Best #7

[The Gipper]

On another thread the question came up as to whether or not BR has "disgraced" the #7 uniform. I really don't want to get into that negativity here, but what I do want to ask is what famous athletes did wear the #7 (in any sport).

 

Though, in reality we could ask that for all numbers 1-99. (#99: Wayne Gretsky?!)

 

For now lets ask about #7. You can add any other numbers as we go along. What great athletes wore #7? Here are a few that I can think of:

 

Baseball: Mickey Mantle

Basketball: Pete Maravich

Football: John Elway

 

Carry on.

[The Gipper]

OK, before somebody calls me on it, I should not have said 1-99, but 00 through 99, as we cannot forget Jim Ringo and Jim Otto, both who, I believe wore 00.

 

And here is a website on each number:

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more.../intro.numbers/

[Earl34]

I don't agree with Elway over The Mick. Mantle had such a broader reach with the fans. Mickey Mantle was the stuff myths are made of. Kid from Oklahoma who looked like he as carved out of a rock and had power and speed. Elway was an all-time great but I don't see how you could relegate Mantle in his favor. Just my opinion.

[The Gipper]

Here are the choices from the SI website, numbers 00-32. Tell if you agree or don't. The rest we'll do later:

 

00 Jim Otto....over Robert Parish

0 Gilbert Arenas...over Al Oliver

1 Warren Moon...over Oscar Robertson, Ozzie Smith

2 Secretariat....over Derek Jeter, Moses Malone

3 Babe Ruth....over Dale Earnhardt, Dwayne Wade, Allen Iverson

4 Bobby Orr...over Lou Gehrig, Brett Favre, Mel Ott

5 Joe Dimaggio...over Johnny Bench, Brooks Robinson, Albert Pujols

6 Bill Russell....over Stan Musial, Dr. J Julius Erving, Al Kaline

7 John Elway...over Mickey Mantle, David Beckham, Phil Esposito, Pete Maravich

8 Cal Ripken Jr....over Yogi Berra, Carl Yazstremski, Troy Aikman, Steve Young

9 Ted Williams....over Gordy Howe, Bobby Hull, Bill Elliot

10 Pele....over Walt Frazier, Guy LaFleur

11 Mark Messier....over Isiah Thomas, Elvin Hayes

12. Tom Brady...over Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly

13. Wilt Chamberlain...over Dan Marino, Alex Rodriguez

14. Pete Rose...over Otto Graham, Bob Cousy, Ernie Banks

15. Bart Starr...over Thurman Munson

16. Joe Montana...over Brett Hull, Whitey Ford

17. John Havlicek...over Jarri Kurri, Dizzy Dean

18. Peyton Manning...over Charlie Joiner, Dave Cowens

19. Johnny Unitas...over Lance Alworth, Bob Feller, Steve Yzerman and even Bernie Kosar

20. Barry Sanders...over Mike Schmidt, Lou Brock, Frank Robinson

21. Roberto Clemente...over Roger Clemens, Tim Duncan, Stan Mikita, Deion Sanders

22. Emmit Smith...over Elgin Baylor, Jim Palmer

23. Michael Jordan...over LeBron James, Kirk Gibson

24. Willie Mays...over Jeff Gordon, Kobe Bryant, Ken Griffey Jr.

25. Barry Bonds...over Mark McGwire, Fred Biletnikoff

26. Rod Woodson...over Wade Boggs, Herb Adderly

27. Juan Marichal...over Carlton Fisk, Eddie George

28. Marshall Faulk....over Darrell Green, Bert Blyleven

29. Satchel Paige...over Rod Carew, Eric Dickerson, Ken Dryden

30. Nolan Ryan...over Martin Brodeur, Terrell Davis

31. Greg Maddux...over Reggie Miller, Dave Winfield

32. Magic Johnson...over Jim Brown, OJ Simpson, Steve Carlton, Sandy Koufax, Shaquille O'Neal, Bill Walton

[The Gipper]

I don't agree with Elway over The Mick. Mantle had such a broader reach with the fans. Mickey Mantle was the stuff myths are made of. Kid from Oklahoma who looked like he as carved out of a rock and had power and speed. Elway was an all-time great but I don't see how you could relegate Mantle in his favor. Just my opinion.

 

 

I agree with you.

[BUNSofSTEEL08]

00 Jim Otto....over Robert Parish I Vote The Cheif !!

0 Gilbert Arenas...over Al Oliver LOVE Al Oliver

1 Warren Moon...over Oscar Robertson, Ozzie Smith Wizzard

2 Secretariat....over Derek Jeter, Moses Malone Jeter

3 Babe Ruth....over Dale Earnhardt, Dwayne Wade, Allen Iverson "The Eliminator"

4 Bobby Orr...over Lou Gehrig, Brett Favre, Mel Ott Gehrig

5 Joe Dimaggio...over Johnny Bench, Brooks Robinson, Albert Pujols Bill Madlock

6 Bill Russell....over Stan Musial, Dr. J Julius Erving, Al Kalineck " Loved Rennie Stennet"

7 John Elway...over Mickey Mantle, David Beckham, Phil Esposito, Pete Maravich "Pistol #44"

8 Cal Ripken Jr....over Yogi Berra, Carl Yazstremski, Troy Aikman, Steve Young "WILLIE STARGELL"

9 Ted Williams....over Gordy Howe, Bobby Hull, Bill Elliot "Maz"

10 Pele....over Walt Frazier, Guy LaFleur "The Hawk Dawson"

11 Mark Messier....over Isiah Thomas, Elvin Hayes "Messier"

12. Tom Brady...over Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly "Bradshaw"

13. Wilt Chamberlain...over Dan Marino, Alex Rodriguez "Davey Concepcion"

14. Pete Rose...over Otto Graham, Bob Cousy, Ernie Banks " Pete"

15. Bart Starr...over Thurman Munson "Earl he Pearl"

16. Joe Montana...over Brett Hull, Whitey Ford "Al Oliver AGAIN"

17. John Havlicek...over Jarri Kurri, Dizzy Dean "Doc Ellis"

18. Peyton Manning...over Charlie Joiner, Dave Cowens " Andy Van Slyke"

19. Johnny Unitas...over Lance Alworth, Bob Feller, Steve Yzerman and even Bernie Kosar " Kosar"

20. Barry Sanders...over Mike Schmidt, Lou Brock, Frank Robinson "Rocky

Bleier"

21. Roberto Clemente...over Roger Clemens, Tim Duncan, Stan Mikita, Deion Sanders "Roberto ...the great One"

22. Emmit Smith...over Elgin Baylor, Jim Palmer "John Cappelletti"

23. Michael Jordan...over LeBron James, Kirk Gibson " Love LeBron"

24. Willie Mays...over Jeff Gordon, Kobe Bryant, Ken Griffey Jr. " Barry Bonds Pre Steroids"

25. Barry Bonds...over Mark McGwire, Fred Biletnikoff " Bobby Bonilla"

26. Rod Woodson...over Wade Boggs, Herb Adderly "Rod"

27. Juan Marichal...over Carlton Fisk, Eddie George "Glenn Edwards"

28. Marshall Faulk....over Darrell Green, Bert Blyleven "Anthony Davis USC"

29. Satchel Paige...over Rod Carew, Eric Dickerson, Ken Dryden " Dickerson"

30. Nolan Ryan...over Martin Brodeur, Terrell Davis "Ryan"

31. Greg Maddux...over Reggie Miller, Dave Winfield "Donnie Shell"

32. Magic Johnson...over Jim Brown, OJ Simpson, Steve Carlton, Sandy Koufax, Shaquille O'Neal, Bill Walton "FRANCO HARRIS" [ b][/b]

[Mr. T]

Stan Musial, Stan the Man. Always one of my favorites.

[Booker]

This has to be the xxxxing dumbest thread I've ever seen.

[Thomas5737]

I like the thread idea. I dont have major problems with any of the choices. I would go Green over Faulk, Brown as 32 and Dale Murphy as 3. Ok Ruth at 3 but barely lol. Speaking of numbers, Post #8 sucks. Larry Bird is on deck!

[hoorta]

Have to be a homer and say Magic Johnson over Jim Brown is a joke. Magic has two feats to his name. highest assists per game career- and most triple doubles- playoffs. (30) Go get him LeBron. OTOH Magic played on dominant teams his entire career, so dem stats are skewed sorry to say. He even isn't the most dominant player in the NBA that would go to Jordan or Chamberlain in my book.

 

IF JB had played 13 seasons like Ervin, he might still hold the record for total yards, and his 5.2 ypc is still the gold standard, and will never be beaten.

[hx214]

I agree with you on all of those except one. #3 has got to be Dale over the Babe. Ruth was awesome, don't get me wrong I don't disagree there, but Dale was an animal on the track, greatest stock car driver of all time and he died with a lot of races left to race. Who knows how many more championships he would have grabbed.... and he is basically the main reason NASCAR is the giant it is today.

 

Plus.... his fan base is huge....Maybe it's because I live out in the country, but I swear to god you can't pass more than 3 cars on the road without a number 3 Earnhardt decal or a Hillbilly wearing a shirt/ball hat/tattoo of Goodwrench #3 on it.

 

Did you see the movie Zombieland? Every car Woody Harrison jumps into he paints the number 3 on the side.... I would have laughed harder at the joke, but there are people I know that have done that to their car!

[Bob806]

I like the thread idea. I dont have major problems with any of the choices. I would go Green over Faulk, Brown as 32 and Dale Murphy as 3. Ok Ruth at 3 but barely lol. Speaking of numbers, Post #8 sucks. Larry Bird is on deck!

 

 

You're going to rate Larry Bird ahead of Leroy Hoard?

 

#34 is tough...Walter Payton, Greg Pruitt, even Thurman Thomas the helmetless one.

#35= Calvin Hill

#36= Gaylord Perry

[The Gipper]

This has to be the xxxxing dumbest thread I've ever seen.

 

 

I take it then that you are not a sports fan? Go back to your knitting or staring at your navel lint.

[The Gipper]

I agree with you on all of those except one.

Note: these were SI's choices, not mine

 

#3 has got to be Dale over the Babe. Ruth was awesome, don't get me wrong I don't disagree there, but Dale was an animal on the track, greatest stock car driver of all time and he died with a lot of races left to race. Who knows how many more championships he would have grabbed.... and he is basically the main reason NASCAR is the giant it is today.

 

I disagree. Earnhardt couldn't carry Richard Petty's jockstrap. I hate NASCAR and even I know that.

 

Plus.... his fan base is huge....Maybe it's because I live out in the country, but I swear to god you can't pass more than 3 cars on the road without a number 3 Earnhardt decal or a Hillbilly wearing a shirt/ball hat/tattoo of Goodwrench #3 on it.

 

Did you see the movie Zombieland? Every car Woody Harrison jumps into he paints the number 3 on the side.... I would have laughed harder at the joke, but there are people I know that have done that to their car!

 

[The Gipper]

Here are the choices from the SI website, numbers 00-32. Tell if you agree or don't. The rest we'll do later:

 

My own take on these. If not highlighted then I agree or I believe that there is no clear better choice in my mind.

 

00 Jim Otto....over Robert Parish

0 Gilbert Arenas...over Al Oliver

1 Warren Moon...over Oscar Robertson, Ozzie Smith....Like Moon, but the Big O has to be it!

2 Secretariat....over Derek Jeter, Moses Malone

3 Babe Ruth....over Dale Earnhardt, Dwayne Wade, Allen Iverson

4 Bobby Orr...over Lou Gehrig, Brett Favre, Mel Ott...maybe because I don't know hockey, but Lou is my choice.

5 Joe Dimaggio...over Johnny Bench, Brooks Robinson, Albert Pujols

6 Bill Russell....over Stan Musial, Dr. J Julius Erving, Al Kaline

7 John Elway...over Mickey Mantle, David Beckham, Phil Esposito, Pete Maravich...no way. The Mick IS #7

8 Cal Ripken Jr....over Yogi Berra, Carl Yazstremski, Troy Aikman, Steve Young

9 Ted Williams....over Gordy Howe, Bobby Hull, Bill Elliot

10 Pele....over Walt Frazier, Guy LaFleur

11 Mark Messier....over Isiah Thomas, Elvin Hayes

12. Tom Brady...over Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly...too tough to call. Brady apparently selected by SI because he is current...not better than the others.

13. Wilt Chamberlain...over Dan Marino, Alex Rodriguez

14. Pete Rose...over Otto Graham, Bob Cousy, Ernie Banks...ok, but more on Otto later

15. Bart Starr...over Thurman Munson

16. Joe Montana...over Brett Hull, Whitey Ford

17. John Havlicek...over Jarri Kurri, Dizzy Dean

18. Peyton Manning...over Charlie Joiner, Dave Cowens

19. Johnny Unitas...over Lance Alworth, Bob Feller, Steve Yzerman and even Bernie Kosar

20. Barry Sanders...over Mike Schmidt, Lou Brock, Frank Robinson..close call, Robinson every bit the top star Sanders was, plus, he was first Af-Am. manager. Go with Robinson

21. Roberto Clemente...over Roger Clemens, Tim Duncan, Stan Mikita, Deion Sanders

22. Emmit Smith...over Elgin Baylor, Jim Palmer

23. Michael Jordan...over LeBron James, Kirk Gibson

24. Willie Mays...over Jeff Gordon, Kobe Bryant, Ken Griffey Jr.

25. Barry Bonds...over Mark McGwire, Fred Biletnikoff

26. Rod Woodson...over Wade Boggs, Herb Adderly...I think Adderly the better performer

27. Juan Marichal...over Carlton Fisk, Eddie George

28. Marshall Faulk....over Darrell Green, Bert Blyleven

29. Satchel Paige...over Rod Carew, Eric Dickerson, Ken Dryden

30. Nolan Ryan...over Martin Brodeur, Terrell Davis

31. Greg Maddux...over Reggie Miller, Dave Winfield

32. Magic Johnson...over Jim Brown, OJ Simpson, Steve Carlton, Sandy Koufax, Shaquille O'Neal, Bill Walton

I understand the difficulty with this number and with Magic Johnson being selected (whom I actually think was better than Michael Jordan)...but the No. 32 was made famous by JB

[The Gipper]

Here is the continuation of Sports Illustrated's "Best Athlete By Number". I will again give the number, SI's choice plus some other options. These are numbers 33-67:

 

33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar...over Larry Bird, Tony Dorsett, Patrick Ewing, Patrick Roy

34 Walter Payton..over Bo Jackson, Earl Campbell, Akeem Olajuwon

35 Phil Niekro...over Frank Thomas, Tony Esposito, Rickey Henderson

36 Robin Roberts...over Gaylord Perry, Meadowlark Lemon, Jerome Bettis

37 Doak Walker...over Casey Stengal, Lester Hayes, Shaun Alexander

38 Curt Schilling...over George Rogers, Rocky Colavito

39 Roy Campanella...over Larry Csonka, Dominic Hasek

40 Gale Sayers...over Crazy Legs Hirsch, Bill Laimbeer

41 Tom Seaver...over Eddie Matthews, Dirk Nowitzki

42 Jackie Robinson...over Ronnie Lott, Sid Luckman, Mariano Rivera, James Worthy

43 Richard Petty...over Dennis Eckersly, Jack Sikma

44 Henry Aaron...over Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey (obviously a power number)

45 Pedro Martinez...over Bob Gibson, Archie Griffin

46 Lee Smith...over Andy Pettite, Chuck Muncie

47 Mel Blount...over Tom Glavine, Jack Morris

48 Jimmy Johnson (NASCAR)...over Sam MacDowell

49 Ron Guidry...over Bobby Mitchell

50 David Robinson...over Mike Singletary, Rebecca Lobo

51 Dick Butkus...over Ichiro Suzuki, Randy Johnson

52 Ray Lewis...over Mike Webster, Buck Williams

53 Don Drysdale...over Harry Carson, Artis Gilmore

54 Randy White...over Goose Gossage, Brian Urlacher

55 Orel Hershiser...over Junior Seau, Dikembe Mutumbo

56 Lawrence Taylor...over Chris Doleman, Andre Tippet

57 Dwight Stephenson...over Clay Matthews, Johnny Vandermeer

58 Jack Lambert...over Derrick Thomas

59 Jack Ham...over Seth Joyner

60 Otto Graham...over Chuck Bednarik (note: Graham's number 14 is retired by the Browns though he did wear 60 for some time

61 Curly Culp....over Bill George

62 Jim Langer...over Guy McIntyre

63 Willie Lanier...over Lee Roy Selmon, Gene Upshaw

64 Jerry Kramer...over Randall McDaniel, Jack Reynolds

65 Elvin Bethea...over Gary Zimmerman

66 Mario Lemieux...over Ray Nitschke

67 Reggie McKenzie...over Bob Kuechenberg, Russell Maryland

 

 

[Bob806]

PS- Jim Kelly, Mr. "Finger Pointer" at his teammates, is a disgrace to the #12, not even in the same ballpark as those other #12 greats. How he got into Canton is still a mystery to me.

[hx214]

 

"I disagree. Earnhardt couldn't carry Richard Petty's jockstrap. I hate NASCAR and even I know that."

 

 

 

Have to disagree with you on that one Gipper. Petty raced in a different era of NASCAR for a lot of his career.

 

It's hard to explain if you don't follow nascar, but this guy on another board did a good job trying...

 

(There is always a debate on who was better, but this is why I go with earnhardt)

 

Dale raced for 21 years, won 76 races, and 7 championships, and that is winning the ship in 1/3 of the seasons he raced in.

 

Richard raced for 35 years, won 200 races, and 7 championships, or around 1/5 of his seasons he raced.

 

Richard raced in 1184 races compared to Dales 676 races, and the seasons were much long during the first half of Petty's career, and the competition was far less stiff in Richard's early days.

 

Dale was the definition of consistent as well.

 

Richard scored a top 10 in 60% of his races, while Dale put up a top 10 in 63% of his races.

 

Dale is also the only driver in NASCAR history to post back to back championships on 3 different occasions.

 

You can bring up Richard's 200 wins all you want, but he raced with more races in a season, less competition, and nearly doubled the races Dale ran, and Dale won his championships at a 33% of career while Richard only won a ship in 20% of his seasons.

[Browns57]

Not the best #7 but my favorite #7 of all time was Kenny Lofton. He wore #7 during his time with the Indians.

[The Gipper]

"I disagree. Earnhardt couldn't carry Richard Petty's jockstrap. I hate NASCAR and even I know that."

 

 

 

Have to disagree with you on that one Gipper. Petty raced in a different era of NASCAR for a lot of his career.

 

It's hard to explain if you don't follow nascar, but this guy on another board did a good job trying...

 

(There is always a debate on who was better, but this is why I go with earnhardt)

 

Dale raced for 21 years, won 76 races, and 7 championships, and that is winning the ship in 1/3 of the seasons he raced in.

 

Richard raced for 35 years, won 200 races, and 7 championships, or around 1/5 of his seasons he raced.

 

Richard raced in 1184 races compared to Dales 676 races, and the seasons were much long during the first half of Petty's career, and the competition was far less stiff in Richard's early days.

 

Dale was the definition of consistent as well.

 

Richard scored a top 10 in 60% of his races, while Dale put up a top 10 in 63% of his races.

 

Dale is also the only driver in NASCAR history to post back to back championships on 3 different occasions.

 

You can bring up Richard's 200 wins all you want, but he raced with more races in a season, less competition, and nearly doubled the races Dale ran, and Dale won his championships at a 33% of career while Richard only won a ship in 20% of his seasons.

 

 

I really don't, really care. I don't follow it. I only kinda like Jeff Gordon because all the rednecks hated him, for whatever moronic reason (I guess because he wasn't a good ole boy). I know this Jimmy Johnson is doing pretty good because I hear about it on the sports. The head scatching thing to me is that they have this thing called "The Chase", which is supposed to be some kind of playoff like affair. Yet, they let all the losers into the playoffs, and let them keep playing right up to the last game? If they were going to do it right, they should do it like Survivor or American Idol. You have your top 10 or 15 or whatever, and they run off in 10 or 15 races. In each race, the last place finishers gets kicked off the island, or out of the oval. Then you get it down to 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2....and the last two standing race against each other, winner take all.

Some of you rednecks might say "what good is racing with only a few or only 2 cars". I say, that would be the absolute beauty of it. I might even watch a little of it if they did that.

[mangenius]

best #7 is ben roethlisberger. he has the same # of super bowl wins as hack elway, but doesnt have the huge 3 of super bowl losses. i know on THE BROWNS BOARD TM people totally feel john elway is a god since he beat the browns a lot, but really he was kind of overrated, till terrell davis bailed him out late in his career

[The Gipper]

best #7 is ben roethlisberger. he has the same # of super bowl wins as hack elway, but doesnt have the huge 3 of super bowl losses. i know on THE BROWNS BOARD TM people totally feel john elway is a god since he beat the browns a lot, but really he was kind of overrated, till terrell davis bailed him out late in his career

 

BR doesn't even make the list.

 

And #7 Mickey Mantle played on like 7 or 8 World Series winners if we are counting championships, so screw both Elway and your bonehead.

[hx214]

I really don't, really care. I don't follow it. I only kinda like Jeff Gordon because all the rednecks hated him, for whatever moronic reason (I guess because he wasn't a good ole boy). I know this Jimmy Johnson is doing pretty good because I hear about it on the sports. The head scatching thing to me is that they have this thing called "The Chase", which is supposed to be some kind of playoff like affair. Yet, they let all the losers into the playoffs, and let them keep playing right up to the last game? If they were going to do it right, they should do it like Survivor or American Idol. You have your top 10 or 15 or whatever, and they run off in 10 or 15 races. In each race, the last place finishers gets kicked off the island, or out of the oval. Then you get it down to 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2....and the last two standing race against each other, winner take all.

Some of you rednecks might say "what good is racing with only a few or only 2 cars". I say, that would be the absolute beauty of it. I might even watch a little of it if they did that.

 

 

Actually if you want to see that type of racing, you could check a dirt track event. They do some interesting race types. I've seen "Elimination" runs where they do exactly what you are talking about. Each lap the guy in last place gets the boot until only two are left. You should see that guys in last place fighting to get postion on the second to last place car...

 

You also get to see the street stock and enduro racing... Normal guys get normal 4 cylinder cars with no mods and race for 50 laps.

 

Good times.

[Pumpkin Eater]

sorry, no way some NASCAR driver goes ahead of the best baseball player ever.

 

 

[ATENEARS]

I found this blurb in the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

 

No way

Not every wish comes true, even for a kid whose turn at the draft podium came via the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Zach Hatfield, the 16-year-old who announced Pittsburgh would take Maurkice Pouncey with the Steelers' first-round pick, "decided to push his luck," as profootballtalk.com, put it.

 

"We were backstage at the draft . . . and I mentioned to the commissioner (Roger Goodell), I asked him, 'So, do you think maybe you could unsuspend Ben Roethlisberger?'" said Hatfield, who suffers from acute promyeloctyic leukemia. "The commissioner just kind of smiled and said, 'I don't think we can do that.'"

 

See, Ben? Sometimes, no really DOES mean no.