Athletes who put their sport on the map

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Hauler

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
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Arnold Palmer's passing got me thinking about athletes who put their sport on the map.

Arnold definitely did that with golf. Arnie's Army and all that. His rivalry with the younger Jack Nicklaus was legendary. It can be argued that Tiger brought the sport back after those 2 guys had faded with age, but given his downfall the impact doesn't feel as special anymore.

So who else had that kind of impact on their sport?

Just off the top of my head...

  • Boxing - Muhammad Ali
  • Baseball - Babe Ruth
  • MMA - Royce Gracie?
  • NFL - ??? Plenty of greats, hard to name 1 guy. I don't know that the NFL was ever not popular.
  • NBA - Magic/Bird? Or does MJ stand alone?
  • NHL - Gretzky?
  • Soccer - Pele?
  • Tennis - ?
 
BJTT-Rizzo

BJTT-Rizzo

Tanaka Clan
Feb 16, 2015
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Tony Hawk FTW

Not really a sport I think but Jeremy McGrath/Ricky Carmichael(tie) are motorcross.

How about snowboarding? That Shaun White guy was pretty amazing.
 
Hauler

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
45,614
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BJTT-FrankRizzo said:
Tony Hawk FTW

Not really a sport I think but Jeremy McGrath/Ricky Carmichael(tie) are motorcross.

How about snowboarding? That Shaun White guy was pretty amazing.
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Definitely Tony Hawk. I've never been a skateboard guy, and I've never watched a competition. But I know who Tony Hawk is. That's exactly what I'm taliking about.

White and McGrath are good examples as well.

Confession : I have no idea who Ricky Carmichael is.
 
Hauler

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
45,614
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Kelly said:
Was there a big name in cycling before Lance Armstrong?
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Not that I know of. Good choice, although his fall from grace sort of mirrors Tigers. But it doesn't change the attention he brought to his sport.
 
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P

Punch

Guest
Imma get redneck on y'all.

Pro wrestling: Hulk Hogan

Nascar: Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon

Stunt Performance: Evel Knievel
 
M

member 3289

Guest
Diego Maradona also put soccer on the map in other countries.

I still don't think it's "on the map" in the US.
 
BJTT-Rizzo

BJTT-Rizzo

Tanaka Clan
Feb 16, 2015
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Soccer has to be Pele.

Hey euro guys, how's Valantino Rossi among Moto GP? He was my favorite guy on the only superbike game I ever played.
 
Hauler

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
45,614
57,953
Volleyball - Karch Kiraly ?

Admittedly I don't know many volleyball players.
 
La Paix

La Paix

Fuck this place
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Jan 14, 2015
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BJTT-FrankRizzo said:
Soccer has to be Pele.

Hey euro guys, how's Valantino Rossi among Moto GP? He was my favorite guy on the only superbike game I ever played.
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Nikki Hayden! I don't think anybody else has repped the RC51 as good as he did. I bet @boots or whatever would know best.

 
Hauler

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
45,614
57,953
Greco-Roman - Alexander Karelin

Wrestling - Cael Sanderson
 
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