Britain's greatest ever sportsman/woman

[cdbearsfan]

Of course. They were the best ever, and much better than Botham so he can't have been the best ever.

Of course, being the best Briton doesn't necessarily mean you're the best in the World. However, given the sheer number of events we compete in and the fact that we do quite well in many of them, I think the best British sportsperson should be recognised as among the greatest, if not the greatest, in their given field. I wouldn't even have Botham in an all-time XI. He'd be behind Sobers, Khan, Kallis and maybe the New Zealand bloke who's name I always forget in the battle for all-rounders' spots.

Still struggling to think of who fits the criteria though. Maybe Phil Taylor. Nobody has dominated like him. It's just a shame I can't stand him.

[four fornicholl]

Of course. They were the best ever, and much better than Botham so he can't have been the best ever.

Of course, being the best Briton doesn't necessarily mean you're the best in the World. However, given the sheer number of events we compete in and the fact that we do quite well in many of them, I think the best British sportsperson should be recognised as among the greatest, if not the greatest, in their given field. I wouldn't even have Botham in an all-time XI. He'd be behind Sobers, Khan, Kallis and maybe the New Zealand bloke who's name I always forget in the battle for all-rounders' spots.

Still struggling to think of who fits the criteria though. Maybe Phil Taylor. Nobody has dominated like him. It's just a shame I can't stand him.

Jocky Wilson?

[PeterWithesShin]

Jocky Wilson was a New Zealand cricket player?

[cdbearsfan]

Not in the same league.

[cdbearsfan]

Jocky Wilson was a New Zealand cricket player?

I think so. Dexys Midnight Runners were big Kiwi fans.

[PeterWithesShin]

Is the cricketer Hadlee? Never been a big cricket fan but a name I remember hearing as a nipper. I could google it but that's cheating, plus it will be amusing if i'm wrong and Hadlee is an Aussie or summat.

[cdbearsfan]

Yep. Richard Hadlee. For some reason I always forget his name.

[thick_mike]

Funny, I thought there would be a stand out somewhere considering that we invented most sports and do quite well, but no!

It's a bit like being American and trying to name your best rock and roll band...

If we are thinking about truly global sports, we have to exclude cricket, rugby, bowls, snooker, tiddlywinks. World sports include football, athletics, swimming, tennis, cycling?

What about George Best/Jimmy Greaves/Gordon Banks, Mo Farah/Paula Radcliffe/Daley Thompson/Seb Coe, -no swimmers-, Andy Murray, Wiggins/Cavendish/Hoy/Boardman

Or Lester Piggott?

[tomd2103]

I do think that we tendency to underestimate the incredible range of sporting skill involved in tennis.
Speed and stamina, strength and agility, fitness, co-ordination, control, quick thinking. The sheer athleticism of being out there testing you body in so many different ways over such a period of time.

I'm not even a massive tennis fan, but there is so much more to it than being a runner, a jumper or a swimmer. For that reason, the best tennis player has to be up there.

Agree.  I just can't imagine the range of skills required for a gruelling five set game on an indoor court or on a clay court.  When you hear about the amount of weight some of them lose over a the course of a match like that, it is quite frightening. 

[Villafirst]

Sebastian Coe. Two Olympic 1500m golds, 2 Olympic 800m silvers. Something like 12 out door world records, including the 800m world record in 1981 at 1:41:73 which stood for 16 years - even today very few athletes have run below 1:42. Take a look at Coe on YouTube - his finishing kick is different class. Mo Farah should also be in the mix.

[cdbearsfan]

Funny, I thought there would be a stand out somewhere considering that we invented most sports and do quite well, but no!

It's a bit like being American and trying to name your best rock and roll band...

If we are thinking about truly global sports, we have to exclude cricket, rugby, bowls, snooker, tiddlywinks. World sports include football, athletics, swimming, tennis, cycling?

What about George Best/Jimmy Greaves/Gordon Banks, Mo Farah/Paula Radcliffe/Daley Thompson/Seb Coe, -no swimmers-, Andy Murray, Wiggins/Cavendish/Hoy/Boardman

Or Lester Piggott?

Football is the only global sport.

[UK Redsox]

Football and Basketball

[JD]

If he wins another gold medal what about Alistair Brownlee? He is an outstanding athlete. 

[paul_e]

Funny, I thought there would be a stand out somewhere considering that we invented most sports and do quite well, but no!

It's a bit like being American and trying to name your best rock and roll band...

If we are thinking about truly global sports, we have to exclude cricket, rugby, bowls, snooker, tiddlywinks. World sports include football, athletics, swimming, tennis, cycling?

What about George Best/Jimmy Greaves/Gordon Banks, Mo Farah/Paula Radcliffe/Daley Thompson/Seb Coe, -no swimmers-, Andy Murray, Wiggins/Cavendish/Hoy/Boardman

Or Lester Piggott?

No swimmers, harsh on Adam Peaty who has a phenomenal record so far and will certainly be regarded as our best ever Swimmer within a few years.  Becky Adlington was very good as well and is certainly worthy of mention.

On a slight tangent the Brownlees probably both deserve a mention in this as well.

On the broader point I don't think the sport has to be completely global, it just needs to be above a certain standard of competitiveness to be worth mentioning.  Cricket and Rugby for example are clearly worth discussion in this even if they're only played at elite level by 10-20 countries.

[tomd2103]

Some good names being offered, but one I haven't seen is Joe Calzaghe.  Retired 45-0, but I guess the one thing that could be labelled at him is the standard of opponents he fought.  Missed prime era Eubank, Benn, Watson and Collins and fought Hopkins and Roy Jones in the twilight of their respective careers.