# Best athletes of the 21st Century **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 18, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084 "2003-05-18T18:34:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/1 "2003-05-18T18:34:17Z")
Who are the best athletes of the current centruy? My picks: Men Lance Armstrong Tiger Woods Alex Rodriguez Barry Bonds Kobe Bryant Shaquille O’Neal Women Annika Sorenstam Michelle Kwan (evidence backs me up) Serena Williams Venus Williams Mia Hamm Lisa Leslie ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/2 "2003-05-18T18:35:51Z")
one more woman:Marion Jones ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/3 "2003-05-19T00:38:38Z")
You must be mighty young. Everyone you mention is basically from the last 10 years. A century is 100 years, not 10. Other than Armstrong and Barry Bonds, I will basically blow the rest of your choices out of the water. Tiger Woods. Given the same equipment and training, Arnie and Jack did a lot more with less. Alex Rodriguez?? Come on. Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Willy Mays, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose. Lets wait till he retires before a decision is made about his greatness. Kobe Bryant. Did you forget someone with the initials M.J.? Do any of these other names ring a bell? West, Magic, Bird. Like ARod, lets wait to make any statements about his greatness. Shaq. Despite what he has accomplished, he has never been able to take over a game and decide the outcome. Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar could. If possible, find and watch game 6 of the 1969 NBA championship series. Despite a sprained ankle, Willis Reed literally picked up his team and led them to an improbable win. It took the right situation in LA for O’Neal to become a winner, the others were always winners no matter who they played with or who the coach was. I don’t watch much in the way of womens sports so I won’t comment much there. But Chris Evert and Martina Natralalova (sp?) would kick the Williams sisters butts when they were in their prime. ---
**Author:** ![waddamaroon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@waddamaroon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waddamaroon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/4 "2003-05-19T00:45:16Z")
Isn’t three years into the new millenium a bit premature? But Lance Armstrong **does** kick ass!😃 ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/5 "2003-05-19T00:55:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racer72 \* > \*\*You must be mighty young. Everyone you mention is basically from the last 10 years. \*\* And I’ll guess that he is also decidedly, um… American? He named exactly one non-American in the whole bunch, and that one is in the news daily this week. Anyway, you’ll never get an definitive answer, mainly because you haven’t defined the term athlete. For instance, IMHO there are approximately 12,329 football (soccer) players who are better athletes than any golfer. And if you are talking this century (ie, 2000+), you also left off probably the best American athlete besides Armstrong - Michael Vick. ---
**Author:** ![Necromancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@Necromancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necromancer)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/6 "2003-05-19T01:29:14Z")
I agree with rexnervous: “Anyway, you’ll never get an definitive answer, mainly because you haven’t defined the term athlete.” To some people, athletes could mean track and field performers and not golfers. Some sports are like comparing apples and oranges. I’ll have to think about the best sportsmen/women of the 20th Century. Off the top of my head I’d have to mention U.S. boxer Mohamad Ali, young Aussie swimmer Ian Thorpe, British runner Roger Bannister (who was the first to break the 4 minute mile), Kenyan athlete Henry Rono and Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila. There are so many different sports to choose from so I’ll add to my list a little later. ---
**Author:** ![Necromancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@Necromancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necromancer)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/7 "2003-05-19T01:32:07Z")
Ooops, I read the OP as 20th Century…not 21st Century. :smack: Three years isn’t much to go on, so for now I’ll pick swimmer, Ian Thorpe. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/8 "2003-05-19T02:41:09Z")
21st century? Uh, never mind. I agree, 3 years is hardly enough time to start picking the best of the century. By 2100, the feats of those mentioned might mean nothing. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/9 "2003-05-19T03:10:41Z")
Hmmm, In my humble opinion, the ironman Triathletes are the greatest athletes on earth so I’m going to have to go with Tim DeBoom Peter Reid Natascha Badmann Lori Bowden ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/10 "2003-05-19T12:49:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drm \* > \*\*Hmmm, In my humble opinion, the ironman Triathletes are the greatest athletes on earth so I’m going to have to go with > > Tim DeBoom > Peter Reid > Natascha Badmann > Lori Bowden \*\* :rolleyes: So ‘athlete’ just means endurance now? :dubious: So much for skills, which seems so much more like real athletic talent ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/11 "2003-05-20T03:29:06Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Philster_ > :rolleyes: > > **So ‘athlete’ just means endurance now?** :dubious: > > \*\*So much for skills, which seems so much more like real athletic talent:rolleyes: \*\* This is simply the sport that impresses me the most, that is why I picked four of the best athletes that compete in it (this century). It’s just my own humble opinion after all. ---
**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/12 "2003-05-20T04:38:44Z")
racer72- Reed -1970-7th game-bad groin/hip, not ankle. Knicks 111 or so, Lakers 98,I recall. I saw it live, it was amazing. ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/13 "2003-05-20T12:09:05Z")
So far in the 21st century, I’d go for: Zinedine Zidane - Soccer Johnny Wilkinson - Rugby Union Lance Armstrong - Cycling Tiger Woods - Golf Roy Jones Jnr. - Boxing Ian Thorpe - Swimming Haile Gebreselassie - Athletics ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/14 "2003-05-20T15:39:36Z")
> [@](#): > > It took the right situation in LA for O’Neal to become a winner, the others were always winners no matter who they played with or who the coach was. Your point is valid, but Willis Reed DID have Walt Frazier, Dave Debusschere, Bill Bradley, and others (Earl Monroe at times) around him. It’s even more true now than it was then: you can’t win an NBA title alone. The tennis thing is interesting. I think Martina (for example) is still a smarter player than the Williamses - whom I like - but even given the differences in technology and such, I’m not sure I can see her beating them so soundly. Martina was strong, but they’re stronger than anybody else who’s played the game, and more athletic. When they play doubles together, they always seem to meet Navratilova and Tulyaganova (or whoever she happens to be with) and beat them soundly, for whatever that’s worth - I know her age, but Navratilova is still the best women’s doubles player ever. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/15 "2003-05-20T18:19:49Z")
Clarifying here: my starting point is 2000. I KNOW 3 years is nothing i n the scheme, but it’s a neat debate topic, nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/16 "2003-05-20T18:40:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manwithaplan \* > \*\*So far in the 21st century, I’d go for: > > Zinedine Zidane - Soccer > Johnny Wilkinson - Rugby Union > Lance Armstrong - Cycling > Tiger Woods - Golf > Roy Jones Jnr. - Boxing > Ian Thorpe - Swimming > Haile Gebreselassie - Athletics \*\* These are all good picks - those that I’ve heard of 😃 since I don’t know Wilkinson or Gebreselassie, but it also brings up the issue… Are we measuring best athlete by accomplishment as well as physical skill/performing talent? Or is it just who the hell is a great physical specimen or has great physical skill within their field? Not to repeat myself, but I’m going to anyway - a list similar to that one above is incomplete without Michael Vick, unless you are including accomplishments (championships) - and even then he did lead his team to the NCAA championship, and led the Falcons to be the first team ever to win a playoff game in Lambeau. The guy is a physical freak. /awe ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/17 "2003-05-20T19:15:16Z")
Michael Schumacher needs to be on the list, along with Marcus Grunholm and Valentino Rossi. All dominant forces in their sports. If my mother-in-law read this, she would point out that the last sentence is incomplete. Screw her, and her red pen! 😃 * * * Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/18 "2003-05-20T19:15:41Z")
rex: VT LOST the Sugar Bowl! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/19 "2003-05-20T19:16:24Z")
Michael Vick having one season in which he wasn’t even the best player at his position does not strike me as being an accomplishment worthy of mention as the best athlete on earth. Maybe he has the POTENTIAL to be an all-time great athlete, but if he can’t even beat out Rich Gannon for MVP, he ain’t even close yet. I mean, if Michael Vick, why not Tracy McGrady, Jason Giambi, or Marian Hossa? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084/20 "2003-05-20T19:19:35Z")
Ted Gorham (averaged 36 ppg in the '85 NBA even though under the '76 handicap rules, he had to carry 40 pounds of lead weight plus a dead sheep in every game) Jean Luc Vaux (for his triple decathlon medals in the '36, '40, and '44 Olympics). Gerhardt Ng (47 consecutive World Cup games without allowing a goal). Nigata of Homita (Undoubtedly alpha centauri’s finest athlete) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athletes-of-the-21st-century/176084.md?page=2)