Louis Walsh = consistently the biggest torment the music industry has ever seen. Its not a sport but it is some achievement. 1. Roger Federer (Hero) 2. Tiger Woods (not much of a golf fan but come on!!!) 3. Phil Taylor (Nearly 50 and still wants to win as much as possible) 4. Floyd Mayweather (Class Act and still undefeated, nevermind this retired rubbish) 5. Zinedine Zidane (I know hes retired but no great list would be complete without him)

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 20/10/2008 17:42:41    122792

A few stupid selections, Tomas O'Se for instance? This would be my honest top 10 of sportspeople still actually playing their sport: 10. Christiano Ronaldo - Despite what many of ye may say, he is an unbelievably talented footballer and its a toss up between himself and Messi as to who is the best in the world. 9. Turinesh Dibaba - Like her countryman, Bekele, she really is a class apart. No female athlete can live with her at 5000m or 10000m and she'd easily put it up the best over further. 8. Manny Pacquio - Officially ranked the best pound for pound boxer anywhere in the world. No need to say anymore. 7. Rafael Nadal - Himself and Federer are dominating tennis like no other have. Nadal is the only one who could give Federer a game on grass and is the better of the two on clay. 6. Usain Bolt - It remains to be seen whether or not he is breaking all these records through his endeavour or whether he may be under the influence of something. But I suppose until I'm proven otherwise, he has to be high on the list. 5. Tom Brady - Where to start. Well maybe the fact that New England Patriots went unbeaten until the Superbowl last year (unheard of, until last year) under his leadership but once he gets injured the wheels start to come off and the Pats start to struggle. 4. Michael Phepls - He was truly amazing at this year's Olympics, in fact, Beijing 2008 will be defined by his performances. 3. Kenesia Bekele - We are going through a golden age for long distance running but Bekele is still the dominant force from 3000m up to 20000m. One of the best track and field athletes ever. 2. Roger Federer - He would have been number one only for the fact that he has come unstuck a few times of late and his reign could be coming to an end. Nevertheless, he is still a legend. 1. Tiger Woods - He has rewrote every golf history book that there is. Not only is he the greatest now but also a strong contender for greatest ever. N.B. Keiren Fallon would make the list only I do not consider him to be plying his trade ina ny sport at the minute.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 20/10/2008 17:51:44    122804

Forget your 5 lads, there's only 1 and his name is Brian Lohan.

banner_boy (Clare) - Posts: 1285 - 20/10/2008 18:00:31    122810

Thats fairly comprehensive Loyal - fair play. Would GG or Darren Fay be there if they hadn't retired?.

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 20/10/2008 18:02:18    122814

How can anyone claim Ronaldo is the best soccer player in the world? He has been out injured for over a year, he does not currently have a club, and is unlikely to return. In his day, yes, but not now.

I do not think we have an "outstanding" player now, no Best, Cruff, Maradona, Pele etc. I think Zidane was the last one.

We have some talented players, Messi, Ronaldinho, Robinho, and that bloke from Portugal, Deco, but no super star.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 20/10/2008 18:39:16    122831

very hard to compare people in different sports and limit the list to 5 so in no particular order

1 Tiger woods
2 lance armstrong (seems to have been forgotton so far)
3 Usain Bolt
4 ronaldo/Messi
5 Michael phelps
6 Floyd Mayweather (best pound for pound boxer ever!)
7 Ronnie o sullivan
8 roger federer
9 henry shefflin
10 tom brady (whoever watches him knows what i'm talking about)

ramor man (Cavan) - Posts: 16 - 20/10/2008 18:53:12    122843

1. Tiger -universally recognised as the best

2. Kaka -sheer class

3. Bekele -just incredible

4. Phelps -set olympics alight

5. Armstrong -hopefully will be back to his best

evangelist (Longford) - Posts: 245 - 20/10/2008 19:20:42    122858

Ruby Walsh
Lionel Messi
Dan Carter
Jamaicas sprinters
Michael Phelps

glenn_abu (Down) - Posts: 515 - 20/10/2008 19:46:36    122877

1.Ciaran Mcdonald
2.Tiger Woods
3.Usain Bolt
4.Michael Phelps
5.Cristiano Ronaldo

maigh_eo (Mayo) - Posts: 1346 - 20/10/2008 19:48:10    122878

It seems nobody has bothered to image Google Sophie Sandolo - bad decision lads!

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 20/10/2008 22:42:56    122985

I find it difficult to list athletes as many excel in their own field, and I am glad someone mentioned Bekele. The Russian female pole vaulter is a legend as well.

Lance Armstrong won 7 Tour De France titles, but nothing else, and helped greatly by a team. Not in Sean Kelly's league as a cyclist.

As for Phil Taylor merely raising his arm to throw things at a board, you might as well say the same about Tiger. I don't know if darts is a sport, but Taylor is outstanding.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 20/10/2008 22:50:45    122994

JayoCluxton
County: Dublin
Posts: 1781

It seems nobody has bothered to image Google Sophie Sandolo - bad decision lads!
______________________________________________________________

The Golfer? Jez, forgot about her! Wouldn't mind a hole in one there i can tell you!

I concentrated on the better athletes in my list that were so good, you may not have heard of them!!!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 21/10/2008 08:26:58    123058

Loyal2TheRoyal
County: Meath
Posts: 882

122572 Dessie15
County: Westmeath
Posts: 54

122371 Kenny Bekele
Tiger Woods
Sergio Aguero
Mchael Phelps
frankie detorri
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Dettori would struggle to make the top 10 jockeys in the world at the minute. He's good but he's no Keiren Fallon or Johnny Velazquez.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

What was I thinking when I posted that??????

The Italian really is something else.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 26/10/2008 00:27:25    126662

1.Phil Taylor
2.Usain Bolt
3.Ruby Walsh
4.Tiger Woods
5.Michael Phelps

conor15 (None) - Posts: 347 - 26/10/2008 12:52:52    126747

Allison Stokke is now sitting pretty on top of my long....list of the worlds most talented athletes.

proteuspal (Laois) - Posts: 423 - 26/10/2008 14:29:57    126785

lads it has 2 be
1.tiger woods
2.lance armstrong
3.mohamed ali
4.pele
5.michael phelps.
there that is it usain bolt nearly made it but he didnt wats da saying "nearly never won da race" but hes won more important races....

da true gael (Sligo) - Posts: 17 - 26/10/2008 18:42:01    126869

Cristiano Ronaldo in the top 10 sports personalities ??? Someone is taking a hallucinary drug imo !! He would be more suited to diving if the clip i saw on the Sky News is anything to go by. He clearly has no place in any Top 10. !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 26/10/2008 22:21:19    126965

I thought David Gallagher would have been top of most people's lists????

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 31/10/2008 12:07:03    130756

He is now, although this week Benny Coulter is the player of choice!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 31/10/2008 12:26:06    130780

michael o muithearhertaigh (wat a legend)

michael phelps

maradona

jack nicklaus

tiger woods

deckythemagpie (Wicklow) - Posts: 20 - 31/10/2008 12:46:08    130815