OT: Mount Rushmore of American pro athletes

[UnknownOrange]

Let's compromise, we will replace them both with mid-1990s Carmen Electra.

Perfect. Mount Rushmore just changed to the Washington Monument

 

[CuseCactus]

Possible vote for Michael Phelps?

Nicklaus?

 

[sufandu]

How much of MJ's 6 rings are attributed to Phil Jackson's triangle offense? And Belichick had a career head coaching record of 41-55 prior to Brady.

I don't know, but nobody questioned that MJ was THE best offensive player and one of the best defensive players of his generation even prior to Phil. Brady is a sure fire HOFer but never had a thing to do with any of the great Belichik defenses that he designs specifically for individual teams in individual games. Belichik became a better coach after his Cleveland stint and is credited with designing legendary superbowl winning defenses as a d coordinator long before Brady. He has also been the mastermind of managing the personnel of patriots. How many superbowls has Brady won without Belichik? I'm confident you could take other elite qb's and give them to Belichik during the same time span and they still win those superbowls. Switch Peyton Manning for Brady and do you think they win less or that the Colts win more? I think it's the same.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Possible vote for Michael Phelps?

Nicklaus?

Oooh, Phelps is interesting in this discussion.

 

[MSOrange]

Jordan, Ruth, Ali, Nicklaus

To me, a Mount Rushmore would be athletes so iconic even most non-sports fans would recognize them and these fit the bill imho

 

[cuseincincy]

Tom Brady is more synonymous with football than Vince Lombardi. Also the post is about pro athletes. Absolutely no one hears Vince Lombardi's name and thinks about his playing days.

Jackie Robinson did a ton for MLB, but no one did more for it than Babe Ruth.

Pat Summit... again, it's pro athletes not college coaches.

It's not the frickin Brady Trophy (yet)!

 

[RandomGuy]

It's not the frickin Brady Trophy (yet)!

I heard they're changing the name of the Superbowl to the New England Patriots Invitational. It had a better ring to it than, The annual game against the Patriots at the end of the year...

If they were ever to change the name of the Lombardi trophy(never) it certainly wouldn't be Brady. Belicheck has 8? Superbowls .

 

[jgeorge322]

I cant agree w any list that omits joey chestnut

 

[Eric15]

Switch Peyton Manning for Brady and do you think they win less or that the Colts win more? I think it's the same.

So you're saying if Peyton had the luxury of having elite receivers like Deion Branch and Troy Brown instead of mediocre talent like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne he would have won three Super Bowls in four years in the early 2000s?

 

[RandomGuy]

So you're saying if Peyton had the luxury of having elite receivers like Deion Branch and Troy Brown instead of mediocre talent like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne he would have won three Super Bowls in four years in the early 2000s?

Hahahahahahahaha .. You could always add that Kent State QB that caught 1 pass in college.(Edelman) Or that kid that played lacrosse at Ped State. Ok. 1 year at Monmouth for football(QB).(Hogan)

That debate ended years ago... Peyton sells insurance, now.

Brady is on the mount.

 

[rrlbees]

Jordan, Ruth, Ali, Nicklaus

To me, a Mount Rushmore would be athletes so iconic even most non-sports fans would recognize them and these fit the bill imho

I don’t have a problem with Nicklaus but you don’t think non sports fans would know JIMMY FREAKIN BROWN?

 

[Cusefan0307]

I don't know, but nobody questioned that MJ was THE best offensive player and one of the best defensive players of his generation even prior to Phil. Brady is a sure fire HOFer but never had a thing to do with any of the great Belichik defenses that he designs specifically for individual teams in individual games. Belichik became a better coach after his Cleveland stint and is credited with designing legendary superbowl winning defenses as a d coordinator long before Brady. He has also been the mastermind of managing the personnel of patriots. How many superbowls has Brady won without Belichik? I'm confident you could take other elite qb's and give them to Belichik during the same time span and they still win those superbowls. Switch Peyton Manning for Brady and do you think they win less or that the Colts win more? I think it's the same.

Considering Manning has been retired the Pats would probably have less SB wins.

 

[MSOrange]

I don’t have a problem with Nicklaus but you don’t think non sports fans would know JIMMY FREAKIN BROWN?

I debated between he and Jack for my last one. Agree that most would recognize Jim, not only for his football but also his work on social issues.

 

[Eric15]

I don’t have a problem with Nicklaus but you don’t think non sports fans would know JIMMY FREAKIN BROWN?

For what it’s worth, Jim Brown would definitely be on my NFL Mount Rushmore along with Brady, Jerry Rice and Lawrence Taylor.

 

[Briancuse]

Mj Brady Ruth Jackie Robinson.

Brown and Ali next up.

 

[Briancuse]

Possible vote for Michael Phelps?

Nicklaus?

No offense but swimming?

 

[RandomGuy]

I don’t have a problem with Nicklaus but you don’t think non sports fans would know JIMMY FREAKIN BROWN?

I think Deon Sanders called Brown the greatest football player of all time. He's not alone.

Golf schmolf. I don't know what Jack Nicholas looks like, or ever did.. It probably didn't involve sweating, though.. Lots of pro bowlers that I couldn't pick out of a lineup, either. Gretzky? Yeah. Don't care for Hockey, but he's well known(imo)
Athletically, Phelps probably deserves it, but its swimming...

 

[juse5]

Jordan, Ruth, Ali, Brady.

Jordan, Jim Brown, Jim Thorpe, Tiger Woods

 

[OrangeDW]

Jordan, Ali, Ruth, Gretzky(he made hockey in LA work, I don’t care where he was born).

 

[Alsacs]

Michael Jordan- GOAT in basketball
Tom Brady- GOAT at QB the most important position in football.
Tiger Woods- changed how the public viewed golf and made 100th best golfer over a million dollars in prize money.
Muhammad Ali- the guy resonates nationally and historically in a sport that is dead now.

 

[AZOrange]

I don’t have a problem with Nicklaus but you don’t think non sports fans would know JIMMY FREAKIN BROWN?

Nope. Ask a 20 year old kid who Brown or Nicklaus are...sorry geezers. Tiger Woods has to be on there. His the biggest sports icon in the world for 2 decades in any sport. Literally no one would not know him.

Jordan, Woods, Gretzky and Brady as much as it pains me

 

[DeGrozz]

Y'all acting like Pele didn't help soccer get a kickstart in the US, helping to pave the way to our winning of the 2022 World Cup...

 

[Cusefan69]

Y'all acting like Pele didn't help soccer get a kickstart in the US, helping to pave the way to our winning of the 2022 World Cup...

Just messing...Pele and that crazy bicycle kick...insane. For those of you young enough to try it...watch an old video of Pele doing that bicycle kick, then give it a shot yourselves. That said, no to Rushmore. Serena, Tiger, Jordan and Brady. All 4 represent the greatest ever in their respective sports. Greatest being defined as players reflecting the highest skill AND the translation of that into Championships.

 

[nzm136]

Jordan, Ruth, nzm136, Ali, Brady.

I couldn’t agree more. I might add Mo, though.

 

[Jake]

Does Mt Rushmore mean greatest or most iconic or most recognizable by those living today? Almost completely different lists.

Iconic?
Tiger
Jordan
Ali (I am the most Iconic!)
Brady

Greatest?
Jordan
Gretsky
Brown
Ruth

Recognizable by current generation?
LeBron
Tiger
Brady
Conor Mcgregor?