10 Athletes to compete in All Time Olympics (1 Viewer)

[Eephus]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

He hit a Jordanesque .220/.264/.269

 

[Ilov80s]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

He hit a Jordanesque .220/.264/.269

Not bad for a kid. He was a 20 year old prospect playing in the majors.

 

[Eephus]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

He hit a Jordanesque .220/.264/.269

Not bad for a kid. He was a 20 year old prospect playing in the majors.

Jim Thorpe never got three first rounders for KG and Pierce.

 

[Ilov80s]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

He hit a Jordanesque .220/.264/.269

Not bad for a kid. He was a 20 year old prospect playing in the majors.

Jim Thorpe never got three first rounders for KG and Pierce.

Thorpe is the biggest no brainer on the list. I'm just throwing out a guy that most might overlook.

 

[Ilov80s]

Also, Rafer Johnson. Amazing athlete that could probably play any sport he wanted.

 

[Zegras11]

Joey Chestnut

 

[dgreen]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

Dave Winfield was drafted by the MLB, NBA, ABA, and NFL. He'd be a good one for this.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Bruce Jenner -

Jeff Samardzija -

Herschel Walker

Dave Winfield

Danny Ainge

Jim thorpe

Mike Phelps

I only do lists of 7 now

 

[Doug B]

Also, Rafer Johnson. Amazing athlete that could probably play any sport he wanted.

Excellent call. Rafer Johnson played Div I basketball on John Wooden's early UCLA teams. Also was drafted late by the Los Angeles Rams (as a RB) in 1959, though I don't think he played football after high school.

From Johnson's Wikipedia page -- did you know about this?

[Rafer Johnson] was a real life hero, along with [L.A. Rams' DT] Rosey Grier, tackling Sirhan Sirhan moments after he had mortally wounded Robert F. Kennedy.

Further reading.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

Dave Winfield was drafted by the MLB, NBA, ABA, and NFL. He'd be a good one for this.

He was on my list.

 

[Koya]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

Dave Winfield was drafted by the MLB, NBA, ABA, and NFL. He'd be a good one for this.

He was on my list.

Good pick.

 

[Cyclones]

Does each guy compete in every sport, or just their specialty?

If it's the former, nobody pre 1980ish should be included on this list, unless there is some sort of era adjustment.

 

[Freelove]

Does each guy compete in every sport, or just their specialty?

If it's the former, nobody pre 1980ish should be included on this list, unless there is some sort of era adjustment.

Right, because how could guys like Jim Brown and Wilt Chamberlain ever hope to compete with the way more physically imposing and multi-faceted humans of Todayworld?

 

[dgreen]

An interesting TED Talk about the advancement of athletic accomplishments.

 

[Frostillicus]

Also, Rafer Johnson. Amazing athlete that could probably play any sport he wanted.

I prefer Skip-to-My-Lou

 

[D in the D]

In no particular order

Bruce Lee

Lebron James

Bo Jackson

Jessie Owens

Jim Brown

Michael Jordan

Jim Thorpe

Rex Grossman

Pele

Carl Lewis

This would be like the Superstars they used to stage on ABC. Grossman would only be in the overall running due to a first place in swimming competition.

 

[Fennis]

Archimedes for the Math Olympics.

And probably some 12th grader with a calculator.

 

[Fennis]

Danny Ainge. Only person ever to be a first time HS All American in baseball,basketball and football. Wooden award winner as best college basketball player while concurrently playing 3 years with Blue Jays.

He hit a Jordanesque .220/.264/.269

Jordan wishes

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

How about Renaldo Nehemiah? World-record hurdler, world-class sprinter, won a Super Bowl ring as a WR, dominated the Superstars competition in the early 1980s.

Agree with Herschel Walker suggestion: fast enough to be a factor on the track, strong and agile enough to participate in collision and combat sports.

If adjusting for era, gotta have Jim Thorpe. Jackie Robinson may warrant consideration, too: he was a four-sport letterman at UCLA.

Wilt Chamberlain was an all-conference runner and jumper in college, and was also an accomplished volleyball player.

Maybe Bob Gibson? Was a basketball star at Creighton and spent a year as a Harlem Globetrotter before starting his professional baseball career.

Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were assets in MLB and NFL, both had world-class speed. Also liked Dave Winfield suggestion.

 

[D in the D]

How about Renaldo Nehemiah? World-record hurdler, world-class sprinter, won a Super Bowl ring as a WR, dominated the Superstars competition in the early 1980s.

Agree with Herschel Walker suggestion: fast enough to be a factor on the track, strong and agile enough to participate in collision and combat sports.

If adjusting for era, gotta have Jim Thorpe. Jackie Robinson may warrant consideration, too: he was a four-sport letterman at UCLA.

Wilt Chamberlain was an all-conference runner and jumper in college, and was also an accomplished volleyball player.

Maybe Bob Gibson? Was a basketball star at Creighton and spent a year as a Harlem Globetrotter before starting his professional baseball career.

Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were assets in MLB and NFL, both had world-class speed. Also liked Dave Winfield suggestion.

I wonder if the bolded was due to athletic ability or the fact that Wilt was over 7 feet tall. In his defense though, the Big Dipper likely played with legs weakened by having relations with any number of over 20k women.

 

[gump]

Al Oerter

 

[Koya]

How about Renaldo Nehemiah? World-record hurdler, world-class sprinter, won a Super Bowl ring as a WR, dominated the Superstars competition in the early 1980s.

Agree with Herschel Walker suggestion: fast enough to be a factor on the track, strong and agile enough to participate in collision and combat sports.

If adjusting for era, gotta have Jim Thorpe. Jackie Robinson may warrant consideration, too: he was a four-sport letterman at UCLA.

Wilt Chamberlain was an all-conference runner and jumper in college, and was also an accomplished volleyball player.

Maybe Bob Gibson? Was a basketball star at Creighton and spent a year as a Harlem Globetrotter before starting his professional baseball career.

Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were assets in MLB and NFL, both had world-class speed. Also liked Dave Winfield suggestion.

I wonder if the bolded was due to athletic ability or the fact that Wilt was over 7 feet tall. In his defense though, the Big Dipper likely played with legs weakened by having relations with any number of over 20k women.

Wilt was one of the greatest athletes of all time. What he did at 7'2", long before modern techniques, was just awesome.

 

[D in the D]

How about Renaldo Nehemiah? World-record hurdler, world-class sprinter, won a Super Bowl ring as a WR, dominated the Superstars competition in the early 1980s.

Agree with Herschel Walker suggestion: fast enough to be a factor on the track, strong and agile enough to participate in collision and combat sports.

If adjusting for era, gotta have Jim Thorpe. Jackie Robinson may warrant consideration, too: he was a four-sport letterman at UCLA.

Wilt Chamberlain was an all-conference runner and jumper in college, and was also an accomplished volleyball player.

Maybe Bob Gibson? Was a basketball star at Creighton and spent a year as a Harlem Globetrotter before starting his professional baseball career.

Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were assets in MLB and NFL, both had world-class speed. Also liked Dave Winfield suggestion.

I wonder if the bolded was due to athletic ability or the fact that Wilt was over 7 feet tall. In his defense though, the Big Dipper likely played with legs weakened by having relations with any number of over 20k women.

Wilt was one of the greatest athletes of all time. What he did at 7'2", long before modern techniques, was just awesome.

Honestly, I wasn't knocking the selection. Was Wilt truly a great volleyball player or was he a good athlete that played high level volleyball because he was 7 feet tall.

 

[Koya]

How about Renaldo Nehemiah? World-record hurdler, world-class sprinter, won a Super Bowl ring as a WR, dominated the Superstars competition in the early 1980s.

Agree with Herschel Walker suggestion: fast enough to be a factor on the track, strong and agile enough to participate in collision and combat sports.

If adjusting for era, gotta have Jim Thorpe. Jackie Robinson may warrant consideration, too: he was a four-sport letterman at UCLA.

Wilt Chamberlain was an all-conference runner and jumper in college, and was also an accomplished volleyball player.

Maybe Bob Gibson? Was a basketball star at Creighton and spent a year as a Harlem Globetrotter before starting his professional baseball career.

Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were assets in MLB and NFL, both had world-class speed. Also liked Dave Winfield suggestion.

I wonder if the bolded was due to athletic ability or the fact that Wilt was over 7 feet tall. In his defense though, the Big Dipper likely played with legs weakened by having relations with any number of over 20k women.

Wilt was one of the greatest athletes of all time. What he did at 7'2", long before modern techniques, was just awesome.

Honestly, I wasn't knocking the selection. Was Wilt truly a great volleyball player or was he a good athlete that played high level volleyball because he was 7 feet tall.

He was a high jumper as well, a sprinter with surprising speed for his sign. Really an all around stud (pun intended)

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Bill Russell was also a track & field guy in college. He ran the 440 in under 50 seconds. He qualified for the 1956 Olympic Trials in the high jump and had a decent shot at making the team had he not already made the Olympic basketball team. He cleared 6'9.25" during the '56 track season, just a couple inches off the world record at the time.

 

[sports_fan]

Does each guy compete in every sport, or just their specialty?

If it's the former, nobody pre 1980ish should be included on this list, unless there is some sort of era adjustment.

I thought we could assume we're getting everyone at their prime with modern training. Otherwise I'm taking the dead guys off my list.

 

[Ilov80s]

Bill Russell was also a track & field guy in college. He ran the 440 in under 50 seconds. He qualified for the 1956 Olympic Trials in the high jump and had a decent shot at making the team had he not already made the Olympic basketball team. He cleared 6'9.25" during the '56 track season, just a couple inches off the world record at the time.

6-9.25 would have tied him for the 1975 Michigan High School Class C State Championship. Man, athletes have come a long way.

 

[Guest]

Bill Russell was also a track & field guy in college. He ran the 440 in under 50 seconds. He qualified for the 1956 Olympic Trials in the high jump and had a decent shot at making the team had he not already made the Olympic basketball team. He cleared 6'9.25" during the '56 track season, just a couple inches off the world record at the time.

6-9.25 would have tied him for the 1975 Michigan High School Class C State Championship. Man, athletes have come a long way.

Pre Fosbury Flop.

 

[Ilov80s]

Bill Russell was also a track & field guy in college. He ran the 440 in under 50 seconds. He qualified for the 1956 Olympic Trials in the high jump and had a decent shot at making the team had he not already made the Olympic basketball team. He cleared 6'9.25" during the '56 track season, just a couple inches off the world record at the time.

6-9.25 would have tied him for the 1975 Michigan High School Class C State Championship. Man, athletes have come a long way.

Pre Fosbury Flop.

It's a game changer.

 

[grateful zed]

Greg Louganis

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

He was a high jumper as well, a sprinter with surprising speed for his sign. Really an all around stud (pun intended)

He ran the 100 in 10.9. Not bad for a seven-footer.

Wilt won the conference title in the high jump. IIRC, he cleared 6'5" to win it.

Wilt claims to have heaved the shot put 56 feet at a time when the world record was around 62. There isn't a verified record of him hitting that distance in competition, but fellow KU thrower Al Oerter said Wilt hit distances close to that in practice.

Wilt's best T&F event was probably the triple jump. He was over 50 feet in that event, and that was with a phobia about stepping on the foul line, so he spotted his competitors a foot or two in fear of a DQed jump.

Wilt's volleyball accolades are more as an ambassador of the sport than a competitor - he helped start a pro volleyball league after he retired from hoops, and played in games to get the sport televised - but he was in his 40s at the time.

 

[Koya]

Does each guy compete in every sport, or just their specialty?

If it's the former, nobody pre 1980ish should be included on this list, unless there is some sort of era adjustment.

I thought we could assume we're getting everyone at their prime with modern training. Otherwise I'm taking the dead guys off my list.

I am assing a level playing field for all athletes. Same training, nutrition, technology and techniques/knowledge

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Bill Russell was also a track & field guy in college. He ran the 440 in under 50 seconds. He qualified for the 1956 Olympic Trials in the high jump and had a decent shot at making the team had he not already made the Olympic basketball team. He cleared 6'9.25" during the '56 track season, just a couple inches off the world record at the time.

6-9.25 would have tied him for the 1975 Michigan High School Class C State Championship. Man, athletes have come a long way.

I'm guessing there was also a psychological barrier about high jumping 7 feet similar to the one about running a 4-minute mile. After Dumas cleared 7 feet at the '56 Olympic Trials, the high jump world record soared.

 

[MattFancy]

Jim Brown

Jesse Owens

Bo Jackson

Deion Sanders

Michael Jordan

LeBron James

Calvin Johnson

Mike Trout

Wayne Gretzky

Robert Griffin III

 

[Bogart]

Going for versatility and guys I would just want to see on my team:

Jim Thorpe - No brainer complete athlete

Bo Jackson - leads my football and baseball teams while contributing in T&F

Deion Sanders - football/baseball/speed

Messi - can win the soccer tourney by himself, but I'm getting him help

Herschel Walker - football/T&F/pushups and situps

Dirk Nowitzki - played handball and tennis before trying his hand at basketball

Steve Nash - partners up with Dirk on the court, Messi on the pitch

Brock Lesnar - collegiate wrestling champ, MMA champ, football dabbler

Mario Lemieux - hockey stud plus great golfer, also big size would help on football field

Chris Drury - Stanley Cup winner and Little League World Series winner. Teams with Lemieux so that they skate circles around the other one hockey player squads but pitches for my baseball team

 

[GregR]

Hockey would be an interesting part in this. Skating ability is so key to the game that probably most of the athletes on most teams would be almost completely ineffective. A lone NHL caliber player would be dominant against a team that doesn't have someone equal to him, in a way that most other team sports wouldn't be. Basketball draws a parallel maybe, but you'd find a lot more capable basketball players in such a list than you will hockey players.

 

[Freelove]

Hockey would be an interesting part in this. Skating ability is so key to the game that probably most of the athletes on most teams would be almost completely ineffective. A lone NHL caliber player would be dominant against a team that doesn't have someone equal to him, in a way that most other team sports wouldn't be. Basketball draws a parallel maybe, but you'd find a lot more capable basketball players in such a list than you will hockey players.

Get good athletes, punt it, and dominate the hockey guys at everything else under the sun.

 

[Freelove]

* - Not that hockey guys aren't fine athletes. But they get crushed like bugs at 99 random athletic events out of 100 by elite run/jump/throw/catch athletes, and I don't think the specialized nature makes them any more valuable than golf guys, or swimming guys, or gymnasts or whatever.

 

[grateful zed]

jordan

lance

tiger

bode

brown

cc

ali

pele

gretz

boz

 

[Eephus]

jordan

lance

tiger

bode

brown

cc

ali

pele

gretz

boz

Sabathia?

 

[GregR]

* - Not that hockey guys aren't fine athletes. But they get crushed like bugs at 99 random athletic events out of 100 by elite run/jump/throw/catch athletes, and I don't think the specialized nature makes them any more valuable than golf guys, or swimming guys, or gymnasts or whatever.

Sure it does. Compare a hockey player in the team hockey event vs Tiger Woods in the team golf event. The hockey player is going to be moving at will through the opposing team, who will be sliding around at 1/4 speed compared to him. Even if you had a JJ Watt who grew up playing hockey, him trying to cover a true NHL player would probably be like putting a D-lineman on a WR in terms of difference in speed and ability. If you have 1 great hockey player and I have no hockey players, you beat me 100 times out of 100.

Put Tiger in a 10 man golf event and he's a big advantage, but he won't single-handedly trump the 9 other guys contributing scores. Michael Phelps may come in first every event, but the 9 other athletes swimming contribute to the final result too.

I'm saying you pretty much need to include one hockey player or you are giving up the event to anyone who has one. And the player you replace him with is not going to be able to provide (or cancel out the other team's) dominance in any other single event. Of course which player you choose depends as much or more on his ability at other sports as it does his hockey ability. It isn't like there aren't hockey players who could have gone pro at other sports.

 

[dgreen]

If you have 1 great hockey player and I have no hockey players, you beat me 100 times out of 100.

Probably don't even need a great hockey player. If you put 6 guys on the ice who have never played any ice hockey, I could put an NHL 4th liner out there with 5 other random dudes and crush you every time.

 

[Guest]

Greg Russel > I see what your saying about hockey being a team event, but I don't know events like golf, swimming, and T&F would also be team events.

 

[GregR]

If you have 1 great hockey player and I have no hockey players, you beat me 100 times out of 100.

Probably don't even need a great hockey player. If you put 6 guys on the ice who have never played any ice hockey, I could put an NHL 4th liner out there with 5 other random dudes and crush you every time.

Right, you don't need Gretzky specifically, and I don't know whether Gretzky is good enough at other sports he should be in consideration.

Though if it came down to your team with an NHL player against someone else's team with an NHL player, quality will matter there. But I'd still base most of my decision on which hockey player, based on his ability in other sports.

 

[GregR]

Greg Russel > I see what your saying about hockey being a team sport, but I didn't know events like golf and swimming would also be team events.

I guess that part needs some clarifying. The comment about "all players are needed in each game" I took to mean all events including individual events.

So I'm assuming golf has some sort of format akin to a Ryder Cup... that track and field or swimming, more than just your best participant is contributing to your team's final score.

 

[dgreen]

Greg Russel > I see what your saying about hockey being a team sport, but I didn't know events like golf and swimming would also be team events.

I guess that part needs some clarifying. The comment about "all players are needed in each game" I took to mean all events including individual events.

So I'm assuming golf has some sort of format akin to a Ryder Cup... that track and field or swimming, more than just your best participant is contributing to your team's final score.

I view it as all 10 guys are part of your "Country" and will participate in every event. I assume some sports would still be individual events. So you could take Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe, and Mark Spitz and win the Gold, Silver, and Bronze for your "Country" (assuming no other "Country" has someone who can beat them). So I see this more as an exercise of trying to maximize medals with some point system (Gold = 3 pts, Silver = 2, Bronze = 1) and it includes both team and individual events.

 

[GregR]

Greg Russel > I see what your saying about hockey being a team sport, but I didn't know events like golf and swimming would also be team events.

I guess that part needs some clarifying. The comment about "all players are needed in each game" I took to mean all events including individual events.

So I'm assuming golf has some sort of format akin to a Ryder Cup... that track and field or swimming, more than just your best participant is contributing to your team's final score.

I view it as all 10 guys are part of your "Country" and will participate in every event. I assume some sports would still be individual events. So you could take Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe, and Mark Spitz and win the Gold, Silver, and Bronze for your "Country" (assuming no other "Country" has someone who can beat them). So I see this more as an exercise of trying to maximize medals with some point system (Gold = 3 pts, Silver = 2, Bronze = 1) and it includes both team and individual events.

That would definitely change strategy. Koya's thread, let's see what he says.

By the way, how does team swimming work? I know a bit about team track, cross country and such, but are swim meets basically just individual events other than relays? Or are there overall team winners like gymnastics has or track and field have?

 

[NewlyRetired]

To think out of the box for a second, I would replace Pele with Kyle Rote Jr who was a fantastic athlete.

He would be good enough in soccer to cover the team in that area but his all around athletic ability would significantly add to the team.

Kyle won the Superstars in 3 out of 4 years.

To give you an idea of the level athlete that is, these are the other multiple time winners

Herschel Walker

Willie Gault

Renaldo Nehemiah

Dave Johnson

Jason Sehorn

 

[Eephus]

To think out of the box for a second, I would replace Pele with Kyle Rote Jr who was a fantastic athlete.

He would be good enough in soccer to cover the team in that area but his all around athletic ability would significantly add to the team.

Kyle won the Superstars in 3 out of 4 years.

To give you an idea of the level athlete that is, these are the other multiple time winners

Herschel Walker

Willie Gault

Renaldo Nehemiah

Dave Johnson

Jason Sehorn

Gabe Kaplan

Robert Conrad

Kristy McNichol

Larry Wilcox

Valerie Bertinelli

William Devane

Cheryl Ladd

Adrienne Barbeau

McLean Stevenson

Mike Farrell

 

[NewlyRetired]

To think out of the box for a second, I would replace Pele with Kyle Rote Jr who was a fantastic athlete.He would be good enough in soccer to cover the team in that area but his all around athletic ability would significantly add to the team.Kyle won the Superstars in 3 out of 4 years.To give you an idea of the level athlete that is, these are the other multiple time winnersHerschel WalkerWillie GaultRenaldo NehemiahDave JohnsonJason Sehorn

Gabe KaplanRobert ConradKristy McNicholLarry WilcoxValerie BertinelliWilliam DevaneCheryl LaddAdrienne BarbeauMcLean StevensonMike Farrell

Battle of the Network Stars was awesome!