Best Athlete In the World?

[Down by the River]

The thing about the decathalon is the lack of $/prestige means that you aren't necessarily going to attract the best athletes. As well, you have ten events, but it isn't like the ten events are incredibly diverse. Its basically running and jumping and throwing. 

 

I think if you take the five major North American/European sports: Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, Football, and Soccer, and ask which athlete within these five sports would fare the best across all five, the answer is Lebron James. 

[ChuckNORRIS4Cup]

John Daly has shown for years what it takes to be a healthy athlete!

[ReggieBush]

3 hours ago, J-Dizzle said:

Not too many athletes have dominated their sport the way Mr. Brady has.....

He is not an athletic specimen, which I think is what the OP was getting at. Besides he is a system QB *sarcasm*

[Zhukini]

I miss when the answer was clearly Tiger

[Ghostsof1915]

6 minutes ago, ReggieBush said:

He is not an athletic specimen, which I think is what the OP was getting at. Besides he is a system QB *sarcasm*

That's why I chose Beauden Barrett from the NZ All Blacks. Play 40 minutes per half, taking tackles, scoring try's, converts. All with no pads, no breaks. 

True test of skill, toughness, stamina, and strength. 

[Green Goblin]

Although Lebron may appear to be one of the best athletes in the world, I believe hockey players are the best athletes overall. Hockey is without a doubt the hardest team sport to play. It is the most demanding in nearly every attributes category. Boxing being the most demanding individual sport.

 

Here's the Top 10 most difficult sports created by experts in sports science.

 

Degree of Difficulty: Sport Rankings
SPORT	END	STR	PWR	SPD	AGI	FLX	NER	DUR	HAN	ANA	TOTAL	RANK
Boxing	8.63	8.13	8.63	6.38	6.25	4.38	8.88	8.50	7.00	5.63	72.375	1
Ice Hockey	7.25	7.13	7.88	7.75	7.63	4.88	6.00	8.25	7.50	7.50	71.750	2
Football	5.38	8.63	8.13	7.13	6.38	4.38	7.25	8.50	5.50	7.13	68.375	3
Basketball	7.38	6.25	6.50	7.25	8.13	5.63	4.13	7.75	7.50	7.38	67.875	4
Wrestling	6.63	8.38	7.13	5.13	6.38	7.50	5.00	6.75	4.25	6.38	63.500	5
Martial Arts	5.00	5.88	7.75	6.38	6.00	7.00	6.63	5.88	6.00	6.88	63.375	6
Tennis	7.25	5.13	7.13	6.75	7.75	5.63	3.00	5.00	8.38	6.75	62.750	7
Gymnastics	5.38	6.13	6.63	5.00	6.38	10.00	7.50	6.88	4.50	4.13	62.500	8
Baseball/Softball	4.63	5.75	7.63	6.50	6.75	4.75	5.13	5.63	9.25	6.25	62.250	9
Soccer	7.75	4.50	5.13	7.25	8.25	4.75	3.63	6.25	6.50	7.50	61.500	10

 

Key

ENDURANCE: The ability to continue to perform a skill or action for long periods of time. Example: Lance Armstrong STRENGTH: The ability to produce force. Example: NFL linebackers. POWER: The ability to produce strength in the shortest possible time. Example: Barry Bonds. SPEED: The ability to move quickly. Example: Marion Jones, Maurice Green. AGILITY: The ability to change direction quickly. Example: Derek Jeter, Mia Hamm. FLEXIBILITY: The ability to stretch the joints across a large range of motion. Example: Gymnasts, divers. NERVE: The ability to overcome fear. Example: High-board divers, race-car drivers, ski jumpers. DURABILITY: The ability to withstand physical punishment over a long period of time. Example: NBA/NHL players. HAND-EYE COORDINATION: The ability to react quickly to sensory perception. Example: A hitter reacting to a breaking pitch; a drag racer timing acceleration to the green light. ANALYTIC APTITUDE: The ability to evaluate and react appropriately to strategic situations. Example: Joe Montana reading a defense; basketball point guard on a fast break.

 

 

To add on to this...

 

https://www.forbes.com/athletes/list/#tab:overall

 

If you look at Forbes Top 100 Highest Paid athletes in the world. They don't have a single hockey player on there. But 32 of them are basketball players, 22 are baseball players, 15 are football players, and 9 are soccer players.

[cdubuya]

for me its someone like Randy Moss. Speed, size, coordination, body control... doesn't get much better than that.

[riffraff]

Kelly Slater:  American pro surfer

 

11 world championships

 

youngest and oldest to win a world championship age 20 and 39

five consecutive world championships

 

competes against men more than half his age

 

elite skill in all surf environments

 

athleticism in the ocean, which is a completely non structured, ever changing natural setting unlike any arena, track, etc.

 

also an all around good person who was on the show Baywatch.

[hammertime]

7 hours ago, Twilight Sparkle said:

ronaldo is seriously still around? gretzky >>> lemieux? what year is it?

He's still practically the best football player on the planet too. Between him and Lionel Messi who is also deserving of a mention. 

 

As for best athlete my votes would be Simone Biles 

 

[J-Dizzle]

1 hour ago, ReggieBush said:

He is not an athletic specimen, which I think is what the OP was getting at. Besides he is a system QB *sarcasm*

Meh, I'd debate the OP's criteria lol.  

[hammertime]

47 minutes ago, Green Goblin said:

Although Lebron may appear to be one of the best athletes of the world, I believe hockey players are the best athletes overall. Hockey is without a doubt the hardest team sport to play. It is the most demanding in nearly every attributes category. Boxing being the most demanding individual sport.

 

Here's the Top 10 most difficult sports created by experts in sports science.

 

 

Degree of Difficulty: Sport Rankings
SPORT	END	STR	PWR	SPD	AGI	FLX	NER	DUR	HAN	ANA	TOTAL	RANK
Boxing	8.63	8.13	8.63	6.38	6.25	4.38	8.88	8.50	7.00	5.63	72.375	1
Ice Hockey	7.25	7.13	7.88	7.75	7.63	4.88	6.00	8.25	7.50	7.50	71.750	2
Football	5.38	8.63	8.13	7.13	6.38	4.38	7.25	8.50	5.50	7.13	68.375	3
Basketball	7.38	6.25	6.50	7.25	8.13	5.63	4.13	7.75	7.50	7.38	67.875	4
Wrestling	6.63	8.38	7.13	5.13	6.38	7.50	5.00	6.75	4.25	6.38	63.500	5
Martial Arts	5.00	5.88	7.75	6.38	6.00	7.00	6.63	5.88	6.00	6.88	63.375	6
Tennis	7.25	5.13	7.13	6.75	7.75	5.63	3.00	5.00	8.38	6.75	62.750	7
Gymnastics	5.38	6.13	6.63	5.00	6.38	10.00	7.50	6.88	4.50	4.13	62.500	8
Baseball/Softball	4.63	5.75	7.63	6.50	6.75	4.75	5.13	5.63	9.25	6.25	62.250	9
Soccer	7.75	4.50	5.13	7.25	8.25	4.75	3.63	6.25	6.50	7.50	61.500	10

 

 

Key

ENDURANCE: The ability to continue to perform a skill or action for long periods of time. Example: Lance Armstrong STRENGTH: The ability to produce force. Example: NFL linebackers. POWER: The ability to produce strength in the shortest possible time. Example: Barry Bonds. SPEED: The ability to move quickly. Example: Marion Jones, Maurice Green. AGILITY: The ability to change direction quickly. Example: Derek Jeter, Mia Hamm. FLEXIBILITY: The ability to stretch the joints across a large range of motion. Example: Gymnasts, divers. NERVE: The ability to overcome fear. Example: High-board divers, race-car drivers, ski jumpers. DURABILITY: The ability to withstand physical punishment over a long period of time. Example: NBA/NHL players. HAND-EYE COORDINATION: The ability to react quickly to sensory perception. Example: A hitter reacting to a breaking pitch; a drag racer timing acceleration to the green light. ANALYTIC APTITUDE: The ability to evaluate and react appropriately to strategic situations. Example: Joe Montana reading a defense; basketball point guard on a fast break.

 

 

To add on to this...

 

https://www.forbes.com/athletes/list/#tab:overall

 

If you look at Forbes Top 100 Highest Paid athletes in the world. They don't have a single hockey player on there. But 32 of them are basketball players, 22 are baseball players, 15 are football players, and 9 are soccer players.

Lol Baseball is on that list lolz  not even cycling or rock climbing or swimming haha baseball where you spend %90 of the game standing around is Babe Ruth to be considered  an elite athlete ahead of M Phelps who has to be considered one of the best athletes ever no? Lol Baseball.

[Dral]

Lebron gets 'injured' to much to be an elite athlete

[Jaku]

Pretty sure it's John Scott. 

[tbone909]

Garo Yepremian Kicker Miami Dolphins 1970-78.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-pxMm_UdY4

[Gurn]

This guy.

 

 

[shiznak]

17 minutes ago, hammertime said:

Lol Baseball is on that list lolz  not even cycling or rock climbing or swimming haha baseball where you spend %90 of the game standing around is Babe Ruth to be considered  an elite athlete ahead of M Phelps who has to be considered one of the best athletes ever no? Lol Baseball.

You laugh, but baseball is very taxing on your body. 162 games, and playing almost every single day. It isn't a coindence that you rarely see a player play competitive baseball at an elite level for long. Usually most baseball players' skills start to deteriorate at the age of 30-33.

[BabychStache]

If all elements (Physical ability, mental ability, work ethic, focus, etc) are considered in this criteria i say GSP. That guy is incredibly impressive. 

[Isam]

Kevin mayer. Decathlon to me generally proves who the best athlete on the planet is.

[Industrious1]

Not sure you can include every sport in such an equation.

 

There are just far too many variables and differences in what it takes in each to be the best.  In such broad terms it would have to be some physically beastly athlete in....weightlifting?  Running?  I'm not sure.

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

All time   Senna Rice Gretzky Jordan Ali Pele GSP Federer

 

Now

 

Hamilton Brady LeBron Mayweather Messi   FRANCIS NGANNOU Federer

 

 

Also water skiing, DownHill Super G, skating, Diving  BMX volleyball Tour De France what ever you want to think of  except for maybe motor cross or rally athletes all take a back seat to any one individual who wears a wingsuit and says I'ma jump off this mountain and go 250+kmh and control it.