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so, what does everyone think of the list?

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-GREATEST08.html

any blatant errors? anyone you think should DEFINITELY have been included but wasn't?

personally i would've had Michael Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Steve Redgrave on the list...perhaps Haile Gebreselassie and Colin Jackson as well

Originally posted by jaden101
personally i would've had Michael Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Steve Redgrave on the list...perhaps Haile Gebreselassie and Colin Jackson as well

One look at the list and it's pretty obvious they were dealing only with current athletes.

So your athletes are valid, just not in this context.

true enough...although it's arguable that some of the ones listed are already being bettered now....federer by nadal...ronaldinho by the likes of messi and others

i think it's also obvious that it's highly Americanised...but then that's only to be expected given it's an American publication

if they did only take into consideration the stats of modern athletes out of the 70+ that were tested then i think it would be highly interesting if they did it with athletes of the past as well

although given that records are constantly being broken then i guess the cold hard facts would dictate that in any sport...modern athletes are bigger, faster and more superior in almost every way than their predecessors

Originally posted by jaden101
true enough...although it's arguable that some of the ones listed are already being bettered now....federer by nadal...ronaldinho by the likes of messi and others


Nadal is still only better on clay. Federer is still King on everything else. Plus this isnt just about pure skill or talent. Most would say kobe is a better pure basketball player than Lebron. But on the same point they would (or should) agree Lebron is likely the better *athlete*.

Originally posted by forumcrew
Nadal is still only better on clay. Federer is still King on everything else. Plus this isnt just about pure skill or talent. Most would say kobe is a better pure basketball player than Lebron. But on the same point they would (or should) agree Lebron is likely the better *athlete*.

Which again is why mixing success and athleticism makes no sense. Kobe's clearly on one list, Lebron's clearly on the other, but trying to mix them up is entirely too subjective.

Though to their credit, they have Lebron on the list, which is presumably 5/6 athleticism and only 1/6 success, so they're at least consistent with their criteria.

Originally posted by forumcrew
Nadal is still only better on clay. Federer is still King on everything else. Plus this isnt just about pure skill or talent. Most would say kobe is a better pure basketball player than Lebron. But on the same point they would (or should) agree Lebron is likely the better *athlete*.

while everyone said last year that federer would never beat nadal on clay and nadal would never beat federer on grass...this year i think nadal will edge it...he's faster and more powerful than he has ever been...he has 4 years on federer...and he destroyed federer at the french open 6-1, 6-3, 6-0....if ever he's stands a chance of ripping the grass court king title from federer...this year would be it...he looked awesome against murray...some of the shots he played were just unbelievable

but granted...the two of them are leagues above everyone else...with maybe the exception of djokovic who is not that far behind

The list is a bit of a joke, isn't it? The simple fact that Ronaldinho is on it despite being fat, injured and adverse to training for the last few years proves how out of touch it is. Someone like Michael Essien is a far superior athelete, but obviously he's not the marquee name they were looking for.

i remember them saying the exact same thing about ronaldo before he silenced his critics at the world cup by becoming the highest scorer in world cup history

Originally posted by Ya Krunk'd Floo
The list is a bit of a joke, isn't it? The simple fact that Ronaldinho is on it despite being fat, injured and adverse to training for the last few years proves how out of touch it is. Someone like Michael Essien is a far superior athelete, but obviously he's not the marquee name they were looking for.

It's an American list. Soccer fans should be thrilled they even remembered to put a soccer player on it.



That said, I'll partially agree with you, but we do have to consider the source. Whining from soccer fans shouldn't be allowed when it comes to American opinions, because the entire country (including the "experts) are blind as bats concerning the sport, save for the biggest 2-3 names. American sports fans have heard of Beckham, Christiano, Ronaldinho, and Henri from those razor commercials with Tiger and Roger. No one else has ever been heard of.

Originally posted by jaden101
while everyone said last year that federer would never beat nadal on clay and nadal would never beat federer on grass...this year i think nadal will edge it...he's faster and more powerful than he has ever been...he has 4 years on federer...and he destroyed federer at the french open 6-1, 6-3, 6-0....if ever he's stands a chance of ripping the grass court king title from federer...this year would be it...he looked awesome against murray...some of the shots he played were just unbelievable

but granted...the two of them are leagues above everyone else...with maybe the exception of djokovic who is not that far behind
Bit of a Greg Rusedski fan are we?

what?....Canadian?

he was better than Henman though...

Originally posted by jaden101
what?....Canadian?

he was better than Henman though...
Meh nevermind, your post was almost identical to something Rusedski said on BBC...

This list should not be taken seriously at all. Having a baseball player and the shell of a player that used to be ronaldinho on the list proves it.

Originally posted by Slay
Meh nevermind, your post was almost identical to something Rusedski said on BBC...

that'd be cause it's true then...although i did say "everyone said"...so it wasn't just him...may have been him as well

dont think he's been doing the BBC stuff this year has he?

Bah, federer still takin wimbledon this year. His complete meltdown at the french open has been put behind him. The french open was really a shame too as roger had come pretty close to takin nadal in two previous masters series on clay.

well that final was just spectacular...Federer's dominance comes to an end...

I definently agree wit hJerimy Wariner and Liu Xang though, theyre both amazing