Your Greatest Sporting Hero Is,Because? - Page 3

garthok newo · August 7th, 2016, 03:24 PM

"Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe. 'nuff said.

Al Kaline.spent his whole career playing for a so-so team and when they made it to the world series he went to the manager and said "don't play me" because he thought he was past his prime and the younger players were the ones that got the team to the championship series.

Jim Braddock. Not very well known today, but a truly inspiring man. Joe Lewis called him the bravest man he ever saw. After his boxing comeback (winning against Max Baer widely believed to have caused the death of two opponents
just with the power of his punch) he went to the welfare office and paid back the assistance he had to take during The Great Depression.

**SanteeFats** · August 7th, 2016, 03:29 PM

Another sports hero to me is Bill Russell. Center for the Celtics during their greatest time period. Played the mighty Wilt Chamberlain in many many playoff series and of course the championship series. While he does not have the stats of Wilt he was a defensive master.
He was part of eleven, eleven!!!, championships. Always came across as a gentleman too. Not what you see from a lot of today's stars.

**9876543210** · August 8th, 2016, 12:58 AM

SanteeFats,

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

Another sports hero to me is Bill Russell. Center for the Celtics during their greatest time period. Played the mighty Wilt Chamberlain in many many playoff series and of course the championship series. While he does not have the stats of Wilt he was a defensive master.
He was part of eleven, eleven!!!, championships. Always came across as a gentleman too. Not what you see from a lot of today's stars.

Have to add Kareem to those two. Probably the three best centers basketball has ever seen.

**LadyLuck** · August 8th, 2016, 09:23 AM

His performance in the 1973 Belmont Stakes was not of this world. I still get chills every time I watch it.

**tygrkhat40** · August 9th, 2016, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9876543210

SanteeFats,

Have to add Kareem to those two. Probably the three best centers basketball has ever seen.

Back in 1992, Sports Illustrated had their primary writers in the Big 4 sports to name their all-time dream teams. Here's the line-up for Jack McCallum's basketball team:

C: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Russell starts)
F: Larry Bird, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Julius Erving, John Havlicek (Bird and Baylor start)
G: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson (Johnson and Jordan start)
Coach: Pat Riley

One of the reasons he picked Riley over Red Auerbach was that he needed and LA guy to tell Kareem he's only on the third team. McCallum also said that he didn't pretend that Wilt or Kareem would report for camp under those circumstances.

**9876543210** · August 10th, 2016, 01:44 AM

tygrkhat40,

Quote:

Originally Posted by tygrkhat40

Back in 1992, Sports Illustrated had their primary writers in the Big 4 sports to name their all-time dream teams. Here's the line-up for Jack McCallum's basketball team:

C: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Russell starts)
F: Larry Bird, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Julius Erving, John Havlicek (Bird and Baylor start)
G: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson (Johnson and Jordan start)
Coach: Pat Riley

One of the reasons he picked Riley over Red Auerbach was that he needed and LA guy to tell Kareem he's only on the third team. McCallum also said that he didn't pretend that Wilt or Kareem would report for camp under those circumstances.

Jeez, what a lineup! Can you imagine an olympic team made up of this group?

Nobody would touch them.

**tygrkhat40** · August 10th, 2016, 01:42 PM

With the other three sports, you could arguably pick teams that were just as good as the "Dream Team," but not basketball. IMHO, those 12 are the best ever.

**trailmaster** · August 10th, 2016, 01:59 PM

My favorite professional sports hero is Michael Jordan considered to be the greatest professional basketball player who ever lived!!

**philll_77** · August 11th, 2016, 10:55 AM

Steve Redgrave, gold medals at 5 consecutive olympics.

**Sir Honkers** · August 16th, 2016, 10:25 PM

Kevin 'Bulldog' Murray who played football for Fitzroy before they morphed into the Brisbane Lions. Those were the days. You could run onto the ground at half time for a kick and players actually signed autographs.
In my mind's eye, he represents an era when footy wasn't as fast or as visually exciting as it is today, but it had a connection with the community that the modern game lacks.

August 7th, 2016, 03:24 PM	#21
garthok newo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 297 Thanks: 92,470 Thanked 3,812 Times in 276 Posts	my sport heros "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe. 'nuff said. Al Kaline.spent his whole career playing for a so-so team and when they made it to the world series he went to the manager and said "don't play me" because he thought he was past his prime and the younger players were the ones that got the team to the championship series. Jim Braddock. Not very well known today, but a truly inspiring man. Joe Lewis called him the bravest man he ever saw. After his boxing comeback (winning against Max Baer widely believed to have caused the death of two opponents just with the power of his punch) he went to the welfare office and paid back the assistance he had to take during The Great Depression.

August 8th, 2016, 09:23 AM	#24
LadyLuck Vintage Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,058 Thanks: 136 Thanked 10,479 Times in 1,248 Posts	Secretariat His performance in the 1973 Belmont Stakes was not of this world. I still get chills every time I watch it.

August 10th, 2016, 01:42 PM	#27
tygrkhat40 Long Suffering Bills Fan Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: The City of Good Neighbors Posts: 9,669 Thanks: 304,243 Thanked 152,866 Times in 9,629 Posts	With the other three sports, you could arguably pick teams that were just as good as the "Dream Team," but not basketball. IMHO, those 12 are the best ever. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

August 7th, 2016, 03:29 PM	#22
SanteeFats Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Santee, Ca Posts: 60,854 Thanks: 281,915 Thanked 814,489 Times in 60,902 Posts	Another sports hero to me is Bill Russell. Center for the Celtics during their greatest time period. Played the mighty Wilt Chamberlain in many many playoff series and of course the championship series. While he does not have the stats of Wilt he was a defensive master. He was part of eleven, eleven!!!, championships. Always came across as a gentleman too. Not what you see from a lot of today's stars.

August 10th, 2016, 01:59 PM	#28
trailmaster Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA Posts: 59,909 Thanks: 1,329,179 Thanked 707,348 Times in 60,083 Posts	My favorite professional sports hero is Michael Jordan considered to be the greatest professional basketball player who ever lived!!

August 11th, 2016, 10:55 AM	#29
philll_77 Vintage Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Beasley Street Posts: 2,445 Thanks: 43,824 Thanked 29,606 Times in 2,443 Posts	Steve Redgrave, gold medals at 5 consecutive olympics.

August 16th, 2016, 10:25 PM	#30
Sir Honkers Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Land Of Glorious Leader Posts: 30,367 Thanks: 287,009 Thanked 386,495 Times in 30,323 Posts	Kevin 'Bulldog' Murray who played football for Fitzroy before they morphed into the Brisbane Lions. Those were the days. You could run onto the ground at half time for a kick and players actually signed autographs. In my mind's eye, he represents an era when footy wasn't as fast or as visually exciting as it is today, but it had a connection with the community that the modern game lacks.