Tendulkar; Schumacher; Woods...Who is the greatest sportsman in the world now?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Who is the most dominant sportman or woman on the planet?

I realise this is comparing apples with oranges with hedgehogs but I think it’s possible.

My Provisional shortlist in no particular order:

Sachin Tendulkar: The best batsman of his generation, possibly of all time. THe only batsman to regularly be compared with Bradman (the probable best ever).

Ian Thorpe: Utterly dominant in the pool, breaks world records for fun.

Michael Schumacher: Literally ahead of the field. HAs the best car certainly but is by far the best driver. Could win a Grand Prix driving a furniture van.

Tiger Woods: Has had some success at golf (sorry not my game).

Roy Jones: Usually touted as the best pound for pond fighter in the world

Grant Flower: Zimbabwean cricketer. Literally a one man team.

The Williams sisters: Can’t split them.

Cathy Freeman: Beaten every one (just coming back of an injury)

Jonothan Edwards: Has won all major titles

And not really a sport but Phil “the power” Taylor 11 times world champion dart player.

Any ideas? (for what its worth I think it’s Thorpe)

What about minority sports like baseball and ice hockey, US football etc. Anyone in them?

2

Since Michael Jordan retired, I can’t think of any athlete in a major North American sport who is recognized as being head and shoulders above the rest. Certainly, we recognize the top players, but currently there is no one out there who would compare to a Jordan or a Wayne Gretzky.

Of your list (and I admit there are a few on there I have never heard of) the one who sticks out is Tiger Woods. He is all but universally recognized as the best in the world, and is seriously debated as the best to ever play the game. Add to that his charisma and fan following, and I think he’s the most dominant.

I am discounting the darter.

3

Well, this cannot be allowed to stand!

Darts is a freakin’ sport, and anyone who says different can come get one right in the damn eye from me! I’ll even let you bob and weave, but its goin’ in your eye anyway!

Michael Schumacher is indeed the best driver of all time, but that is a team sport and he owes much to others. If he drove for Minardi, he would manage 3rd on a consistant basis, shocking everyone.

How about Ricky Charmichael? Kid wins everything. Motocross is far more demanding than any weeny stick-and-ball sport, and I have more respect for him than any golfer, cricket queer or curler.

Darts not a sport? Make tea with my shorts!!!

Damn! I have forgotton to not become drunken again!

4

Valentino Rossi, has won every bike GP title going and is only 23, but is still a class apart from the rest of the world.

Steve Redgrave, has won five olympic gold medals at separate tournaments, this will probably never be equalled in any sport, ever.

Lance Armstrong, four times Tour de France winner, in the most gruelling and pysically challenging endurance sport in the world, he’s hoping to add to this total too.

5

Yep I’ll second Lance.

Shaq & Kobe must be up there as well.

And of course Tiger.

6

Tiger Woods, Sachin Tendulkar and Paula Radcliffe.

Paula Radcliffe is becoming something absolutely amazing in distance running. And she’s English.

7

Good call casdave!

I’ll second that on Rossi! This kid is just starting to roll. He is going to make all record books obselete.

Troy Bayliss is on a similar roll in Superbike, but Rossi has won every title in GP, like you said, at that is a MAJOR accomplishment.

What I would like to see is Rossi going for Spencer’s record of consecutive 250 and 500 championships. That would make a great season of racing!

8

should be “concurrent”, not consecutive…

9

I really like this thread. If only because a fair few Americans would be reading it and scratching their heads. Who? What? Huh?

As I’ve said elsewhere, there is often a perception in America that unless it’s on TV, and unless it’s something the masses have grown up with, again on TV, then it can’t be any good. Which is silly of course. It would be like if I, as an Australian was to trash baseball simply because it isn’t a high profile sport down here.

The great thing about this thread is that it challenges the paradigm. It forces people who have little knowledge of anything other than their comfort zone to assess things outside of their normal realm of knowledge. This can never be a bad thing, can it?

Being a former Olympic cyclist, obviously Lance Armstrong is my natural pick, but I have to be honest and acknowledge that unlike Tiger Woods or Michael Schumacher, Lance wins very little each year OTHER than the Tour de France, and the great champions in the past have all won major titles all season long.

Hence, as unfamiliar with golf as I am, I think I’d have to agree that Tiger Woods currently stands as the world’s most ‘pure’ dominant sportsperson - at least in the context of not relying on a team or equipment to demonstrate such prowess.

A few years ago I would have picked Agassi - seeing as how he was the first person since Rod Laver to win all four Grand Slam touraments - AND he made the finals of all four Grand Slams in the one year (1999) and only lost at Wimbledon to Sampras.

Also, about 4 years ago in surfing Kelly Slater won 6 world titles in a row which is really REALLY dominant too - but it isn’t a huge participant sport to be sure…

In closing, for those of you who aren’t aware - yes indeed Freddie Spencer’s legendary feats in 1985 where he won both the 250cc World Championship AND the 500cc World Championship in the SAME year remains the Mt Everest of motorsport I think. The only equivalent would be for Schumacher to win the F1 title and the Inday Car title in the same year.

10

Without a doubt, my vote would go to Lance Armstrong. He’s won one of the most grueling even 4 times in a row. He represents how a true sportsman should act.

11

\I’m inclined towards Ian THorpe.

In a sport where 100ths of a second make a difference he wins by miles.

He smashed the US swimming team “like guitars”

And he’s a spurs fan.

12

Third vote for Ian Thorpe. He dominates swimming more that even Tiger Woods does golf, IMHO.

Lennox Lewis is also at the peak of his game at the moment.
Just had to mention him as no one else has to date.

13

Lance Armstrong. Maybe the Williams sisters in Tennis.

Shumaker is a product of the team and the vastly superior cars he gets. Not sure he is even currently the best driver in the World. Better then Senna or Prost? Better then Jim Clark, or Jackie Stewart? Doubtful. F1 doesn’t even seem as competitive or interesting as it did in the 80’s. Too expensive, too few teams-- one long boring parade now. Shame, F1 used to be so cool.

14

Well, I’d LOVE to play Ugly American… but for a change, I’ll be nice, and try to answer the OP on his own terms.

IF our only criterion is which athlete dominates his/her sport most totally, I’d say Annika Sorenstam belongs at the top of the list, seeing as how she dominates women’s golf to an extent that no other champion dominates any other sport.