# Sports "Mount Rushmores" and (hopefully) the debates that follow **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 27, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243 "2016-11-27T23:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/1 "2016-11-27T23:40:48Z")
I’ll start off with a fairly easy, not obscure, non-debatable one: **NBA Coaches Mount Rushmore:** Red Auerbach Phil Jackson Greg Popovich Pat Riley I’ve always thought Jackson was a little overrated – his in-game strategies and rotations were always suspect IMHO (and I’ve watched him more than any coach besides Pat Riley) and Doc Rivers mopped the floor with him in the 2008 NBA Finals – but he got his stars to drink his Kool Aid and has the most championships. I’ve always thought Riley was underrated: he did more than just roll the balls out for the Showtime Lakers and he led average Knick teams a lot farther than most expected. But besides **John Kundla** (Minneapolis Lakers, i.e., ancient), no other NBA coaches have won more than two titles other than these listed. I am hoping others will go a little farther out on the proverbial limb for their Mount Rushmores. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/2 "2016-11-28T00:15:35Z")
**Epic Music Production Company Mount Rushmore:** Immediate Music Two Steps from Hell Audiomachine Position Music Least confident in the last pick. Other contenders include X-Ray Dog, Really Slow Motion, Future World Music, Epic North Music, E.S. Posthumus; need to listen to more probably. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/3 "2016-11-28T00:34:04Z")
College Basketball Coaches Bobby Knight Mike Kryszewski Dean Smith John Wooden ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/4 "2016-11-28T00:48:30Z")
**Baseball’s Fireballers Mount Rushmore** Walter Johnson Nolan Ryan Bob Feller Aroldis Chapman There are certainly pitchers that threw harder than Walter Johnson, but he was the first to be _revered_ for being a hard thrower. An honorable mention should go to **[Steve Dalkowski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Dalkowski)**, a flame thrower with a tragic story who didn’t make it out of the minor leagues due to injury after overcoming control problems. ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/5 "2016-11-28T00:57:21Z")
**"I Owe It All to My Pharmacist" MLB Mount Rushmore** Sammy Sosa Brett Boone Eric Gagne Brady Anderson & **"Well, at Least Some Credit Goes to My Pharmacist" MLB Mount Rushmore** Barry Bonds Roger Clemens Jose Canseco Alex Rodriguez \*Mark McGwire and Manny Ramirez lobbied to be among the faces of this Mount Rushmore, but were denied. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/6 "2016-11-28T02:25:05Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > College Basketball Coaches > > Bobby Knight > Mike Kryszewski > Dean Smith > John Wooden I think I’d take off either Knight or Smith, and put Pat Summitt on. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/7 "2016-11-28T02:37:59Z")
> [@Moonchild](#): > > An honorable mention should go to **[Steve Dalkowski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Dalkowski)** … Thanks for this link - I’d heard the name but never the details. Here are some: > [@](#): > > Dalkowski pitched a total of 62 innings in 1957, struck out 121 (averaging 18 strikeouts per game), but won only once because he walked 129 and threw 39 wild pitches. > [@](#): > > … in 1960, while pitching in the California League, Dalkowski struck out 262 batters and walked 262 in 170 innings. > [@](#): > > In an extra-inning game, Dalkowski recorded 27 strikeouts (while walking 16 and throwing 283 pitches). > [@](#): > > … he threw a one-hitter but lost 9–8 on the strength of 17 walks. > [@](#): > > Ted Williams faced Dalkowski once in a spring training game. “Fastest ever”, said Williams. “I never want to face him again.” ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/8 "2016-11-28T02:38:37Z")
> [@Moonchild](#): > > I’ll start off with a fairly easy, not obscure, non-debatable one: > > **NBA Coaches Mount Rushmore:** > Red Auerbach > Phil Jackson > Greg Popovich > Pat Riley Take of Phil “I didn’t even invent the triangle offense but I made up for it by winnig all my championships with 2 of the best 10 players in the League” Jackson and add Larry Brown. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/9 "2016-11-28T03:26:19Z")
Quarterbacks Mount Rushmore Joe Montana Dan Marino Tom Brady Johnny Unitas Didn’t make the cut. Roger Staubach Peyton Manning Otto Graham ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/10 "2016-11-28T04:15:44Z")
The Beatles Mt Rushmore: John Paul Ringo George Martin ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/11 "2016-11-28T04:42:03Z")
NHL Players Mount Rushmore: Mario Lemieux Wayne Gretzky Gordie Howe Bobby Orr ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/12 "2016-11-28T05:02:21Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > The Beatles Mt Rushmore: > > John > Paul > Ringo > George Martin What part of “Sports” did you not comprehend? :smack: I think it’s impossible to pick just four quarterbacks from the NFL. Clearly Montana. Probably Tom Brady (though his resumé isn’t complete, yet). But Dan Marino, for all his passing production, didn’t lead his team to a championship. In that regard, John Elway was better. And there were quarterbacks before the 60s, at least one of whom should probably make the list, so that the faces cover all the time the NFL has been a passing league. As for Unitas, I always preferred Starr. Who, I will point out, has many more championships. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/13 "2016-11-28T05:53:29Z")
F1 Mount Rushmore: Juan Manuel Fangio - Should need no explanation, but his comeback drive on the Nurburgring in '57 would put him on here by itself. That he held 5 championships in the most deadly era of the sport clinches it. Jim Clark - He won 1/3 of the F1 races he entered, and had the ability to win with an inferior machine. If he had not died in an F2 race, he would have almost certainly won more. Jackie Stewart - He was not only fast, but smart and safe. He used his ample prestige to make racing far more safe than it ever had been. ## Niki Lauda - So incredibly fast, and came back from one of the more horrific F1 crashes to race again, and win another championship. Considered, but rejected because they appeared to put winning above the safety of others: Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/14 "2016-11-28T08:20:12Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > NHL Players Mount Rushmore: > Mario Lemieux > Wayne Gretzky > Gordie Howe > Bobby Orr Thats hard to argue. Maurice Richard v Mario Lemieux might be my only challenge. NHL Goaltenders Mt. Rushmore: Terry Sawchuk Patrick Roy Martin Brodeur Dan Dryden I know some might be arguing for Dominek Hasek, but only one Cup??? ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/15 "2016-11-28T08:26:32Z")
**Soccer, according to Americans:** Pele Messi Maradona Best **Martial Arts Movies:** Bruce Lee Jackie Chan Chuck Norris Steven Segal **All-Time Pro Wrestling:** Lou Thesz Ed “Strangler” Lewis Ric Flair Hulk Hogan **Scary, bloodthirsty Pro Wrestlers:** The Original Sheik Abdullah the Butcher Bruiser Brody Geroge “The Animal” Steele **NFL Head Coaches:** Halas Lombardi Walsh Bilicheck ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/16 "2016-11-28T09:01:56Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Thats hard to argue. Maurice Richard v Mario Lemieux might be my only challenge. > > NHL Goaltenders Mt. Rushmore: > Terry Sawchuk > Patrick Roy > Martin Brodeur > Dan Dryden > > I know some might be arguing for Dominek Hasek, but only one Cup??? And yours is hard to argue, too. I love Hasek, and I’d argue that he made a team more competitive than they otherwise would be, even more than Roy. However, luck figures into it.\* I’d also argue for Bernie Parent, but It’d be a hard decision to figure out who to replace. \*I’d argue hard for Jackie Ickx to be included on the F1 Rushmore. He’s possibly the best driver to ever sit in an open-wheeled car. But he did not have great luck in that league, and excelled in sports car racing instead. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/17 "2016-11-28T10:47:38Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > What part of “Sports” did you not comprehend? :smack: I guess the same part that marshmallow and Russian Heel didn’t comprehend… ? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/18 "2016-11-28T13:23:23Z")
Linebackers Dick Butkus Lawrence Taylor Ray Nitschke Ray Lewis ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/19 "2016-11-28T13:39:08Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Thats hard to argue. Maurice Richard v Mario Lemieux might be my only challenge. > > NHL Goaltenders Mt. Rushmore: > Terry Sawchuk > Patrick Roy > Martin Brodeur > Dan] Dryden > > I know some might be arguing for Dominek Hasek, but only one Cup??? **Ken** Dryden. This is actually not an easy one; Jacques Plante is as deserving of being here as Dryden or Sawchuk. Plante gets points for innovation a la Patrick Roy that Sawchuk doesn’t get. Dominik Hasek might have been the best I ever saw at the height of his powers, but if you put him on the list you have three goalies from the same time, which seems weird. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243/20 "2016-11-28T16:52:39Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > But Dan Marino, for all his passing production, didn’t lead his team to a championship. > [@russian\_heel](#): > > I know some might be arguing for Dominek Hasek, but only one Cup??? I don’t have a dog in the fight over those specific players, but (and it comes up in every GOAT thread) I think championships are a bad way to decide best player in a position. You can have a goalie that stands on his head every game, but if the other 20 guys on the ice suck, you’re not going to have a championship team. You can have the most accurate QB ever, but if all his receivers are butterfingers and his O-line is made of tissue paper, he’s going to look terrible (or you could be like my Atlanta Falcons this year, best offense in the league but we’re 7-4 because our defense blows). You might have a basketball player that sinks 50 points a game, but if the other four guys stink, he can’t win the championship solo. Baseball at least doesn’t suffer from this so much, because the statheads drill down into everything so much that it’s more about the numbers than the rings. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-mount-rushmores-and-hopefully-the-debates-that-follow/773243.md?page=2)