Greatest Athlete

whoops ... armstrong X-)

There is no greatest, Wayne Gretzky could never been a star NFL quarterback. They are what they are in their element, you take them out of that element and they are nothing. Just an average Joe.

I think what's great is the fact that Lance did all this after recovering from cancer. Most people I know who get cancer give up. He came back from it and won seven of these tours. I think that's amazing.

There's a Nike ad running now that's basically just footage of Lance's 1996 press conference announcing his cancer, followed by an emotional statement about how he's determined to beat it. It's just about the best goddamn commercial I've ever seen.

I agree with Xhedias. Certain athletes are the greatest at what they do.

Pelé was the greatest footballer of all time, Gretzky the greatest at hockey, Jordan had basketball. For the purpose of this thread I'll break with the Armstrong crowd and say Ali. Simply because Armstrong was born with a heart which is 30% larger than that of an average man (1 in a million birth) and that gives him a great edge in his sport.

I agree with Xhedias. Certain athletes are the greatest at what they do. 

Pelé was the greatest footballer of all time, Gretzky the greatest at hockey, Jordan had basketball.  For the purpose of this thread I'll break with the Armstrong crowd and say Ali.  Simply because Armstrong was born with a heart which is 30% larger than that of an average man (1 in a million birth) and that gives him a great edge in his sport.



Lance Armstrong armed with unique genetic gifts
CTV.ca News Staff

Armstrong was born with a heart 10% larger than average, that has grown through training to become 30% larger than the average man's, giving the 5-foot-10 Armstrong a heart proportional to that of a 6'6 man. His heart can pump nine gallons of blood per minute, compared to five for the average person.

Armstrong's lungs can absorb twice as much oxygen. His muscles produce half as much lactic acid and expel it faster, allowing him to ride harder up the Tour's notoriously brutal hills and then recover quickly.

An average person turns 20 per cent of the oxygen he breathes into muscle power. Armstrong gets 23 per cent -- close to the highest ever recorded in a human. So with each breath he delivers more power to each push of the pedal.

Armstrong's body is so unique, if he didn't train at all, he would still be in better physical condition than an average person in top condition.

Allow me to explain some fundamentals of physiology...

We'll save the enlarged heart for last.

Armstrong's lung capacity is twice as large as a normal persons. This is pretty good for someone in great shape. Guess what? Professional swimmers have an even larger lung capacity due to training. Athletes' bodies adapt to increase lung capacity so that their body can bring in more oxygen into the system. O2 being necessary for cellular energy.

Lactic acid development and reabsorbtion into the body is also relative to fitness. The better shape you're in, the better the overall ratio. The discrepancy comes when you have someone with a large muscle mass, in which case, the volume could be greater, but the body will metabolise it faster.

O2 metabolism is also relative to the above two factors.

Now, for the heart. Yes, he has a heart that is larger than normal. There are ups and downs for this. On the upside, his heart rate is significantly lower than a lot of comparable athletes. On the downside, his BP is increased. What does that mean? Same thing for every person with an enlarged (even slightly) heart - he is at risk for HBP. His level of fitness does overcome this, making it a somewhat moot point. The problem is...anyone remember Jim Fixx? Famous runner, advocated running as a great way to stay in shape. He was in tip top physical condition and he dropped dead of a heart attack. Why? Overly enlarged heart taxed the entire system.

Now, I'm not saying this to deny Armstrong's athletic prowess, I'm saying this to negate the argument that he's the "greatest athlete." It does no one justice to say that they're a better athlete than someone else.

To use another example you listed, Mohammed Ali...why did Mr. Ali deny challenges from the Gracie brothers and the Machado brothers if he was such a great fighter? Food for thought, there.

Hmm, my vote goes to Jackie Robinson... Racism b33tz t3h cancer.

Hmm, my vote goes to Jackie Robinson... Racism b33tz t3h cancer.



Jackie's a very good pick. Very inspiratiopnal story. Like Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympics giving the FU to Hitler and taking the gold. Gives me chills when I see some of those old clips.

The point I was trying to make is not that there's literally a "greatest" (it's obviously subjective) but that the amazing stories of battle and triumph surrounding some of these great athletes makes them special in a way that transcends their physical abilities.

Yeah, He won those races, but he ddi what, 1 race a year? Thats fine and dandy, but would we all be saying how great Wayne Greztky was if he played one game a year? or Jordan playing one game a year? Ian Thorpe swimming one race a year? Some track athlete running 1 event once a year? No. Why do we do it with Armstrong? he had cancer.

So did Mario Lemieux. he came back and played hockey. Then he had back problems and missed a year and a half. Then he came back again. he retired once and came back. he still plays now and he's over 35 (I think) years of age. And Armstrong is in good shape?

some info on Mario:
6-time NHL scoring leader (1988-89,92-93,96,97); Rookie of Year (1985); 4-time All-NHL 1st team (1988-89,93,96); 3-time regular season MVP (1988,93,96); 3-time All-Star Game MVP; led Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup titles (1991 and '92) and was playoff MVP both years; won 1993 scoring title despite missing 24 games to undergo radiation treatments for Hodgkin's disease ; missed 62 games during 1993-94 season and entire 94-95 season due to back injuries and fatigue; returned in 1995-96 to lead NHL in scoring and win the MVP trophy; retired after 1996-97 season and inducted into the Hall of Fame; headed group of investors that bought bankrupt Penguins in 1999; made surprising return to the ice in 2001.

I'm going to say Jack Straw. He was quite the athlete.

(none of the yanks know who he is so don't tell them)

Just Agree and nod your head.