Most overrated athletes

**Diets17** · June 14th, 2006, 11:59 PM

Dont get me started on the Tyson/Ali debate. 1988 Tyson beats any version of Ali. Tyson at HIS BEST, was the best ever IMO. 88 Tyson KO or UD any boxer in history. This was prime time Mike, 21 year old, baddest "man" on the planet. He was quick, elusive, had great defense. He was so explosive, so powerful, threw such amazing combinations. He was throwing combos that no one ever had before, he was devastating. 1989, not as good. He let go of Rooney his trainer on Don King's advice. He didnt move anymore, his defense started to decline, his "entourage" of money suckers built Tyson's head up so much he didnt think he had to train anymore, and when he got in the ring, he would just get in the ring and try to trade punches with everyone he faced. Hence the decline of Iron Mike. He didnt move, he was getting hit, he was winning, but just knocking guys out instead of dominating them in every facet of the ring like he was before. 1990 Tokyo, was the end of Tyson. He thought he was invincible, he thought he didnt have to train, he DIDNT WANT to train anymore. He was the richest most immature 23 year old on the planet. He made more money in the 80's than any other sports star at that point in history had. In the 90's he was second only to Jordan and he was in prison for 3 years. The most reconizable sports star in the world. Like I said though, dont get me started. We could be here for a while.

**Gotch** · June 15th, 2006, 07:16 AM

The firing of Rooney was without a doubt the downfall of Mike Tyson. After that he stopped bending at the knee's. He's head movement ceased and he started arm punching (partly due to not bending his knee's). He became a short heavyweight who came straight in while standing straight up, making himself an easy target for the taller fighter.

The early Tyson style was a product of the Cus D'Amato boxing theory. It was actually a throw-back to the days when footwork and angles and even body punching were used properly.

Ali couldn't stand being hit to the body, he even said so a couple of times. Lucky for him the true art of body punching and it's companion skills proper footwork and angling had pretty much become a lost art within the previous decade or two before Ali hit the scene.

I agree that a young Tyson beats any version of Ali, with ease. I'm not ready to call the young properly trained Tyson the best HW ever though. He would be tough to deal with but then he was using a style of boxing that the other fighters in his generation were ill equipped to deal with.

**imported_mega** · June 15th, 2006, 08:11 AM

Shaq might not be the player he once was, yet name another center in the nba thats better. That says alot about his greatness. He destroyed Ben Wallace a few weeks ago and Ben was the defensive player of the year. You dont have to agree that Shaq could possibly be better than Chamberlin, Jabbar, Russell, or Olujuwon but he is right there with those guys as the all time greatest center, I dont see how that can be overrated. The intangibles of just having him on the team to get wingmen open jump shots shows his greatness all in itself.

My underrated athletes are Steve Finley who became the 6th memeber of the 300/300 club last night

and Anna Kournikova. No Anna never won a professsional tournament, but she was top 10 in the world at one time. Yes she got more attention because of her beauty but people dont realize how great of a tennis player she was. Her, the Williams sisters, and Hingis were the 4 teenage phenoms of that era. Kournikova was riddled with injuries, but made it to the finals of the lipton which is the biggest non grand slam event, and she also beat Steffi Graf on grass and was the favorite going into Wimbledon before she slipped on the wet grass at Queens Club and broke her thumb. The fact that she was in the top 10 yet every media outlet dogged her out shows how underrated she was. Ive played tennis my whole life and would be lucky to crack a D2-D3 lineup let alone be in the top 10 of the world. Shes richer than all the other girls too [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

**buck73** · June 15th, 2006, 09:09 AM

Ali was without a doubt the BEST HEAVYWEIGHT EVER! During Ali's era, the heavyweight division was at it's strongest. During Tyson's, it was at it's weakest. Ali not only had the most speed of any heavyweight ever, he was also the smartest. He could take a punch and he also had power. Tyson lacked the "smarts", he couldn't take a punch, and he definitely didn't have the heart. In no way do I think Ali was overated....he got the credit he deserves.
Read the following link on how Tyson might have done against some great heavyweights.
http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.p...845&more=1

**Monkeyhead** · June 15th, 2006, 11:03 AM

You really have no clue do you? Tyson could take a punch better than any heavy I ever seen. His fight against those great heavweights were fights he never really trained for. It was a payday and that is all it was for him. Win or lose so what he just watched the millions come in.

**Diets17** · June 15th, 2006, 11:19 AM

The 70's Era of Heavyweights are overrated, predicated on the fact that Ali, Norton, Frazier and Foreman most legendary fights all came against each other. Wheres the measuring stick for them? Foreman lost to Jimmy Young after Ali beat him. Young basicly retired Foreman until he made his comeback in the 80's. Who was Jimmy Young, a guy who lost 15 or more career matches. Though when the "best" fight each other over and over, you really cant see how well they do against the "B" fighters of the generation. Though when they did, they lost or were majorly challenged. Thats why they are overrated. The 80's generation is nothing to write home about, yet Tyson does hold wins over fighters who holds wins over Ali.

Which brings me to another underrated. Larry Holmes.

**1inStripes** · June 15th, 2006, 12:37 PM

I think Marciano (sp) was probably the best, or possibly the toughest at least. Of course, Joe Louis would need to be up there.

**imported_blue52** · June 15th, 2006, 01:42 PM

I was saying the only way Shaq could be considered overrated is if people expected him to play like he was 25 again, I believe that he is one to the top two centers of all time along with Olujuwon, not sure how I would rank them though.

**89bluedevil** · June 15th, 2006, 02:56 PM

I'm not sure that I would put Shaq in the top two. He was certainly dominant in his prime. Chamberlain, Jabbar, and Russell come to mind first. Top five perhaps.

**imported_mega** · June 15th, 2006, 03:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I think Marciano (sp) was probably the best, or possibly the toughest at least. Of course, Joe Louis would need to be up there.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Joe Lewis lied about his age,he lied about his age all the time! One time Frank Sinatra come here sit right in this chair and I asked him 'Hey Frank you know Joe Lewis just between you and me how old is Joe Lewis?'He said 'Hey Joe Lewis 137 years old. 137 years old!"
"Aww man you never met no Frank Sinatra."
F you! F you! And F you! Who's next?"

"Rocky Marciano, Rocky Marciano" "Why is it every whtie person wanna talk about Rocky Marciano"

Saul:"He kicked Joe Louis' [censored]"

Saul: "Vait a minute vait a minute! Vait Vait Chold it! A man is sitting in a restaurant he's having a bowl of soup. He says to ze vaiter 'ey, vaiter, try the soup.' The vaiter says why, there something wrong with it? 'just try the soup' Why, is it too cold? 'will you just taste the soup?' why, is it too hot, what is it? 'just taste the soup!' All right, All right I'll try the soup. Where's the spoon? 'Aha....ahaa'"

Saul: