Athletes (Ranked & Reviewed)
Transcribed directly from an audio recording
Today, I’ll be taking a look at the greatest athletes of all-time. This list was tough to put together and quite subjective, to say the least. I heavily considered all sports including certain sports that some fans perceive as less than athletic, like professional wrestling and skateboarding. For this list, I wanted to specifically focus on each person’s athleticism, fan appeal, lasting legacy, contribution to their own sport, records and/or awards won, and how much global impact these individuals had on non-sports fans. I also considered how they evolved their particular sport and how they changed how it was done. This was one of the hardest rankings lists that I’ve had to put together. For fairness, even though I ranked these athletes from worst to best, and given that they participated in a variety of sports, it was hard to necessarily rank them in order, per se. Each sport has very different dynamics and variables. As such, comparing something like American football to golf is nearly impossible.
Who are some of your favourite athletes of all-time?
Honourable Mention is Tony Hawk.
Some consider skateboarding to not be a sport. I disagree with this statement given the endurance, stamina and skill it takes to master this sport. Professional skateboarders endure heavy abuse and need a profound level of confidence in order to succeed at their craft. I think it’s quite undisputed who the true legend is at skateboarding. Tony Hawk’s appeal beyond the sport is iconic, from video games to social media, even non-skaters know who Tony Hawk is. Bottom line, there is no doubt that he fundamentally helped popularize the sport of skateboarding. His contribution to the world of skateboarding is unparalleled and many can agree he is the greatest of all-time, and many will mention how much of a nice guy he is as well.
Honourable Mention is Serena Williams.
Some consider Serena Williams the greatest professional tennis player ever, period. I would have to agree that she’s one of the best, if not the best. With twenty-three major singles titles, she has the most titles in the Open Era of any man or woman. She’s been ranked number one on eight separate occasions. Serena also holds the most Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles in history. She is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of all-time.
Honourable Mention is Ric Flair.
Some do not consider professional wrestling to be a sport and I again, heavily disagree with those statements. The amount of physical endurance it takes to participate in professional wrestling is beyond believable. Ric Flair has been ranked the greatest professional wrestler of all-time by fans, peers and journalists around the world. He is a sixteen-time world champion and is a member of multiple wrestling Halls of Fame.
Honourable Mention is Jack Nicklaus.
There simply isn’t a greater professional golfer in the history of the sport. Jack Nicklaus is the greatest of all-time. The reason he isn’t in the top ten is the fact that, in my opinion, his last legacy is not as great as Tiger Woods. Tiger has gained more notoriety as a golf legend and for this reason, he took the spot on the list. With that said, however, there is absolutely no doubt that Jack Nicklaus is the best. With eighteen major championship wins, as well as having one of the largest golf course design companies in the world, and various books, Jack will go down as a legendary golfer.
Number 10 is Usain Bolt.
Bottom line, Usain Bolt is the greatest professional sprinter of all-time. Usain Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist with numerous sprinting records that will most likely never be beaten. Non-fans of sprinting know the name of Usain Bolt from his iconic Olympic performances and notoriety. He simply is the best.
Number 9 is Michael Phelps.
Michael Phelps is the greatest professional swimmer that has ever lived and the most decorated Olympian of all-time with a total of twenty-eight medals. He has broken several records and his pedigree speaks for itself. He is not only the greatest swimmer of all-time but will go down as probably the greatest Olympian of all-time.
Number 8 is Jim Brown.
He is considered by many as the greatest professional football player of all-time. Not only is he remembered for his outstanding career, but later in life, he became an actor and is also well-known for his film roles. Jim Brown also excelled at multiple sports and is one of only a few athletes in the world to be featured in the multiple Halls of Fame for different sports.
Number 7 is Pele.
Pele is widely regarded as the greatest professional soccer player of all-time. He has been voted World Player of the Century, FIFA Player of the Century and Athlete of the Century. He is the most successful domestic league goal scorer in history. He was even the highest-paid athlete in the world for a period of his career. Undoubtedly Pele makes many greatest of all-time lists from fans and journalists around the world.
Number 6 is Tiger Woods.
There is no doubt about the lasting legacy and notoriety of Tiger Woods. From sponsorship to video games, Tiger Woods effectively popularized professional golf for many around the world. Personal controversy aside, Tiger dominated the sport in the nineties and was untouchable at the time. He is known as one of the most famous athletes of all-time and holds numerous records in the sport. Tiger Woods has been playing golf since he was three and was even featured on The Mike Douglas Show putting against Bob Hope. At the age of three, Tiger shot a forty-eight over nine holes. He was destined for greatness and even though his game has been tumultuous over the past decade, he will go down as one of the greatest and most well-known athletes of all-time.
Number 5 is Roger Federer.
No one has more finesse in the sport of tennis, period. Roger Federer is truly a joy to watch. His trick shots and handle of the ball are the best that’s ever been seen in professional tennis. He has broken numerous records around the world including a record eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Open titles, five US Open titles and one French Open title. He is one of only eight men to have won a Career Grand Slam. He is an exceptionally talented and precise tennis player. His versatility and all-court game have made him nearly untouchable. I had a chance to witness his greatness in 2017 in Indian Wells, California, and in my opinion, I’ve never seen a better or more controlled tennis player in my life. He is regarded by many as the greatest professional tennis player that’s ever lived.
Number 4 is Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali is not only considered the greatest professional boxer of all-time, but he is also widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the twentieth century. Muhammad Ali is legendary and beyond iconic. He is the only boxer to be recognized as Fighter of the Year six times. His historic bouts, trash-talking, rhyming and rapping will go down in history. He is also a successful musician, actor and writer. His workouts are notorious and he is without question one of the most iconic athletes of all-time.
Number 3 is Babe Ruth.
His exploits on and off the field have made Babe Ruth iconic. He is considered by many to be the greatest professional baseball player in history. The “Great Bambino” or “The Sultan of Swat” will be known for decades to come for his uncanny hitting talent and numerous MLB batting records. He is regarded as an American icon and one of, if not, the greatest sports hero in American culture.
Number 2 is Wayne Gretzky.
In his twenty-year career, Wayne Gretzky broke more records than almost any other athlete dead or alive in any sport. “The Great One” has records that will simply never be broken. Wayne Gretzky is considered by many fans and pundits at the greatest professional hockey player of all-time. His lasting legacy is incalculable. He single handily popularized the sport of hockey in Southern California and this permeated many non-hockey regions of the United States. He has numerous video games named after and featuring him and will go down as one of the top three greatest athletes of all-time. His jersey number was retired league-wide, a feat that has rarely been done in many other sports. He also bypassed the standard waiting time for the Hockey Hall of Fame and is the last player to receive this acknowledgement. I have seen Wayne Gretzky on ice several times and have had the pleasure of meeting him twice. He is a phenomenally nice guy and has a terrific reputation worldwide.
Number 1 is Michael Jordan.
Michael Jordan is simply the greatest and most gifted athlete of all-time. He not only excelled at basketball but was also briefly featured in the MLB as well. A feat rarely done before. He is regarded by acclamation alone, the greatest professional basketball player of all-time. In the eighties and nineties, he was the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation. He without a doubt popularized the NBA around the world. His slam dunks from the free-throw line have earned him countless examples of praise and affectionate nicknames like “Air Jordan”. He is also regarded as one of the best defensive basketball players of all-time. He has more accolades in the sport than any other player and is the third wealthiest African-American behind Robert F. Smith and Oprah Winfrey. He is even featured in his own film and is widely known for his product endorsements like Nike’s Air Jordan. His legacy is indisputable.
