3 major sports, GOAT.......

[ShotgunDawg]

An argument could also be made that based on just sheer talent that Mays and Mantle were Bonds equivalent.

Mays more than Mantle but Mantle's injuries make him tough.

All I know is this: Barry Lamar Bonds is the best baseball player these two eyes have ever seen. And his stats insinuate that he is right there as the all time best with Ruth.

[Commercecomet24]

A reasonable combination of stats and talent.

Stats matter greatly until the stats are so reasonably close that you just take the more talented player.

I agree, however I place a big importance on Championships won as well as stats, to me that makes a GOAT and Babe outpaces Bonds big time in that area(and yeah I know it's a team sport but so are they all) and "you play to win the game". This is a great discussion and enjoyable thread.

[parabrave]

MLB Bonds is way down on the list. I'd put Rose, Williams and Dimaggio as the top 3. Glad to see someone put JR on the greatest MLB list. If there had been no strike he would've had the greatest season ever. Heck he had 54 dingers when the strike happened. Glavine you not only ruined his season but you also prevented the Expos from going to the World series that year also. NBA Jordan and NFL Staubach,

[dawgday166]

A reasonable combination of stats and talent.

Stats matter greatly until the stats are so reasonably close that you just take the more talented player.

How are the stats "reasonably close". Only HRs & walks. Babe much greater in every other category. And he spent his 1st 5 years in the league as a pitcher. And his pitching stats are upper tier and he held consecutive scoreless innings pitched in WS record until 1960.

[Commercecomet24]

Mays more than Mantle but Mantle's injuries make him tough.

All I know is this: Barry Lamar Bonds is the best baseball player these two eyes have ever seen. And his stats insinuate that he is right there as the all time best with Ruth.

And that's what I love about the game of baseball. No other sport like it. I think Babe and Bonds were both 2 immortals of the game.

Agree on the Mays/Mantle assessment. Mickey is a tough one. He had so much talent and so little regard for his body and life.

[dawgday166]

MLB Bonds is way down on the list. I'd put Rose, Williams and Dimaggio as the top 3. Glad to see someone put JR on the greatest MLB list. If there had been no strike he would've had the greatest season ever. Heck he had 54 dingers when the strike happened. Glavine you not only ruined his season but you also prevented the Expos from going to the World series that year also. NBA Jordan and NFL Staubach,

I can see Dimaggio or Williams. I like Pete but he ain't top player ever or even close really.

[Commercecomet24]

Here's another one for you: Frank Robinson, one of the great 5 tool players of all time and one mean tough SOB. Some of the pansy players of today couldn't handle ol Frank.

[Martianlander]

I agree, however I place a big importance on Championships won as well as stats, to me that makes a GOAT and Babe outpaces Bonds big time in that area(and yeah I know it's a team sport but so are they all) and "you play to win the game". This is a great discussion and enjoyable thread.

I also place value on Championships and based on that you have to consider that Bill Russell may be the GOAT of all sports. Yeah I know his statistics don't match up but the guy made everybody around him better.

After Bill Russell retired and Kareem Abdul Jabbar came into the league:
Reporter to Russell: How do you think you would have done against Kareem?
Bill Russell: Young man, you have the question backwards.

[ShotgunDawg]

How are the stats "reasonably close". Only HRs & walks. Babe much greater in every other category. And he spent his 1st 5 years in the league as a pitcher. And his pitching stats are upper tier and he held consecutive scoreless innings pitched in WS record until 1960.

Bonds also stole bases & played CF for a significant portion of his career

[dawgday166]

And that's what I love about the game of baseball. No other sport like it. I think Babe and Bonds were both 2 immortals of the game.

Agree on the Mays/Mantle assessment. Mickey is a tough one. He had so much talent and so little regard for his body and life.

Mays/Mantle two of the greatest. Either one over Bonds IMO.

[Commercecomet24]

I also place value on Championships and based on that you have to consider that Bill Russell may be the GOAT of all sports. Yeah I know his statistics don't match up but the guy made everybody around him better.

After Bill Russell retired and Kareem Abdul Jabbar came into the league:
Reporter to Russell: How do you think you have done against Kareem?
Bill Russell: Young man, you have the questions backwards.

You know you're right, I completely forgot about Russell. The man absolutely dominated the NBA in his time. He wasn't as tall or big as Chamberlain but he kicked his butt everytime they squared off. He was a stud!

[dawgday166]

Bonds also stole bases & played CF for a significant portion of his career

Ok .. he has more steals than Babe then. 514 to 123.

[Commercecomet24]

Bonds also stole bases & played CF for a significant portion of his career

You're wrong about CF Gun. He only played 171 games in CF his entire career out of 2715 games played.

[ShotgunDawg]

Mays/Mantle two of the greatest. Either one over Bonds IMO.

How can you justify this opinion?

I think you just don't like Bonds because he was a jerk & likely did steroids.

I know people that know Bonds pretty well & they say that while he is a jerk, he is one of the most authentic, genuine humans they've ever met.

Here is an example that was given too me in comparing Alex Rodriguez to Bonds.

Say you break down on the freeway at 2:00 AM and you call Alex for help. Alex will answer the phone & tell you how bad he feels for you & then tell you he'll be there in 15 min to help. However, he'll never show up.

If you call Bonds at 2:00 AM, he'll answer the phone & say, "You're on your own bi*&^" and hang up.

Which person would you rather deal with?

I personally believe this same comparison could be made between Jordan & LeBron

[ShotgunDawg]

You're wrong about CF Gun. He only played 171 games in CF his entire career out of 2715 games played.

True. The fact that he was capable of it though says an awful lot.

[Tbonewannabe]

Bonds is better than the Babe

Steroid Barry Bonds is the GOAT. Non steroids Bonds is not as good as Griffey Jr.

Mickey Mantle is probably the greatest overall player if he is sober.

[dawgday166]

You're wrong about CF Gun. He only played 171 games in CF his entire career out of 2715 games played.

I thought so but wasn't positive. And he played the easiest defensive position on the field other than 1B.

[Commercecomet24]

What an awesome thread! I could discuss this for days. Good stuff.

[dawgday166]

How can you justify this opinion?

I think you just don't like Bonds because he was a jerk & likely did steroids.

I know people that know Bonds pretty well & they say that while he is a jerk, he is one of the most authentic, genuine humans they've ever met.

Here is an example that was given too me in comparing Alex Rodriguez to Bonds.

Say you break down on the freeway at 2:00 AM and you call Alex for help. Alex will answer the phone & tell you how bad he feels for you & then tell you he'll be there in 15 min to help. However, he'll never show up.

If you call Bonds at 2:00 AM, he'll answer the phone & say, "You're on your own bi*&^" and hang up.

Which person would you rather deal with?

I personally believe this same comparison could be made between Jordan & LeBron

I don't dislike Bonds so much but his late career explosion isn't authentic. And all folks do is look at HRs and walks.

[Commercecomet24]

Steroid Barry Bonds is the GOAT. Non steroids Bonds is not as good as Griffey Jr.

Mickey Mantle is probably the greatest overall player if he is sober.

I'm partial to Mickey myself(and I hate the yankees), the man just had a lot of demons. I met him a couple times and he just seemed like a good ol' country boy(of course he was sober when I met him and I understand when he was drunk his personality totally changed). I've got some pretty cool autographed stuff from him. The Mick is the definition of "what could've been".