably be the top two in any list compiled around the world but we like to do things differently here.
February 2nd 2010 @ 3:35pm
Bay35Pablo said | February 2nd 2010 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
Pele?
February 2nd 2010 @ 3:51pm
rich1612 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
his best was pre ’75 I think
February 2nd 2010 @ 3:31pm
Punter said | February 2nd 2010 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
Maradona!!! Woods!!! Jordan!!! Schumacher!!! Federer!!! Armstrong!!!
February 2nd 2010 @ 4:12pm
mintox said | February 2nd 2010 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
I know you’re probably going for the controversial to generate debate but seriously you could have made it slightly more credible than including Brock, Norman, Border etc.
A list like this has to include players that dominate their sport on a world wide scale.
Tennis: Sampras, Federer
Golf: Tiger Woods
Racing: Rossi, Schumacher, Senna?
Basketball: Jordan, Kobe Bryant?
Football: Maradonna
Cricket: Warne, Muralitharan
Athletics: Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt?
Swimming: Thorpe, Phelps
I’m sure there are other sports that I’ve missed in that list.