The Swamp

I'm bored, and thought I'd start a random discussion: who's the most impressive athlete you've ever seen live? What I'm getting at is, if you didn't know anything about reputations, career accomplishments, etc., who blew you away the most based on the in-person "eye test"? For me the top-2 are pretty clear:

1. LeBron James
2. Pedro Martinez

LeBron needs no explanation, and Pedro at his peak was absolutely amazing. I've had the good fortune to see live games featuring Kobe, Kevin Garnett, Tom Brady, and more baseball stars than I can count, but prime Pedro tops all of them for me.

I watched MJ take the Nets to school in like 96 or 97.

John Elway.

ETA: Peak Joe Thornton was a treat to watch, too!

Barry Sanders

brian wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 12:07 pmBarry Sanders

Probably my answer as well. Honorable mentions are Pedro v Clemens at Fenway in spring '01, and a Bulls preseason game at what is now the Trop where that small blob of colors a mile away was Michael Jordan.

I was lucky enough to see about 30 or so of his games live and he's done stuff on a football field that I've never seen anyone else do and he did it ALL THE TIME.

The first three to pop into my head were:

MJ - never seemed to miss a big shot
Bo Jackson - he was equally amazing at 2 sports
Walter Payton

Lebron
Steve Yzerman
I was at all but three of Ben Roethlisberger's college games...even at that level you knew he was going to be a great pro.

In-person eye test?

1. Ralph Sampson. Seems pretty obvious. Anyone on the planet could have looked at him and guessed he was really good at basketball. They'd have been very right.
2. I went to a Duke-Carolina game in 99 and even from the stands, the size of Elton Brand's hands were amazing. Also, Corey Maggette was on that team and as a freshman, he had the most impressive athletic body I'd ever seen on a kid that age. The UNC team had Julius Peppers and Ron Curry on it - both ended up playing in the NFL. A lot of pure physical talent on that floor. (Ha, just checked the rosters and Duke also had Jay Heaps, who went on to play 10 years in the MLS. How many basketball games featured more long-term pros in other sports?)
3. Some random dude who's name I never learned long jumping at Mizzou when I was in college. I was standing right by the pit when he jumped 25+ feet. Seeing something like that up close was breath-taking.

Best college player I’ve seen live might very well be Antonio Brown though I was really young when I saw Anthony Carter play and he was amazing. He would have been an NFL Hall of Famer if he was born about 20-25 years later.

Best college QB I’ve seen live is Josh Allen. You could hear his passes from the stands.

I'll take this a slightly different direction, but as a kid I went to a lot of AHL games, back in the days when 80% of NHL players went through the NHL. Keith Primeau was an absolute beast stood out more than any player I saw in the AHL. He would have been around 18 or 19 years old and 6'5". He was by far the quickest player, could play physical, and had great puck control. I don't even remember if he scored at all, but it was incredibly obvious he wasn't long for the minors. Sergei Zubov and Alexei Kovalev were a special pair to watch. Kovalev used to do a pregame warmup by himself in the corner, practicing stick handling. That was probably the most impressive athletic feat I've seen. unreal speed and precision. I also saw Martin Brodeur's professional debut. I think he was 19, and very clearly going places.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:49 pm I'll take this a slightly different direction, but as a kid I went to a lot of AHL games, back in the days when 80% of NHL players went through the NHL. Keith Primeau was an absolute beast stood out more than any player I saw in the AHL. He would have been around 18 or 19 years old and 6'5". He was by far the quickest player, could play physical, and had great puck control. I don't even remember if he scored at all, but it was incredibly obvious he wasn't long for the minors. Sergei Zubov and Alexei Kovalev were a special pair to watch. Kovalev used to do a pregame warmup by himself in the corner, practicing stick handling. That was probably the most impressive athletic feat I've seen. unreal speed and precision. I also saw Martin Brodeur's professional debut. I think he was 19, and very clearly going places.

Primeau played for Adirondack in the AHL for parts of the 90-91 and 91-92 seasons and scored goals (21 g and 25 a in 42 games in 91-92).

Probably Ibra, Chad Johnson, and Alphonso Davies.

bfj wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:23 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:49 pm I'll take this a slightly different direction, but as a kid I went to a lot of AHL games, back in the days when 80% of NHL players went through the NHL. Keith Primeau was an absolute beast stood out more than any player I saw in the AHL. He would have been around 18 or 19 years old and 6'5". He was by far the quickest player, could play physical, and had great puck control. I don't even remember if he scored at all, but it was incredibly obvious he wasn't long for the minors. Sergei Zubov and Alexei Kovalev were a special pair to watch. Kovalev used to do a pregame warmup by himself in the corner, practicing stick handling. That was probably the most impressive athletic feat I've seen. unreal speed and precision. I also saw Martin Brodeur's professional debut. I think he was 19, and very clearly going places.

Primeau played for Adirondack in the AHL for parts of the 90-91 and 91-92 seasons and scored goals (21 g and 25 a in 42 games in 91-92).

But did he score in the game I saw him play? I have a vague recollection of him bagging a Gordie Howe hatrick, a goal, an assist and a fight. Wouldn't out any money on that being accurate. I also remember being very excited to see Gretzky play a game in the Broome County Memorial Arena. Brent Gretzky, Wayne's brother. Pretty clear why Wayne was the Great One.

Pedro was lights out amazing when I saw him in Detroit. So damn good.

I never saw MJ play, but as far as best athlete from my days of going to Market Square has to be the Davis brothers. They may not have been the best players, but they were pure athleticism. Best player would from those days would either be Reggie or Isaiah.

Hard to say.

But I was at this game Nolan Ryan One Hits the Blue Jays

The Sybian wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:06 pm

bfj wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:23 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:49 pm I'll take this a slightly different direction, but as a kid I went to a lot of AHL games, back in the days when 80% of NHL players went through the NHL. Keith Primeau was an absolute beast stood out more than any player I saw in the AHL. He would have been around 18 or 19 years old and 6'5". He was by far the quickest player, could play physical, and had great puck control. I don't even remember if he scored at all, but it was incredibly obvious he wasn't long for the minors. Sergei Zubov and Alexei Kovalev were a special pair to watch. Kovalev used to do a pregame warmup by himself in the corner, practicing stick handling. That was probably the most impressive athletic feat I've seen. unreal speed and precision. I also saw Martin Brodeur's professional debut. I think he was 19, and very clearly going places.

Primeau played for Adirondack in the AHL for parts of the 90-91 and 91-92 seasons and scored goals (21 g and 25 a in 42 games in 91-92).

But did he score in the game I saw him play? I have a vague recollection of him bagging a Gordie Howe hatrick, a goal, an assist and a fight. Wouldn't out any money on that being accurate. I also remember being very excited to see Gretzky play a game in the Broome County Memorial Arena. Brent Gretzky, Wayne's brother. Pretty clear why Wayne was the Great One.

Healthy scratch

Pruitt wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:50 pm Gretzky.

MJ, Hagler/Leonard/Ali, Payton, OJ (hate to say it...), Elway, Earl Campbell, Messi, Maradona, Mario Lemieux, Nolan Ryan...

Which Ali fight?

And if we’re talking college, Georgetown-era Allen Iverson was a cheat code.

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:58 pm

Pruitt wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:50 pm Gretzky.

MJ, Hagler/Leonard/Ali, Payton, OJ (hate to say it...), Elway, Earl Campbell, Messi, Maradona, Mario Lemieux, Nolan Ryan...

Which Ali fight?

And if we’re talking college, Georgetown-era Allen Iverson was a cheat code.

Misread the the topic... thought it was "Best Athlete You've Seen."

Sorry.

Dermal Brown.

D̶e̶r̶e̶k̶ ̶J̶e̶t̶e̶r̶ LT

Gretzky for me as he torched the Flames.

mister d wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:16 pm Dermal Brown.

Had to look him up but I’m guessing you played high school sports with/against him? It’s ridiculous how much better even fringe pro prospects are compared to the typical upstate NY varsity athlete. I remember seeing Lionel Chalmers, a point guard who had a cup of coffee as a Clippers reserve, play for Albany High and he was incredible compared to the competition.

Joe K wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:43 pm the typical upstate NY varsity athlete

oh no

Whoa whoa whoa ... he was a high teens MLB 1st rounder with a free ride to (lots of colleges I can’t name?) in football too. He just never hit the curve and flopped out. No uncle Rico shit here in what some might call upstate NY.

ALSO WE HAD RIK SMITS AND ELTON BRAND AND HILTON ARMSTRONG SO I’M PRETTY SURE THE HUDSON VALLEY IS QUITE AWARE OF WHAT ELITE ATHLETES LOOK LIKE OK!!!

The HS my mom taught at for many years produced future Atlanta sports legends Kevin Huerter and Ian Anderson within a short span. That’s about as big as if gets for the Albany suburbs.

Pruitt wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:00 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:58 pm

Pruitt wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:50 pm Gretzky.

MJ, Hagler/Leonard/Ali, Payton, OJ (hate to say it...), Elway, Earl Campbell, Messi, Maradona, Mario Lemieux, Nolan Ryan...

Which Ali fight?

And if we’re talking college, Georgetown-era Allen Iverson was a cheat code.

Misread the the topic... thought it was "Best Athlete You've Seen."

Sorry.

Same. Although I did see Bo play baseball a few times against the O’s.

If you’re talking about the best athlete you actually played against mine is easy — Derek Jeter.

brian wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:02 pm If you’re talking about the best athlete you actually played against mine is easy — Derek Jeter.

#2 on that list would be a guy some of you might have heard of if you were mid-90s Big Ten basketball completists — Kenyon Murray (Iowa/Battle Creek Central).

Few that stand out...

Tom Seaver with the Big Red Machine
Gary Payton when he was in full on 'Glove' mode...just a freak on defense.
Ralph Sampson (saw his last college game)

This is gonna be lamer than most but I got to see Reggie Miller play in his prime when my pops used to have season tix to the Pacers. Probably him and Peyton for the 2 I've seen regularly live (though I probably only went to 2-3 Colts games live during that time. I must have seen 50 Pacers games from the age of 8-13.

Well shit. Mike Vick I guess. In terms of pure ahleticism. Best I've ever seen in terms of career accomplishments? Barry Bonds?

Technically I've seen both Jordan and Gretzky live on the floor/ice. But for Jordan it was before he was a superstar, and for Gretzky we were so high up in the old Chicago Stadium (standing room for a playoff game) that it barely counts.

Also Walter Payton on the practice field. During the 1982 strike, the players worked out at our high school. He also played drums for our pep rally.

Shaq and Kobe are probably it for me. In college, I saw Iverson, Ray Allen, and Kerry Kittles.

For hockey, there were a significant list of choices from the late 1990's-early 2000's Red Wings.

I saw Gretzky play live, but it was an exhibition game, so I didn’t get to witness any greatness.

Because of where I would usually sit, I feel like for every great player I've seen live it's basically the same experience as watching him on TV. No big surprises. Saw MJ's last game in Boston - that was probably the best experience

BUT the couple times I've been truly close enough to go, "whoa this is crazy," the standouts would be Zdeno Chara, Marcus Smart, James Harden, and Billy Wagner

Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:58 amBUT the couple times I've been truly close enough to go, "whoa this is crazy," the standouts would be Zdeno Chara, Marcus Smart, James Harden, and Billy Wagner

In the late 90's, my roommate worked for a company that had two sets of seats at the Forum for both the Lakers and Kings. There were a set of four that were pretty good seats (probably 1/2 to 2/3 the way up the lower level across from the Lakers' bench) and two that were in the first couple rows behind the visitors' bench (you could be seen on TV from the standard center court camera angle).

I got to sit in the better seats once for a Lakers-Nuggets game in the 1997-98 season. Shaq is a giant and seeing him from that close distance against other NBA players emphasized it, but Priest Lauderdale of the Nuggets was bigger (listed 7'4", 325). It was mind-blowing to see a human that size from less than 20 feet.

I played soccer and baseball against a deaf kid that was easily the best athlete I've seen up close. Curtis Pride. He had a decent run in the League, but he might actually have been a better soccer player. He was on the national team's radar, having been called up for a few youth tournaments in the mid-80s. I think he also played varsity basketball. In fact, if memory served, he played basketball in college, before leaving to go pro in baseball.

He looked a lot like Bo Jackson. He hit a ball over my head in centerfield that was at least 500 feet (the field didn't have a fence, but it landed so far behind me I didn't even bother retrieving it.)

Another guy that was on my team, Keith Gordon, played professional ball and got a few games in for the Reds in the 90s. He was a freakishly good athlete and did stuff at shortstop that would make ESPN plays of the day about every other game. Could hit opposite field home runs off of his front foot, and our right field fence was easily 375.

If we're talking professional, I got to see Tiger play a round at a US Open and the power he put into his swing was incredible to see up close.

Also, Kareem Abdul Jabar, even in his later years, was just incredible to see in person.

=-=-=
Here's Curtis hitting a dinger for the Yankees.