What sports figure has had the greatest impact on sports in this generation?

**fancylad** · 10-20-2010, 11:41 AM

i would say tiger woods comes pretty close, but ya it's gotta be Jordan.

Superjudge · 10-20-2010, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claudius

So, is it MJ? Gretzky? Someone else?

Who's had the greatest impact?

Haley Wickenheiser.

Superjudge · 10-20-2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claudius

I personally would go with Lance Armstrong.

The work he did with raising cancer awareness.

Bringing cycling over to the US audience and making it some what main stream.

His Livestrong brand alone is everywhere.

Considering what he had to work with and where the sport was when he was in it (i.e. being covered on ESPN etc.) I'd go with Lance.

Meh, lots of guys already did good on Steroids......

**Belsius** · 10-20-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fancylad

i would say tiger woods comes pretty close, but ya it's gotta be Jordan.

Many people dont even consider golf a sport. Michael Jordan is considered god. People outside north-america dont know much about his douche side and how he was Stern's golden boy.

Barracuda · 10-20-2010, 11:50 AM

Kenny Powers.

Superjudge · 10-20-2010, 11:59 AM

You guys are all talking bout guys in popular sports.... none of these guys, EXCEPT tiger, made an impact on their sport in their generation. There aren't spikes in new players at the youth level in Basketball. Most of the shit you are on about is media powered stuff caused by an increase in new media.

Impact on a sport is most felt by how you promote its growth at the grass roots level. Kids didnt' start playing hoops cuz Jordan played, they played, and then wanted to be him.

Tiger got people out on to the course.

I chose Wickenheiser to basically illustrate my point. I don't know if she is or isn't the most influential. i DO KNOW that the spike in young girls playing hockey skyrocketed when she made Womens Ice hockey even remotely relevant in both the US and in Canada. She was a driving force in creating what is now one of the most fun rivalries in sports with the Womens US team, and she played very competently in tier two Swedish elite mens hockey.

The result is amazing. Girls and women's hockey participation is up enormously. Division one US colleges are offering scholarships to women's hockey players now. Ratings for the Womens Olympic Gold medal game rivaled the mens.

This all comes form the emergence of a young woman named Haley Wickenheiser, who, took the torch from some other trailblazers and made it know that women could play, and they weren't going away. I think thats impact to me. Thats why I picked her.

Nites · 10-20-2010, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fancylad

not for 'our generation.'

I'd probably say Michael Jordan works best on a few levels. both the good and the bad. you know. the superstar tag, the hype, the brand, etc. - lots of which is a step in the wrong direction.

Ah, guess it's MJ then.

bjjs · 10-21-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Cultural anthropologists will divine many explanations, and a few lamentations, for the spread of this seed, but there is no argument that the distribution was breathtaking. Jordan in December, 1997, was the first athlete named No.1 in The Sporting News' annual list of the most powerful people in sports. In choosing Jordan, the magazine identified him as the lone one-sport athlete who touched multiple industries and nations, a distinction normally reserved for media moguls whose influence is felt in multiple sports.

NBA.com: Michael Jordan Career Retrospective

SJ, your comment on Jordan is completely off base. I would bet the house that hundreds of thousands if not millions of children worldwide started playing basketball because of Jordan.

TORaptor4Ever · 10-22-2010, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fancylad

i would say tiger woods comes pretty close, but ya it's gotta be Jordan.

+1.

It says something that Nike hitched their wagon to Tiger once MJ retired.

Dark Knight · 10-22-2010, 04:55 PM

Maybe not from this generation, but Babe Ruth should be in the discussion as well.

Scully · 10-22-2010, 05:17 PM

punch out ? pay per view ? Mike Tyson! The guy changed our world.

Dark Knight · 10-22-2010, 05:19 PM

Now that I think about it, Allen Iverson had a huge effect on changing the culture of basketball.

Aamir · 10-22-2010, 05:19 PM

Marcus Banks. Even when you're almost never playing, when you get picked, give it your all, leave it all on the court and think team-first.

Too bad we have a blind coach. lol

Superjudge · 10-22-2010, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjjs

NBA.com: Michael Jordan Career Retrospective

SJ, your comment on Jordan is completely off base. I would bet the house that hundreds of thousands if not millions of children worldwide started playing basketball because of Jordan.

I don't agree.

Basketball was already a common sport worldwide.

RaptorsandBuckeye FaN · 10-22-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fancylad

i would say tiger woods comes pretty close, but ya it's gotta be Jordan.

+1 fancy. I would go with MJ also but like you said Tiger Woods is up there also.

Shadowfax · 10-26-2010, 09:46 AM

these names don't really fall into the "this generation" category but i feel they need to be mentioned here anyways

these would have to be considered for a top 10 list imho

Jesse Owens
Carl Lewis
Jim Brown
Bobby Orr
Joe DiMaggio
Jim Thorpe
Jackie Robinson
Lou Gehrig
Gordie Howe
Secretariat

10-20-2010, 11:50 AM	#25 (permalink)
Barracuda the fighter of the Nightman Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Cherry Bomb Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 7,728 Representing:	Kenny Powers. Last edited by Barracuda; 10-20-2010 at 11:54 AM.

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10-20-2010, 11:41 AM	#21 (permalink)
fancylad blah! nosce te ipsum Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: east side. Posts: 13,266 Representing:	i would say tiger woods comes pretty close, but ya it's gotta be Jordan.

10-20-2010, 11:59 AM	#26 (permalink)
Superjudge is pounding the rock! Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 17,371 Representing:	You guys are all talking bout guys in popular sports.... none of these guys, EXCEPT tiger, made an impact on their sport in their generation. There aren't spikes in new players at the youth level in Basketball. Most of the shit you are on about is media powered stuff caused by an increase in new media. Impact on a sport is most felt by how you promote its growth at the grass roots level. Kids didnt' start playing hoops cuz Jordan played, they played, and then wanted to be him. Tiger got people out on to the course. I chose Wickenheiser to basically illustrate my point. I don't know if she is or isn't the most influential. i DO KNOW that the spike in young girls playing hockey skyrocketed when she made Womens Ice hockey even remotely relevant in both the US and in Canada. She was a driving force in creating what is now one of the most fun rivalries in sports with the Womens US team, and she played very competently in tier two Swedish elite mens hockey. The result is amazing. Girls and women's hockey participation is up enormously. Division one US colleges are offering scholarships to women's hockey players now. Ratings for the Womens Olympic Gold medal game rivaled the mens. This all comes form the emergence of a young woman named Haley Wickenheiser, who, took the torch from some other trailblazers and made it know that women could play, and they weren't going away. I think thats impact to me. Thats why I picked her.

10-22-2010, 04:55 PM	#30 (permalink)
Dark Knight Captain of the Jamario Moon fan club. Born Unready Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Electric Avenue Posts: 15,552 Representing:	Maybe not from this generation, but Babe Ruth should be in the discussion as well.

10-22-2010, 05:17 PM	#31 (permalink)
Scully is pounding the rock! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 870 Representing:	punch out ? pay per view ? Mike Tyson! The guy changed our world.

10-22-2010, 05:19 PM	#32 (permalink)
Dark Knight Captain of the Jamario Moon fan club. Born Unready Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Electric Avenue Posts: 15,552 Representing:	Now that I think about it, Allen Iverson had a huge effect on changing the culture of basketball.

10-22-2010, 05:19 PM	#33 (permalink)
Aamir the boss Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Mississauga Posts: 5,224 Representing:	Marcus Banks. Even when you're almost never playing, when you get picked, give it your all, leave it all on the court and think team-first. Too bad we have a blind coach. lol

10-26-2010, 09:46 AM	#36 (permalink)
Shadowfax Is playing the dude disguised as another dude Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Earth Posts: 10,951 Representing:	these names don't really fall into the "this generation" category but i feel they need to be mentioned here anyways these would have to be considered for a top 10 list imho Jesse Owens Carl Lewis Jim Brown Bobby Orr Joe DiMaggio Jim Thorpe Jackie Robinson Lou Gehrig Gordie Howe Secretariat