The greatest basketball player to ever live? You could say that, but the best athlete of all time? Hardly. He couldn’t even play professional baseball; he was only skilled enough to play in the minors. Bo Jackson excelled in professional football AND professional baseball. He could have also been a track star if he wanted to. He was just, simply put, an all around better athlete.
– Zach Briscoe
I agree with the fact that Bo Jackson is the best Two-Sport athlete. He was very impressive in both baseball and football. A man who could break a bat over his head, or pop his hip back in place is pretty impressive. As far as him being the best athlete in history of sports I disagree. He does not have the notables and records like Michael Jordan does. Michael Jordan holds records that might never be broken. To where as Bo has records that are common among normal men. Also Bo is not well known, but yet Michael Jordan is one of the greatest sports names in history. Michael Jordan’s shoe brand is way better than Bo Jackson’s too. So not only is Jordan better than Jackson in sports, but also in Advertisement.
Muhammad won a spot on the U.S.A Olympic boxing team in 1960. That was the year they went to Rome, Italy to compete. He was an imposing fighter in the ring. He was 6 feet 3 inches tall, he was one of the tallest boxers back then. Everyone at the Olympics knew Muhammad by his amazing footwork and his powerful jab. Ali won his first 3 fights in the Olympics, then went on to beat Zbigniew Pietrzkowski of Poland to get his gold medal. After winning his gold in the Olympics, everyone saw Ali as an American hero. He went professional right after the Olympics too. Louisville Sponsoring Group is who was backing him and got is to be professional. During the 1960’s Muhammad won every single fight he fought, almost all of them by knockouts too. He defeated British heavy weight champion Henry Cooper in 1963 then went on to knock out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavy weight champion of the world. After winning gold in the Olympics and becoming the heavy weight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali wasn’t afraid to brag about his skills. He started calling himself “The Greatest” . One of his greatest quotes was “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee in the boxing ring.”
Seth Swartz
Muhammad Ali has won many awards and had many achievements. In 1959 Ali was National Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion and national amateur athletic union champion. In 1960 he was National Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion, National Amateur Athletic Union Champion, Gold metal in the Rome Olympics for light heavyweight boxing. In 1964-1967 Muhammad was the World Heavyweight Champion. 1970 he got the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Award. 1974 he got Sportsman Of The Year from Sports Illustrated and Fighter Of The Year from Boxers Writing Association. 1974-1978 Ali was World Heavyweight Champion again. 1978-1979 he was also World Heavyweight Champion. 1979 Muhammad got Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Southern University, he also had a street named after him in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1985 he was recognized for long, meritorious service by World Boxing Association. Muhammad Ali was elected into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1990 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He was chosen to light the Olympic torch in 1996. Lastly in 1997 he Arthur Ashe Award for Courage by ESPN and got the Essence Living Legend Award. These are all the awards and achievements that Muhammad Ali had throughout his boxing career.
<a href=”http://sports.jrank.org/pages/96/Ali-Muhammad-Awards-Accomplishments.html”>Muhammad Ali – Awards And Accomplishments</a>
Seth Swartz
Muhammad Ali was known for his knockouts. He was very quick and powerful with his hands that most of the time it only took a few punches to knock the other boxer out. Ali’s overall record at the end of his career was 56-5. Muhammad hardly ever lost a fight. Out of his 56 wins, 37 of them were from knockout. There was only one time in his career that his opponent knocked him out. It was one of his last fight in Vegas on October 2, 1980. Ali and Larry Holmes were fighting for the heavy weight title and Holmes ended up knocking Ali out. That was the only fight that Ali had ever been knocked out in.
Seth Swartz
Michael Jordan has become the most well known name in the game of basketball. His credibility as the best lies in his many records, notables, championships, and fellow competitors. His greatness arose from his rookie season in 1985. From there he skyrocketed. Becoming the greatest through his showmanship on the floor, and a well-spoken person off the court. We are talking about a man who put himself on the line while he had flu like symptoms, and still pushed his team to win the game. Michael Jordan became the man who on the court created an icon of dunks. But yet off the court has become a successful businessman because of that icon. The line Air Jordan represents more than his famous shoe brand. It also represents the most famous dunk in basketball history from the free throw line. “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost more than 300 games. 26 times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”-Michael Jordan. A quote well remembered by any body that has heard the last name Jordan. If any quote represents Michael Jordan as a man it would be this quote. It shows that in his eyes it wasn’t about all the game winning shots. It was about the one’s that nobody ever remembers. He took his failures on the court and put them into success that he is remembered by. From missed shots, to broken records, this is why Michael Jordan is the world’s greatest athlete ever.
(Image Courtesy of BasketballWallpapers.com)
“Michael Jordan Quotes.” Brainy Quote. Web. 3 Nov. 2012
Nate Burt
“There is the rest of us players in the NBA and then there is Michael Jordan.”-Magic Johnson. A quote by Magic Johnson, another player among the best, states that Michael Jordan is above all. He is the best in every way possible. If you want to be the best, you must be accepted by the best. This is what is happening based on this quote.
When Jordan scored 63 points against the Boston Celtics Larry Bird was quoted saying, “God disguised as Michael Jordan.” Larry Bird, being one of the all time greats, was quoted saying Michael Jordan is a God. That proves many of the best, accepted him as the best.
Being quoted as the best is one thing. But the way you speak also reflects on your greatness. During an interview Michael Jordan was asked how come he is so great. He responded, “I enjoy practicing more than performing. For me matches are breaks between my practice sessions.” This shows his discipline as a basketball player. Many good basketball players believe they did not even have to show up to practice. Michael Jordan put blood, sweat, and tears when nobody was looking. “I’m not out there sweating three hours every day just to find out what it’s like to sweat.”-Michael Jordan. This quote shows his dedication to becoming the best. They say that character is what you do when nobody is looking. I believe Michael Jordan had the best character out of any athlete ever. His character, dedication, and discipline towards the game of basketball out weighs all others.
“Michael Jordan Quotes.” Brainy Quote. Web. 3 Nov. 2012
Nate Burt
To be great you must have great notables. Michael Jordan had those. He was five time regular season MVP in 1988, 91, 92, 96, and 98. He was all NBA first team seven straight years 87-93, and also 96-98. All defense first team six straight years 88-93, and 96-98. He was NBA Defensive Player of the Yea in 1988. A NBA Rookie of the Year 1985. Won the NBA Slam Dunk Competition in 1987, and 88. He received MVP of All-Star Games in 1988, 96, 98. Michael Jordan’s notables just add to his credibility, not to mention his many records. He has a total of 29,277 points for the Chicago Bulls, making him the all-time scoring leader. Michael holds the record of 63 points, which is the highest amount of points in a playoff game. In the season of 86-87, he scored a total of 3,041 points, which is third highest season total in NBA history. Michael Jordan also holds highest season points per game average in the regular season, 31.5 points.
All these records are still standing today. But to be a great player one must have records that show that they endured high-pressure situations. NBA finals are one of those situations. Michael Jordan’s records in the NBA finals are by far the most impressive records held in any sport. He has the highest scoring average in the NBA finals of 1993, 41 points. Jordan has the most points in a NBA finals six game series, 246 points. Also he has a record of 101 field goals in the NBA finals. Jordan holds the record of 35 points in one half, and also the highest points per game average in the playoffs, 33.5 points.
Men who deserve it break records. Michael Jordan is one of those men. With these records he has become the most well known athlete ever to play a sport. Once these records are broken is when someone can be comparable to the great Michael Jordan.
(Image Courtesy of Photos.ImageEvent.com)
Henderson, Ryan. “Why Michael Jordan is the greatest athlete of all time?” Sports Fiction.
UMW Blogs, 18 Sept. 2011. Web. 3 Nov. 2012.
Nate Burt
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Posted: November 5, 2012 by burtrn in Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan was and still is the icon of sports. On top of winning those championships Michael also was a gold medalist in the 1992 Olympics. That year the U.S. team was an elite group called “The Dream Team”. Leading that Dream Team to the victory, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan wasn’t the best in the United States, after the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona; He was the best in the world. What made him the best were not only his skills but also mentality. One of his teammates walked in on him watching video and said, “”I don’t even want to bother you, but why are you watching this game?” And he said, “I always take my opponent seriously. I never underestimate anyone.”(Marsalis 4) This goes to show that he took basketball seriously, and that he never took anyone for granted. “You ever watch a lion or a leopard or a cheetah pouncing on their prey?” (Malone) This quote is directed towards Michael Jordan by one of his Olympic teammates. If this doesn’t say something about Jordan then I don’t know what does. He was the best defensively, offensively, mentally, and physically. To sum it up, he was unstoppable.
(Image Courtesy of OnlineAthens.com)
Whitaker, Lang. “The Dream Will Never Die: An Oral History of the Dream Team.” GQ.com.
N.p, July 2012. Web. 3 Nov. 2012
Nate Burt
Bo Jackson has achieved feats many would only dream of and he’s accomplished those feats with enough grace to make them look effortless. He was a two sport professional All-Star, the face of one of the most successful ad campaigns in history, and a true role model. Bo Jackson has stood the test of time and it wouldn’t be crazy to think he could be the first athlete in history to be in both the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and the National Football Hall of Fame. Bo has proven his humbleness and selflessness through his charity work and attitude of the field. He’s a legend and has done everything imaginable to earn that status. Bo knows success, Bo knows disappointment, but more importantly Bo knows Bo…
(Image courtesy of Foxnews.com)
Sports Greats 