Favourite Sportsman Ever

[stevie_G_G_G]

Taking football out of the equation, who is the sportsman you admired most throughout the years?

My vote would have to go to Ayrton Senna. I used to love watching the great man race and when he died, F1 was of no real interest to me anymore.

Others would maybe be Mike Tyson in his prime, Stephen Hendry, Phil Taylor, Michael Jordan

 

[canveyshrimper]

Sir Garfield Sobers. The finest all round cricketer ever. He could do the lot, brilliant fielder, could bowl wrist & finger spin, and also a decent quickie. A world class batsman whose then world record 365 not out stood for over 35 years. On top of that he wasn't a bad captain.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Sir Ian Botham.

England's greatest ever wicket-taker, one of the finest slip fielders of all time, and a match-winning batsman who could empty bars (of both patrons and its contents). He had that rare match-winning star factor about him. Only 31 times has someone taken 5 wickets and scored a hundred in the same test. Botham has done it 5 times, no-one else has done it more than twice.

Not content with all that, he played football at a professional level in his spare time and still had time to raise millions for charity.

The convicts are so in awe of him, that even a cardboard cut out of him had them enthralled.

 

[Bluesmanager]

Are we talking players only or are coaches included?

 

[mattytheshrimper]

ian wright. love the bloke.

 

[Swiss Tony]

Christian hyslop,the man had everything

 

[stevie_G_G_G]

Are we talking players only or are coaches included?

Predominately Sportman (ie players) but whoever you used to admire/enjoy watching

 

[BrettieAngell]

I used to love watching Graham Gooch when I was a lad, I remember watching his 333 against India on TV that was awesome.

Currently Roonie O'Sullivan is one of my favourite sportsmen he is so good at what he does its ridiculous, the 5 and a half minute 147 is still one of my favourite sporting moments.

 

[Bluesmanager]

Predominately Sportman (ie players) but whoever you used to admire/enjoy watching

Oh. Not a lot then, I'm afraid. Henry, mainly because he could put you on your **** without resorting to using a bulldozer.

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

I used to love watching Graham Gooch when I was a lad, I remember watching his 333 against India on TV that was awesome.

Apart from the 300th run being missed due to the news!!!!!

For me it has to be Bradman. Ok, he's an Aussie, but I don't think anybody has so dominated a major sport since. Sobers/Botham were both great, as was Khan, but Bradman was so good that teams had to base their selections around stopping him.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Apart from the 300th run being missed due to the news!!!!!

For me it has to be Bradman. Ok, he's an Aussie, but I don't think anybody has so dominated a major sport since. Sobers/Botham were both great, as was Khan, but Bradman was so good that teams had to base their selections around stopping him.

I didn't opt for Bradman for the simple reason that I never saw him play. Bradman was a complete one off, and I have often wondered how many runs & centuries he would have scored if he hadn't lost 6 years of his career due to WW2.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Taking football out of the equation, who is the sportsman you admired most throughout the years?

My vote would have to go to Ayrton Senna. I used to love watching the great man race and when he died, F1 was of no real interest to me anymore.

Others would maybe be Mike Tyson in his prime, Stephen Hendry, Phil Taylor, Michael Jordan

With you on that one, F1 is sooooo boring now although Lewis has livened things up a bit. Senna was amazing, couldn't quite believe it when he died.

Have always admired Jonathan Davies as well, a fantastic rugby player who went through some real sadness.

 

[Napster]

Daley Thompson.

 

[SUFC Forever]

Geoff Boycott, Dennis Lillee, Warne, McEnroe, Lester, Steffi Graf, Bobby Moore, Cantona and Adam Barrett are up there, but like everyone of a certain age, Muhammd Ali is just out there on his own as the greatest sportsman of all time for me.

I also met him once and shook his hand. An unforgettable but sad experience.

 

[C C Csiders]

Easy! Lester Piggott

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Marco Pantani for me.
One of the last characters in pro cycling and the way he was hounded to his death by the authorities is a real shame.
Always used to light up whichever race he was in, especially with some of his kamikaze attacking moves.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Easy! Lester Piggott

Is it his accountant you admire, or the horses he sat on?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Taking football out of the equation, who is the sportsman you admired most throughout the years?

My vote would have to go to Ayrton Senna. I used to love watching the great man race and when he died, F1 was of no real interest to me anymore.

Others would maybe be Mike Tyson in his prime, Stephen Hendry, Phil Taylor, Michael Jordan

Oh. Not a lot then, I'm afraid. Henry, mainly because he could put you on your **** without resorting to using a bulldozer.

Is that Henry Cooper you are referring to?

You can't have Ronnie Henry - see above.

 

[Uncle Leo]

A tough, but very good question. I'm trying to think in terms of sportsmen who have had me on the edge of my seat. For example, Daley Thompson and Ian Botham are both mentioned above. All-time legends both of them but I missed their respective peaks by a few years so would find it difficult to nominate them.

Also tough to name just one, so if I may make a few nominations of sports people who I have thoroughly enjoyed watching, either live or on the box, over the years:

Carolina Kluft - unbeaten in the heptathlon for years and someone who always seem to enjoy her sport so much

Tim Duncan - makes the game seem so easy

Steffi Graf - what a player. What a pair of pins.

Jason Robinson - a true legend in both codes of rugby

Lance Armstrong - controversial perhaps, but I've had many great afternoons watching him tear up the opposition in the Tour de France.

 

[Napster]

Tim Duncan - makes the game seem so easy

He was great on Blue Peter