Olympics - Paris 2024

[HomerJSimpson]

As for Murray top GB sportsman - not even in the top five for me. I'm not going to compile a list but guys like Ronnie O'Sullivan & Joe Calzaghe spring to mind as being higher and that's only in my lifetime for a start.

Plenty of sportsmen I'd have above Murray. Would probably make my top 10 but not top 5

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The BBC suggestion is heavily biased by the fact that tennis, for 2 weeks, is actually a sport they are able to show. It's a good pub discussion, and he might be in the top 10, but he isn't near the top of the pile.

Saying all that, he hasn't asked for this and in GB tennis it is him and Fred Perry out on their own.

Guess can only take in isolation

He is the only male British tennis player to win 3 Slams and during a period where there was prob 3 of the best tennis players in history and then add in the Davis Cup


But he is up and it will come down to opinions

Suspect many won’t even consider Tony McCoy but there isn’t many that get near his exploits

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Guess can only take in isolation

He is the only male British tennis player to win 3 Slams and during a period where there was prob 3 of the best tennis players in history and then add in the Davis Cup


But he is up and it will come down to opinions

Suspect many won’t even consider Tony McCoy but there isn’t many that get near his exploits

The tricky thing with McCoy is that jump racing is so limited, GB & Ireland only I think, and he isn't on his own, he needs good horses. Absolutely one of the best jockeys of all time but I don't know that they translate that brilliantly out of the horse world.

Interesting that no one has mentioned Nick Faldo. 6 Majors compared to 3 for Murray. Pretty impressive stuff.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The tricky thing with McCoy is that jump racing is so limited, GB & Ireland only I think, and he isn't on his own, he needs good horses. Absolutely one of the best jockeys of all time but I don't know that they translate that brilliantly out of the horse world.

Interesting that no one has mentioned Nick Faldo. 6 Majors compared to 3 for Murray. Pretty impressive stuff.

Faldo is always in the lists as well , think what differs when they look at golf is that we have had multiple major winners over the years but there isn’t a golfer that gets near him and always in my top ten

 

[Orikoru]

The tricky thing with McCoy is that jump racing is so limited, GB & Ireland only I think, and he isn't on his own, he needs good horses. Absolutely one of the best jockeys of all time but I don't know that they translate that brilliantly out of the horse world.

Interesting that no one has mentioned Nick Faldo. 6 Majors compared to 3 for Murray. Pretty impressive stuff.

It's so difficult when there's basically an infinite number of sports to look at. I'm sure some would argue for Phil The Power Taylor to be up there.

 

[RichA]

It's so difficult when there's basically an infinite number of sports to look at. I'm sure some would argue for Phil The Power Taylor to be up there.

The Power is certainly up there with your nomination of The Rocket - if we're counting pub games as sport, that is.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Ahh - that’s a brutal race for the Brits , great silver but I suspect they will be disappointed

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So many from so many different sports. Jimmy Anderson freshly retired would be another that would get in many lists.

Lewis Hamilton
Nick Faldo
Phil Taylor
Steve Davis/Stephen Hendrie
Ian Botham
Daley Thompson

Everyone has their own views which

 

[Swango1980]

Joey Dunlop? George Best? They were pretty decent in their prime

 

[Slab]

As for Murray top GB sportsman - not even in the top five for me. I'm not going to compile a list but guys like Ronnie O'Sullivan & Joe Calzaghe spring to mind as being higher and that's only in my lifetime for a start.

Yet there's some would say he never achieved the pinnacle in his sport...madness!

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Yet there's some would say he never achieved the pinnacle in his sport...madness!

As a professional boxer he achieved the pinnacle by being an unbeaten world champion

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Joey Dunlop? George Best? They were pretty decent in their prime

Best was mercurial for sure but how good could he actually have been without the outside distractions

 

[Swango1980]

Best was mercurial for sure but how good could he actually have been without the outside distractions

Bit like Gazza?

I wonder sometimes if it is the craziness that goes on in a players head is what can make them a genius at their craft? Perhaps it stops them overthinking when they play their sport, and just go out their to escape their crazy lives, and just love to entertain? They have that 100% confidence in themselves, that we see on the sports pitch, but it also extends to their flamboyant attitude off the pitch.

But yes, if players like Gazza and Best had distractions that were less damaging to their body and mind, one can always wonder

Edit: Just remembered Alex Higgins as well, once I saw snooker mentioned

 

[Orikoru]

The Power is certainly up there with your nomination of The Rocket - if we're counting pub games as sport, that is.

Not seen many snooker tables in pubs round my way to be honest.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

That was a very good event to watch - the Chinese nearly got beaten but another great medal for GB

 

[hambugerpete]

I see discovery plus are offering at 3.99 per month for the rest of the year. Seems like a good deal. Pretty limited viewing otherwise it seems.

 

[SatchFan]

Athletics today. Proper Olympics.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

That’s just dominant of that race - what a great win

 

[chellie]

Has there been any discussion about the Dutch man who raped a 12 year old and is still allowed to play or is it about the boxer who doesn't look feminine.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Has there been any discussion about the Dutch man who raped a 12 year old and is still allowed to play or is it about the boxer who doesn't look feminine.

Yep was discussed at the start , it’s shocking that the Dutch picked him