There was an interesting read in playboy's june issue where they interviewed Lance Armstrong, mentioning him as possibly being the most important athlete of all-time. I guess I never really thought of him like that before, but after reading through, this guy overcame 12 tumors, goes on to win the Tour de France 6 times in a row, and helped raise close to $40 million for cancer by selling those simple yellow bracelets for $1 each...he has my vote.

Just wondering what everyone else's opinion is?

Chris P.

lol I like where you found the article..... but I can agree on that but if it wasnt for Larry Bird and Magic Johnson basketball might not even be talked about. (same with palmer and Nicklaus with golf)

No one could ever debate Lance as being an icon that will go down in the anals of sports history for all he has accomplished and overcome, but Jackie Robinson is, without a doubt, the athlete that has had the most impact on sports.

what about tiger in golf... really changed the way golf is looked at... i think michelle wie has the same opportunity...

that said i think jackie robinson was the most influential of all time

As soon as I read the title of the thread Jackie Robinson came to mind so that's my answer.

I agree with Jackie Robinson.

I agree Jackie Robinson, lot of other guys menioned may have done alot for their sport but Robinson, did something for all sports and America. BTW props to Lance Armstrong

I agree on Jackie Robinson, but Armsrong has been big for bicyicling. Without Robinson baseball would be in rouble and without Armstrong you'd go what the heck is the tour de france.

I will have to go with Jackie Robinson also. He was one of the first african americans to play the game of baseball and may have possibly changed the outcome of all USA sports.

Jackie Robinson for sure. One thing to keep in mind is that his breaking of the color barrier in baseball was several years before the civil rights movent. His entrance into the major leagues certainly had an effect on it. While Robinson was not the first African-American professional baseball player (there were pleanty until the "gentleman's agreement" of 1887), he was the one that had the biggest effect socially. One thing I think some folks overlook is not only did he break the color barrier, but he was a damn fine ball player as well.

Jackie Robinson was definitely the guy I pictured when I saw the title of this thread.

I think Armstrong is, if Jackie didnt break the color barrier, someone else would have. I mean serisoly do u think if Jackie didnt play baseball, there would be no African-Americans playing the game today. If it wasnt Jackie Robinson, then it would have been someone else getting all the credit for this thread. Im prolly gonna get ripped for this but its just my opinion.

I think Armstrong is, if Jackie didnt break the color barrier, someone else would have. I mean serisoly do u think if Jackie didnt play baseball, there would be no African-Americans playing the game today. If it wasnt Jackie Robinson, then it would have been someone else getting all the credit for this thread. Im prolly gonna get ripped for this but its just my opinion.

The fact of the matter is Jackie DID break the color barrier. Armstrong has certainly heightened the awareness of cycling but it is still not a mainstream sport at least here in America. In Europe, it has always been big well before Lance's arrival.

I think Armstrong is, if Jackie didnt break the color barrier, someone else would have. I mean serisoly do u think if Jackie didnt play baseball, there would be no African-Americans playing the game today. If it wasnt Jackie Robinson, then it would have been someone else getting all the credit for this thread. Im prolly gonna get ripped for this but its just my opinion.

My point is that Jackie Robinson's situation affected much more in the US than just being the first African-American player in modern era baseball.

Most Important = Jackie Robinson.....hands down.

Most gifted = Jim Thorpe....again, hands down

I have to throw Babe Ruth in the mix.
Baseball was reeling from the Black Sox scandel and he not only saved the game, but changed it as soon as he started playing for the Yankees.

Gonna go old school on ya here. Two men Red Grange and Jim Thorpe. They are two players who kept the NFL afloat in the early 1900's. They brought fans to the gates and without them who knows the NFL as we know it might have went under.

This is Too hard of a question for me to narrow down to one person.
It depends on which sports you think are the most important.
Jackie did great things for baseball, and civil rights. Ruth helped baseball greatly too.
Larry and Magic single handedly (is that a word??) saved the NBA.
Armstrong is just a miracle!!
M.J. carried the torch from Bird/Magic!! (and gave us all the show of our lifetimes)

I can't pick just one person.

Well, I guess it matters what you are talking about? Of all time? That is a tough one. I think Jordan in basketball is one of the greatest, not to mention Tiger in golf. But the best? There is not one people!

no one would say the great one, wayne g, without him no one would have watched hockey

That one MLB player who challenged free agency. Also, Maurice Richard and Billy Smith.

Lance is an icon. What he went through and what he ahs accoplmished is top notch. He also is dating/married to Sherly crow. Another thumbs up ;)

Who is Maurice Richard and Billy Smith, and who challenged free agency and why? Someone fill me in there please?

Never mind about Richard and Smith, i searched for it.

But still want to know about the free agency thing.

The guy who BROUGHT ON free agency... He challenged club exclusivity to a player's rights... CURT FLOOD!

He does NOT get my vote- HELPING DRIVE UP TICKET PRICES? HELPING THE YANKEES?

Our most IMPORTANT athlete IMO would be Byron "Whizzer" White- who can tell me why?

Ok, Hint: He broke 2 barriers... and did things in his day that effect EVERY ONE of us EVERY DAY, like it or not!

Oh, crud- actually, upon further review, a man who stood up to Hitler and changed the opinions of Nazi athletes in their own nation... Berlin... 1936... JESSE OWENS... That's a HUGE HANDS DOWN- and BEFORE Jackie by over a dozen years!

Oh, crud- actually, upon further review, a man who stood up to Hitler and changed the opinions of Nazi athletes in their own nation... Berlin... 1936... JESSE OWENS... That's a HUGE HANDS DOWN- and BEFORE Jackie by over a dozen years!

I can see an argument for Jesse Owens, but keep in mind he didn't stop Hitler or Nazi Germany from invading Poland in 1939 and starting WWII. He certainly made them look like fools to some regard, but Germany finished the games with the most medals (including gold medals) by a large margin over second place (the US). While Jesse did his part, it still was an overall victory for Hitler in his quest to prove German supremacy. Also, many of Germany's athletes were not Nazis, though the party utilized their success to further the cause (i.e. Max Shmeling defeating Joe Louis). Jesse Owens also returned to a segregated and biased America, which his accomplishment did little to change. Was it too early? Maybe. In general, I believe the onset of WWII overshadowed what Owenes might have accomplished with his Olympic success. The world already had its eyes on Germany and Hitler, not to mention the aggression of Japan in Asia, which would later erupt into WWII. With that said, it is not my intention to trivialize the signifigance of what Owens accomplished at the 1936 Olympics, but sadly, it did little to change the landscape of things in America.

My pick is Joe Louis. He changed all sports! I think Lance is a joke! Sure he came back from cancer, but his spot sucks! Havent rode a bike since I was 7! And I love how the public embraces him, even though every one knows he was on roids, and Barry Bonds is the devil?!? Thats funny to me~!

woah no way lance armstoring is a joke a nit out of line he goes through arigerous bike race while having cancer and wins 7 times straight.... my pick has to be jackie robinson

Lance was juiced. No doubt about it! To much smoke not to be a fire.

the set back for saying lance is the simple fact that it is very likely he is on steroids

My pick is Joe Louis. He changed all sports! I think Lance is a joke! Sure he came back from cancer, but his spot sucks! Havent rode a bike since I was 7! And I love how the public embraces him, even though every one knows he was on roids, and Barry Bonds is the devil?!? Thats funny to me~!

why stop at lance and barry,well your throwing out accusations what about clemens, petite, mcgwire, tejada, hell throw in nolan ryan, the mick, cal ripken, the whole hall of fame, everyone who holds any type of sports record heck anyone who has ever played a sport, as well as those who keep track of said records. and the viewers yeah they are on roids too, it must be true cuz i heard it somewhere

jackie wasnt the first black person to play pro baseball. in my book it was otto graham the greatest QB to ever play period. his stats speak for themselves:

career -10 years

wins - 114 losses - 20 ties - 4 winning % .851

career highlights

Career Total
games 126
ATT. 2626 COMPL 1464 % 55.8
yards 23,584 TD's 174 INT 135
RATING 86.6
RUSHES 405 YARDS 882 AVE 2.2 TD's 44

played in 10 straight title games
had four AAFC and three NFL championships. (7 championships in 10 tries says it all)

and the sad thing is that the majority of people dont even know who he is,

dang...i was thinking jackie robinson but after all of those stats...I changed my mind.

Those Otto Graham stats are not very impressive. The winning is, but you can give the team he played on alot of that credit. I know the game was different, and passing wasnt a huge part yet, but TD to INT ratio was not good. Comp perc not good either. Sry, don't see how he was that great.

2 more great yet under rated atheletes, bill russell 11 nba championships and henri richard 10 nhl championships , after all its all about winning and these 2 were the best at it, sure they had fellow players to help but they were the constant on those runs. you can talk about individual achivements and all but in the end its who wins it all that counts

jackie wasnt the first black person to play pro baseball. in my book it was otto graham the greatest QB to ever play period. his stats speak for themselves:

career -10 years

wins - 114 losses - 20 ties - 4 winning % .851

career highlights

Career Total
games 126
ATT. 2626 COMPL 1464 % 55.8
yards 23,584 TD's 174 INT 135
RATING 86.6
RUSHES 405 YARDS 882 AVE 2.2 TD's 44

played in 10 straight title games
had four AAFC and three NFL championships. (7 championships in 10 tries says it all)

and the sad thing is that the majority of people dont even know who he is,

True. Jackie wasn't the first black to play pro baseball. But remember blacks were banned from pro baseball in the late 1800's thanks to (sarcasm) the "gentleman's agreement". But where his importance lies is his effect on the social landscape in America due to the breaking of the color barrier (which was established by the aforementioned "gentleman's agreement") in 1947. His success in baseball helped pave way for the Civil Rights movement of the 50's and 60's (which he was very active). This accomplishment perhaps made things a little easier (not that the struggle for civil rights was easy to begin with). To top it off, he was a damn good ball player and athlete.

This of course is my opinion. I believe that in making an arguement for a particular athelete, more than just stats should be considered. To me, off the field accomplishments should be valued as well.

2 more great yet under rated atheletes, bill russell 11 nba championships and henri richard 10 nhl championships , after all its all about winning and these 2 were the best at it, sure they had fellow players to help but they were the constant on those runs. you can talk about individual achivements and all but in the end its who wins it all that counts



Those arent considered becuase we are talking about the most important athlete, not the most accomplished athlete.

Muhammad Ali