Battle of the Sporting Heroes

[fredfertang]

Glass and Clough

 

[Simon]

Battle #11
Jimmy Glass 5
Edwin Moses 8
Nick Faldo 3

Battle #12
Brian Clough 4
Pele 9
Cathy Freeman 5

 

[Simon]

Battle #13

Magic Johnson (American) - Basketball

Honours
5 time NBA championship winner
3 time NBA MVP
12 time NBA All Star Player
3 time NBA Finals MVP
9 time All-NBA First team selection
1980 NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA's 50th Anniversary All time team
1992 Olympic Gold Medalist with USA
Voted into Basketball hall of fame in 2002

vs

Carolina Kluft (Swedish) - Athletics

Honours
2004 Olympic Gold Medal in Heptathlon
4 time World Champion in Heptathlon
2 time European champion in Heptathlon
2 time European champion in Pentathlon
2 time Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year

vs

Wayne Gretzky (Canadian) - Ice Hockey

Honours
1487 career games club games
63 Internationals
9 time Hart Trophy winner for NHL's MVP
4 time Stanley Cup winner
4 time Canadian Athlete of the Year
7 time Canadian Male Athlete of the Year
8 time All NHL First team
1998 Ranked number 1 on the list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players
Ranked #1 Canadian Athlete of the century
SI's Hockey Player of the century
#5 in ESPN's top 100 Athletes of the 20th century
1982 SI Athlete of the Year
1979 Rookie of the Year
Holds records for:
Most career goals with 1016
Most career assists (1963)

---------

Battle #14

Muhammad Ali (American) - Boxing

honours
61 career fights for 56 wins
37 wins by Knockout
1960 Olympic Gold Medal in Light Heavyweight
Held WBC Heavyweight Title for 7 years
Held NABF Heavyweight title for 5 years
Held WBC Heavyweight title for 5 years
Ranked 2nd in ESPN's list of Greatest boxers of all time
Ranked 2nd in ESPN's list of greatest heavyweight boxers of all time
1974 SI Athlete of the Year

vs

Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) - Rugby Union

Honours
121 career clubs games in NZ
63 caps for New Zealand
37 tries for New Zealand
1998 Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist in Rugby 7's
All time leading World Cup tryscorer with 15
1995 World Cup runner up
6 Bledisloe Cup matches wins

vs

Andre Agassi (American) - Tennis

Honours
870 career match wins
60 ATP titles
8 time Grand Slam winner
Most recent player to win all four majors
1996 Olmypic Gold Medal in singles
1990 Tour Championship Final winner
Spent a total of 101 Weeks as world number 1
Winner of most Masters Series titles ever with 17
3 time runner up at Tour Championship
16 Times year end ranking in the top 10

 

[Uppercut]

Holy God at the second battle. Lomu for me.

 

[ripper868]

Gretzky

Can't go past Lomu. I love both Ali and Agassi and they are both legends, frankly would have voted any of these over any in the last couple of battles.

 

[Burgey]

Gretzky and Ali.

When I've voted on here, I've usually gone for the person I thought had the most outstanding record. Agassi and Lomu probably as outstanding in that regard as Ali, and I loved the way Agassi went from uppity **** to ultimate gentleman.

But really, if you're talking heroism, I just can't go past Ali. The man sacrificed his livelihood for his beliefs, when the easiest thing in the world would have been to have gone to the Nam and fight some exhibitions. Of course, Lomu and Agassi may well have done the same had they been put in that position, but they weren't.

They each dominated their sport, but only Ali transcended sport.

 

[Blewy]

Magic & Agassi

 

[Johnners]

Johnson & Agassi

If Ali is no.2 on ESPN's lists, who is no.1? (Genuine question, don't really follow/take much interest in boxing)

 

[Simon]

Johnson & Agassi

If Ali is no.2 on ESPN's lists, who is no.1? (Genuine question, don't really follow/take much interest in boxing)

Was 2nd on the list for all time boxers behind Sugar Ray Robinson
Was 2nd on the list for Heavyweights behind Joe Louis (who I can reveal now is in one of tomorrows battles)

 

[duffer]

Magic and Ali.

 

[Somerset]

Sensation second battle with some outstanding sportsmen. Voting for Lomu but would've voted for Ali and Agassi over many others. Wayne Gretzky gets my vote for the first battle.

 

[pasag]

Agassi & Gretzky

 

[fredfertang]

pass and Ali

inclined to agree with Burgey

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Magic and Ali.

 

[Jamee999]

Gretzky and Ali

 

[Athlai]

Gretzky & Lomu

Lomu is amazing in a non=showoffy way. My ex rugby coach used to be an All Black selector (Ross Jones) and he told me a story about Lomu, how one day he had a Test match in Wellington and after training his PR manager told him that there was a little boy in starship hospital who wanted to see him that was dying. So no fuss at all Lomu gets on a plane to Hamilton then drives the rest of the way to Auckland and gives this boy his jersey. Before returning in time for the game the next day. He did all kinds of crap like that which was never released because he didn't care, the boy was buried in the jersey a few days later.

WAG

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Klüft, Lomu

 

[pinchy81]

Gretzky & Agassi

 

[cameeel]

Gretzky & Agassi

Boxing too stupid a 'sport' for Ali to get my vote.

 

[biased indian]

Gretzky & Ali