What defines greatness in sports?

[Eja117]

This is coming slightly from the TD vs KG thing, but I've been wanting to say this for a looooonnnnggg time.


Rings don't matter most. They're the only thing that matters.  For basketball players and NFL QBs and settling debates between great positional players.

I find this self - evident actually but there are many many good and persuasive voters here who could possibly get me to rethink this.

For example.  I think barring any major changes Brady vs Peyton is settled....so in that vein look for my next poll.

[More Banners]

Good poll, but this is torture, pure torture.

"greatness."

Karl Malone was great, right?
Charles was great, no?
Brian Scalabrine is great?  Um, definitely not.
Robert Horry is the greatest since the Russell era, right?

I guess I'd probably have to come around to something counterintuitive...since rings can't be the one measure greatness of greatness.

And I can't go with 'one statistical area' or whatever, since I don't think doing one thing well while losing is greatness, even if that one thing is done extraordinarily well.

I'd hate to go with "statistics", but I'm at a loss.  I'd have to go with "none of the above" in the absense of a multi-factor option.

Ugh...I feel like I've wasted 30 years of my life watching sports.

[Eja117]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

[Eja117]

Well wait a second. Let's say we take your answer of a multi-factor combo.

Let's say we take every category except rings. We get Dan Marino, Karl Malone, Barkley, and Ewing.

Is Dan Marino an all time great QB? Are those three guys all time greatest basketball players?

Of course not. Get in line behind the champions that have all those things AND rings.  And the guys with one ring should get behind the guys with 3.

[BballTim]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

  I'd say Larry Bird made a lot more clutch shots than Horry attempted.

[Eja117]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

  I'd say Larry Bird made a lot more clutch shots than Horry attempted.

I guess I should have said clutch buzzer beaters in the playoffs

[misha]

It's never one thing. You have to be all of that and more to be able to touch greatnes.

What missing in you list is character (leadership, playing with you heart and to give 110%, sometimes even playing through injury when your team needs you the most like the famous Jordan's 'The flu game', and be there in clutch ...)

[Roy Hobbs]

Many of the above.  I think it comes down to dominating a sport, period.  That usually manifests itself both statistically and in terms of championships, but it's the domination of one's peers that truly defines "great" to me.

[liam]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

  I'd say Larry Bird made a lot more clutch shots than Horry attempted.

I guess I should have said clutch buzzer beaters in the playoffs

Yeah, but you still should have said Bird.

[liam]

I think it's playing within your team concept and playing up to how good you can be. If you say to yourself " That guy should be way better than he is with the skills and physical ability he has" then he's not great see D Coleman, Lamar Odom, Eddy Curry, etc ( I think all these guys were the same height). If you say " Wow, that guy played as hard as he could and did more with what he had than should have been possible " then that guy is great see Bird, Cowens, Magic, etc ( I think all these guys were the same height).

[Eja117]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

  I'd say Larry Bird made a lot more clutch shots than Horry attempted.

I guess I should have said clutch buzzer beaters in the playoffs

Yeah, but you still should have said Bird.

I give you that if I had to have just one guy shoot just one shot in some near impossible scenario I'd want it to be Bird, just like I'd want Adam V doing the kicking, Babe Ruth taking the swing, and Schilling delivering the pitch.

Unless we're talking college bball in which case it's Laetner.

In football I want Brady or maybe Montana making the throw, Barry getting the handoff, Ronnie Lott in coverage.

I have mixed feelings about the best pass rusher due to the coke and the best pass catcher due to the roids

[MattG12]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

  I'd say Larry Bird made a lot more clutch shots than Horry attempted.

I guess I should have said clutch buzzer beaters in the playoffs

Yeah, but you still should have said Bird.

I give you that if I had to have just one guy shoot just one shot in some near impossible scenario I'd want it to be Bird, just like I'd want Adam V doing the kicking, Babe Ruth taking the swing, and Schilling delivering the pitch.

Unless we're talking college bball in which case it's Laetner.

In football I want Brady or maybe Montana making the throw, Barry getting the handoff, Ronnie Lott in coverage.

I have mixed feelings about the best pass rusher due to the coke and the best pass catcher due to the roids

I'd substitute Babe Ruth with Tiger Woods... I think he's a much better swinger!





Thank you very much! I'll be here all week! 

[Redz]

My answer is not there.

It's a combination of superb talent, competitiveness, and the way the athlete handles himself.

[kw10]

I would definitely say Robert Horry is probably one of the top 3, if not the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history.

  I'd say Larry Bird made a lot more clutch shots than Horry attempted.

I guess I should have said clutch buzzer beaters in the playoffs

Now, I didn't grow up watching a lot of this guy, but what about Reggie Miller?

[kw10]

My answer is not there.

It's a combination of superb talent, competitiveness, and the way the athlete handles himself.

I agree, totally, and I guess, an extension to your points: professionalism.