As good as Phelps has been.....Spitz did 7 golds when there was one less event. And that Ausie guy -- Thorpe? -- dominated too. He's done amazingly well -- and may still be the best swimmer ever -- but I wouldn't rank him up there with Thorpe, or Gretzky and possibly Tiger in terms of being GGOAT of their sport. (can't comment on that wrestler guy -- i don't recall him ever wrestling Hulk Hogan, or Macho Man Savage). Gretzky's point total over his career was 3,239 compared to the second all time at 2,010 -- a 60% advantage! Back in my hockey pool days, he'd be treated as two players -- you could choose his goals, or assists, but not both.
Don Bradman. While the very best Cricketers score in the early 50's, and the all time greats sometimes break the 60 barrier for averages.....Bradman scored a career test average of 99.94. In Rugby League you have Andrew Johns who is the best player Ive seen in my lifetime. I'd put the likes of Wally Lewis and Clive Churchill out there too. I also name Churchill as the best every simply because he dominated as a player, then went on to be a dominant coach as well. At one point during his career Clice Churchill played 99 straight representative games....just unbelieveable! In formula one, Michael Schumacher is easily the best ever. Anyway, thats my non American contribution...
Didnt Phelps beat all of Thorpes record? Even before the olympics started? Its hard to compare athletes from different eras, but what Phelps has done is amazing. Its not like he he won with one style, he dominated almost all of his races with different swimming styles.
My bad. Jim Thorpe in the running for GGOAT. Ausie guy Thorpe as an example of a swimmer, like Spitz, who also dominated in a whole bunch of different swimming styles. And again -- not trying to deminish his results. Truly amazing.
I've got to go with Federer. For the past 5 years I've never seen anyone so dominant and infallible in any sport. Only recently has he struggled, but I'm certain you'll see him back at #1 after he realizes he's not on the top spot anymore.
In that respect, I'll throw in Edwin Moses. Won the gold at 76 and 84 Olympics, remember the 80 Olympics were boycotted and dominated every race he was in for a decade from 77 to 87 and won 122 consecutive races. That's pretty unheard of in track and field. I remember hearing them talk about him and his competition on ESPN's talk of 50 greatest athletes of all time and the competitors would get scared and say things "Uh oh, here comes Moses." Never really saw him race other than replays but the guy must have been bad.
