Sport All Time Sporting Heroes

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rooie said:
i only own two sports books. mark waugh and ablett snr.

for me, they are the two most naturally gifted at their sport in my lifetime, but that didn't necessarily make them the best. I would say many a cricketer had better careers, and many a footballer more success, but had these two put in the effort, they would have been peerless.

can you imagine ablett snr. with ablett jnrs work ethic? there would be absolutely no doubt in anyones mind who was the greatest footballer.

and can you imagine mark waugh with steve waughs determination and concentration? the most graceful cricketer, made every shot look like he was playing with his kids in the backyard, but seemed to get bored to me and always get out shortly after 100 when he was looking like he could get 200+.

some of the greatest at their chosen sports, but man they could have been so much greater too. amazing.
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I've thought about that too. But then that wouldn't have made them human. Maybe alien :p It proves that everyone has at least one weakness IMO.
 
I must be out on a limb here - I don't have too many sporting heroes. I loved watching Gary Ablett Snr and rank him as the No.1 player I have seen, but because of his personality flaws he wasn't a "sporting hero" of mine. Same applies to the likes of Shane Warne, Pat Cash, Lleyton Hewitt and Greg Norman, all of whom I admire for what they did in their respective sports, but I never idolised them.

If I go by autobiographies I have read, well that would be limited to Warwick Todd and Malcolm Blight!!

As a kid I admired Dennis Lillee and John Newcombe. I loved the way Andre Agassi reinvented himself both on and off the court

Joel Selwood is fast shaping as a potential sporting hero. His ability is undeniable, and his maturity has always seemed beyond what you'd expect of someone of his age.

But at the moment, the only complete package, in my opinion, is Roger Federer - arguably the greatest modern day tennis player, and a gentleman on and off the court. You can't help but admire him
 

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Great topic , so many to choose from

1) Ablett Senior - moved here in '99 so saw him throughout his career , absolute freak without parallel as a footballer. My 17yo loves Junior but he and his mates cannot believe Seniors highlight reel. Still makes this old bugger smile and shake head.
2) Jordan - revolutionised the game , absolute superstar and ultimate clutch player. Has there ever been a more influential member of a team?
3) Nicklaus - Jack !!!! Saw him very late in his career , I thought Norman had aura on a GC but Jack is ....well Jack is Jack. So glad his record is still in tact.
4) Ali - superb specimen in a brutal sport .
5) The Don - how good would it be to get in the time machine and see him at his prime?
6) Host of Olympians - Edwin Moses , Michael Johnson , Perkins , Thorpe and Bolt !!
 
Shane Warne. His ball against Mike Gatting in the ashes test was an unbelievable moment in sport. Goes alright with the ladies. Also David Beckham. He was so young when he kicked this goal goes ok with the ladies too! I also have a soft spot for any 3 time premiership players at Geelong.
 
Sttew said:
Joel Selwood is fast shaping as a potential sporting hero. His ability is undeniable, and his maturity has always seemed beyond what you'd expect of someone of his age.
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Absolutely. Not just because I'm a Cats fan, but I cannot comprehend how much of a star he will be looked back on as in 10 years time.
 
Steve Waugh for mine :thumbsu:
Admire his off-field work as much as his on-field. His charity work in India is a fine example of his humility.
 
Ablett Snr - the reason I play, watch & love footy
(Met him a couple of times as a kid but absolutely regret not chatting to him and saying thank you when I saw him at the airport a few years ago)

Diego Armando Maradona - the greatest!
 
Cursed_Cat said:
wow; I've seen it all before, a lot of it live, but that was one of the better condensed Ablett snr. packages I have seen, a thrill a second.

Ablett is my all time sporting hero too.

Also really enjoyed the cricketing careers of AB and Shane Warne.

Always admired Andrew Gaze also.
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One of Bobby_ 's, that.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
 

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SJ said:
And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
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it truly is. The more games I come across, the more I shake my head. Some of this earlier stuff in his career needs to be shared and I will get it on the net shortly.
Surprising how many goals he setup, not often mentioned when people talk of Snr as they usually say he was greedy etc, shame goal assists weren't documented though, would have been an interesting statistic to digest.
Trying to track down a game from 1985, rd6 v St Kilda, have a replay only which is half of the final quarter and I heard he took one of the marks of the year by sitting on the shoulders of a Saints player, be terrific viewing if I could find it, have a photo of the alleged mark but it's obviously not the same thing
 
rooie said:
i only own two sports books. mark waugh and ablett snr.

for me, they are the two most naturally gifted at their sport in my lifetime, but that didn't necessarily make them the best. I would say many a cricketer had better careers, and many a footballer more success, but had these two put in the effort, they would have been peerless.

can you imagine ablett snr. with ablett jnrs work ethic? there would be absolutely no doubt in anyones mind who was the greatest footballer.

and can you imagine mark waugh with steve waughs determination and concentration? the most graceful cricketer, made every shot look like he was playing with his kids in the backyard, but seemed to get bored to me and always get out shortly after 100 when he was looking like he could get 200+.

some of the greatest at their chosen sports, but man they could have been so much greater too. amazing.
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Mark Waugh wasn't even the best in his family :)
 
Vdubs said:
It's off-season, we have a great "Remember When" thread, got me thinking, who is your all time sporting hero?
Doesn't have to be a footballer.
And Why?

For me,#1 is Steve Waugh.
I loved the way he resurrected his career after getting dropped for his brother.
I loved the way he consistently came in and rescued us from perilous situations.
I admire his off field persona, and have every one of his books.
Speaking to those who have worked in the team, he is all class.
Maybe not the charisma of a Warnie, but he's my man.

Close #2 is Roger Federer for all the obvious reasons.

#3. Deek- he shot to prominence right when I was attempting marathons, and one day in a training run doing 4min km's feeling ok, Deek shot past us like we were walking. He made himself a marathon runner, as he was certainly originally the build of a footballer. Great man too.
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1. Mohammad Ali - Well he wasn't called "The Greatest" for nothing. Completely revolutionised the way high profile sportsmen are marketed and promoted, and organisations like IMG probably wouldn't exist if not for guys like Ali. In the ring was an incredible mix of athleticism, dazzling footwork, power, beauty and ridiculous speed - especially for a heavyweight. For those who only saw his later years (especially after the 3rd Frazier fight), look up his fight versus Cleveland Williams at the Houston Astrodome in 1966 for the most astonishing heavyweight performance I've ever seen. To have his best years lost by being stripped of the title, and then to come back and reclaim it, in what was probably the strongest weight division in the history of boxing only reinforces his status.

Additionally, thanks to Ali noticing how wrestlers talked up and promoted their fights, boxers ever since have all tried and failed to promote their matches with the same kind of approach Ali pioneered. Even athletes from other sports now do it - as recently as Warner two days ago.

Highlights:

- vs Cleveland Williams, Houston Astrodome, 1966
- vs George Foreman, Zaire, 1974
- vs Joe Frazier, Manila, 1975

2. Viv Richards - Easily the most intimidating batsmen I've ever seen. Simply fearless. Apart from being clearly the best batsman on the planet when he was playing - and he was - he had a swagger and aura that was unmatchable. This was not like the modern era - there were more quality bowlers, bats weren't as good, grounds were bigger, and pitches actually gave the bowlers assistance. While every other nation was seemingly in a race to equip their batsmen with the most protection and padding available, Viv just sauntered out chewing his gum with his cap on and contemptuously smiling at whoever it was he faced.

Highlights:

- 153 not out at the MCG in 1979/80 in a one-day match. Australia's attack was actually very strong and he just mutilated them.
- 189 not out v England in a one-day match in 1984. Put on 106 for the 10th wicket with Michael Holding who contributed 12.
- 829 runs in 4 tests against England in 1976. You'd have to think he'd have given Bradman's 974 runs in 1930 a big shake if he'd played every test.

Others would include Gary Ablett senior, Walter Lindrum, Diego Maradona, and Sugar Ray Robinson.
 
Drew Ginn - 3 Time Olympic Gold Medalist, 5 time world champion and a member of the oarsome foursome over a 17 year career that included recovering from a serious back injury.

Gary Ablett Jnr - For obvious reasons and is a great bloke with it

Rafael Nadal - Love the way he goes about it and conducts himself, and although not being as freakish as Federer love the way he plays.

Andrew Symonds - Way he conducted himself was disappointing, but loved his batting, part time bowling, fielding and general on ground presence.

Others - Max Rooke, James Pattinson, Andre Aggasi, Adam Gilchrist, Kim Crowe, Pat Rafter, Joel Selwood
 
Partridge beat me to it - Viv Richards, and for all the same reasons. Even today, when I see him being interviewed, my right knee starts to wobble and can't help but consider for a moment what side of the fence I'm on. Having the memory of watching Viv play makes watching today's game meaningless.

Another who comes very close to Viv, and was my hero growing up when playing competitive tennis, was The Swede - Bjorn Borg. Memory tells me he had a winning percentage of over 82% across all surfaces, and was playing against more greats than at any time in the game. No one comes close to him, even today.

But Borg had what very few people have - pure style in everything he did, and he seemed modest with it. I loved the silence, the grace, the ease and the class he displayed while whipping everyone on the court. His body was that of a ballet dancer, and he played the sport with subtle ease. He made you want to aspire to something of his greatness, in comparison to the loud mouth antics of Conners and McEnroe.

And those games that remain in memory - Borg/McEnroe, Borg/Conners - watched into the wee small hours - the drama, good vs evil, the emotion, the power and strength. Like another Swede in Garbo, Borg had a mystery, a melancholy and an air of in-difference that set him apart, which probably led to him giving the game away at an early age.

On the rare occasion when I see Borg being referenced, or rarer still, being interviewed today, I get that tinge of excitement, that the past 40 years is all but a dream, and I wake up...it's 1976, and Borg is walking onto court, decked out in simple Fila white, wooden racket in hand, gracefully raising his hand to the adoring crowd, minutes away from quietly blowing another player off the court.

esq-bjorn-borg-051013-xlg.jpg
 
lwmorton3121 said:
As someone who wasn't born when Viv Richards played I've only ever seen him retrospectively, but he is a wonder to behold.
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Let me put it this way, the celebrations you see from any bowler getting him out were genuine and sheer excitement and relief.
He was that good. The Master Blaster.

GO Catters
 

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