World's most dominant sports star

**Dodge** · 15/09/2006, 2:23 PM

And they're still about. One of the Panama (I think, could be Venezuela) World Championship playes for them professionally

Edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_FI...ionship_squads

**joema** · 15/09/2006, 2:24 PM

Originally Posted by finlma

Not 100% at all but there is plenty of suspision and I personally believe it to be true so for that reason I wouldn't consider him.

IMO if you are not 100% positive that he has intentionally used performance enhancing drugs then you cant hold that against him

**Aberdonian Stu** · 15/09/2006, 2:33 PM

I disagree joema but could we all stop this from going off topic (and I'm not singling you out a few of us are guilty of it).

Could we focus on dominance, not how they dominate please.

**Dodge** · 15/09/2006, 2:34 PM

Lads we've (or at least I've) been over this loads of times. Forget about Armstrong and get back to a decent enough topic

**Poor Student** · 15/09/2006, 4:47 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Hulk Hogan.

Speak of turning up once a year.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 15/09/2006, 4:50 PM

David Ortiz of Boston Red Sox could be considered.

**the 12 th man** · 15/09/2006, 4:56 PM

Many from yester-year the likes of Ed Moses,Senna,Pete Sampras was all considered almost unbeatable (for many years).

I suppose Federer atm is about as dominant as there is imo.

Btw Hulk Hogan

**joema** · 15/09/2006, 9:23 PM

Ok, forget about Armstrong. As was said earlier golf and tennis are both pretty much played on a level playng field so to speak (unlike Motor Racing for eg) IMO Federer's avhievements are unbelievable and he's only going to get better!

**erinfootball** · 16/09/2006, 5:11 AM

Michael Jordan, even though hes retired.
Someone currently playing, though, its gotta be Ronaldhino.

**beautifulrock** · 16/09/2006, 9:28 AM

Michael Johnson from Wiki:

is a U.S. former sprinter who holds world records in the 200 m (19.32 s), 400 m (43.18 s) and 4 x 400 m relay (2:54.20, as part of the USA team). He won five Olympic gold medals and was a world champion nine times. He was the first man to win both the 200 m and 400 m races at the same Olympics, accomplishing the feat at the 1996 Summer Olympics

**pineapple stu** · 17/09/2006, 1:26 PM

Originally Posted by finlma

The term 'sports star' seems to be lost on you.

The term "joke" seems lost on you.

**Sam Savic** · 18/09/2006, 12:13 AM

I'm 100% positive ( what does that mean ) that Armstrong wasn't on performance enhancing drugs. There are 2 main reasons why I'm of that opinion: ( 1 ) he never tested positive, and ( 2 ) it would have been impossible for him to have taken any of the usual suspect drugs while undergoing treatment or recuperating from his cancers.
Anyone who has suspicions about Armstrong would have to have suspicions about Federer. Tennis has shown up many positive tests also and the tennis governing body has much more lax guidelines than other sports, probably on a par with football and also on a par with the GAA.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 18/09/2006, 9:04 AM

Again Sam there is already a thread dealing with that particular topic. Could we keep this one focussed on dominance please.

**bigmac** · 18/09/2006, 11:18 AM

In athletics, Ed Moses undoubtedly, with Johnson a close second. Bubka dominated pole vaulting (won every world championship until 1999) but only one olympic title rules him out of it. Isinbayeva at the moment in women's Pole Vault, Tanni Grey-Thompson in Wheelchair athletics Several athletes have completely dominated their event at one time or another (Gebreselassie, El Guerrouj, Zelezny [more throws over 90m than all other athletes combined!], Kluft etc..) while Carl Lewis dominated the sport as a whole during the 80s and early 90s. This begs the question as well, does 4 Olympic titles in a row count as domination if the athlete isn't dominating at the lesser events?

This is where Federer scores highly - not only winning Slam events, but mopping up smaller tournaments week in week out. I would tend not to hold Nadal against his dominance - the presence of a quality rival makes it even more impressive IMO, unlike the frequent situation in F1 for example where a car is head and shoulders above its rivals.

Due to his selective racing, Armstrong slips down my list - just as I wouldn't say Carl Lewis was the dominant Long Jumper from 88 to 96, despite the 4 Olympic titles - mark of a great competitor, rather than a dominant athlete.

In terms of media coverage allied to ability, Woods has to top the list for me. In the majors, as well as his 12 wins he has 8 further top five finishes and a further 4 top 10. Although Nadal elevates Federers achievement by making it more challenging, the fact that Federer has yet to overcome that challenge means that my vote has to go to Tiger.

In terms of team sports, it's difficult for one player to dominate, but Michael Jordan is number one in that regard. Jonah Lomu briefly dominated Rugby but had nothing like the longevity of Jordan and in football, Pele and Maradona not only dominated in their day but still dominate to this day.

On an aside about the nature of sport v games, a useful rule of thumb (with plenty exceptions such as field events in athletics) is if it doesn't have a ball or a finish line it's not a sport.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 18/09/2006, 12:20 PM

I think that's the difference. Lewis was a great competitor and seemed invincible at Olympic level in the long jump but was beatable outside of that. That never seemed the case with Moses or Johnson or Ishinbayeva in modern athletics.

**Schumi** · 18/09/2006, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by the 12 th man

Many from yester-year the likes of... Senna... was considered almost unbeatable (for many years).

As fantastic as Senna was, he was never unbeatable as he shared his era with Prost, with the exception of 1991 when Prost was in a dog of a Ferrari.

**Closed Account 2** · 21/09/2006, 12:12 AM

I think Hogan is a good shout, he is recognised the world over, despite of being a star in a marginal sport. He was the king of wrestling in the 80s and early 90s.

I would also suggest Arnie could be there too, he dominated body building in the 70s - anyone seen Pumping Iron - great film.

**Dodge** · 21/09/2006, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

I think Hogan is a good shout, he is recognised the world over, despite of being a star in a marginal sport. He was the king of wrestling in the 80s and early 90s.

I would also suggest Arnie could be there too, he dominated body building in the 70s - anyone seen Pumping Iron - great film.

Ah here, can we at least limit it to have real sports...