The Best Ever!

[Darren Miller]

While reading an article about the NY Yankees signing of Rafael Soriano to a 3 year contract, I started to wonder why, since they have Mariano Rivera, the best relief pitcher in the history of baseball would they sign Rafael.

Then I started to think about the Best Ever athletes at their respective positions and getting the opportunity to watch the 'Best ever'.

Here in the NY area, I got to watch Mariano Rivera and Lawrence Taylor; two of the best ever.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to watch someone who was the 'best ever' at their position? Say like Johnny Bench in Cincinnati?

[Jerry McCarthy]

Willy Mays; SF Giants. WOW!
Joe Montana and Steve Young weren’t too shabby and neither was Jerry Rice; SF 49ers.
:D

[Bruce Breedlove]

I watched Cal Ripken play AA baseball in Charlotte, NC. I saw Hank Aaron play for the Braves. I saw Ozzie Nelson play short for the Cardinals.

I watched Kirk Gibson hit the walk-off pinch-hit home run off Dennis Ekersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. (I was down the 3rd base line.)

[Darren Miller]

I saw Ozzie Nelson play short for the Cardinals.
(I was down the 3rd base line.)

Of course you meant to say Ozzie Smith right?

They were debating on the radio yesterday if Ozzie was in fact a true Hall of Famer. Basically, some guy called and claimed the requirements to get into the HOF seem to be slipping and Ozzie was a borderline HOF.

Stats can be something to go by, but unless you see someone day in and day out, you truly do not get to appreciated their level of play.


Jerry,

Willie Mays of course; Jerry Rice of course, Joe Montana is debatable while Steve Young is not even in the nominations.

[C.Johnson]

[quote= Say like Johnny Bench in Cincinnati?[/quote]

Absolutely, JB and the Big Red Machine made me the big time Cinci fan that i am today! I'm glad to see the team getting better finally :) .

Maybe not the best ever pitcher but I did see Tom Browning's PERFECT Game! That was indeed memorable though.

And no matter what people think of him ole "Charlie Hustle"-Pete Rose was fun to watch and was at the game when he set the all time hits record in riverfront stadium.

Go Red Legs!

[BARRY ADAIR]

Sonny (http://www.sonnybryans.com/our-story.html) could sure cook & cut some meat in his day ;-))

[Bob Elliott]

Walter Payton the "greatest" Football player in history.
Met him at the car show and did not realize it was him till I was walking away and saw a poster of himself above his head.

The guy could do everything on a football field there was to do.

Everybody loved him.

[Nick Ostrowski]

While reading an article about the NY Yankees signing of Rafael Soriano to a 3 year contract, I started to wonder why, since they have Mariano Rivera, the best relief pitcher in the history of baseball would they sign Rafael.

Then I started to think about the Best Ever athletes at their respective positions and getting the opportunity to watch the 'Best ever'.

Here in the NY area, I got to watch Mariano Rivera and Lawrence Taylor; two of the best ever.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to watch someone who was the 'best ever' at their position? Say like Johnny Bench in Cincinnati?

Rivera is 41 and Soriano is 31. Rivera can't go on forever so they must be looking towards the future.

I got to see Reggie White play a few times when he was with the Eagles and before "God called him to play with the Packers".

[Steve Frederickson]

Baseball: Ted Williams, Yaz (when it came to fielding), maybe Manny Ramirez (as a pure hitter)

Football: Arguably, Tom Brady (history will tell)

Hockey: Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito

Basketball: Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Larry Bird