: Sports Talk Discussion : My four.

ShakingtheSheets 189 Reviews 1582 reads

posted 13 years ago

1 / 8

was having a discussion with several friends and we were trying to determine the four athletes who would make up the Mt. Rushmore of sports. Of course, they would have to transcend being a mere great athlete. It wouldn't be enough to just be a top tier Hall of Famer; they'd have to be iconic, someone whose name crosses into main-stream society (For example, there are several women in my office who had never heard of Jerry Rice prior to his performance on Dancing with the Stars (not sure how that's possible, but I digress). So its prob. not enough to be just one of the best ever in your sport for inclusion on the Mt.!)

I thought two athletes were no brainers: Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali, but the other two were tough. My third choice was Wayne Gretzky, figuring if the league retired #99, he was more than a mere Hall of Fame Great. I mulled the 4th selection for awhile. Jim Thorpe is prob. not a household name now-a-days to many. Arnold Palmer revolutionized the way we watch Golf on TV, but Nickalaus was so much better that it would be hard to put Arnie on the list ahead of him. Michael Jordan took basketball to great heights, but is he anymore deserving than say Wilt or Russell? If Tiger Wood's path to greatness had not been derailed 4 years ago, I think he would have been an easy selection. So I decided my 4th person to be Jackie Robinson...again a Hall of Famer who played a major role in re-defining baseball.

So my Mt Rushmore of Sports: Ruth, Ali, Gretzky and Robinson... Let the debate begin

OSP 26 Reviews 328 reads

posted 13 years ago

2 / 8

I see a bit of a contradiction here

You insist that the choices be iconic but also transcend? How many women know the name Gretzky? Ali...yes. Ruth....yes. Ever consider Montana? Pele?

Joe Montana. Babe Ruth. Muhammed Ali. Michael Jordan.

Regardless of the bad cred what about OJ Simpson? Tiger Woods. Those names are on the minds of most.

ShakingtheSheets 189 Reviews 323 reads

posted 13 years ago

3 / 8

I never said it was easy...

Pele is a good call (soccer is not always at the forefront of this country's mind!) Montana is an all time great, but there is no distinction in anyway between him and the other immortal QBs (i.e. Unitas, Peyton, Brady, Otto Graham, Elway, etc.) I felt Jordan was in the same position as Montana. OJ can't be considered for obvious reasons. I did feel Tiger was on his way to the Mt., but his career has been derailed.

And for what its worth, the women in my office who had never heard of Jerry Rice (or Emmitt Smith for that matter) before their Dancing with the Stars appearance, had all heard of Wayne Gretzky

ramc75 14 Reviews 365 reads

posted 13 years ago

4 / 8

My four.

Ali, without a doubt.
Jackie Robinson, without a doubt.
Jordan, not just his basketball but the way he changed the athlete endorsement game. Air Jordans in the late 80's and early 90's changed everything about player endorsement and product placement.
Jesse Owens, should be without a doubt but probably the most obscure of the bunch. Walked into Hitlers Germany and stole the show.
The one thing these athletes all have in common is they changed the American landscape forever.

pleaseme 23 Reviews 321 reads

posted 13 years ago

5 / 8

Mt Rush

Barry Bonds

Posted By: ShakingtheSheets

I was having a discussion with several friends and we were trying to determine the four athletes who would make up the Mt. Rushmore of sports. Of course, they would have to transcend being a mere great athlete. It wouldn't be enough to just be a top tier Hall of Famer; they'd have to be iconic, someone whose name crosses into main-stream society (For example, there are several women in my office who had never heard of Jerry Rice prior to his performance on Dancing with the Stars (not sure how that's possible, but I digress). So its prob. not enough to be just one of the best ever in your sport for inclusion on the Mt.!)

I thought two athletes were no brainers: Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali, but the other two were tough. My third choice was Wayne Gretzky, figuring if the league retired #99, he was more than a mere Hall of Fame Great. I mulled the 4th selection for awhile. Jim Thorpe is prob. not a household name now-a-days to many. Arnold Palmer revolutionized the way we watch Golf on TV, but Nickalaus was so much better that it would be hard to put Arnie on the list ahead of him. Michael Jordan took basketball to great heights, but is he anymore deserving than say Wilt or Russell? If Tiger Wood's path to greatness had not been derailed 4 years ago, I think he would have been an easy selection. So I decided my 4th person to be Jackie Robinson...again a Hall of Famer who played a major role in re-defining baseball.

So my Mt Rushmore of Sports: Ruth, Ali, Gretzky and Robinson... Let the debate begin!

DobieGillis 299 reads

posted 13 years ago

6 / 8

Re:The Mount Rushmore of Sports

Joe Louis, Babe Ruth, Secretariat, Wayne Gretzky

kweezy619 4 Reviews 377 reads

posted 13 years ago

7 / 8

clearly only 4 people even qualify for discussion here

marcus vick, brian scalabrine, billy ripken and freddy adu.

kidding.

id go Michael Jordan, ali, tom brady, and LeBron james.

the first 2 should be unanimous. wouldn't even listen to anyone that said otherwise. the other 2, I think combine everything needed to be included better than anyone else. they have changed ( or helped change) the games they play, they have had historic games, seasons and careers, they have won at the highest level multiple times, they have the individual awards, they are names everyone knows, and most importantly, for all they have already done, they aren't finished yet.

also, no golfer, bowler, tennis player, race car driver, swimmer, poker player, skater or any other bs belongs on any sports royalty list.

earthshined 291 reads

posted 13 years ago

8 / 8

I think of what type of

Presidents are on there and compare to athletes.

the fiery Roosevelt would be Babe Ruth, GW was the first and so was Jackie Robinson, the eloquence of Lincoln is like M. Ali's gift of oratory.

My last one is Magic Johhnson because he was a transformative player (a 6'8" point guard? played center?) but the only link to Jefferson is that they both liked black women.LMAO!

Posted By: ShakingtheSheets

I was having a discussion with several friends and we were trying to determine the four athletes who would make up the Mt. Rushmore of sports. Of course, they would have to transcend being a mere great athlete. It wouldn't be enough to just be a top tier Hall of Famer; they'd have to be iconic, someone whose name crosses into main-stream society (For example, there are several women in my office who had never heard of Jerry Rice prior to his performance on Dancing with the Stars (not sure how that's possible, but I digress). So its prob. not enough to be just one of the best ever in your sport for inclusion on the Mt.!)

I thought two athletes were no brainers: Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali, but the other two were tough. My third choice was Wayne Gretzky, figuring if the league retired #99, he was more than a mere Hall of Fame Great. I mulled the 4th selection for awhile. Jim Thorpe is prob. not a household name now-a-days to many. Arnold Palmer revolutionized the way we watch Golf on TV, but Nickalaus was so much better that it would be hard to put Arnie on the list ahead of him. Michael Jordan took basketball to great heights, but is he anymore deserving than say Wilt or Russell? If Tiger Wood's path to greatness had not been derailed 4 years ago, I think he would have been an easy selection. So I decided my 4th person to be Jackie Robinson...again a Hall of Famer who played a major role in re-defining baseball.

So my Mt Rushmore of Sports: Ruth, Ali, Gretzky and Robinson... Let the debate begin!