The Gipper Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I referenced it in my love it or shove it post. Here are the people that were chosen for each state: Alabama: Hank Aaron Alaska: Curt Schilling Arizona: Randall McDaniel Arkansas: Scottie Pippin California: Joe DiMaggio Colorado: Jack Dempsey Connecticut: Calvin Murphy Delaware: Randy White Florida: Emmit Smith Georgia: Ty Cobb Hawaii: Duke Kahanamoku Idaho: Harmon Killebrew Illinois: Dick Butkus Indiana: Larry Bird Iowa: Dan Gable Kansas: Barry Sanders Kentucky: Muhammed Ali Louisiana: Peyton Manning Maine: Joan Benoit Maryland: Babe Ruth Massachussetts: Rocky Marciano Michigan: Magic Johnson Minnesota: Kevin McHale Mississippi: Walter Payton Missouri: Cal Hubbard Montana: Phil Jackson Nebraska: Bob Gibson Nevada: Andre Agassi New Hampshire: Bode Miller New Jersey: Derek Jeter New Mexico: Ronnie Lott New York: Kareem Abdul Jabbar North Carolina: Michael Jordan North Dakota: Roger Maris Ohio: Jack Nicklaus Oklahoma: Jim Thorpe Oregon: Danny Ainge Pennsylvania: Joe Montana Rhode Island: Napolean Lajoie South Carolina: Kevin Garnnett South Dakota: Dallas Clark Tennessee: Reggie White Texas: Joe Greene Utah: Steve Young Vermont: Carlton Fisk Virginia: Lawrence Taylor Washington: John Elway West Virginia: Randy Moss Wisconsin: Eric Heiden Wyoming: Rulon Gardner Let us know if you have any issues with any of these choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfooldoug Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I have to give Jesse Owens higher marks than Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I referenced it in my love it or shove it post. Here are the people that were chosen for each state: A few of my comments on these. Alabama: Hank Aaron Alaska: Curt Schilling Arizona: Randall McDaniel Arkansas: Scottie Pippin...Pippin good...but is this really the best the state of Ark. has ever put out? California: Joe DiMaggio....has to be a lot of competition....but I won't argue with this. Colorado: Jack Dempsey Connecticut: Calvin Murphy...see my note below about Steve Young Delaware: Randy White Florida: Emmit Smith Georgia: Ty Cobb Hawaii: Duke Kahanamoku Idaho: Harmon Killebrew Illinois: Dick Butkus...Otto Graham is from Illinois....as good as Butkus was, OG better imo Indiana: Larry Bird Iowa: Dan Gable Kansas: Barry Sanders...does he beat out fellow Kansan and similar player Gale Sayers? Kentucky: Muhammed Ali Louisiana: Peyton Manning Maine: Joan Benoit Maryland: Babe Ruth Massachussetts: Rocky Marciano Michigan: Magic Johnson Minnesota: Kevin McHale Mississippi: Walter Payton Missouri: Cal Hubbard only person in both PFHOF an Baseball HOF...so I guess fitting. Montana: Phil Jackson...he was great as a coach....but as a player/athlete...I am not so sure. Jerry Kramer perhaps better choice Nebraska: Bob Gibson Nevada: Andre Agassi...is this the best Nevada can do? Greg Maddux was not born but grew up in Nevada. New Hampshire: Bode Miller New Jersey: Derek Jeter New Mexico: Ronnie Lott New York: Kareem Abdul Jabbar North Carolina: Michael Jordan North Dakota: Roger Maris Ohio: Jack Nicklaus....as noted elsewhere.....Jesse Owens gives him a run for his money (LeBron? Only if he bring us a few titles) Oklahoma: Jim Thorpe...no problem....but Mickey Mantle a good second. Oregon: Danny Ainge....Steve Prefontaine is god like in ORE Pennsylvania: Joe Montana Rhode Island: Napolean Lajoie South Carolina: Kevin Garnnett South Dakota: Dallas Clark Tennessee: Reggie White Texas: Joe Greene Utah: Steve Young...Steve Young is not from Utah....he grew up in Connecticut....just went to college in Utah at BYU. If you go by where they went to college then Joe Montana should be considered to be from Indiana....or Lawrence Taylor from N. Carolina, Kareem from Calif. etc. etc. Merlin Olsen a better choice Vermont: Carlton Fisk Virginia: Lawrence Taylor Washington: John Elway West Virginia: Randy Moss....I would have gone with The Logo....Zeke from Cabin Creek.....Jerry West. Wisconsin: Eric Heiden Wyoming: Rulon Gardner Let us know if you have any issues with any of these choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasAg1969 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Babe Zaharious from Texas. She could do any sport professionally from track to golf. The Jim Thorpe of women. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiamat63 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Athlete? Sorry, as much as I love golf... that just wouldn't qualify. Jesse Owens or Lebron would be my pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browns149 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 According to Wikipedia, Steve Young was born in Utah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 According to Wikipedia, Steve Young was born in Utah OK, but he must have left there at an early age: Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Young attended Greenwich High School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He earned 1978 All-FCIAC West Division First Team honors in his junior year, his first year starting at quarterback for the Cardinals, under head coach Mike Ornato. In 1979, he once again earned All-FCIAC West Division First Team honors, along with CIAC All-State honors, rushing for 13 touchdowns. In two seasons, he ran the ball 267 times for 1,928 yards. In the option offense run by Greenwich, passing was always the second option; he completed only 41 percent of his throws for 1,220 yards. On Thanksgiving Day in November 1979, Steve was Quarterback for Greenwich High School starting in the F.C.I.A.C (Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference) Championship Game. In that FCIAC game, Greenwich High lost to Darien High School, known for its "Tidal Wave Defense" by the score of 17-0. During his senior year he was co-captain of the football, basketball and baseball teams. In basketball, he averaged 15 points a game. In baseball, he hit .384 and played center field when he wasn't pitching. He was 5-1 and threw a 3-0 no-hitter against New Canaan High School. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comeonman Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Athlete? Sorry, as much as I love golf... that just wouldn't qualify. Jesse Owens or Lebron would be my pick. Agreed. No golfer should be on the list. Jack probably had a 3 inch vertical in his prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StinkHole Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Great topic. I think you gotta go Jim Brown over Ty Cobb from Georgia. Joe Montana is debatable. Athletes such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Johnny Unitas, Arnold Palmer came out of Pa. There really is no right or wrong IMO. Although golf isn't really an athletic event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richiswhere Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Minnesota = Dave Winfield Alabama = Bo Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasAg1969 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Athlete? Sorry, as much as I love golf... that just wouldn't qualify. Jesse Owens or Lebron would be my pick. Here. Educate yourself. She was great at basketball, baseball, softball, pocket billiards, javelin, high jump, hurdles, diving, roller skating and bowling. She just made her living in golf because back then it was the only one that paid worth a damn for a woman. She was a phenomenal athlete. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_Didrikson_Zaharias Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumby73 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Wisconsin- Eric Heiden, might be 100 speed skaters in the World(99 in Wisconsin). Joe Thomas over JJ Watt.. NC honorary mention to Rick Flair WHHooo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StinkHole Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Wisconsin- Eric Heiden, might be 100 speed skaters in the World(99 in Wisconsin). Joe Thomas over JJ Watt.. NC honorary mention to Rick Flair WHHooo! No way Thomas over Watt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumby73 Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 No way Thomas over Watt. All day JT. count the pro bowls. Watt still in puberty . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiamat63 Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Here. Educate yourself. She was great at basketball, baseball, softball, pocket billiards, javelin, high jump, hurdles, diving, roller skating and bowling. She just made her living in golf because back then it was the only one that paid worth a damn for a woman. She was a phenomenal athlete. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_Didrikson_Zaharias Again, I'm well aware its possible to be an athlete yet play golf. However if you're listed as being the best 'athlete' in your state based on dominating a single game - and that game being golf... then I just can't acknowledge that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColumbusKing Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Allen Iverson gives Lawrence Taylor a run for his money, Iverson was the pound for pound (barely 6 foot, 160 lbs) the greatest of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blowe Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 It's gotta be lebron if you base this off pure athleticism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Mike Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 It's gotta be lebron if you base this off pure athleticism. Greatest athlete from Ohio? I think it's LBJ too. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wargograw Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Earl Campbell here, probably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasAg1969 Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Again, I'm well aware its possible to be an athlete yet play golf. However if you're listed as being the best 'athlete' in your state based on dominating a single game - and that game being golf... then I just can't acknowledge that. She dominated every damn sport she ever played at the highest level available at that time. I'd say that is a far greater athlete than one who only has one sport. We have two very different definitions of "athlete". Yours is far more restrictive and IMHO far less accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Utah- I have to go with Cael Sanderson over Steve Young. Sanderson won 4 national titles in wrestling and finished his college career with a record of 159-0. He went on to win an Olympic gold medal too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColumbusKing Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 The truth is, an athlete is a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Based on this, a golfer cannot be on this list, golf is not a sport but rather a game as it does not require rigorous physical activity, and can be played professionally by people who are overweight, injured, and especially non-athletic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasAg1969 Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 The truth is, an athlete is a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Based on this, a golfer cannot be on this list, golf is not a sport but rather a game as it does not require rigorous physical activity, and can be played professionally by people who are overweight, injured, and especially non-athletic. So Babe Ruth was not an athlete. Right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StinkHole Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 All day JT. count the pro bowls. Watt still in puberty . Interior O linemen are grunts. Watt has a much greater skill set than JT. But if you want to crown a grunt as the "greatest athlete" to ever come out of a certain state then you have to go with the man many consider the best center to ever play the game...Wisconsin native and former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster. But you're right about Watt being young, hence it seems we are only projecting that Watt COULD BE the greatest ever to come out Wisconsin, but as a 9 time pro bowler, 4 time SB winner that paved the way for Franco Harris, I would have to go with Mike Webster as the greatest athlete to come out of Wisconsin...ahead of Watt or JT. By light years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StinkHole Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 So Babe Ruth was not an athlete. Right! Right. "Im not an athlete, I'm a professional baseball player." - John Kruck Phillies "We're not athletes, we're baseball players." - Tom Selleck in the movie Mr. Baseball Baseball players are like race car drivers and golfers...they have a great skill, but aren't really all that athletic. Kruck was similar to Babe Ruth in that he was a slow fat slob like Babe Ruth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfooldoug Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Right."Im not an athlete, I'm a professional baseball player." - John Kruck Phillies "We're not athletes, we're baseball players." - Tom Selleck in the movie Mr. Baseball Baseball players are like race car drivers and golfers...they have a great skill, but aren't really all that athletic. Kruck was similar to Babe Ruth in that he was a slow fat slob like Babe Ruth. So if a 6ft 5 guy can throw a baseball 99mph...he's not an athlete?..smh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 So if a 6ft 5 guy can throw a baseball 99mph...he's not an athlete?..smh Being good at one thing doesn't make you an athlete, it makes you good at one thing. Being able to do a bunch of things that cover across different sports - throw well, run well, jump well, kick well, be strong, run for a long time - these are things that make you an athlete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasAg1969 Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Being good at one thing doesn't make you an athlete, it makes you good at one thing. Being able to do a bunch of things that cover across different sports - throw well, run well, jump well, kick well, be strong, run for a long time - these are things that make you an athlete. Thanks for reinforcing my case for the other Babe Chris. A great athlete at multiple sports just like Jim Thorp and the great lacrosse player, Jim Brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted December 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Great topic. I think you gotta go Jim Brown over Ty Cobb from Georgia. Joe Montana is debatable. Athletes such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Johnny Unitas, Arnold Palmer came out of Pa. There really is no right or wrong IMO. Although golf isn't really an athletic event. Good arguments there on PA and GA.....certainly debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted December 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Minnesota = Dave Winfield Arguable, yes. Alabama = Bo Jackson Not arguable. As a speciman, sure, Bo would rank....but for actual accomplishment on the field (as a pro)....he can't touch Hank Aaron. That brings up an interesting point....what about a great athlete that was injured and had to leave the game early. I mean, Marcus Dupree may have been a greater pure athlete...even pure runner... than Walter Payton....but Payton endured and played at a high level for a long time. Dupree got injured badly and could not continue his career. So who gets the nod for the state of Mississippi? Payton would (But Hell, the alternate answer to that could actually be: Brett Favre) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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