|
|
|
|
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/5/2006 10:13:36 AM | Maybe it's the American in me! But, what makes Ali's life more valuable than my father's? My father was a medic in Vietnam, and I know now, it was a useless war. But, Ali only thought of himself. Not his fellow Americans who would die over seas by the thousands, defending the dimocracy, that enabled him to be one of the greatest boxers ever. He was selfish, and sold out his native country. That's not a legend. I believe they call it desertion! | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/5/2006 10:15:18 AM | | Maybe it's the American in me! But, what makes Ali's life more valuable than my father's? My father was a medic in Vietnam, and I know now, it was a useless war. But, Ali only thought of himself. Not his fellow Americans who would die over seas by the thousands, defending the dimocracy, that enabled him to be one of the greatest boxers ever. He was selfish, and sold out his native country. That's not a legend. I believe they call it desertion! | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/5/2006 11:14:56 AM | justkurious,
"Ali's actions in refusing military service and aligning himself with the Nation of Islam, made him a lightning rod of controversy, turning the outspoken but popular former champion into one of that era's most recognizable and controversial figures. Appearing at rallies with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad and declaring his allegiance to him at a time when mainstream America viewed them with suspicion — if not actual hostility — made Ali a target of outrage, and suspicion as well. Ali seemed at times to even provoke such reactions, with viewpoints that wavered from support for civil rights to outright support of separatism.
Near the end of 1967, Ali was stripped of his title by the professional boxing commission and would not be allowed to fight professionally for more than three years. He was also convicted for refusing induction into the U.S. Army. Over the course of those years in exile, Ali fought to appeal his conviction. He stayed in the public spotlight and supported himself by giving speeches primarily at rallies on college campuses that opposed the Vietnam War."-wikipedia
"He refused to serve in the American army during the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector, because "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'aan. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." Ali also famously said "I ain't got no quarrel with those Vietcong" and "no Vietcong ever called me ." "
Sound like he only cared about himself to you? And you can't desert if you refused to join in the first place.
Nobody said Ali's life was more valuable than your father's. This is a thread about sporting legends. As great a man as your dad may be....unless you are keeping some info from us, he was not a sports legend. Don't be in such a hurry to be offended. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/5/2006 1:07:15 PM | | I like your outlook! We can just agree to disagree. America is supposed to be a nation, free to all religions. It was our founding father's who fought for that right, regardless of their own personal religious beliefs. Many muslims fought in Vietnam. Not because they agreed with the cause, or because who sent them there to begin with. It wasn't a messenger. To support the nation that gave them freedom from oppression. Which is what most muslims are. Oppressed. I have nothing against Muslims at all. Practice whatever you'd like. I'm personally not religious, so it makes no sense to me. Ali put himself before country. Regardless of his religion. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/5/2006 2:10:15 PM | justkurious,
Have you enlisted for the service to go to Iraq or Afghanistan? If not, why? Because you don't want to die. Putting yourself before country?....shameful. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/5/2006 2:48:01 PM | | Actually, I tried! But my civilian medical records say I couldn't. I've had migraines since I was a kid. Not as bad now, but enough not to let me go. I wish I could be there. I've already lost a friend there from NH. Not my choice! I tried! | |
|
red5
|
Joined: 4/11/2006
Msg: 157 | |
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/11/2006 2:18:49 PM |
America is supposed to be a nation, free to all religions. It was our founding father's who fought for that right, regardless of their own personal religious beliefs
Actually, they didn't.. they fought for independence from britain because they did not want to pay tax to the british crown.
Herm Edwards, a man respected in every one of Gods nations, once said
"Man is but flotsam in the waters of Christ and America is the cross through which man will serve the lord" | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/11/2006 2:52:01 PM | I have to admit I find the Herm Edwards quotes gold. I can always respect a good running joke. LOL
As for my opinions on what dictates a legend, I think it would have to be someone who opened his/her sport to the world. Broke down barriers. From that stand-point, there are only a few that I would list.
Muhammad Ali - Boxing
Pele - Football
Martina Navratilova - Tennis
Tiger Woods - Golf
Michael Jordon - Basketball
Michael Schumacher - F1
Jackie Robinson - Baseball
Wayne Gretzky - Hockey
Kareem Abduhl Jabber - Basketball
Jesse Owens - Track and Field
As for whom I would list at the top...well he's already there. No one in the history of athletics has meant more to humaity than Ali. He is a tireless humanitarian and will not only be known for his prowess in the ring. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/11/2006 5:12:32 PM | Has to be Pele, by default. It's the most watched sport in the world, and the most played sport in the world, and the greatest sport in the world, and he is the legend of it for being the best player ever.
Also, if you're talking about someone that brought about change and broke down barriers, don't forget about Arthur Ashe. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/12/2006 8:25:24 AM | | He is right up there. Hmmmed and hawwwed about him but decided that although he broke down barriers, he wasn't wildly known enough to be considered in the #1 running. Still a legend though...make no doubt of that. | |
|
red5
|
Joined: 4/11/2006
Msg: 161 | |
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/12/2006 8:35:25 AM | Great player though was Ashe.. but wasn't really at the top of his field in the way McEnroe, Borg, Agassi, Sampras, Federer et al were
I still say Ali, followed by Pele | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/12/2006 10:01:40 AM | | What....no Boom Boom Becker? LOL Actually...Big Boris used to be my favorite. I used to love watching him play Ivan Lendl or Stefan Edberg. Unfortunately I'm a little young to have watched Borg or Ashe play. The only thing I really remember of Ashe was his fight against AIDS in the last years of his life. | |
|
| |
red5
|
Joined: 4/11/2006
Msg: 164 | |
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/12/2006 4:07:00 PM | Fair play to your dad dude!!
I had no idea that Ashe died of AIDS.. Jeesh! That's awful.. still.. he made his mark on life. It's just a pity he isn't making it still
Over here, Becker is a big star, so I know all about him.. Lendyl was always the anti-hero but towards the end, everyone wanted him to win wimbledon
Becker made the news a few years ago 'cause of some paternity case.. he was with his wife in a restaurant in London, and saw this chick go past him...
their eyes met, and he followed her to the toilets.. they shagged, in a broom cupboard for... get this... **6 seconds** and 9 months later there was a paternity case.. the amazing thing was that Boris was back with his wife at the dinner table 3 minutes after leaving for the loo
That's kids for you!! | |
|
| |
red5
|
Joined: 4/11/2006
Msg: 166 | |
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/13/2006 12:20:37 PM | All these other guys are athletic pygmies next to the one true god of sport
HERM EDWARDS
Any man who can run 100 yards in 8.9, benchpress 300lbs and win a game on a die with the raising of an eyebrow, gets my vote | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/13/2006 12:40:44 PM | | You forgot about his ability to vaporize his opponents with his toxic breath ray. Wait...was that Herm Edwards or Godzilla? I get confused sometimes... | |
|
red5
|
Joined: 4/11/2006
Msg: 168 | |
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/13/2006 12:48:07 PM | It's all about faith.
His coach had faith in his as a player. The coach saw a guy who can win a match through his presence alone.. others simply saw a 40 giant lizard | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/13/2006 3:06:08 PM | Minor League Legends: Steve Dalkowski
AUGUST 24, 1999
by JARED HOFFMAN The Sporting News
For the book "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players", The Sporting News asked several former players and managers to rank their top ten in various categories. Former big-league manager Gene Mauch selected the hardest throwing pitchers he ever saw and the list included some of the usual suspects: Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens and Bob Feller. However, at No. 5 on that list was a name that made probably made many people go, "Huh?": Steve Dalkowski.
Dalkowski gained legendary status with a fastball that many who saw him pitch believe was 110 mph. The only thing that kept Dalkowski from ever reaching the majors was that he couldn't throw his fastball with any sort of control -- in 1960, he set a California League record with 262 walks in 170 innings. He also recorded 262 strikeouts. For his minor league career, Delkowski had 1,396 strikeouts and 1,354 walks in 995 innings.
Those who saw Dalkowski pitch believe he was the hardest thrower in baseball history. In a Newsday article from 1979, several baseball men discussed Dalkowski's and his blazing fastball.
"He was unbelievable," said former Orioles manager Earl Weaver. "He threw a lot faster than (Nolan) Ryan. It's hard to believe but he did."
Yankees outfielder Paul Blair faced hard-throwers such as Sandy Koufax and Ryan but still remembers facing Dalkowski in spring training. "He threw the hardest I ever saw. He was also the wildest I ever saw."
Dalkowski's wildness frightened even the bravest of hitters. Ted Williams faced Dalkowski once in a spring training game and that was enough. "Fastest ever," said Williams. "I never want to face him again."
Here a just a few examples of how Dalkowski gained legendary status:
# One night at Kingsport, Dalkowski threw a pitch that tore off part of a batter's ear. "It made me so scared, I didn't even want to look at it," said Dalkowski. Many people believe after this incident Dalkowski feared one of errant pitches would kill someone and that only contributed more to his wildness.
# Dalkowski won a $5 bet with teammate Herman Starrette, who said Dalkowski couldn't throw a baseball through a wall. Dalkowski warmed up and then moved 15 feet away from the wooden outfield fence. His first pitch went right through the boards.
# In one minor league game, Dalkowski threw three pitches that penetrated the backstop and sent fans scattering.
# In a high school game, Dalkowski threw a no-hit, no-run game with 18 strikeouts and 18 walks.
# In an Eastern League game, Dalkowski struck out 27 and walked 16 while throwing 283 pitches. In another game, he was pulled in the second inning after throwing 120 pitches.
# At Aberdeen in the Northern League, Dalkowski threw a one-hitter and lost 9-8.
# In 1960 at Class A Stockton, Dalkowski threw a pitch that broke an umpire's mask in three places, knocking him 18 feet back and sending him to a hospital for three days with a concussion.
# In 1959, Dalkowski set a Northern League record with 21 strikeouts in a game.
# In 1960 at Stockton on the California League, Dalkowski struck out 19 and limited Reno to four hits but walked nine and lost 8-3.
The Orioles tried a variety of things to help Dalkowski find the strike zone with little success. However, Earl Weaver, who was managing in the Orioles' farm system, helped build Dalkowski's confidence. In one stretch for Elmira in 1962, Weaver said Dalkowski had a 52-inning stretch where he struck out 104, walked only 11 and allowed one earned run.
The following spring, Dalkowski seemed poised to make the Orioles club. However, his career was ended on a throw to first. In an exhibition game against the Yankees, Dalkowski fielded a bunt from pitcher Jim Bouton. Dalkwoski threw to first and as he did, felt something pop in his arm. He missed most of the season and when he returned his fastball had leveled off to 90 mph. He was released by the Orioles organization and was out of organized baseball by 1966.
Dalkowski became a migrant farm worker after retiring. Dalkowski was a heavy drinker during his playing days and his drinking continued to escalate after his baseball career was over. In an article in The Sporting News from June 30, 1979, Cal Ripken Sr. said, "Dalkowski could do some drinking. He just couldn't stop. He liked to stay out, drink and have some fun. He'd always be borrowing money to but booze and was broke from payday to payday."
The Association of Professional Ballplayers in America, an organization formed in the early 1920s to take care of former baseball people who became ill or indigent, tired to help Dalkowski.
Chuck Stevens, director of the APBA, said, "Dalkowski had a 14-foot medical sheet. They tell me he had a 35 common drunk arrests in every town in America. It's a very sad story. But, we had him absolutely dry for three months. We put him in an alcoholic rehabilitation center and found him a job. For three months, Steve Dalkowski was a productive citizen."
However a few months later, Dalkowski was drinking again and the APBA stopped its assistance because the money they gave Dalkowski was being used to buy liquor. Dalkowski's failing health prevented him from working. In the late-1980s, Dalkowski was living in a small apartment in southern California and almost broke. His whereabouts today are unknown. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/13/2006 3:10:55 PM | | I heard about the feat of throwing a ball through the chainlink fence. I may be wrong but he has been credited with the fastest pitch ever at 114 MPH. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/16/2006 9:03:16 AM | awww come on now{{ marathonman11x7}}.....
Shouldnt a legend be someone that is recognized by people the world over. Even if it's not that persons favourite.
Wrestling-Ghulum Mohammed the Great Gama
In this case I'd be forced to say what , who....
I'd say if it was going to be a wrestler, it'd have to be one of two choices,, Hogan or Andre
when you can use one name to announce a person, and most everyone gets it.. then u have a person who's a legend,, or been in alot of trouble recently lol..
first off to make this list it should be someone most people have heard of. The Word,, LEGEND ,, should mean that ((coming from the world of sports)) it's someone who in some way transcended they're own accomplishments to become some sort of icon. Not just for any stats or records they hold.
In this way I'd have to give it to ALI --- known the world over , and became a part of Americana. And as well a part of history in his own struggles, becoming a part of a generational movement for social debate..aaaand uh , he kicked a#ss. Except the gymnastics and baseball, i agree with the rest though.
ALI #1 
EDIT ---
hated and loved all at the same time.. but never forgotten. Tought to top that. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/16/2006 10:46:54 PM | Jim Thorpe...'Nuff said
As for Mr. Clay...defend him all you want to, he was a coward who chose a religion over not only serving his country, but to shed more light on himself...PERIOD!!! Funny he didn't start serving "Allah" until he knew he would be drafted. Ted Williams didn't switch religions, Audy Murphy, Hell even Elvis went and served. Don't fill me with bullshit about Cassius Clay and tell me it's brown sugar. And as for him being a humanitarian and great man, i don't think the people he stepped on and hid behind would agree. And maybe no vietcong ever called him ni****, but he didn't have a problem using it(along with Uncle Tom and other colorful slurs)to describe Frazier, Liston, and a host of others of the persuasion. Aaaaaaaand i'm off my soapbox. P.S. Marciano woulda knocked him on his ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok, NOW i'm steppin' down  | |
|
red5
|
Joined: 4/11/2006
Msg: 173 | |
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/17/2006 4:15:16 AM | So he didn't fight in Vietnam...
Big deal - that shows he has something that many of his gung-ho compatriots were missing.. common sense.
What kind of fool wants to die for an abstract notion like a country anyway?
There was only one "just war" that I can think of at the moment (I'm sure there are more though) and that was WW2.. which began in 1939 (not '41) (though the Chinese would claim '37 after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria) as the aggressive Nazi regime really were a threat to humanity.
So the fact that Ali refused to fight makes him a BETTER guy, because he was willing to stick his neck out and refuse to fight a war for someone elses benefit.... big business for instance.. | |
|
| who is the number 1 sporting legend?
Posted: 7/17/2006 8:45:17 AM | uh oh - lol 
look ummmmm ... if you read what i wrote , but don't read into it, I was talking about how his life impacted stuff. Not whether he was right or wrong.
NO one can deny that even now people still talk about his ,,,,
skill in the ring
talk and theatrics outside the ring
ability to stir stuff up
part in history, agree or disagree with him
legacy that stretched outside a sport that he was already well known for
his name was linked to so many other LEGENDS and great sports moments
srry all .. but I wasn't picking my favourite sports hero ... just the one that I think should be at the top. It's a list with many other legends, but few had as much impact in and out of the sport that made them famous as Ali.
Love him or hate him wasn't my meaning ,, again. srry .
and.........continue with list of great sports legends
lol
Lord forgive me lol | |
|
*Gwen*
|
Joined: 8/14/2005
Msg: 175 | |
| |
|
| Page 7 of 17
|
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 |
|
Home
login 
