Most talented athlete in North American sports

[rudel.dietrich]

I have wanted to do this poll for a while now but have never got around to producing it. This is a poll for the best athlete in North American sports. I tried to get two athletes per sport for the major sports and have even decided to include racing even though I don't think too highly of it.

Some may argue with my selections but I think I made pretty good consensus picks for the best atletes in their individual sports. I also tried to include some logevity to my selections instead of picking players who have shown one or two years of brillance.
I also did not go purely based on stats either. I instead tried to focus on pure althletic talent and how good I perceived the player to be ahead of the 'average' player in his sport.

Baseball and football were the hardest sports to pick two top players. The top player in each sport was easy but I had to stretch my brain to think of the second top player.

LeBron James
Kobe Byrant

Alexander Ovechkin
Sidney Crosby

Peyton Manning
Adrian Peterson

Albert Pujols
Tim Lincecum

Jimmie Johnson

Tiger Woods

[Goody]

While waiting on the poll I will throw a nomination for Stephen Strasberg right now.

And also point out there is a some gray area between "Talent" and "Athleticism"....

And to put it in OOTP terms there is also the bridge between talent and actual current ability.

[bababui]

Michael Phelps?

Floyd Mayweather?

[Goody]

Tiger Woods looks dominant over his sport, but I don't think he would be so far ahead of his peers if more people had access to golf. So compared to the competition levels of other sports...I drop my opinion of his dominance a bit.

[Russ]

Can you count Federer?

[Goody]

Michael Phelps, Adrian Peterson...athletic ability.

Especially AP. He's got tons of ability but we've seen the fumbles and what would he do without a dominant O-line? Shaun Alexander put up amazing numbers with Hutchenson and an all-pro Tackle, too.

[rudel.dietrich]

It refused to let me post a poll. I don't know why.

Michael Phelps is a good idea but not a sport too many people care about. Floyd Mayweather is 33 which is on the backside of a boxing career. He also has never routinely faced the best athletes in his sport.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Russ

Can you count Federer?

I left Tennis out because there is really only one event of any note that is played in the US.
I included Foreign athletes in my list but are in leagues in the United States/Canada
Sadly I am not sure if he is the best at his sport anymore either.

[Goody]

My final answer? Probably Kobe Bryant. I don't like him, and I no longer like the NBA...but the guy is uncanny. He doesn't physically dominate his opponents.

He could be more of a team player and use his talent a lot more smartly, but there's no denying his raw "talent".

[rudel.dietrich]

Out of my list I would vote Lebron James. He is one of the greatest physical specimens I have seen and had talent over his sport like no one I have.
Only Bryant comes close and Durant can match him on the offensive side of the game. But for sheer all around ability I would choose James.

Alexander Ovechkin would be my second choice. Looking at a Youtube highlight reel of his acomplishments makes it clear that he is playing at a different level than everyone else. He is also an all around player. The best offensive player in the game and one of the best defensive forwards in the league with a punishing physical game.

[jbergey22]

Out of this list I certainly pick Lebron James.

Carl Crawford and Joe Mauer would have made better baseball selections IMO. Crawford was recuited in 3 sports and Mauer was the number 1 qb coming out of high school.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Out of this list I certainly pick Lebron James.

Carl Crawford and Joe Mauer would have made better baseball selections IMO. Crawford was recuited in 3 sports and Mauer was the number 1 qb coming out of high school.

Baseball was hard but Pujols is clearly the best player in the sport and the best since Barry Bonds. Pujols will go down as the one of the top 25 players in the sport and could shoot up much higher if his health stays good.
Crawford is no where near the baseball talent and Mauer is still emerging and needs longevity to prove if he can be on the list.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Baseball was hard but Pujols is clearly the best player in the sport and the best since Barry Bonds. Pujols will go down as the one of the top 25 players in the sport and could shoot up much higher if his health stays good.
Crawford is no where near the baseball talent and Mauer is still emerging and needs longevity to prove if he can be on the list.

Well you use the word athlete which makes a lot of people think of something else. Also, Mauer has a longer track record that Lincecum.

I mean yes Id take Pujols as a baseball player over anyone in the game but athletic wise Crawford could be good in 3-4 different sports while Pujols is likely just a baseball player so I guess Im confused as to what you are asking.

Which player is the most dominant in his sport Id say Peyton Manning. It used to be Tiger Woods. I suppose a great case could be made for Jimmie Johnson as well but I dont think of NASCAR racing like I think of other sports. To me NASCAR racing is more of a strategy sport then your classic athletic competition.

[bababui]

Michael Phelps is both a better athlete then all these team sport guys and he is more dominant..in several different events.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by bababui

Michael Phelps is both a better athlete then all these team sport guys and he is more dominant..in several different events.

Im not sure why you feel this way. Phelps performs against amatuers while these other athletes perform against professionals.

Plus these different events you talk about are all in swimming its not like he is a great sprinter as well.

If they gave gold medals for throwing 10 yard passes, 20 yard passes, 30 yard passes, 40 yard passes, avoiding sacks, and throwing on the run you would probably see Manning get 6 gold medals as well.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Im not sure why you feel this way. Phelps performs against amatuers while these other athletes perform against professionals.

Plus these different events you talk about are all in swimming its not like he is a great sprinter as well.

If they gave gold medals for throwing 10 yard passes, 20 yard passes, 30 yard passes, 40 yard passes, avoiding sacks, and throwing on the run you would probably see Manning get 6 gold medals as well.

You cant be serious?

Firstly, the only 'amateurs' in the Olympics are Americans. Also, American 'professionals' are basically not real hard core athletes. They have time outs and commercial breaks to recover. They get subbed. They dont play both ways. They are highly specialized.

Secondly, he is greater than any sprinter because he races in several different events..events which require different strategy and muscle groups. And he wins them. Against the best in the world.

Manning isnt an athlete. He hides behind an offensive line and throws very quick timing routes.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by bababui

You cant be serious?

Firstly, the only 'amateurs' in the Olympics are Americans. Also, American 'professionals' are basically not real hard core athletes. They have time outs and commercial breaks to recover. They get subbed. They dont play both ways. They are highly specialized.

Secondly, he is greater than any sprinter because he races in several different events..events which require different strategy and muscle groups. And he wins them. Against the best in the world.

Manning isnt an athlete. He hides behind an offensive line and throws very quick timing routes.

Oh I see. So American professionals arent real hard core athletes because they get commercial breaks and get subbed for while someone that wins a 2 minute race and gets 3 days off is the best in the world. Gotcha. Phelps wouldnt last 1 half of American football.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Oh I see. So American professionals arent real hard core athletes because they get commercial breaks and get subbed for while someone that wins a 2 minute race and gets 3 days off is the best in the world. Gotcha.

You really dont have a clue what he does, do you?

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by bababui

You really dont have a clue what he does, do you?

Hes a swimmer. and a very good swimmer. What is the longest distance race he performs in?

[bababui]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Hes a swimmer. and a very good swimmer. What is the longest distance race he performs in?

Who has won more gold medals? Ever? In a day when conditioning has never been more scientific. When you take on the best and defeat them..all of them..it means you are a very special athlete.