OT: Name Your All-Time Mt. Rushmore of American Sports Stars
As we approach end of OT season, I'd like to get the Board's take on the All-Time American Sports Mt. Rushmore. You can use any metrics you like to come up with your four. But there can only be four. My criteria would be: 1) Athlete who dominated his/her sport at historical levels and 2) Combined said athletic dominance with an influence that extended well beyond his/her sport.
With that, my Mt. Rushmore is: Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
August 26th, 2022 at 10:50 PM ^
Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Jackie Robinson, BIllie Jean Kidd. The first two mostly because their athletic prowess changed standards of winning and the latter two because their personal prowess changed standards of social norms.
August 26th, 2022 at 11:07 PM ^
Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams
August 26th, 2022 at 11:09 PM ^
Babe Ruth - Single handedly brought sports to the spotlight .
Muhammad Ali - He goes way beyond "just boxing"
Tom Brady - Hes played in nearly 20% of EVERY Super Bowl played .Nearly as many career wins as Elway and Montana COMBINED ,in 80 less games
Jim Thorpe - EASILY the most underrated athlete of ALL TIME .he faced racism at its worst level --Thorpe was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, he won two Olympic gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics (one in classic pentathlon and the other in decathlon). He also played American football (collegiate and professional), professional baseball, and basketball.
August 27th, 2022 at 12:30 AM ^
Ty Cobb, Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods
August 27th, 2022 at 12:43 AM ^
Hulk Hogan
John Holmes
Cap’n Crunch
Homer Simpson
August 27th, 2022 at 12:46 AM ^
I would replace Ruth with Gretzky or Pele
August 27th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
Pele not an American, but would be awesome if he was
August 27th, 2022 at 1:01 AM ^
Jordan, The Great One, Joe Louis and Jim Brown
August 27th, 2022 at 8:02 PM ^
I dunno. Jackie Gleason was a talented guy, and a pretty important figure in golf, but Mt Rushmore worthy?
August 27th, 2022 at 1:10 AM ^
Jim Thorpe
Muhammed Ali
Babe Didrikson
Serena Williams
August 27th, 2022 at 8:27 AM ^
Michael Barrett, Mike Jones, Fred Jackson, Justin Feagin
August 27th, 2022 at 9:33 PM ^
August 27th, 2022 at 9:29 AM ^
Jackie Robinson in the George Washington spot. Jordan, Ali and Babe Ruth fill it out.
Great question!
August 27th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
Tiger woods, Jordan, wilt chamberlain, Kobe, Barry sanders
August 27th, 2022 at 10:15 AM ^
I would agree with the first three and substitute Serena Williams for Woods. Also a case to be made for Babe Didrikson.
This thread also seems to support the argument that either auto racing is not a sport, or the drivers are not athletes.
August 27th, 2022 at 11:11 AM ^
Babe Ruth, Michael Phelps, Joe Louis, Jim Brown
August 27th, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
It’s hard to pick 4, but here we go…..
Michael Jordan
Tom Brady
Michael Phelps
Wayne Gretzky
I will admit have have both a subconscious and stubborn bias against baseball.
…first out… Tiger Woods and Jim Thorpe
August 27th, 2022 at 4:27 PM ^
Jordan, Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Tom Brady
August 27th, 2022 at 7:50 PM ^
Cobb, Howe, Gretzky, Brady.