Jesse Owens, hands down...

(07-02-2014 11:05 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Jesse Owens, hands down...

What I like about this choice is Jesse won four gold medals during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin during Adolf Hitler's reign with Nazi Germany. While Germany finished these olympics with the highest gold medals and most medals overall (the US finished second in both respectively), Hitler was convinced that his Aryan nation was supreme athletically and would dominate the games. Jesse helped to take care of that myth.

Quote:Albert Speer wrote that Hitler “was highly annoyed by the series of triumphs by the marvelous colored American runner, Jesse Owens. People whose antecedents came from the jungle were primitive, Hitler said with a shrug; their physiques were stronger than those of civilized whites and hence should be excluded from future games.”

The biggest travesty of all may have been the following:

Quote:Owens said, "Hitler didn't snub me – it was FDR who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram." Hitler sent Owens a commemorative inscribed cabinet photograph of himself. Honors were not bestowed upon Jesse Owens by either President Franklin D. Roosevelt or his successor Harry S. Truman during their terms. In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower (himself an athlete of note) honored Owens by naming him an "Ambassador of Sports."

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(07-03-2014 10:54 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  The biggest travesty of all may have been the following:

Quote:Owens said, "Hitler didn't snub me – it was FDR who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram." Hitler sent Owens a commemorative inscribed cabinet photograph of himself. Honors were not bestowed upon Jesse Owens by either President Franklin D. Roosevelt or his successor Harry S. Truman during their terms.

It is truly stunning to me how the FDR's image in the media and in the public memory is so utterly/drastically different from the reality. Name the issue: civil rights for minorities, economic policies, leadership during the war (and military preparedness before the war), political ethics, separation-of-powers and constitutional government, on down the line… his presidency was virtually the opposite of what most people seem to think it was.

FDR wasn't the only president who had a PR spin team that pretty much had to do a complete 180 on his personal life/public persona. He was "extremely likeable" in public, but all the stories said that the man was a "monster" when stuff went on behind White House closed doors.

but as for my choice, to me, he was the only obvious choice, he was the man that literally killed the "Germany is undefeatable" mantra that Hitler tried so hard to propagate.

Jack Nicklaus
Pele
Ali
Henry Aaron
Nolan Ryan
Gretzky
Terry Bradshaw
Bobby Fischer
Earl Anthony
Roger Bannister
Mario Andretti
Richard Petty
Jesse Owens

Team...I agree with the Yankees.

I get the Canadiens but what about the Red Wings?

NFL.... Cowboys, 49rs, and Steelers based on Super Bowls.

NBA.... tough to argue against Celtics and Lakers. The only other ones even close in titles would the Bulls and Spurs.

(07-19-2014 08:41 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I get the Canadiens but what about the Red Wings?

NFL.... Cowboys, 49rs, and Steelers based on Super Bowls.

NBA.... tough to argue against Celtics and Lakers. The only other ones even close in titles would the Bulls and Spurs.

NFL - PACKERS (Green Bay is Titletown, after all - a lot of their titles predate the Super Bowl, although they've won a few of those too)

The Oklahoma Sooners Football Program

(07-20-2014 04:01 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  The Oklahoma Sooners Football Program

Oklahoma football certainly has a rich tradition and history of success but I think the key words are "most prestigious."
Just sayin'.....

Recognized National Football Champions:
Princeton 26
Yale 18
Alabama 14
Notre Dame 13
Michigan 11
USC 10
Pittsburgh 9
Harvard 8
Ohio State 7
Oklahoma 7

All Time Football Wins:
Rank Team Won Lost Tied Pct. Games
1 Michigan 910 321 36 .732 1267
2 Yale 876 360 55 .700 1291
3 Texas 875 339 33 .715 1247
4 Notre Dame 874 305 42 .733 1221
5 Nebraska 865 357 40 .701 1262
6 Ohio State 849 318 53 .718 1232
7 Oklahoma 842 312 53 .720 1207
8 (T) Alabama 838 323 43 .714 1234
8 (T) Harvard 838 384 50 .678 1272
10 Penn 828 473 42 .632 1343

(07-20-2014 06:37 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 04:01 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  The Oklahoma Sooners Football Program

Oklahoma football certainly has a rich tradition and history of success but I think the key words are "most prestigious."
Just sayin'.....

Recognized National Football Champions:
Princeton 26
Yale 18
Alabama 14
Notre Dame 13
Michigan 11
USC 10
Pittsburgh 9
Harvard 8
Ohio State 7
Oklahoma 7

All Time Football Wins:
Rank Team Won Lost Tied Pct. Games
1 Michigan 910 321 36 .732 1267
2 Yale 876 360 55 .700 1291
3 Texas 875 339 33 .715 1247
4 Notre Dame 874 305 42 .733 1221
5 Nebraska 865 357 40 .701 1262
6 Ohio State 849 318 53 .718 1232
7 Oklahoma 842 312 53 .720 1207
8 (T) Alabama 838 323 43 .714 1234
8 (T) Harvard 838 384 50 .678 1272
10 Penn 828 473 42 .632 1343

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3849468

(07-20-2014 07:09 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3849468

Well, I stand corrected!

Wait! Aren't members of the ESPN Research Department Oklahoma grads?

(07-20-2014 07:48 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 07:09 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3849468

Well, I stand corrected!

Wait! Aren't members of the ESPN Research Department Oklahoma grads?

That I do not know.

Don't belivee someone has said this yet, but the US Men's Olympic Basketball team. Some of the teams (1992, 1996, 2008) represented some of the most talented sports teams ever assembled.

Ayrton Senna

(07-20-2014 10:16 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote:  Don't belivee someone has said this yet, but the US Men's Olympic Basketball team. Some of the teams (1992, 1996, 2008) represented some of the most talented sports teams ever assembled.

...but..They played against amateurs. If I was going to pick an Olympic sports team...It would have to the the US Hockey team that won gold. No one saw that coming. These were amateurs that beat professionals.

(07-25-2014 02:57 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 10:16 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote:  Don't belivee someone has said this yet, but the US Men's Olympic Basketball team. Some of the teams (1992, 1996, 2008) represented some of the most talented sports teams ever assembled.

...but..They played against amateurs. If I was going to pick an Olympic sports team...It would have to the the US Hockey team that won gold. No one saw that coming. These were amateurs that beat professionals.

Remember, the US did it not once but twice in ice hockey.

1960 in Squaw Valley, then 1980. One was about as miraculous as the other.

And as for upsets, remember that the US will enter the 2016 games as the two-time defending goal medalist in.... rugby. 1920 and 1924, last times rugby was in the Olympics before this year. 1924 were the "Chariots of Fire" games in Paris. What's not mentioned in the movie, except for one line in one scene, is that Eric Liddell was probably the finest rugby player of the day, "Scotland's greatest wing," as he is referred to by a kid seeking an autograph in the movie. He elected not to play rugby because the schedule would not have allowed him to avoid playing on Sunday, whereas he thought he could avoid Sunday in track (and we know how that worked out from the movie). When he declined to play, Scotland elected not to field a team. US beat Romania and France to win the gold.

(07-25-2014 03:20 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 02:57 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 10:16 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote:  Don't belivee someone has said this yet, but the US Men's Olympic Basketball team. Some of the teams (1992, 1996, 2008) represented some of the most talented sports teams ever assembled.

...but..They played against amateurs. If I was going to pick an Olympic sports team...It would have to the the US Hockey team that won gold. No one saw that coming. These were amateurs that beat professionals.

Remember, the US did it not once but twice in ice hockey.

1960 in Squaw Valley, then 1980. One was about as miraculous as the other.

And as for upsets, remember that the US will enter the 2016 games as the two-time defending goal medalist in.... rugby. 1920 and 1924, last times rugby was in the Olympics before this year. 1924 were the "Chariots of Fire" games in Paris. What's not mentioned in the movie, except for one line in one scene, is that Eric Liddell was probably the finest rugby player of the day, "Scotland's greatest wing," as he is referred to by a kid seeking an autograph in the movie. He elected not to play rugby because the schedule would not have allowed him to avoid playing on Sunday, whereas he thought he could avoid Sunday in track (and we know how that worked out from the movie). When he declined to play, Scotland elected not to field a team. US beat Romania and France to win the gold.

Cool...I did not know Rugby was back. I think it will garner more attention than people think....especially US football fans. Thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to seeing it.

(07-25-2014 03:49 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 03:20 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Remember, the US did it not once but twice in ice hockey.

1960 in Squaw Valley, then 1980. One was about as miraculous as the other.

And as for upsets, remember that the US will enter the 2016 games as the two-time defending goal medalist in.... rugby. 1920 and 1924, last times rugby was in the Olympics before this year. 1924 were the "Chariots of Fire" games in Paris. What's not mentioned in the movie, except for one line in one scene, is that Eric Liddell was probably the finest rugby player of the day, "Scotland's greatest wing," as he is referred to by a kid seeking an autograph in the movie. He elected not to play rugby because the schedule would not have allowed him to avoid playing on Sunday, whereas he thought he could avoid Sunday in track (and we know how that worked out from the movie). When he declined to play, Scotland elected not to field a team. US beat Romania and France to win the gold.

Cool...I did not know Rugby was back. I think it will garner more attention than people think....especially US football fans. Thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to seeing it.

Great info Owl! Looking forward to that as well.

(07-25-2014 03:56 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 03:49 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 03:20 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Remember, the US did it not once but twice in ice hockey.

1960 in Squaw Valley, then 1980. One was about as miraculous as the other.

And as for upsets, remember that the US will enter the 2016 games as the two-time defending goal medalist in.... rugby. 1920 and 1924, last times rugby was in the Olympics before this year. 1924 were the "Chariots of Fire" games in Paris. What's not mentioned in the movie, except for one line in one scene, is that Eric Liddell was probably the finest rugby player of the day, "Scotland's greatest wing," as he is referred to by a kid seeking an autograph in the movie. He elected not to play rugby because the schedule would not have allowed him to avoid playing on Sunday, whereas he thought he could avoid Sunday in track (and we know how that worked out from the movie). When he declined to play, Scotland elected not to field a team. US beat Romania and France to win the gold.

Cool...I did not know Rugby was back. I think it will garner more attention than people think....especially US football fans. Thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to seeing it.

Great info Owl! Looking forward to that as well.

It will be sevens, not 15s, because you can do a whole sevens tournament in two days. I think the plan is to stretch it just a bit longer, 3-4 days over the middle weekend. What will be interesting is that most of the stronger teams save their best players for 15s, with a lot of designated sevens specialists (Ben Gollings, Cecil Afrika, and the like). A few like Jonah Lomu played both back in their heyday. For the Olympics, one of then things that got the deal done was the commitment to put the very best players, the international superstars, into Olympic sevens. Will be very interesting to see how that plays out. US is working out a bunch of guys who got cut by NFL teams last year, will probably add some more this year, if one or two of those turns into a serious player, US could actually mount a pretty spirited defense.

If you've never seen a sevens tournament, it really is an amazing spectacle. You know how people talk about the first two days of the NCAA basketball tournament as the greatest days in sports, with a game finishing every 30 minutes or so? Well, that's a sevens tournament, from about 9 am until about 8 pm.

Rugby is a blast to play, Rugby 7's is a blast to play and a blast to watch. The rugby group here is small but it'd be nice to see it grow. I try to cover B10 rugby on our board.

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