Quote:
Originally Posted by monkeytennis
Ali is the greatest heavyweight probably. But then heavyweight boxing tends to generate the most public interest as they'd beat all the smaller guys in head to head fights which is why casual boxing fans will automatically say his name when asked who the greatest is. Well that and the fact he was such a cultural icon. Ali isnt rated as the best in boxing circles. Everyone who knows boxing will tell you its Ray Robinson.
Mess is the greatest footballer of all time with no real close competitor. The icons of the past like Cruyff, El Diego, Puskas were not as good for the simple fact that the sport has massively moved on since their time. Advancements in tactics, training, diet, equipment, pitches and so on. The most you can say is that they were the best in their generation. Now you can say if they had the same environment as Messi they would be better (they wouldn't) but they didn't and that's just tough.
BTW genuinely pleased to see you back Nurse Duckett  |
The Ali/Robinson thing is probably a matter of opinion, they were both great boxers. I think Ali had more to overcome in his life, he did manage to overcome all his problems and still regained and remained world champion, that's why I'd choose him.
The Messi thing isn't really a matter of opinion, and the game moving massively forwards is your opinion but unfortunately its a wrong opinion, if you don't mind me saying it does smell a little bit of Sky/modernmedia propaganda. The game has gone backwards in the last 15-20 years, all they've done is stopped tackling, this makes the game easier for players like Messi. I wouldn't put him in the same class as Maradona or Cryuff or Zidane or Platini ( I'll stop at 4 names, I could have gone on), he wouldn't have been given the same freedom or protection on a football pitch as he gets today. If I'm honest I presumed that the person that suggested Messi is the greatest sportsman of all time was on the wind up and just looking for responses, comments like "he's reaching levels that go beyond what you can expect of humans" do make that poster look cliched and sheltered.
Thank you and its lovely to be back.