Who is your Top 5 favorite Pro Athletes of all time?

[blksoul_x]

Nothing scientific, (based on who you could watch over and over again); who is your top 5 favorite athlete of all time?

1.Mohammad Ali
2.Michael Jordon
3.Sugar Ray Leonard
4.Deon Sanders
5.Tiger Woods

Honorable mention; Serena Williams.

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, a return to Black mental satisfaction and stability!

[gnome]

Jim Thorpe ... 'cuz he dominated every sport he played
Muhammad Ali ... style, flair and for kicking Leon Spinks' ass
Jerry Kramer ... he taught me you could be smart and play football
Ray Nitschke ... had the opportunity to spend some time with him, long story
Barry Sanders ... everytime he touched the ball you had to stop breathing for fear of missing something great.

Honorable Mention: Bill Lambeer ... slow, couldn't jump but had a soft shot and an uncanny abilty to maintain his position under the basket. A will to win.

[kenp]

Dave Bing
Bob Lanier
Thomas Hearns (put sugar ray on his ass twice)
Charlie Saunders
The Bird

[Downriviera]

Gordie Howe...they don't call him Mr. Hockey for nothing.
Barry Sanders...more moves than ex lax.
Roger Federer...beats his opponents at their own game.
Aryton Senna...nobody faster in a race car, tore up the tracks of the world, won the Detroit Grand Prix 3 times.
Bob Probert...talented and tough while fighting the demons.

Honorable Mention...David Beckham

[rajdet]

1) "Magic" Johnson
2) Muhammad Ali
3) Barry Sanders
4) Lem Barney
5) Rick Mahorn

[Bobl]

1. Mohammad Ali
2. Gordie Howe
3. Michael Jordan
4. Babe Ruth
5. Lance Armstrong

Honorable mention to my late father, who taught us how to win......and lose!

[14509glenfield]

Thorpe
Ali
Howe
Jackie Robinson
Ruth

Remember: Pat Tillman

[Bobl]

After a recount, I must add:
Satchel Paige, tied with Lance Armstrong, in the number five position...

[Patrick]

Ty Cobb-Best hitter ever
Walter Johnson-best pitcher ever
Gordie Howe-Best hockey player ever
Joe Louis-Best boxer ever
Barry Sanders-Best running back ever

[big c]

1. barry sanders
2. isiah thomas
3. muhamad ali
4. earl monroe
5. kenny stabler

[Meddle]

I believe you meant "Who are ... "

[BShea]

As a Clevelander, this should come as no surprise:

1. Bernie Kosar
2. Jim Thome
3. Pat LaFontaine
4. Brian Sipe
5. Mark Price

Honorable mention: Bob Feller, Otto Graham, Jim Brown, Sandy Koufax, Jim Bouton, Snake Stabler, Jim McMahon, LeBron James, Bobby Layne.

Obviously, I like guys who were wild men/iconoclasts when they played.

[Johnlodge]

1. Steve Yzerman
2. Alex Delvecchio
3. Jack Morris
4. Lou Whitaker
5. George "The Animal" Steele

[Hermod]

Baseball: Ted Williams, the place was like electric when he came to bat, though the single best games were by Sandy Koufax in the 63 series.

Football: As noted above, Kenny Stabler could just take control of a game. An older guy like that was the Lion's Bobby Layne.

Hockey: Gordie Howe (the line of Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Sid Abel was without peer).

Basketball: Gotta go with Magic Johnson

[TenKGent]

im new to DetroitYES forums, but i was born and bred in Motown. glad i found this site. Top5.....Jim Brown/Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Jim Thorpe, Muhammad Ali, and Bill Russell. they stood above all, and since they are so iconic, comparisons cannot be made.

[Ray1936]

1. Gordie Howe
2. Ted Lindsay
3. Sid Abel
4. Terry Sawchuck
5. Red Kelley

Honorable Mention: Tiger Woods (see? I AM up to date!)

[cloud_wall]

1. Barry Sanders
2. Roberto Clemente
3. Joe Dumars
4. Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
5. Pedro Martinez

[phactreerat]

1. Barry Sanders, He made watching the Lions fun
2. Isiah Thomas, Thank him mostly for the Pistons first championships, played through pain.
3. Chriss Osgood, Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2xMXXOw4M
4. Mark the bird Fidrych, I get chills when I think of him. His quirky antics on the mound, mixed with his tall lanky stature/ with bushy hair sticking out from his cap. He captivated myself and millions of others 35 years ago, but it still seems like last season. ..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMSDo3BX5Ds
5. Wayne Fonts, the lions winning-est coach in my lifetime

[Patrick]

Rusty Kuntz
Kurt Rambis
Eddie Gaedel
Felton Spencer
Rube Waddell

[highhat]

Mohammed Ali "What`s my name ?" and the beatings continued. Oscar Robertson...the most complete bskbl player ...EVER. Mark Fidrych....we were at that Monday night game. Gordie Howe....showed the only way to see a game..live.....the puck goes that way and the retribution begins... Alex Karras....Bobby Layne`s chaufeur... "and down goes Starr-down goes Starr!Honorable mention...The Hit Man...Stevie Y...ALKALINE..[I saw that on a New Era potato chip bag thought they were named after #6.}

[highhat]

Oh yea...Ted Lindsey`s return to Montreal after his short retirement...scored a goal and skated backwards infront of the Habs bench with the middle finger extended...First time I saw the`bird` on live T.V.

[Downriviera]

Or the time Lindsey received a death threat in the playoffs against Toronto and after the game skated around with his stick held like a gun aiming it at the crowd.

[highhat]

with all the stitches in his face...you could wrap 4 baseballs.

[jiminnm]

While not one of my top 5, I have to mention Dave Bergman. We were on our first visit to our now home state of NM in 1984, when I turned on Monday Night baseball. What do I see but Bergman fouling off 10-12 pitches before hitting a 3 run homer against the Blue Jays. That was microcosm of the Tigers 1984 world championship season. I don't think I've ever seen a better at bat (maybe Gibson's World Series home run).