Toughest athlete ever?

[flagolfnut]

I love this section of the forum, there's only so much golf talk I can take, and I don't know how good this thread is, but who do you think was the toughest athlete? I would have to say Rocky Marciano...never got knocked down

[1972Apex]

George Chuvalo... unquestionably.

[Shivas Irons]

George Chuvalo... unquestionably.

I gotta agree with this one. Especially after what he's been through not only in the ring, but in his personal life as well.

[jonf]

Vinnie Jones...the star of such incredible films as "Snatch" and "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" was also vicious soccer player in the English Premiereship. But it wasn't his 13 career red cards that made him the toughest man in soccer. Anyone who has seen a certain picture of Jones clenching the junk of Newcastle's Paul Gascoine would have a hard time arguing that Jones isn't the world's most ruthless footballer

[Bones]

Hmmm..good question...Mike Tyson in his prime, obviously now he is about as tough as Michael Jackson

[flagolfnut]

Hmmm..good question...Mike Tyson in his prime, obviously now he is about as tough as Michael Jackson

I think wacko jacko could take him! But seriously I still think Tyson is a tough mofo. He's got a tattoo on his face which just makes him look scarier

[Eldred]

So far just boxers..... Let's see those above mentioned laced it up in skates and go toes to toes with Brasheer. Speaking of which, didn't he gone in the ring against some heavyweight recently? From the clip, he at least looked the part...

[broken27]

I'm gonna say anyone involved with that craziness known as "Aussie Rules Football" is the toughest athlete... That game is mental!!!

Dan

[Eldred]

I'm gonna say anyone involved with that craziness known as "Aussie Rules Football" is the toughest athlete... That game is mental!!!

Dan

these guys climb all over each other with cleats!!!

..and unless you have legs of tree trunk, don't accept any pickup game of rugby either. Almost had to pick up my own tooth once.

[faldo]

Bobby Baun scoring the winning Stanley Cup goal after playing the 3rd period on a broken ankle that had already been diagnosed. In '67 (?) well before all those wonder pain killers we have now

[LobWedge]

Dave Dravecky, Bo Jackson, Lance Armstrong, Ben Hogan, Heather Farr, Saku Koivu, Nikki Lauda, Sean Elliott, to name a few.

[Pissed Mutts]

Lou Gehrig, no question

[Ty Webb]

He is the measuring stick for mental toughness.

[LobWedge]

He is the measuring stick for mental toughness.

Nice one Ty. I agree.

[broken27]

He is the measuring stick for mental toughness.

At the risk of sounding callous, was Terry Fox really an athlete? Running to raise money is not a competition, nor do I think he would have won many races with anyone...

Obviously he's a very admirable figure in Canadian history and a true hero in the field of cancer awareness, but I wouldn't put him in with the rest of the names listed above.

Dan

[LobWedge]

At the risk of sounding callous, was Terry Fox really an athlete? Running to raise money is not a competition, nor do I think he would have won many races with anyone...

Obviously he's a very admirable figure in Canadian history and a true hero in the field of cancer awareness, but I wouldn't put him in with the rest of the names listed above.

Dan

C'mon Dan. Since when does competition define athleticism? I'd like to see any sports figure you can name average a marathon-a-day pace for 5 straight months on 2 good legs, let alone 1.

[broken27]

C'mon Dan. Since when does competition define athleticism? I'd like to see any sports figure you can name average a marathon-a-day pace for 5 straight months on 2 good legs, let alone 1.

Here is one guy I think could have done it in his sleep...

http://www.runningpast.com/emil_zatopek.htm

Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking away from Fox's accomplishment, but realistically, if you have 8 hours per day, and average (estimate) 5km/hr at a slow steady jog (brisk walk), it should be fairly easy, no? That's 40KM per day, which is really nothing if you think about it. Only the fact that he did it through the horrible disease he was afflicted with was it so remarkable. And yes, I agree with the initial statement about his mental toughness... Hell, even his physical toughness I suppose, as from what a close friend tells me, cancer is an extremely painful disease. I just wouldn't say he was an athlete...

Dan

[Kilroy]

As of this morning he held a 3 minute lead in the Tour De France.

I thought that it was "Tour De LANCE"!
Those anouncers must have marbles in their mouths.

[Golfbum]

I thought that it was "Tour De LANCE"!
Those anouncers must have marbles in their mouths.

Haha, it has been The Tour De Lance for the past 7 years, now Lance is going to retire and give someone else a chance! It truly is an amazing dominate performance when you think about it. That is not an easy race to win once let alone 7 straight.

[Eldred]

I believe Vinnie Jones is more on the mean than the tough side. I mean did he received as well as he gave? I like his looks though, checked the filmography and didn't his credit for Jurassic Park, now there where his toughness shone...