OT: Other LA Sports: LA Galaxy, LAFC, Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers, Rams, Chargers, Angels. USC, UCLA etc

Why not Gretzky?

 

I am not even sure he is better than my #1 in hockey, Bobby Orr. Also, Gretzky wasn't winning championships well into his 40's or late 30's. Ruth was 37 when he won his last World Series title, Jordan was 35 when he won his last NBA title, and Brady just won a Super Bowl at age 43. Gretzky was 27 when he won his last Stanley Cup. Also, Gretzky's two Stanley Cups cannot compare to Ruth's seven World Series wins, Jordan's six NBA titles, and Brady's seven Super Bowl victories. These three men are on a higher pedestal than Gretzky AINEC.

If you are going to put a fourth man in Ruth, Jordan, and Brady's company, I would say it is Bill Russell with 11 NBA titles, the last of which he won at age 35.

 

You got to have hockey rep'd by someone.
Gretzky was as good as anyone.

 

Why does hockey have to be represented? Maybe we could find a Montreal Canadien player with superior skill winning cups well into his 30's. Maybe Jean Beliveau who won his tenth Stanley Cup at the age of 40.

Gretzky is the default answer for many when it comes to hockey greatness. He scored a ton of goals and points playing in a high-scoring era, but he only brought home the bacon twice.

 

Gretzky won 4 cups.

 

Al Bundy scored 4 TD's in a single game for Polk High.

 

Truly the greatest

 

My bad. Still not on that list though.

 

Gretzky is the greatest hockey player that ever lived and will ever live. It’s disappointing that some hockey fans always short change his greatness for whatever reason then list someone else even though their career was cut short but we can’t factor in injuries?

He’s not that dissimilar from Tom Brady, not very athletic but has extremely keen spatial awareness. Gretzky was always 3 or 4 plays ahead of the opposition. That started when he was 3-4 years old and would already be diagramming plays from games that he was watching on tv. The other thing is, Gretzky has said he’s spent at least 12 hours a day skating and playing hockey in the backyard in Wallys Coliseum or at the rink. I don’t think any kid could do that in this day and age.

Forget the cups, the best game I’ve ever seen was game 7 against the Leafs. I’ve never seen a player just carry his team like that and it was a fitting conclusion to what I think was the best series ever played in hockey.

 

My Mt. Rushmore of all time sports greats: Ruth, Gretzky, Jordan and Ali.

 

If you want big 4 pure winners..
Bill Russell(11 championships)
Henri Richard(11 championships)
Tom Brady(7 championships)
Yogi Berra(10 championships)

 

Gretzky's play made the NHL change the rules of the game.

Ruth , Jordan and Brady didn't do that.

Selecting Gretzky as the GOAT is a no brainer

 

Beg to differ huge.
Ruth changed EVERYTHING in baseball.
Chamberlain changed EVERYTHING in basketball.

 

what did Ruth and Chamberlain change? (except for funny little dart free-throws, and head bands)

 

For Wilt...
Offensive goaltending.
Defensive goaltending.
Can't cross the foul line for free throws(basically no throwing the ball off the back board and catching your own rebound to lay up during free throws)
Can't inbound over the backboard.
Increased the size of the lane.

For Ruth, his biggest contribution was making homerun and power hitting a viable strategy.

 

Babe Ruth had the greatest impact on his sport of any athlete in history (also on American society).
The details are too numerous and complex to outline here.

I recommend (by author Janet Leavy) the following. Must reading for any sports fan or student of American popular culture.
The Babe's impact on America cannot ever be underestimated and has never been seen since.
The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created

 

Sorry, screwed up

 

hahahahaha really? Imagining him doing all these things is hilarious. In particular the free throw cheat.

 

When I read about the free throws, it reminded me of doing that sort of thing in grade school. Throw it as hard as you can against the back stop and try to catch it midair and put it in. lol

 

My favorite Babe Ruth quote when asked about being paid more the the President of the United States:

“I know, but I had a better year than Hoover.”
- Reported reply when a reporter objected that the salary Ruth was demanding ($80,000) was more than that of President Herbert Hoover's ($75,000)

Second favorite on being superstitious:

“I have just one superstition. Whenever I hit a home run, I make certain I touch all four bases.”

 

The search for a new Pac-12 commissioner is off to a flying stop. I just can't understand why the rest of the country doesn't respect the Pac-12.

 

So he's still playing.

 

The great Elgin Baylor passed today.