Fast Running Blog

I just read an article on FoxSports that ranked out the top ten athletes in the world.  Surprising to some, but not to any of us I am sure, 3 track athletes ranked in the top ten.  No other sport had more than 1 representative.  A fluke?  I don't think so.  Who do you think are some of the world's greatest athletes?  http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/8269306?MSNHPHCP&GT1=39002 (http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/8269306?MSNHPHCP&GT1=39002)

if we are talking about all time, billy mills and dave wottle. Both of them pulled off the most amazing kicks in their events to win the gold at the olympics.

It seems like they have appeased the masses with one athlete from each of the "major" sports.  I believe there are great athletes in every sport.  But there are also some very unathletic people in most sports.  For every A-Rod in baseball, there is a Prince Fielder or Bartolo Colon.  For every LT in football, there is an interior lineman. 

I have a friend who was a Jazz ball boy for a number of years and before each game against the Kings, he had to get Vlade Divac 3 hot dogs.  He would eat the hot dogs and then go out the side door and smoke a pack of cigarettes (I am absolutely serious, this is not a joke).  Charles Barkley also required him to have Diet Coke on the bench because he drank Diet Coke during timeouts rather than water or Powerade.   

What I'm getting at is that I think that overall the best athletes have to be in a sport where unathletic people can't exist.  Does that make sense?  For instance, have you ever seen an unathletic guy playing water polo in the Olympics?  Those guys are freaks with the strength, reflexes, and endurance needed for a match and, often, overtimes. 

If we are looking at U.S. mainstream sports, I would have to take any of the top wide receivers in the NFL.  Give me Randy Moss, TO, or even a do-it-all guy like Devin Hester.  Most of them excelled at multiple sports in high school, have speed, power, strength.  I think that you could have steered them towards multiple sports at the age of 18 and they would have become world-class in whatever they chose. 

If we are looking at the best ever, I think it comes down to a handful of guys (I, of course, am not familiar enough with international athletes):  Dave Winfield, Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Thorpe, Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, and my personal favorite, Jackie Robinson. 

you know another sport with people in amazing shape is cross country skiing. I don't think that I could ever do what they do.

Interesting list- I have a hard time arguing with the choice of decathlete- good call.  And a 400 m runner and boxer, for that matter.  I'm not a fan of the baseball player, and I'm glad a golfer didn't make it.  Being distance runners, I'm sure we give some extra emphasis to endurance, while the judges seemed to give a lot to strength and skill. 

I would replace A-Rod with a wrestler, though- that is certainly a sport that requires strength, stamina, and endurance.

This might be an unpopular reply, but I don't think many track and field stars have to be great athletes.  Our high school in central Florida won state championships 5 years in a row in both track and weight lifting competitions.  We even had a runner who ran the 100m in 10.31.  Several of our track and field stars were very average football, basketball, or baseball players.  However, what I admired about them was their dedication, determination, and consistancy.  Many were blessed with the gift of speed, yet not necessarily hand-eye coordination.  Could you imagine how good Charlse Barkley would have been if he was a conditioned athlete?  Same goes for B. Colon.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there are not good athletes in track and field.  But there's a difference between someone being an athlete and being well-disciplined or conditioned. 

Top athletes today...my #1 is Tiger Woods...and I hate golf!  My number 2 is Randy Moss- and he doesn't even get the most out of his ability.  My third would be a toss-up between A-Rod and Kobe Bryant- they are men among boys.  The only reason runners haven't made my personal list is that I am not very educated in the sport. 

I do agree with you on the determination part of running. I have been surprised at how many runners I have seen who don't have too much talent, but it was made up for by determination. They were just as good as the ones who had talent but no determination.

Dave, I think the point of the survey was, over all athletic ability. As the article points out Tiger doesn't make the cut because he is a "one horse wonder". I think the share definition of decathlete has them at the top of the list...

Jon,

Good pull on wrestlers.  They combine crazy amounts of strength, reflexes, and endurance.  Plus, who doesn't love wearing garbage sacks to lose 5 lbs. in 4 hours?

I agree that wrestling is tough. The captain of my xc team is a varsity wrestler, and it's probably made him a better runner.

I have to credit wrestling with getting me into running. My coach my freshman year said what are you doing in the spring? I said nothing. He said join the track team to keep your weight down. The rest is history. I would also have to say that wrestling a full 6 minute match left me more tired than running a marathon or maybe I just haven't run my marathons hard enough yet?

I've tried wrestling before, and I didn't even make it to 6 minutes. I was pinned too quickly. :-)

I wrestled for 1 season between CC and track - tough sport.  My whole body was shaking after the first match.  Tiring! 

Plus, with Hulk as my avatar, I have to say they should have chosen a WWF guy, too.  Hulk, Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, anyone!  After all, WWF is totally a legitimite sport!

Isn't WWF that fighting show on tv that's all scripted out before and isn't really fighting?

What?  Such baseless accusations!  My beloved WWF, scripted out?  I'm shocked!  :o I don't believe it!    ;)

Jon, It looks like you might have your match in posts. Steve has been on the blog for less than a month and already has 100 posts!!!

Less than a month?  How about less than a week!  Yes, Adam, but this isn't a competition and I don't care if he posts more than me.  In fact, I've been thinking of cutting back myself- see if I can go a week or two without posting at all.  My wife would sure appreciate it.  Maybe I'll start right... now.

What's an athlete?

I think the discussion of the best athlete is rather pointless unless you come with a reasonable and somewhat reliable measurement of athletic ability.

For one thing, athletic ability should be measured by a combination of hard work and talent, because you need both to be the best.

But Jon isn't everything a competition  ;) I stay up at night plotting how to beat Cheston on the mileage board and you on posts. Without that driving force there would be no purpose to my life  :'( However, my wife and your wife I think are on the same team. I think Sandra is going to have some anti-blog t-shirts made up...  :)

I must agree with Sasha, criteria should be set to mark the definition of athlete.  That being said, I think Phelps was highly underrated.  The explanation given being swimmers don't perform well in sports outside the water, why should they, they don't practice those sports.  Swimming requires, power, endurance, and unbelievable cooridination and timing. 

I follow the criteria argument, yet I know an athlete when I see one.  Some folks don't need criteria...they're just better than everyone else in whatever sport they choose to pursue.  Top 3 all-time athletes...#1- Jim Thorpe (will make you track people happy), #2 Deion Sanders ("primetime" could do it all- baseball, football, and track), #3 Bo Jackson.  Still stand by Tiger Woods who'd probably be a great marathon runner if he decided to devote his life to distance running.  Again, I hate golf, yet know an athlete when I see one.