Conference 7.286::sports_90

    
    	Those awards went to male and female athlete of the decade,
    right?
    
    sean

    re  -1
    
      No The awards went ot the male and she male of the decade:-)
          
    
                                              Stang the mang

I decided not to write it.... it wasn't nice.

Mike JN

    
    Has Gretzky played Navratilova this year?

    	
    	Yeah, can't you tell Navratilova looks the way she does because
    she got a severe cross check from Gretsky?  :)

    
    At least UPI had the sense to honor the best, and not necessarily
    the most-hyped LA athlete.  
    
    Magic couldn't carry Martina's....uh...whatever.
    
    -Dick

    
    	i don't even know what upi is... guess that shows you how much
    i care about who they picked. 
    	go with si...

       I don't think SI has picked athlete of the decade yet have they?
                                   Denny

    
    	yeah, it was magic johnson :)

       I thought you said he was named NBA player of the decade. Big
    difference!
                                 Denny

    
    	i didn't say that!  i just equated nba athlete of the decade
    with athelete of the decade since basketball is the most demanding,
    most athletic sport!
    
    major :^)  !!!

    
    Magic hasn't been voted *anything* yet by SI.  They merely announced
    that he would be featured on the cover of the swimsuit issue.
    
    Hope that helps.
    
    -Dick
    

    
    	thanks for clearing that up.  will he be wearing a two or one
    piece bikini?
    
    sean

    The latest issue of SI had Magic, Gretzky, and Montana on the cover
    and listed as the athletes who have dominated the 80's in their
    respective sports.
    
    JoJ

    Hummm, no one diminating baseball ha?
    
    Charles

    
    Purple top, yellow bottom, and green sweat socks.

    In keeping with JoJ's favorite type of note,
    
    CONGRATS to Gretzky and Martina.  Truly, two ATHLETES who not only
    DOMINATED their individual sports, but who also CONSISTENTLY performed
    at those outstanding levels for the better part of an entire decade.
    
    There is some luck involved in this to a degree, in that neither
    sustained any major injury which could have reduced them to mere
    players for a given period of time.  Of course, great conditioning
    also plays a part in the prevention of injuries.  Still, they both
    performed at their best for a long time.  Martina is now on the
    downside of her career, although I don't think it's a sharp decline.
    Gretzky will most likely continue to excel for a good part of the
    '90's.  
    
    Lee

    
    RE: SI choice.
    
    SI's credibility was shot to hell when they voted Arnold Palmer
    as the "Athlete(?) of the sixties.
    
    -Dick
    

    LeE, don't piss me off, I have moderator priv's now...
    
    JoJ

    Priv this, Wardle.
    
    Lee

>    SI's credibility was shot to hell when they voted Arnold Palmer
>    as the "Athlete(?) of the sixties.
 
	Why did that shoot SI's credibility?  Arnold dominated the tour.  Did
someone else dominate their sport like Arnold did his?  Or is it 
becuase they chose a golfer?

mc    

    aha! now we get to the root of the resentment.  argument voided.
     next please.  :)

    Palmer dominated ? Uh, didn't Palmer pull one of the biggest choke
    jons of all time in the US or British Open ? Moreover, when was
    the last time he won a title in the 60's ?
    
    Athletes of the Decade (60's) more worthy than Palmer ? Try these:
    
    Wilt
    Russell
    Jim Brown
    Gayle Sayers
    Bob Hayes
    Muhammad Ali
    Willie Mays
    Sandy Koufax
    Juan Marichal
    The 1968 US Olympic Track and Field Team
    Wilma Rudolph
    Rafer Johnson
    YA Tittle
    The Green Bay Packers (yes the entire team)
    Vince Lombardi 
    The Big O and Jerry West
    Ken Rosewall
    
    and many more ....
    
    Now then, Arnold WHO ?????
    
    drM

    I think SI has a thing for golfers. Palmer and Nicklaus were their
    "athletes" of the decade for the 70's and 80's. 
    
    I believe the term, "athlete" connotes physical athletic ability
    and golf just doesn't qualify, in my opinion. Running and jumping
    do. So you've got a multitude of athletes who should have gotten
    consideration of the golfers.
    
    Now, if you want to refer to golfers as "sportsmen" then I'd feel
    better.
    
    Rich
    

    80's?
    
    
    I thought it was Gretzky/Montana/Magic...
    
    

Hey folks...  I just got the news...

Noting International Magazine just voted me, Frank "Chainsaw" Way,
Junk Noter of the Decade.  I'm sure it was due to my prolific ability
to enter junk notes (which, scientists say is also link directly
in porportion with sexual prowess)...

I'd like to thank you all for making this possible.



Chainsaw_who_feels_like_it's_friday_even_though_it's_only_Tuesday

RE: .30
    
>> Junk Noter of the Decade.  I'm sure it was due to my prolific ability
>> to enter junk notes (which, scientists say is also link [sic] directly
>> in porportion [sic] with sexual prowess)...
    
    	I'm sure you meant to say that your junk noting ability
    (which is prolific) is INVERSELY proportional with your sexual
    prowess, RIGHT?        :-)
          
Mac 

    
    SI infactuation with golfers must have something to do with all them
    dam doctor's who litter their offices with that trash magazine...
    
    give me TSN any day before SI....
    
    the only worthwhile thing they have done is promote swimsuit issues...
    
    still can't believe that the NBA playoffs get a page and half while the
    Masters gets a 15 page spread and the Kentucky Derby gets 10....
    
    mike

    I heard on the radio this morning that Greg LeMond was named
    Sportsperson of the decade.
    
    HTH
    
    jab
    
    

       I heard it was 'Sportsman of the Year', not the decade.
                                            Denny

    'Saw, in honor of your selection as Junk Noter of the decade, I think
    Doug should post an up-to-date Ross Index (including ASABET::) as a
    tribute to your unique contribution.......  Whaddya say, Doug?  :-)
    
    HTH.
    
    Hawk

    
    	lemond was si's athlete for 1989..  wow, what a choice.

Lemond's accomplishment was one of the most exciting, grueling and
amazing of all the events that took place in 1989.

To win by the smallest margin in history, after being down by an
"insurmountable" amount is great.

Also, he overcame many obstacles in his personal life to achieve this
great victory.


Chainsaw

>    Lemond's accomplishment was one of the most exciting, grueling and
> amazing of all the events that took place in 1989.
                         
    	I can tell... I never even heard his name once this year.  :)

    RE: .40
    
    	You never heard his name because the sport in which he participates
    is not a "glamour" sport covered heavily by the local media(this
    assumes, of course, that you read the Globe which relegates any
    sport that doesn't have a local professional team to the bottom
    of the scoreboard page). 
    
    Greg Lemond won the world's most grueling individual sporting event
    in 1986 (you know it's that french bicycle race). He was the first
    American to do it. He received no money for this victory. Because
    his sport recieves very little notoriety he recieved very few
    endorsements. Most of those he did recieve were in Europe where
    his sport is respected. In 1987 he was shot (in the back I recall)
    by his brother in a hunting accident. He nearly died and as I recall
    had to completely rehabilitate his muscles after spending a long
    time in bed recuperating. It was thought he would never be able
    to compete again. His feat was not only unimaginable by those who
    know the sport but unprecedented in human sport. In naming him
    athlete of the decade an SI editor said last night that he was without
    a doubt the most courageous athlete he had ever known. I would tend
    to agree.

    I forgot all about LeMond, but once I heard the choice, thought it was
    fantastic.  Tremendous athlete.  Didn't he also have an appendectomy
    within the past year or two?
    
    					Steev

    
    	re: .41
    
    	i still don't understand why that makes him athlete of 1989
    (he was not voted athlete of the decade).  why wasn't he athlete
    of the year for 1987 since he did win the tour de france?  was it
    because si screwed up and gave it to "Athlete's who Care: Rory Sparrow,
    Patty Sheehan, Reggie Williams, Chip Rives, Judi Brown King, Dale
    Muphy and Kip Kelno"? (a.k.a. inability to pick one person) 
    	Oops, error there, the award is for "sportsman" of the year.
    	
    	anyways, i'm through arguing.  here are si's sportsmen for each
    year of the 80's
    
    	1980 - U.S. Olympic hockey team
    	1981 - Sugar Ray Leonard
    	1982 - Wayne Gretsky
    	1983 - Mary Decker
    	1984 - Edwin Moses and Mary Lou Retton
    	1985 - Kareen Abdul Jabbar
    	1986 - Joe Paterno
    	1987 - "Athlete's who care..."
    	1988 - Orel Hershiser
    	1989 - Greg LeMond
    
    re: -1    I'm very interested in that answer...
    

    
    SI likes to make the choice controversal.  That way people get all
    excited about who was/was not chosen they talk about, and SI gets
    all this publicity.  Don't forget SI is brought to you by the same
    people who named Kohmeni Man of the Year.  
    
    Bruce

                               
    so what.

I'm not a bicycle racer, and I don't even play one on TV, but
what Lemond did on the last day of that race would be somewhat
akin to the following:

		o Down by 10 runs in the last of the 9th
		  inning in the 7th game of the WS, with 2 out,
	          home team wins by one.

		o Late in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, 
		  down by 17 points, team rallies to force
		  overtime and win by 3.

		o Down by 3 goals with 2 minutes left in the
		  7th game of the Stanley Cup, team pulls
		  goalie, ties, then wins with 4 seconds left.

                o Being 3/4 of a mile back entering Central
	          Park in the NY Marathon and sprinting to 
	          win it....

Those situations sound impossible.  What Lemond was facing on the
last day of the Tour was just as impossible.  Personally, I wrote
him off, saying no way.

He and Fignon were riding *balls out* and yet he still made up a
50+ second difference.  This from a man who everyone said at one
point in time, would *never* ride again.

The thing that makes the feat even more unbelievable is that for
the previous month these guys had been riding in time trials, 
laps in the mountains, laps in heat, rain....

What other athlete in 1989 did anything anywhere near close?

JMHO,
chainsaw

    re:-1
       It's DECADE, not decayed!
                                     Denny

    Tell you what, you get Bo and Sugar to even enter a triathilon and
    I might give them their due. Bo is only as good as his teammates
    help make him. Sugar is only as good as the boxiing hierarchy choose
    to make (and that's only as long as he can still make money for
    them). The beauty of Lemond is that he did it for himself knowing
    full well that there would be very little from the American public
    in the way of accolades.

>    Bo is only as good as his teammates help make him.
 
    	even though i *totally* disagree with that argument, i'd have
    to say that i believe that lemond is guilty of the same thing.

    RE: -1
    
    	You want to explain that to me? Lemond has no teammates. It's
    just him and a bicycle.

       I think he's on 'Team 7-Eleven' or something, but that has NO
    comparison to what 'team' means in other sports.
                                    Denny

>           I think he's on 'Team 7-Eleven' or something, but that has NO
>    comparison to what 'team' means in other sports.
 
    	would you care to explain why?  the way I see it, he receives
    help from his fellow riders, that's why it is called a team.  just
    like when bo rushes for a 90 yd touchdown, he receives help from
    his teammates, but in actuality it is just bo, the football and
    the forces of evil.

       What kind of help did he get from his 'team' at the end of that
    race? If I'm not mistaken the last leg of the race is man vs. clock.
    He made up a considerable amount of time on his own.
                                        Denny

    	i'm sick of arguing :)  i think lemond is a great sportsman,
    but i also feel that there are other people *equally* as deserving
    as himself for sportsman of 1989.  surely lemond was not "the easiest
    pick of the past 6 years" in my eyes.  i think in particular that
    m_jordan and b_jackson could have easily been chosen.  thasall.
    	comparing feats between sports realistically be done, IMO.

    
    	oops, that should say, realistically can't be done.. this
    correction has been brought to you by...

Lemond has an entire support team throughout the race to take care of his
every need. His teammates ride with him the entire race and take turns 
breaking his path for him. ( iwas gona say breaking wind for him :-)

In the final time trial he did make up the 50 second time differential on
his own without the help of teammates.

Don't kid yourselves saying that he did it for the love of the sports and
isn't going to make any money off it. Lemond will earn over a million dollars
a year riding for his new team. He will make mucho Buckaroos doing endorsements
over in europe.

I'd still have to say that the 1980 olympic Hockey team are the atheletes
of the decade. I don't think I've ever seen such a team come together and
win it all over the odds that they did. I doubt that any more than 5-8 of them
ever made it in the Pro ranks. Look at what happened to Craig and Eruzione. 
They were true amatures playing pros and they kicked some serious bottom.

It was the sports highlight of the 80's for me.


Metz

       Michael Jordan? He didn't even beat Magic out for MVP! 
                                      Denny

    
    yeah Denny but the voting was fixed...  ;^)
    
    mike

                     
    I'm no fan of this guy but he's a great athlete!

I am Carl Lewis, the world's fastest human.


Personally, I loved the Eddie Murphy take off on Carl Lewis racing the
guy in the wheelchair.  I think Eddie Murphy *AS* Carl Lewis should
have won the award....

JMHO,
Chainsaw

    	See p_name.
    
    	Greg LeMond rode (in 1989) for the ADR team in Europe. He
    	rode for the Coors Light team in the US.
    
    	As Metz mentioned previously, the team helps the leader however
    	they can. ADR helped LeMond, as 7-Eleven helped Andy Hampsten,
    	etc. The difference here, though, is that the ADR team was very
    	weak (except, as it turned out, for LeMond). Because he had been
    	written off, the only team to want/sign him was ADR.
    
    	It could be said that LeMond had less support than some of the
    	other strong teams (PDM, Systeme-U, 7-Eleven, RMO, etc.). Thus,
    	this victory was much more a one-man win.
    
    	Then, after the Tour de France, LeMond went to Chambery, France
    	and won the World Championships.
    
    	My personal choice for Athlete of the Decade is Jeannie Longo.
    	She's dominated women's cycling to the point that any race she
    	was in was a race for second for all the other riders. I believe
    	the female cyclists of the world breathed a sigh of relief when
    	Longo retired this year.
    
    	Scott

I'll have to go with a tie between:

	The Cheerleader and the Farmers Daughter on G.L.O.W.


MIKE JN

Kelly Bundy, for the dangerous hamstring stretch manuever in front
of Chicago's Healthiest Man...


Kelly 4 ever,
Chainsaw

    
    I can agree with Lelond for athlete of the year 1989 but for the decade
    I'm with Sarge it should be Edwin Moses. Does anyone think his record
    will ever be broken?
    
    mike

    The Farmer's Daughter on GLOW looks very much like Sue Ellen ...
    
    I vote for John Elway as the best of this decade ...
    
    -- JB

    
    	what about joe montana???
    
    	alex english is all points and NO defense.  not a very good
    all around player and definitely declining through this decade (not
    consistent).
    
    sean

>        The Award is/was Best Athlete, not best basketball player. If you
>    want to play that game, I've never seen Lemonds results from
>    a Velodrome. Obviously not a very good all around bicycle rider.
 
    	I agree.  Ok, best athlete then, Michael Jordan...  :)   

    Bo Jackson, in a landslide.
    
    Bo knows football, Bo knows baseball, Bo knows basketball, Bo knows
    tennis.....OK, so he doesn't know hockey.
    
    All of the athletes you people are mentioning only play one sport real
    well.  BO can do it all.
    
    jab

    
    	yeah i said that, but remember that it is for the *decade*,
    not for the year...
    

    
    Mr. Strout, Sean I believe, Alex English has 8 straight years of over
    2000 points going into this year and you actual have the gall to label
    him inconsistant? Get a Clue will ya pal. True he is declining this
    year finally due in part to less minutes and differences with Moe....
    
    many smiles
    
    mike

	1a. Magic
	1b. Gretzky
	1c. Joe Montana

    
    Not to mention Mike, that English is 35 years old. He is the only
    player to ever score 2000 points in 8 consecutive seasons. Good choice,
    Steven.

    
    	If you consider Alex English to be one of the top basketball
    players of the decade then you are seriously mistaken.  Just this
    year he is declining?????  Agaggagagagg... I thought he retired
    SEVERAL years ago!!!! What an athlete... should be the poster child
    for "The top ten reasons why McDonald's should open a fast food
    chain in Ethiopia".  And what about that defense?  Yeaaaaah, pretty
    sticky there.  Talk about your one dimensional players, I could
    fit his NBA achievements legibly on the back of a postage stamp!!
    And how about that team he is on.  *real* winners there (i can't
    believe it's not butter!)...  how many championship rings on that
    boy's fingers??? 
    	Don't worry, while you're still talking about getting clue's,
    I already solved the mystery under your nose as to why Alex English
    got what he deserved as far as credit.  *nothing*!  (wait a second,
    maybe he *did* get a sneaker named after him.. well alright!).
    	Alex English - basketball's answer to why you don't need much
    of anything to make some bucks.
    
    	thank you, and please take everything I have said very seriously.
     There will be a quiz next time we meet.

English is redeactivated (tm) from consideration simply based on
his performance in the movie "Amazing Grace and Chuck".  If you
haven't seen it, English plays a basketball star who quits the NBA
until world peace is achieved.

    
    	wait, i remember who alex english is now!  he starred in that
    movie "Ghandi" didn't he?  he should be up for the nobel prize and
    not athlete of the decade, shouldn't he?

    
    RE: .84
    
    You can't be that stupid.

    
    Hoot, the guy's a consumate Laker fan.  'Nuff said!  :-)
    
    Hawk

     Hoot,  He sounds that stupid to me......  Probably fail his 
    own quiz.
    
    
    Big Game

    
    Hell, he didn't even know who Bubby Brister was :^>
    
    Bull
    

    
    	ok, it's official, SI announced today that due to the overwhelming
    concern that Alex English did not get Athlete of 1989 (by certain
    uniformed individuals), they decided to revoke the decision for
    Greg LeMond and proceeded to break into his beverly hills condo
    and retake the SI trophy so they could in turn give it to the ever
    so deserving Alex English.
    
    sean

Steve Davis.

He singlehandedly redefined the game of snooker.  Plus his fiance
is a smash fox.


Chainsaw

    Who has the lowest ERA of major league pitchers with 1500+ innings in
    the 1980s?
    
    Need a hint?  He also has the most strikeouts of any pitcher in the
    '80s and has never won a Cy Young award.
    
    Need another hint?  He pitched one (or was it 2) no hitters and 4 one
    hitters this decade.  He was the first AL pitcher since 1977 to strike
    out more than 300 batters in a season and he did it at 40+ years old.
    
    It's Nolan Ryan who can still throw a fastball at 98 mph - OK, so he's
    lost a little off the heater ;^).

     Speaking of Snooker......  Anyone out there have a Title/Author
    of a good rule book for this most manly of games.?.?.?.?  I've 
    been looking in all the bookstores out here in Colorful Colorado
    and can't seem to find one.  I have been told by countless store
    clerks that if I have a title/author that they will be happy to
    order it for me......    H  E  L  P  !!!!!!
    
    
    Big Game

    
    	re: .94
    
    	thanks for making the distinction between athlete of the decade
    and pitcher of the decade.  :)
    
    sean

Big Game...

Perhaps Sam, our fine English lass, could help us on this one.  Snooker
is big in the UK, and obviously as I have alluded to, Steve Davis is,
IMHO, the bested in the world.

So, one could assume that the rules/techniques etc of snooker could probably
be found much more easily in an English Bookstore than here.  Of course,
to me, this sounds like an excuse for a road trip...

But, if your not up to bopping to England with the 'Saw, perhaps meeting
Sam and giving her some very good (and very American) reasons for losing
the boyfriend, searching out your book, and downing some premier ale
in an English pub, then I'd say to contact anyone of the fine UK subjects
in this file and arrange a trade...

They pick up the book, you pick up something that's less expensive here
than there (ie CDs work well) and you trade...

What do you think?

Chainsaw

    `Saw.....  I take back everything I said about you in that
    other note,  You're simply, a "Great Guy."  I don't know which
    of these folks in the file are from the UK and which aren't. 
    Could you please give me a few node names and first names so 
    that I might write to some of these nice people and bring my
    quest to a timely and successful end.  Thank you very much for
    you support and understanding..
    
    Big Game

    
    	obviously i know who nolan ryan and obviosuly i know who bubby
    brister is and obviously you didn't know i was joking because you
    obviously do not know what ":)" means. 
    	relax!  take it easy...  

Boys, boys....get with the program...

Unless one of you is really Manuel Noriega, I don't wanna hear this...

re Big Game:

	Try Hootsmon...I don't know his node, but I think his user
	name is DWALLACE...not sure...

	Then, there's always the lovely Samantha.

	Then, isn't there a Don Hunter from somewhere in Scotland...

If you've never seen Steve Davis play, you've never seen artistry on
green felt....

later,
'Saw

>    obviously do not know what ":)" means. 

It cain't be a smiley face, cuz it ain't got no nose.

    

    ... you've never seen artistry in green felt....
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
				    |
				    |
				    +------->  You've never seen my wife
    in her new jammies!
    
    Mark.
    

    Send us a Picture !!!   ;^)
    
    Green felt Jammies, aye....  Sounds pretty kinky.
    On second thought, send us all a video  ;^)
    
    Lots Of ;^)'s
    
    Big Game

    
    I've seen her in her jammies. Mark's right.
    
    -Dick

    Wayne Gretzky. That's all. Nothing more. If theres an athelete that
    will go down in history as the BEST EVER to play his/her sport,
    Wayne is the man. 2nd place to LeMond for his courage to come back
    from all he's been through. 3rd, Magic and Bird. 
    Remember, this is dangerous and should only be performed by trained
    professionals. Do not try this at home. :-)
    			Raider_Rich
    

    
    There is nothing like felt jammies.  HEre's what you do.  Buy some
    of that velcro stuff and glue it to the ceiling.  Have your wife
    put on the felt jammies, and ask her to try and do a double flip
    on the trapeze swing you have installed over your bed (what?  you
    don't have a trapeze swing over your bed? Get with it, it's almost
    the 90's).  When she tries the double flip, she gets near the velcro,
    and woooosh!  Now you're ready for a good time.  Certain San
    Franciscans may ask their partner to do a double flip with a 1/2
    twist.
    
    BoF   (Bruce on Felt) 

       The trapeze should be right below the mirror on the ceiling right?
    We all know what the mirrors for...
    Shaving in bed of course!
                                Denny

    
    My mirror has inscribed on it "Objects in mirror are larger than
    they appear."
    
    -Dick

    Well you anit-donks didn't get your vote in on time...
    
    
    John Henry was elected Horse of the Decade with 32% of the votes. 
    
    John Elway finised a distant 3rd behind Alysheba. 
    
    

    Some other Decadence from USA Today. 
    
    Sportcasters of the Decade;
    Al Michaels, Bob Costas, Brent Mushberger, Dick Enberg, Pat Summerall,
    Jim McKay, Keith Jackson, Marv Albert, Farnk Scully.
    
    Commentators of the Decade; 
    John Madden, Tim McCarver, Billy Packer, Dick Vitale, Dan Dierdorf,
    Merlin Olsen, Al Mcguire, Tony Kubek, Howard Cosell, Dick Button..
                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^^^^^
    
    
    These guys are reaching for Sports News.
    
    Jeff

>>>     Who's Frank Scully?
    
    
		He's the love child of Frank Sinatra and Tommy Lasorda
	that was legally adopted by Vin "Numb" Scully!!   :-)

Yankee_Rick

    Vin Scully did a perfect job covering the '88 World Series, the only
    mistake he made was considering the fact that the A's had a chance.
    
    
    the devil dog who remembers Vin from his days with Jerry Doggett (SP)
    and Ross Porter.                                        

    Athletes of the decade:
    
    1) Earvin Johnson
    2) Michael Jordan
    3) Bo Jackson
    4) Martina Navratilova
    5) Jackie Joyner-Kersey
    6) Joe Montana
    7) Wayne Gretsky
    8) Flornce Griffith-Joyner
    9) Diego Maradona
    10) Greg Lemond
    
    NAZZ

    Patrick Ewing was named the AP's college basketball player of the
    decade.

       ESPN chose Gretzky during their 10th anniversary show last night.
                                 Denny

    I agree with the choice of Gretzky.  He is incredible!
    
    Glenn

>    Hummm, no one diminating baseball ha?

Not really a question, but SI must have been in a tangle about baseball.
Don Mattingly didn't win a division much less a pennant, much less a WS,
yet there was no one else who could be said to have dominated the game.

The best player didn't win.  SI punted.

Dan

    Dan,
    
    AP named Mike Schmidt the Baseball Player Of The Decade.
    
    Hard time convincing me they were wrong.
    
    Bob Hunt

>    AP named Mike Schmidt the Baseball Player Of The Decade.
    
>    Hard time convincing me they were wrong.
    
     Funny, Schmidt was the first name that came to my mind, as well.
     Mattingly was very good for several years.  I can't say he was dominant
     for any lengthy period of time in the decade, although he had one
     dominating year.

    Yeah, three NL MVP awards plus a World Series MVP kinda cinches him in
    my mind, too.
    
    Then again, I claim absolutely no objectivity whatsoever where Mike
    Schmidt is concerned.   
    
    He is quite simply the greatest third baseman to ever play the game.  
    
    I don't believe we can say that about any other baseball player at any
    other position during this decade with the possible exception of Ozzie
    Smith's defensive abilities and Nolan Ryan's strikeout numbers.
    
    A true class act and my all-time favorite baseball idol.
    
    Bob Hunt
    
    P.S.  There is also no doubt in my mind that Wayne Gretzky is *THE*
    Athlete Of The Decade.

    I read an article in The Sporting News that listed Joe Montana as their
    man of the year.  I would have a hard time disagreeing.  Joe Montana
    has to be considered as athlete of the decade as well.  Three superbowl
    champion rings, two MVP's of superbowl and strong argument to share
    last years MVP with Jerry Rice.  When you consider his interception to
    TD ratio and the highest rated QB in the history of the NFL well he is
    quite remarkable.  Three years ago Joe Montana was diagnosed as having 
    a back injury that would probably end his career.  He had that surgery
    in week three or four of the season and was told that he might be
    back that year but really shouldn't try until the following year.  Not
    only did he recover that year but it was two weeks earlier than any
    doctor thought possible.  I believe that his greatest years came after
    that back injury.  This year he fell just percentage points shy of
    Ken Anderson's record completion percentage in what was a strike
    shortened season.  Yes I am a 49er fan and like Mr. Hunt I claim no
    objectivity where Joe Montana is concerned.  Joe is quite simply the
    BEST Quarterback to play the game of football.
    
    Frank "9er" Mendez
    

    
    re last
    
    Where do you want your body sent...............
    
    
    Montana came in 2'nd to Gretsky.
    
    Lou

    1. Wayne Gretzky
    2. Joe Montana
    3. Mike Schmidt
    4. Earvin Johnson
    5. Larry Bird
    6. Michael Jordan
    7. Mario Lemieux
    
    These were, without a doubt in my mind, the best athletes of the
    1980's.  Wayne Gretzky redefined the term "great" in hockey. 
    Nobody has ever played at his level before. 
    
    Similarly, Joe Montana displayed leadership abilities that qualify
    him as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. 
    
    If you want to talk about purely the most physically gifted individuals
    of the 80's then you'd have to be talking along the lines of Bo
    Jackson or a football cornerback.  However, the term 'great athlete' does
    not imply pure physical abilities.  Far from it.
    
    MHO,
    
    Jeff
                    

    I agree with Jeff (-.1) in that athlete of the decade does not imply
    pure physical abilities. Without question Montana and Gretzky are two
    of the greatest to ever play their respective games.
    
    People have mentioned Payton, Magic, etc...why would they be more
    deserving? They were one sport athletes just like Montana or Gretzky.
    Bo plays two sports, but hasn't played that many years
    (professionally).
    
    Frank, you are not objective, but you are correct about Montana. In my
    30 years he's the greatest QB I've ever seen. The same goes for
    Gretzky. 
    
    When I think of baseball, I think of Mattingly. Hoops = Michael Jordan.
    Tennis = Martina, Cycling = Lemond.
    
    This is an endless argument, but it seems the only way to pick the
    athlete of the decade is to pick the top athlete in each sport and then
    make a totally subjective decision....
    
    JoJ

Steve Garvey -  Who gave every ounce of his energy in a gallant but futile
                attempt to become the father of our country.

Mike JN

    
    re: .131
    
    Maradonna?  Sheesh, I don't even like her records.
    
    -Dick
    

    >> What about tennis? Nobody ever mentions Boris Becker, Ivan Lendle,
    >>or even Jimmy Connors. 
    
    Of course, I'm not a nobody, but I did mention Martina.
    
    >>Or, to put it another way, if they don't produce a profit at the \
    >>turnstyle, they're not eligible. 
    
    Business is business. In business, revenue producers get all the
    recognition, and professional sports is big business. This is perfectly
    normal.
    
    >>Alaskan Bikeiterod
    
    I think it's Iditebike (or uditebike...whatever)
    
    Stevie_boy, no one is arguing the fack that these people are good/great
    athletes. You are in America, so wouldn't you expect American sports to
    get more press and recognition. Personally, I could care less about
    watching a game of European soccer, but I'll watch Joe Montana or Wayne
    Gretzky anytime. 
    
    SI sells magazines in America. They cover some international sports,
    but the NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA are bigger than life in this country. That's
    why they vote for someone from these "glamour" sports.
    
    
    And, FWIW, I noticed that you mentioned all these international sports,
    but no player names (except Maradonna...whoever that is). YOu mentioned
    the very well known "long distance runner from Kenya", and the infamous
    "a world champion x-country skier", and who could forget "anybody that
    rides in the Iditebike".....now if you can't even remember their names,
    how in the world can you expect US publications like SI to name them as
    athlete of the decade?
    
    JoJ

    This just in......
    
    SI has just recognized JoJ as the slowest 30 year old male in
    the U.S.
    
    Congrats!
    
    Claybone

    Here's my choices
    
    1) Gretzky
    2) Edwin Moses
    3) Magic
    4) Martina
    5) Montana
    6) Schmidt
    7) Payton
    8) #33 from Boston
    9) Lendl
    10) Jack Morris because I have to have someone from Detroit
    
    These people excelled plus won titles...
    
    Honorable mention:  Carl Lewis, Lemieux, Becker, Chrissie, Eddie
    Murray (the Oriole, not the Lion), Wade Boggs, Steffie, Jerry Rice,
    Eric Dickerson
    
    _Walt

>         <<< Note 68.109 by 39131::DHAMEL "I saw Noriega in K-mart" >>>
>    My mirror has inscribed on it "Objects in mirror are larger than
>    they appear."
    
    -Dick, Gary Shandling already (tm)'d that.
    
    Mike

    re. Alaskan Dog Sled Race:  
    
    It's known as the Iditarod and Susan Butcher has won three out of
    the last 4 races.  Originally from Cambridge, Mass, Butcher became
    the first female to ever win the race in 1985.  She repeated in
    '86 and '87, and finished 2nd in '88.
    
    She trains sled dogs for a living and is sponsored by Purina and
    the Timberland Company in addition to a plethora of other sponsors.
    
    The Iditarod is a 1400 mile sled dog race through the Alaskan country.
    
    Her accomplishments are no small potatoes.
    
    Mark.

    
    re -1
    
    How much of her accomplishment is due to her dog training abilities,
    how much is due to endurance/stamina (not the same as athletic
    ability),  and how much is due to plain athletic ability?  The same
    can be said (minus dog training ability) for Iditabike and even
    triathletes.  There is a point where athletic abibilty becomes less
    important as endurance/stamina take over.  
                 
    Has anyone mentioned Greg Louganis, yet?  He has dominated his sport
    in a way similar to Edwin Moses.  
    
    Bruce

    
    Endurance/stamina isn't athletic ability?

    
    Not necessarily.  Through proper training anyone can develop stamina.
    With proper training not everyone can compete in the NFL or NBA.
         

    Forgot about Louganis to be honest... but I need Morris in there...
    hmmmmm

    Klammer's olympic run was 76
    Largent should get honorable mention, but he didn't win any titles
    Tyson was only half the 80's so he would get HM with me too...
    Heiden was 1 event... cycling he's average...

    I wasn't claiming that Susan Butcher should be considered athlete
    of the decade.  I was merely giving some background on the race.
    
    Besides, she's homely as sin.  :*)
    
    Mark.

     I'd say it has to go to good old Norm Peterson from "Cheers".
    The man has all the attributes of a GREAT athlete.
    
    	o He's got the body.
    
    	o He's got the moves.
    
    	o He's got the staying power.
    
    	o And just look at those biceps.
    
    Big Game

    149 replies and not one mention of Daley Thompson!! Only the second
    athlete in history to win the olympic gold in the decathlon twice.
    Had he not been injured at Seoul in 1988 he may have made it 3!
    Even so he added a fourth to his two firsts.
    
    He also competed in the olympics on the 4 x 100 relay and the long
    jump,broke the world record many times and has taken the decathlon
    to a new level. 
    
    Certainly a worthy challenger.

    John Elway is without question the only logical choice !
    
    Big Game

    RE: Tyson... he lost in his chance for the Olympics, so although he
    did well, he didn't win his "title" in the amateurs... trust me,
    I'm from near Albany, if I thought he should be on there, he would
    be...

>>                      <<< Note 68.152 by RIGEL4::JBONNO >>>
>>                                    -< Bo! >-

I think we all get your point.

    Is this American athletes only?
    
    What about the bike racer...Greg Lamond (I think that's his name)
    
    Don't forget Tyson and Jordan
    
    Bill

    Eddie Eagle Edwards Ski- jumper
    Jamacia Bob-sled team
    Rosie Ruiz
    
    
             REK

       It seems Bo now knows diddely!
                                    Denny

    Knows how to strike out every 4th at bat as well.

>>    < Note 68.158 by SALEM::RIEU "We're Taxachusetts...AGAIN" >
>>
>>    It seems Bo now knows diddely!
>>                                    Denny
  
    
    This Bo now knows Daddley!  Just to let you know I had my first
    son on January 5!  Timothy can really handle the high, inside pitch
    already!
    
    Bo

       Congrats Bo! Good to see you're starting him early.
                                        Denny

    Well, both my kids learned how to dribble and shoot from me while they
    were still in the "oven"........  :-)
    
    Hawk

      'dribblin' comes natural to most kiddies.
                                  Denny ;^)..

First, congratulations Bo.  Picked a good name there...my brother's
(aka The Blade) name is Tim.

Second, after the article I read in Readers Digest on life in the womb,
I'm sure that what they hear and experience can help shape them
in later life.

That's why, before my first will be born, I'll be making my wife
watch Giants and Red Sox games, playing subliminal tapes that say
"The Yankees Sip through a Straw no matter what Yankee_Rick's course says"
and explaining the difference between a slap shot and a wrist shot to
her stomach....

HTH,
Chainsaw

PS  Hawk, do your kids have a prediliction for BEER???? ;^)

    Well, since ya already covered the "dribblin" part,
    
    have ya ever been "shot" while changing an infant boy's
    
    diaper?     ;-(
    
    
    Kev_OW(tm)
    

    Kev, I remember those days........  Ya quickly learn to have a Bounty
    (the quicker picker upper) handy to cover that clever little pistol!
    
    But, that ain't nothin'.  Wait'll they start eatin' real food, and ya
    gotta change that cleveland.   OOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
    
    :-)
    
    Hawk

Guys, I'm rolling big time...

All I can picture is that scene from Three Men and a Baby, where
Tom Selleck picks the kid up and he just pees.....heh heh heh...

Clever little pistol...what a great KG term.

Chainsaw

    The baby was a she.

Now that you mention it, you're right.  I couldn't remember actually,
but I took a chance..Hey, the odds were 50:50, right?  ;^)

Besides, I'm all Hopped Up these days!

Chainsaw

    I realy wanted to put this entry in the DWARF note but somebody
    write-locked it ;*(
    
    Then I found this place and I figured that JD, Slasher and Chainsaw
    would violently agree that this was the closest match and shouldn't
    be put anywhere else since the "Best Athlete since Adam" note hasn't
    been entered yet.
    
    
    
    
    On the way to work this AM, Lorin and Wally had a little tidbit
    during their sports update section.
    
    Yesterday, in a little town east of Framingham, a flag football
    league championship game was played between A & G landscaping and
    somebody else. (Actually, I didn't get the real names but that's
    not important).  
    
    One of the players was some guy named St. Doug of the Heights and
    for the first half, he played defensive cornerback.  They said he
    did pretty well except his team lagged behind at the half 14-0
    or something.
    
    For the second half, St. Doug was in his natural position, Q-back!
    He had a 50 yard run for a TD, threw a couple of good passes, and
    was only intercepted TWO (2) times!
    
    The ferocious battle for the Natick Flag Football League
    Championship (NFFLC) ended around 1:00PM with the score 44-28.
    
    Saint Douglas of the Heights was credited with
    
    
    
    a_excellent_second_place_finish
    
    
    (Sorry Karen, but gotta report on all the sports news)
    
    
    ;^)
    
    Kev