Players (way) ahead of their time

JBB,
I have to put Lance Armstrong in this category. He certainly will go down in history as one of the greatest athletes of our time.
Hope all is well with you and the family.

Pistol Pete Maravich, Julius Erving, Gale Sayers and Wayne Gretsky.

They did things on the court, the ice and the field that noone had ever done before.

They were athletes - and artists. IMO

we can add Larry Bird and Magic Johnson-- their rivalry revived the pro hoops game

We can Willie Mays to the baseball list along with Jackie Robinson-- both revolutionized the game in their way

Arthur Ashe, & now Venus Williams for tennis. Pele...(forgive the s....r reference, but he put that sport & Brazil on the map)

Mike Ditka was pretty phenominal. Emmiit Smith, Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach & Johnny Unitas.

Nolan Ryan...of course!!

They said there would never be another Michael Jordan. In a few years they will be saying it about another #23 - LeBron James. As Dick Vitale said when he was still in high school "He's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" Nobody on the planet fits this category better than LeBron does right now - in any sport. He has put up season numbers that only four other players in the NBA have with respect to points, rebounds and assists - that being Jordan, Bird, Magic, and Oscar. He is just 20 years old. At this age, the aforementioned players were all still in college while LeBron is about to enter his third pro season. He is also the most unselfish player in the NBA IMHO.

The Babe. Christie Matthewson.

I was a fan of Bench, but perhaps Berra would have to be considered first?

Berra , as great as he was, was not in the class of Bench--the only guy close to Bench overall as a catcher has been Piazza, despite the fact they can run on him--his pitchers love the way he calls a game

I think Jennie Finch, Tiger, Roger Clemens, Al Pujols, Lebron, LaDanian Tomlinson, Brett Favre, Shaq, Danica Patrick, and Mike Schumacher all fit in as people who dominate in their aspects of their sports.

Callaway

It aint no stretch and I have no loyalty to the Mets nor a fellow Italian( Why all the ethnic BS lately?)--- I noted his problem with base stealers in my post but other than that both he and Bench are equal--In fact hitting wise some may tell you that Piazza was superior.

Justbb, now this one is making me think and that is dangerous. In baseball, the player I really think was ahead of his time: Elroy Face. In 1960, I think?? he was 18-3 and started the season 16-0. The reason, something known as the "forkball." Now everyone throws it and it is known as the "split." Guess Roger Craig gets in on that one also for teaching it to everyone willing to try.

TRhit, I agree there has been way too much racial stuff being thrown around this place. Enough is enough!

Callaway--

No disrespect taken---

Hey by the way if you are free on the weekend of August 26 thru 28 we will be at Coastal Carolina-- 9 AM games all three days--drop by and say hello--I would very much like to meet you in person

TR,
You ask "why all the ethnic BS lately"?

It's been a long ,hot summer, the natives are restless. JMO

infieldad - Thats an interesting choice. I like that "out of the box" thinking.

ClevelandDad - I believe the Big "O" would have had big numbers in the NBA (like LeBron...good early choice BTW) had going-direct-from-HS been allowed at that time. He was a legit triple-double guy (something like 30+ points/15+ rebounds/10+ assists) from the moment he stepped on his college campus. To this day a good guy who will sign an autograph whenever asked.

Pitchers - what about Bob Gibson? The dimensions (lowered mound height) of the field changed in large part because of him. How many can say that (I believe Wilt Chamberlain caused the foul lanes to widen in the NBA)? Sandy Koufax...has there been anyone like him since him? I put him in the same category as J. Bench.

On Johnny Bench...I don't particularly care for him personality-wise. But I grew up watching him and that guy was unbelievable behind the plate. And yes, he had a flare for the dramatic hit too. I can still replay Al Michaels call of his game-tieing HR against Pittsburgh in the deciding game of the NCLS in 1972. I was listening in to the radio in the parking lot before football practice.

George 'The Animal' Steele for pseudo-wrestling.

Edwin Moses

107 Consecutive Victories in Finals of 400m Hurdles
9 years 9 months 9 days between losses!
4 times he broke the World Record
2 Olympic Gold Medals 1976-1984 May have won a third in 1980 if not for boycott of Moscow games

9 foot 9 inch stride which made it possible for him to utilize 13 steps between each hurdle instead of the usual 14.

Edwin Moses is a good one to mention.

Please forgive me for being so provincial but we don't have much to brag about up here on the sunny and balmy North Coast.

From many years ago, Jesse Owens. Not only a great athlete, but really stuck it to Hitler in the 1932 Olympics.

From not as many years ago in Football, Jim Brown. I still believe he has no peers to this day. Watching old footage of him is still amazing every time I see it. As TR knows, also considered the greatest Lacrosse player of all time by many. A true renaissance athlete.

Wilt Chamberlain was definetely ahead of his time. Not only was the lane changed, goal tending was also outlawed. Wilt was probably the most dominating athlete ever.

mtownfan - that is a good one as well. I see you have Hershey listed as your location. Isn't this the place where Wilt scored his 100 points in a single game? No one has ever done that since. That same season he averaged over 50 points per game!!!!! That will likely not happen again.

Michele Wie will be one we soon talk about in such terms.

She's 15 years old and close to making cuts on the PGA tour. Hits the ball 300 yards.

She's the new generation: making LPGA a power game much like Tiger did for the PGA tour (with Jack and a few others before him.)

There are LOTS of very young stars emerging on the LPGA, and they are reshaping the ladies tour. Wie will be its symbol.

But - my prediction: Michele Wie will make her living on the men's tour.

How's THAT for being ahead of the time?

ClevelandDad,
Yes it is in fact I saw it. J/K Everyone says they were there, but that is impossible for me. I ahve been to the arena where it happened many times. It is proud part of our history.

Fran Tarkenton.

The old Montreal Canadiens teams that caused the league to change the rules and create the center red line (may it now rest in peace forever). Gretzky's Oilers who caused the NHL to eliminate 4 on 4 play, another in a long line of stupid decisions that has since gone by the wayside.

I've got a couple:

Jim Thorpe
The original do-it-all athlete. I don't know if he was ahead of his time, because no one's really matched up since. Could you imagine it today? A football star who played pro baseball AND dominated the Olympics? Imagine the endorsements.

George Mikan
RIP to my local hero, the first dominating 'Big Man' in the game. He was also the best player and team leader of one of basketball's first dynasties.

Babe Ruth
This is obvious. He completely revolutionized the game.

John Gagliardi
I don't know how many of you know who he is, but he's the head football coach at D-III St. John's in Collegeville, MN. He's the NCAA's all-time leader in wins. His style is revolutionary. No conditioning, no full contact practices, no practices in adverse conditions, and only 90 minute practices. Basically, he's the complete opposite of just about every other coach. All that has done is give him high graduation rates, low injury rates, and LOTS of wins.


They're my choices.

Why doesnt anyone talk about the "juiced" golf clubs that allow 14 year old girls to compete with grown men ?

Aww c'mon TR! Admit it. You're just jealous a little girl can outdrive you!!

BTW, have you looked at golf clubs across the board?? They're ALL juiced---Big Bertha's AND BERT's!!

TR,

I think it would be an issue if they melted those juiced clubs down to a liquid and then injected it into their back side.

That just may be the next big thing.

As far as golf is concerned anyone can out drive me

That is why I dont play golf