Michael Jordan
Jordan was a shooting guard who was also capable of playing as a small forward (the position he would primarily play during his second return to professional basketball with the Washington Wizards), and as a point guard.
Jordan was known throughout his career for being a strong clutch performer. He decided numerous games with last-second plays (e.g., The Shot) and performed at a high level even under adverse circumstances (e.g., Flu Game). His competitiveness was visible in his prolific trash-talk and well-known work ethic.
Jordan had a versatile offensive game. He was capable of aggressively driving to the basket, as well as drawing fouls from his opponents at a high rate; his 8,772 free throw attempts are the ninth-highest total of all time.
As his career progressed, Jordan also developed the ability to post up his opponents and score with his trademark fadeaway jump shot, using his leaping ability to "fade away" from block attempts. According to Hubie Brown, this move alone made him nearly unstoppable.
Despite media criticism as a "selfish" player early in his career, Jordan's 5.3 assists per game also indicate his willingness to defer to his teammates. In later years, the NBA shortened its three-point line to 22 feet (from 23 feet, 9 inches), which coupled with Jordan's extended shooting range to make him a long-range threat as well—his 3-point stroke developed from a low 9/52 rate (.173) in his rookie year into a stellar 111/260 (.427) shooter in the 1995–96 season. For a guard, Jordan was also a good rebounder (6.2 per game).
In 1988, Jordan was honored with the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award and became the first NBA player to win both the Defensive Player of the Year and MVP awards in a career (since equaled by Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Kevin Garnett; Olajuwon is the only player other than Jordan to win both during the same season).
In addition he set both seasonal and career records for blocked shots by a guard, and combined this with his ball-thieving ability to become a standout defensive player. He ranks third in NBA history in total steals with 2,514, trailing John Stockton and Jason Kidd. Jerry West often stated that he was more impressed with Jordan's defensive contributions than his offensive ones.Ads
PELE (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)
So great that he needs only one name. Probably the best soccer (football) player of all time (although Diego Maradona fans might argue with this statement). I am sure he will do quite well in a worldwide poll since soccer is the world's most popular sport (in Brazil he will probably get almost 100 percent of the votes for No. 1), and deservedly so.
He was explosive, fast, quick, agile, strong, had great balance and was talented
with a capital "T." Unfortunately, by the time he played in the U.S.,
he was past his prime, so all I have are highlights from when he was
younger to gauge his true greatness.
He scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches and won three World Cups
(although he got injured during the 1962 World Cup and did not finish
the tournament). I would be comfortable placing him on my list as high
as second, but definitely no lower than eighth. Hence, fifth place seems
reasonable, but it is tough to know since I never saw him play live on a
regular basis in his prime.
Muhammad Ali
Ali,
a heavyweight, was voted the second-best boxer of all time after
middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson, in a major poll of so-called boxing
experts. In a poll of serious sports fans, and specifically boxing
fans, I suspect Ali would win rather easily.
Ali had blinding speed, unreal quickness, incredible agility, grace, style, underrated strength, toughness, heart, instincts and brains. In short, an ideal physical specimen for sports.
He
was a three-time heavyweight champ and was undefeated until he was
unjustly stripped of his title for refusing to serve in the U.S. Army.
Michael Phelps
His
dominant performance at the last year's Olympics, coupled with the rest
of his career, has now moved him past the legendary Mark Spitz as the
greatest swimmer ever.
Phelps was a USA Olympic team member in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012, and holds the records for most Olympic gold medals (18), most such medals in individual events (11), and most such medals at a single games (8, in Beijing 2008).
A street in his hometown of Baltimore was renamed The Michael Phelps Way
in 2004. On April 9, 2009, Phelps was invited to appear before the
Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate, to be honored for
his Olympic accomplishments.
Phelps has also received the following awards:
Swimming World Magazine World Swimmer of the Year Award: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012
Swimming World Magazine American Swimmer of the Year Award: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012
FINA swimmer of the year (since 2010): 2012
Golden Goggle Male Performance of the Year (since 2004): 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Golden Goggle Relay Performance of the Year (since 2004): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Golden Goggle Male Athlete of the Year (since 2004): 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012
USOC SportsMan of the Year Award: 2004, 2008,2011
James E. Sullivan Award: 2003
Laureus World Sports Sportsman of the Year Award (nominated): 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year: 2008
Associated Press Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2012
Bruce Lee
Lee was renowned for his physical fitness and vigorous, dedicated fitness regimen to become as strong as he possibly could. After his match with Wong Jack Man in 1965, Lee changed his approach toward martial arts training.
Lee felt that many martial artists of his time did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Lee included all elements of total fitness—muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. He tried traditional bodybuilding techniques to build bulky muscles or mass.
However, Lee was careful to
admonish that mental and spiritual preparation was fundamental to the
success of physical training in martial arts skills.
Roger Federer
He holds several men's world records of the Open Era: holding the
world no. 1 position for 302 weeks overall a 237-consecutive-week
stretch at the top from 2004 to 2008 winning 17 Grand Slam singles
titles; reaching the finals of each Grand Slam tournament at least five
times (an all-time record); and reaching the Wimbledon final eight
times.
He is one of seven men, and one of four in the Open Era, to capture the
career Grand Slam, and one of three (with Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal)
to do so separately on clay, grass, and hard courts. Federer also
shares the Open Era record for most titles at the Australian Open with
Agassi and Novak Djokovic (4), at Wimbledon with Pete Sampras (7) and at
the US Open with Jimmy Connors and Sampras (5).
Federer has appeared in 24 men's Grand Slam finals, with 10 in a
row, both records, and appeared in 18 of 19 finals from the 2005
Wimbledon Championships through to the 2010 Australian Open. He is the
only man to reach at least the semifinals of 23 consecutive Grand Slam
tournaments, from the 2004 Wimbledon Championships through the 2010
Australian Open.
At the 2013 Australian Open, he reached a record 33rd Grand Slam
semi-final, and at the 2013 French Open a record 36th consecutive Grand
Slam quarter-final. He has also won the most matches, 260, in men's Grand Slam tournaments.
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson is arguably the most polarizing sports athlete of the last 25 years. He's been retired since 2005 and his last noteworthy bout—a heavyweight title match against Lennox Lewis—was way back in 2002.
Despite these facts, Iron Mike remains one of the most recognizable figures in boxing. His highlights include becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history at the age of 20, 44 career knockouts.
Mariusz Pudzianowski
In the early 2000s, Mariusz Pudzianowski was the Michael Jordan of heavy lifters. In the annual World’s Strongest Man competition, he placed first five times—the only competitor ever to do so—and finished second twice between 2002 and 2009. Elsewhere, his performances were even more remarkable—he’s racked up an astounding 16 first-place finishes in the Strongman Super Series. His most impressive feats: Once, during an event called the Asia Stone—which involves walking a 400-pound weight as far as the competitor can—Pudzianowski smashed a world record by traveling more than 375 feet. As one of his peers, Magnus Samuelsson, put it, “[Mariusz is] really fast, extremely strong and probably the most efficient strongman there has ever been.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold’s most impressive feats remain in the gym. We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves: In his prime, Arnold boasted a 470-pound squat, a 440-pound bench press, and a 680-pound deadlift. Feats of strength like those allowed Schwarzenegger to capture the Mr. Olympia title at age 23—he remains its youngest champion—and repeat seven times after that.
Jonah Lomu
Lomu is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game.
He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame on 9 October 2007, and the IRB Hall of Fame on 24 October 2011.
Lomu burst onto the international rugby scene during the 1994 Hong Kong Sevens tournament and was widely acknowledged to be the top player at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa even though New Zealand lost the championship game to the host Springboks.
At one time Lomu was considered 'rugby union's biggest drawcard swelling attendances at any match where he appeared. He is the Rugby World Cup all-time top try scorer with 15 tries.
Brock Lesnar
Brock is an American professional wrestler, and former mixed martial artist, professional football player and amateur wrestler, He is also a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and an accomplished amateur wrestler, winning the 2000 NCAA heavyweight wrestling championship and placing second in 1999 after losing to Stephen Neal.
Georges St. Pierre
Georges St-Pierre, often referred to as GSP and Rush, is a Canadian mixed martial artist and the current Welterweight Champion of the UFC. St-Pierre has for several years been ranked as the #1 welterweight in the world according to Sherdog, and numerous other publications. In 2008, 2009, and 2010 he was named the Canadian Athlete of the Year.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team.
By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
He followed this up by winning the
inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010, and then again in 2011 & 2012.
He also won the 2010–11 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.
At the age of 24, Messi became Barcelona's all-time top scorer in all official club competitions. At age 25, Messi became the youngest player to score 200 La Liga goals.
Ronnie has eight Mr. Olympia wins as a professional bodybuilder, Coleman holds the record for most wins as an IFBB professional with 26. He broke the previous record in Moscow On November 5th, 2004. In July 2012 Ronnie Coleman Launched Ronnie Coleman Signature Series.
Being a police officer allowed Coleman the free time he needed to work out. Coleman's fellow officer suggested he attend a gym known as Metroflex. The owner of the gym was Brian Dobson, who happen to also be an amateur bodybuilder, offered Coleman a free lifetime membership to Metroflex if he would allow him to train Coleman for the upcoming Mr. Texas bodybuilding competition that year.
After the training for the upcoming event of Mr. Texas, Coleman won first place in both the heavy weight and overall categories. He also defeated the man that trained him, Dobson. Also in 1990 not only did Coleman take the title of Mr. Texas but he also took titles in that years National Physique Committee (NPC) Texas Championships. In 1991 Coleman also won what is probably considered one of the most prestigious competitions in amateur bodybuilding, Mr. Universe.
This victory qualified him to enter the professional contest sponsored by the IFBB, the sport's largest sanctioning body. In addition to his competition successes Ronnie Coleman recently launched his own product line called Ronnie Coleman Signature Series. Products include Myo-Blitz, Ressurect-PM, Testogen-XR, and Pro-Antium.
Filipović has been successful in both K-1 and Pride Fighting Championships. On September 10, 2006, he became the 2006 Pride World Grand Prix Open-Weight Champion, and in 2007 entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
On March 16, 2013 he won the K-1 World Grand Prix becoming the K-1 World Champion. Filipović owed his mixed martial arts success to a combination of elite-level kickboxing and near-impregnable takedown defense, making him one of the most dangerous strikers in history and a prototype for the modern sprawl and brawler.
Filipović's signature move was his lightning quick left head-kick, once famously described as "right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery." His legacy remains as a true legend in mixed martial arts, as well as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport. Mirko was also a successful amateur boxer.
Mirko medalled numerous times in international competition, and was also a member of Croatia's world team when he competed at the 1997 Amateur Boxing World Championships.
Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie has eight Mr. Olympia wins as a professional bodybuilder, Coleman holds the record for most wins as an IFBB professional with 26. He broke the previous record in Moscow On November 5th, 2004. In July 2012 Ronnie Coleman Launched Ronnie Coleman Signature Series.
Being a police officer allowed Coleman the free time he needed to work out. Coleman's fellow officer suggested he attend a gym known as Metroflex. The owner of the gym was Brian Dobson, who happen to also be an amateur bodybuilder, offered Coleman a free lifetime membership to Metroflex if he would allow him to train Coleman for the upcoming Mr. Texas bodybuilding competition that year.
After the training for the upcoming event of Mr. Texas, Coleman won first place in both the heavy weight and overall categories. He also defeated the man that trained him, Dobson. Also in 1990 not only did Coleman take the title of Mr. Texas but he also took titles in that years National Physique Committee (NPC) Texas Championships. In 1991 Coleman also won what is probably considered one of the most prestigious competitions in amateur bodybuilding, Mr. Universe.
This victory qualified him to enter the professional contest sponsored by the IFBB, the sport's largest sanctioning body. In addition to his competition successes Ronnie Coleman recently launched his own product line called Ronnie Coleman Signature Series. Products include Myo-Blitz, Ressurect-PM, Testogen-XR, and Pro-Antium.
Mirko Filipović (Cro Cop)
Filipović has been successful in both K-1 and Pride Fighting Championships. On September 10, 2006, he became the 2006 Pride World Grand Prix Open-Weight Champion, and in 2007 entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
On March 16, 2013 he won the K-1 World Grand Prix becoming the K-1 World Champion. Filipović owed his mixed martial arts success to a combination of elite-level kickboxing and near-impregnable takedown defense, making him one of the most dangerous strikers in history and a prototype for the modern sprawl and brawler.
Filipović's signature move was his lightning quick left head-kick, once famously described as "right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery." His legacy remains as a true legend in mixed martial arts, as well as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport. Mirko was also a successful amateur boxer.
Mirko medalled numerous times in international competition, and was also a member of Croatia's world team when he competed at the 1997 Amateur Boxing World Championships.
