Greatest Athlete We Will Ever See?

[Damien O'Connel]

In addition to Jordan and Gretzky, I'll throw Edwin Moses in the mix as well. The guy won 122 consecutive 400 meter hurdle races from 1977 to 1987... basically for a DECADE, you had ZERO chance of beating him.

Messi is a good person to have on your list if you're in your mid-20s and know very little about sports.

Just saying.

That's a pretty ridiculous statement. At the absolute least, he's in the top 3 with Jordan and Tiger.

As Pioneer said, there is a level of competition in soccer that is simply unmatched.

Professional players in the highest leagues are taken away from their families at an early age, and are sent to academies where all they do is train.

Look at this shit.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cBIAwh4EjA

 

[spydy13]

Professional players in the highest leagues are taken away from their families at an early age, and are sent to academies where all they do is train.

Or in the case of Messi have Barca pay for his growth hormone treatments, pay for his family to move to Spain, and give his parents bullshit jobs so that he could illegally transfer before his 18th birthday.

 

[kosis]

I'll jump in to say that in my opinion Messi is far and away the best soccer player in the world today, and the best I've seen. Never seen a footballer be so good at so many things. Ronaldo, Ibra, Suarez and a few others all in that 1b tier.

Might argue that Maradona surpassed Pele, and I'm not even from South America with all my Argentine love.

 

[Damien O'Connel]

Or in the case of Messi have Barca pay for his growth hormone treatments, pay for his family to move to Spain, and give his parents bullshit jobs so that he could illegally transfer before his 18th birthday.

You're making it sound so evil....haha

 

[spydy13]

You're making it sound so evil....haha

Well it is against the rules and they were rightfully given the transfer ban for similar infractions.

 

[Damien O'Connel]

Well it is against the rules and they were rightfully given the transfer ban for similar instances.

Yeah but beyond the "rules" they helped pull a family out of poverty, took away the medical bills they would never been able to afford, and allowed a kid to live his dream.

I'm ok with breaking rules if that's the outcome.

 

[spydy13]

Yeah but beyond the "rules" they helped pull a family out of poverty, took away the medical bills they would never been able to afford, and allowed a kid to live his dream.

I'm ok with breaking rules if that's the outcome.

That's fine, except the team that discovered him and started his development doesn't get compensated for that.

 

[Tlyons]

I can't really comment on Messi but it's hard to imagine someone more dominant than Tiger. Not even MJ.

 

[Damien O'Connel]

I can't really comment on Messi but it's hard to imagine someone more dominant than Tiger. Not even MJ.

I've pretty much exhausted every argument I can make. Without knowing the sport, I can totally understand why you would be skeptical.

Gotta put him in your top 3 though.

 

[bob2the2nd]

I've pretty much exhausted every argument I can make. Without knowing the sport, I can totally understand why you would be skeptical.

Gotta put him in your top 3 though.

as a soccer player. someone that played for 15 years. your answer is no, messi is not the greatest athlete ever.

my top 5, in order.

jim thorpe
secretariat
bo jackson/michael jordan
pele

Just how modern day sports are set up no one will ever touch jim thorpe. let me quote wiki "he won Olympic gold medals for the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon, played American football (collegiate and professional), and also played professional baseball and basketball."

what other sports does messi play?

 

[Damien O'Connel]

as a soccer player. someone that played for 15 years. your answer is no, messi is not the greatest athlete ever.

my top 5, in order.

jim thorpe
secretariat
bo jackson/michael jordan
pele

Just how modern day sports are set up no one will ever touch jim thorpe. let me quote wiki "he won Olympic gold medals for the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon, played American football (collegiate and professional), and also played professional baseball and basketball."

what other sports does messi play?

LOL. You included a fucking horse.

You know my opinion. Messi is better than Pele....and the other sports argument is pretty dumb. Basketball and football weren't basketball and football in 1912.

As someone who played soccer for 15 years (are you expecting me to be staggered by your experience?) you should know that you have to play soccer full-time to be above average at it these days.

I'm done though man, probably won't convince you and my argument has been laid out in full.

 

[bob2the2nd]

LOL. You included a fucking horse.

You know my opinion. Messi is better than Pele....and the other sports argument is pretty dumb. Basketball and football weren't basketball and football in 1912.

As someone who played soccer for 15 years (are you expecting me to be staggered by your experience?) you should know that you have to play soccer full-time to be above average at it these days.

I'm done though man, probably won't convince you and my argument has been laid out in full.

awwww youre so bent out of shape. its so cute. :hug:

jim thorpe won the gold medal as the best athlete in 5 sports, and 10 sports.. at the same time. while playing football, basketball, and baseball. once again, no one comes close.

also that fucking horse holds the still standing track record at the kentucky derby, has a controversial track record at the preakness, and oh yeah the belmont... track record pace, won by 31 lengths, and the single fastest 1.5 mile on dirt by a horse, ever.

messi plays 1 sport and is still in the middle of his career. if messi is in a car accident tomorrow and never plays soccer again, in 15 years he wont even enter into the top 3 soccer players of all time, much less athletes. youre a fan boy that has jumped the gun and started a thread to get a rise out of people.

your answer as every other person has stated is no, messi is not the greatest athlete ever. Can he cement himself as the top soccer player ever, absolutely but he needs a world cup championship first

 

[Damien O'Connel]

awwww youre so bent out of shape. its so cute. :hug:

jim thorpe won the gold medal as the best athlete in 5 sports, and 10 sports.. at the same time. while playing football, basketball, and baseball. once again, no one comes close.

also that fucking horse holds the still standing track record at the kentucky derby, has a controversial track record at the preakness, and oh yeah the belmont... track record pace, won by 31 lengths, and the single fastest 1.5 mile on dirt by a horse, ever.

messi plays 1 sport and is still in the middle of his career. if messi is in a car accident tomorrow and never plays soccer again, in 15 years he wont even enter into the top 3 soccer players of all time, much less athletes. youre a fan boy that has jumped the gun and started a thread to get a rise out of people.

your answer as every other person has stated is no, messi is not the greatest athlete ever. Can he cement himself as the top soccer player ever, absolutely but he needs a world cup championship first

I didn't make this thread to get a rise out of people. I made this thread because some don't even know who Messi is and they're missing out.

I know all of that about Secretariat. It's the whole different species thing where I draw the line.

He got a shit Argentine squad to the Final and had an incredible run. Can't ask much more out of someone in an 11-11 sport. He's set so many all-time records that he can retire today and be the best ever.

I'm done (for real this time lol). Your tone is blatantly antagonistic.

 

[kookoo]

I don't think Messi is the greatest athlete we'll ever see. Messi is the greatest soccer player we'll ever see. In my opinion, the greatest athlete is someone who can be at the top of the list in multiple sports. Jordan is definitely up there. I don't really count anyone when segregation was still a thing.

 

[AZ_]

What other sport could Jordan be at the top of?