jockeyb4u said:

I meant some of the comments are really off.

jockeyb4u said:

Depends. Did the point guard ever play organized football? And where did I ever say a cyclist was a lesser athlete? Re-read my original comment before you continue to get this all wrong.

NDRU said:

Dude, this isn't - nor has it ever been - about cyclists vs cyclists, so I have no idea why you keep going there.

MuthaFunka said:

Makes you wonder why runners just don't enter the Tour De France and dominate.

jockeyb4u said:

Depends. Did any of the runners ever compete in long distance cycling events? To think athletes can't cross over to other sports is pretty shortsighted .

MuthaFunka said:

Well, when I start seeing marathon winners crossing over and competing in more prestigious events like the Tour De France. That's when I'll stop be shortsighted.

Btw. How would you rate Armstrong as an athlete?
[Edited 7/8/09 12:08pm]

jockeyb4u said:

There are some that do just that - Triathletes.

If Armstrong is clean, he's one of the greatest athletes of all time.

MuthaFunka said:

But I don't see why you think he'd run a 100M dash on a bike.

The reason I'm talking cyclist vs. cyclists is because one way to look at all time great athletes is their dominance within their respective sports

Another way to look at it is to say who would win an all around competition. But that's pure speculation.

I don't think Lance would win an all around competition (or come close, even), but I think his dominance is up there with the all time greats.

MuthaFunka said:

I don't understand any of that!



But, my point was, to win any major running/cycling/swimming/etc event, you need to give it 100% exertion. The only difference is event length, but it's still 100%.

NDRU said:

Ok, so we were debating 2 completely different things:

1 - (Your debate) Within his sport, I agree - if he's clean, he's the GOAT.

2 - (My debate) In comparing ALL athletes, those that use vehicles have to be placed/considered differently from those that do not.

mcmeekle said:

Right, and my point is, ALL athletes don't give 100% within the same event. Or another way to look at it would be - Lance's 100% is better than LeMond's 100%.

MuthaFunka said:

But aren't they both cyclists?

I'm going for a lie down, this is 110% exertion!

mcmeekle said:

That's why I used 2 cyclists .

MuthaFunka said:

yes, but also my version of the dabate is not just limited to the one sport, but a comparison of achievements between sports.

Are Jordan's 6 titles greater domination than Lances Tour de france wins or Federer's 7 Wimbledons/4 years at #1?

But yeah it's two distinctly different ways of comparing athletes.

MuthaFunka said:

What if they were to run a marathon?

NDRU said:

But that's why it's important to take all things possible into proper consideration and place in proper perspective when signifying the GAOAT. Team sports vs individual sports = hard to compare. Sports where vehicles are used vs sports that use no vehicles = hard to compare.

MuthaFunka said:

definitely, from that perspective I totally agree with you. It's very hard to compare such different sports.
[Edited 7/8/09 12:35pm]

NDRU said:

A champion that competes ONCE a year vs a champion that competes 100 plus times a year? U tell me.

Graycap23 said:

Yes but is it fair to compare a team player to an individual athlete?
[Edited 7/8/09 13:16pm]

You can't compare apples and oranges. This is why these types of debates go on and on. I think it's a male thing, a need for stats, to list and order and organise.

Nothing wrong with trying though.

mcmeekle said:

Ya, FUCK MEN! THOSE FUCKERS!

JustErin said:

Wash your mouth out young lady!

:soap:

endymion said:

No it is not.

endymion said:

Or 1hr a week as opposed to 8hrs a day for 3 weeks solid

mcmeekle said:

Then they become biathletes - not to ever be confused with bisexualetes.

endymion said:

Nope.

mcmeekle said:

Pretty much. It's why sports analysts even exist for this sole purpose.

JustErin said:

In my opinion, the greatest athlete of all time was Carl Lewis. To be THAT damn dominant over the course of 12 years in a sport that is ONLY about speed and is muddied in PEDs, is pretty fuckin' impressive. Then tack on the Long Jump in which he also competed in at the same high level for nearly as long - just amazing.

I can't consider an athlete as being GAOAT that played in a team sport, since his success hinged on the help of teammates.

Michael Phelps. Anyone who can swim high off his ass faster than fish can't be touched.